Very confident that I'm going bald, 19, advice/tips?

[Heimegger]

Hey there, I'm 19 (just turned) and have noticed thinning at the front for a while, and when combed out a lot of skin shows at my crown. I do have longish wavy/curly hair so I don't know if that makes it worse or not. But I'll post pictures anyway. Anyway, I'm taking biotin right now and tomorrow will be getting Minoxidil. The GP said I was undergoing MPB, but she seemed very unsure about it. For example she didn't understand the difference between hair that has a white 'bulb' at the end of it (at the root), and hair that is sharp at the root. Most of the hair falling out has had a white bit at the end which is different in texture to the rest of the single hair. I'm looking to see a dermatoligist soon, but since I'm in the UK the waiting times under the NHS are crazy, so private will probably be an option.

Just some general queries anyway, do you have any opinions from looking at the following pictures? Any advice? Obviously I'm starting to fall into a depressive state since my hair is one of the things I take of the most and the realization that proabaly by the time I'm 21-22 It'll look horrendous obviously scares the shite out of me.

http://imgur.com/a/aUHFL

I'm up to post more pics on request. Cheers guys.

[robincurtz]

take fin and delay the process....

[Heimegger]

take fin and delay the process....

I'm a bit wary of Fin/Propecia due to its supposed Sexual side effects, but Rogaine/Minoxidil is a def. Any word on how bad my condition is? When can I expect it to go extremely bad/irreversable? Cheers.

[robincurtz]

I'm a bit wary of Fin/Propecia due to its supposed Sexual side effects, but Rogaine/Minoxidil is a def. Any word on how bad my condition is? When can I expect it to go extremely bad/irreversable? Cheers.

Genetic balding can't be stopped..... It can be slowed down using fin or dut....There is no chance that minox will do any thing for ur hair without fin...
I have been suffering from hair loss since 2011....these medications worked for me...

[Heimegger]

That's no issue, I don't think its genetic since my dad, grandpa (mum's side) all began losing their hair in their 30s and so on. My grandad still had a thick head of hair at 40. It's probably generic MPB or I don't even know excessive thinning? I needed someone to just confirm or not. Since its early in the process I'm sure Minox will do its fair bit.

[fctet258]

Two questions:
Can you still have male pattern baldness without any bald relatives (both of my grandpas and my father still have their hair)
What is that "bulb" issue? Most of my hairs that do fall out, do have this bulb thing

[Louish]

Two questions:
Can you still have male pattern baldness without any bald relatives (both of my grandpas and my father still have their hair)
What is that "bulb" issue? Most of my hairs that do fall out, do have this bulb thing

Bulb is normal, means your hair is in telogen. You are thinning though...

[Heimegger]

I don't want to sound like I'm in denial, but is the thinning due to MPB? Either way I'll have hair till I'm 22 at least, which is suckish but what can I do. The GP did a blood test and found it wasn't due to an iron defiency or thyroid or whatnot. So I guess the answer's clear...

[fctet258]

You are thinning though...

By "you' you mean me or what? Because I think the hair started growing back on the temples for me

[Kashman]

Just stay away from Propecia , the side effects are still with me 8 months after quitting . Basically ruined my life

[Heimegger]

From the pictures I posted (Link is there) could anyone tell me what Norwood scale I'm at? Since I can see my scalp when wet and slightly when dry (that's something recent) as well as my scalp when parted in certain ways, and my crown (the worse part, pics there under high light and wet) so I'd like to know whether I should start Mindoxidil now or not. Because I'm hearing a lot of bad stories where Mindoxidil did more harm than good. (gets rid of your present hairs then regrows them thinner and worse)

[Louish]

By "you' you mean me or what? Because I think the hair started growing back on the temples for me

I replied without realizing you weren't the Op.

[Heimegger]

Little update, 8 months onwards (about), I started Minoxidil more or less when I posted this. And around a few days ago I noticed tiny, invisable to the naked eye hairs growing all over the thinned scalp region as well as the temples (temples aren't a concern for me, the thinning of the frontal scalp and crown is however) so I guess the Minoxidil is doing something, but my hopes aren't up. Will wait out the year to completely see its effects. Also, yes I started Fisateride, but I'm taking it slowly, started at once a week, now on 3 times a week to gradually build it up. First 2 weeks I did experience some sides, p*nis wasn't as errect as usual and a slight loss of libido. A week being off it, I was back to normal. And since then no sides have happened, can achieve full errections even after taking it twice in a week, but again, I wouldn't take this as a rule of thumb. If I do experience any more serious side effects after say 6 months, I'll make sure to post it here. Hell, I'll use this as my own progress/regress forum!

[PappinAce]

hey Heimegger, your hair loss looks almost exactly like mine! the texture of our hair looks ****ed up and ratty, like a pile of straw. it's a tough thing to see that in the mirror every day. you say you take good care of your hair. no dye, heat abuse, etc?

like you, my hair loss started very young in my mid twenties. there is no hair loss in my family history either. i lost what i lost very rapidly, and years later i'm still shedding like a dog, but my hair still LOOKS the same. so it might actually not get worse for you.

this indicates that what we might have is a telogen effluvium. MPB is progressive and it doesn't **** up your hairs texture like that. when your doctor checked your iron and thyroid, did you ask to actually see te numbers? sometimes they just say "it came back normal" but neglect to give you the lab results. what's defined as the normal range is often insufficient for sustained hair growth, and you'll shed without growing it back. any extreme changes in your diet or exercise habits recently?

i've attached some pics of mine so you can compare.

try to keep living. i hope we can fight through this and maybe one day find a solution.

[ezza]

Hey man, how is it going with propecia and sides? How many mg are you taking by the way? I have just been thinking of starting up and would appreciate any and all feedback from guys who started young (ish).. Im 26.