Need help deciding what to do for 16 year-old son

[Losingmine2]

Hi. I have read this forum quite a bit. I am middle-aged single Mom. I have Female Pattern Hair Loss. I have given up on trying to treat my hair loss. Since I have hair loss and my son's father started balding I guess I knew there was a 99% chance my son would be bald but maybe not until at least 20s. I noticed a thinner temple last year. I didn't want to frighten him and said nothing. Well and because my mother told me I could do damage to his self esteem. She also is in denial. Anyway, I started especially after a few haircuts that were shorter in the last 5-6 months that his my son now closer to 17 seems to have thinning and his temples receding! I am so upset for him. He has always had a strange coarse hair texture in back up to about middle then got finer and blondr near temples. I made him an appt with a derm that also does hair transplants in our small town. He is ISHRS we have no IAHRS in this state. I am hoping I am wrong. Anyway, any advice? I am scared of how diagnosis may hurt my son and since he can't take Propecia yet is it worth it? I have pictures. I know I rambled but my heart aches for him. He is thin and a little socially awkward as it is. Please help.

[Diffuse33]

Hello, I appreciate how worrying it must be for you to see your son losing his hair at such a young age. However, he is only in the early stages of receding and is in a good position to stop it progressing further. I think seeing the derm is a good idea, not to discuss hair transplants, but to get the official diagnosis that he is suffering from male pattern baldness and has miniaturisation. Once you have an official diagnosis you will be able to take steps to prevent it progressing. In a year, when 18 and if he chooses to, he will be able to take propecia and apply rogaine. At his young age and his current minimal degree of loss there is every reason to be positive and believe that he will be able to greatly stunt the progression of his hair lose. Young men often respond very well to treatment. All the best.

[BaldBearded]

Or do nothing, and accept that this is part of maturing, like his parents, for most men (and some women). If we put less emphasis on it, as a society, we would be better off.

Can you imagine if Americans put the amount of money spent on drugs, rugs, and plugs towards getting people healthier, can you imagine the impact?

BTW, if he "doesn't know", how were you able to get him to pose for these pics?

[clee984]

His hair looks fine (in both senses of the word), I certainly wouldn't even consider a hair transplant for him at the moment, get him on finasteride first, and see how it goes - wait at least until his 20s before contemplating a hair transplant. Time is on his side.

[DJSomeday]

Hey! It's kinda late here and I gotta sleep so I'll try to sum up my experience as short as possible. I'll write as statements but be sure to do your research if you doubt anything I say.

Ok so for starters the ways to treat hair loss are the big 3 which have recently turned into big 4.

1. FINASTERIDE / PROPECIA: It's a pill that reduces DHT (main cause of hair loss) and maintains more than regrows hair. BE CAREFUL AND READ UP on side effects including erectile disfunction, brain fog, mood swings, depression, anxiety, complete loss of sexual desire and libido, etc. NOW not everyone has side effects and allegedly most of the side effects go away after you stop taking it but BE AWARE that people have had their lives ruined by this drug. I personally don't take it and never will just because of that chance (however big or small) that it might game over your life entirely.

2. MINOX: PERSONALLY I recommend this WHOLEHEARTEDLY. It has maintained my hair from 24 to 30+ and I can still look like I'm not balding in most haircuts, except when wind ****s my hair because **** wind :P. I completely advice minox. Out of all the brands I found Lipogaine to be the best. I switched to Kirkland for a while and for some reason my hair went to shit during that stint so I switched back before even finishing my stack. 10000% recommended.

3. KETOCONAZOLE: Strong antifungal that prevents DHT accumulation in the scalp. It's really strong so should be used 2x-3x a week TOPS. It's not ESSENTIAL to use Keto but it helps, scientifically proven. Can't find the study now tho but if u google you might. I use Regenepure DR. and a bottle can last 3+ months cause I use it that sporadically.

4. DERMAROLLING: Unfortunately I'm no expert on this one. It's basically using a dermaroller on your scalp once every 7-10 days to promote skin regeneration and regrowth. I haven't ever done this but I'm in the process of getting a dermapen and some needles and starting the protocol. It's provided amazing results for some people.

I hope my small list has helped. I started on this long road in 2012 and vowed to myself to help newbies when I became a hair loss veteran. It is beatable, at least to some degree, you just have to be CONSISTENT! And never stop fighting.

PS: ALL GAINS MADE ON FINASTERIDE OR MINOX WILL GO AWAY IF YOU STOP THE TREATMENT. Forgot to mention that.

Best of luck! Please use this as a starting point of your research and don't take anything as conclusive until you inform yourself from several sources. Thank you and good luck!

[Losingmine2]

Clee984

Ok. His hair looks "fine" then why does he need finasteride? Seriously finasteride before 18?

[Losingmine2]

I need to clarify that I was in no way taking my son to this dr for a hair transplant consultation. I chose him hoping that he would be better than the average dermatologist at accessing how bad the loss is amd proper treatment. We live in Arkansas where there are few good derms or hair loss specialists at all. I saw 4 before I had a biopsy to determine I had Female Pattern Hair Loss. I was told it was TE for a long time despite the fact that I had obvious minuarizatized hair in temples and a receding hairline.

[Losingmine2]

Or do nothing, and accept that this is part of maturing, like his parents, for most men (and some women). If we put less emphasis on it, as a society, we would be better off.

Can you imagine if Americans put the amount of money spent on drugs, rugs, and plugs towards getting people healthier, can you imagine the impact?

BTW, if he "doesn't know", how were you able to get him to pose for these pics?

Well, I know their is no shame in balding. It sucks though. I can wear a good wig and look ok. Men's hair systems usually don't look great.

My son allowed me to take the pictures but he says he doesn't really think he is going bald. We discussed it a little.

[BaldBearded]

Well, I know their is no shame in balding. It sucks though. I can wear a good wig and look ok. Men's hair systems usually don't look great.

My son allowed me to take the pictures but he says he doesn't really think he is going bald. We discussed it a little.

"he says he doesn't really think he is going bald"

So, why don't you just let him deal with it? He is not an infant, and if he doesn't think there is a problem... then, just leave him alone.

Not that you need to, but... you should educate yourself on modern, men's hair replacement (or women's), a good, custom unit is totally undetectable to the eye, and I am not talking HCM. I would go on youtube...

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY2VTiuzuax5HbyYvLLDu_A

[Losingmine2]

"he says he doesn't really think he is going bald"

So, why don't you just let him deal with it? He is not an infant, and if he doesn't think there is a problem... then, just leave him alone.

Not that you need to, but... you should educate yourself on modern, men's hair replacement (or women's), a good, custom unit is totally undetectable to the eye, and I am not talking HCM. I would go on youtube...

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY2...ax5HbyYvLLDu_A

There is a difference in knowing your balding and thinking your balding. My son is pretty oblivios to a lot of things. I want to get him a diagnosis so he can choose whether or not to treat it. Hearing it from a doctor may make him decide to take action, maybe not. I wouldn't force him to use Rogaine or take meds.

Maybe I am chancing screwing his self image up. I don't know. Like I said, I noticed the right temple going at 15 and did nothing.

I am in a real quandry about all of this but I would rather take action. We get the diagnosis, options, then it is up to him whether or not to treat it.