Just Noticing Hair Loss

[Username1234]

I'm 23 years old. I've noticed my hairline receding a bit for a while, just in the temples. I remember actually about a year ago getting a haircut and feeling exactly where there used to be hair. Anyways, this didn't really bother me at the time because my hair was very thick and I've always had a high hairline in the temples, so I figured it was just receding a bit as I got older. I also didn't notice any thinning or loss anywhere else, so I didn't think much of it.

Recently, though, I've noticed that my hairline in about the first 1/4" has thinned significantly, leaving my hairline looking less defined. My hairline has receded a bit in the temples as well, and I can see around the temples that it's thinner and looks like it's going to continue.

I've also noticed in the crown area a spot where my hair is very thin. Friends/family that I've talked about it to say that I've always had it, though, so I can't really tell if it's actually started there or not. My hair on the top of my head has also started feeling thinner, although I'm not sure if it actually is or if I'm just being paranoid haha.

I've also noticed that my hair has been falling out faster. I've always had problems with hair falling out and with flaking and dry scalp, as long as I can remember, but it's definitely picked up at a noticeable rate. Sometimes I can reach up and grab 4 or 5 hairs out, and I've noticed my pillow has a bunch of hair on it.

Again, I can't tell if I'm actually going bald or if this is just normal thinning, but it's always better to be safe than sorry. Everyone I've talked to that went on Finasteride has always said that they wished they would have gotten on it earlier.

I'm interested in finding a dermatologist in the area to look at my hair and maybe get a prescription for Proscar. I do have a few questions about this, though, as I've never seen a dermatologist before, especially for this.

1. Can I go to any dermatologist, or should I go to one that specializes in hair loss?

2. Can I go to a dermatologist specializing in hair transplant? I'm not interested in surgery, just the prescription, so I wasn't sure if that was appropriate to do.

3. If I have to go to a specialist, how can I find one in my area? I'm in Milwaukee, WI, and would obviously prefer it to be around there, but I could also drive down to Chicago or elsewhere in the area if necessary. Is there somewhere online where I can look this up? I haven't had much luck just searching Google.

[CIT_Girl]

Any dermatologist should be well-versed enough to recognize MPB though you can certainly ask, when booking, if they have much experience working with men with hair loss. Hair transplant surgeons can also prescribe hair loss medications and it may be worth visiting one if there are any nearby (check out http://www.iahrs.org/hair-transplant/- though there do not appear to be any in Wisconsin). Although HT surgeons will generally be more knowledgeable about hair loss than other physicians, make sure you do not find yourself being talked into an unneeded and/or premature procedure. It might be worth meeting with a hair transplant doctor if you want to come up with a long-term plan for combating future hair loss and possibly restoring your hairline in the future- otherwise, I think you would be fine seeing a dermatologist.

One of the best ways to find a dermatologist is to get a recommendation from your general practitioner- he or she will generally be familiar with dermatologists in the area and other patients' opinions of them. You can also try a site like www.findadermatologist.com where you can simply get a listing of practicioners by city/state.

[Username1234]

I think I'm going to set up an appointment with my GP rather than go to a dermatologist, simply because it's more convenient, I can get the prescription through him, and I don't see any benefit to going to a dermatologist instead. I'm just trying to figure out the whole insurance side of things so I don't get a huge bill (just came off my parents' insurance so I'm new to all of this!).

I've also heard that Walmart has a generic version of Propecia that's selling for $10 right now, for about a 4 month supply (if you split the 5mg pills into quarters), so I'll probably just get a generic Finasteride prescription and bring it to Walmart and get that.

I guess I'm just trying to get the whole insurance side set before I go, but this is really stressing me out because I want to get on it ASAP so I can stop losing hair. Right now it's not even really noticeable, and that's how I'd like to keep it!

Also, what of the horror stories associated with Finasteride? What is the validity of these claims? I heard that there were only 1-2% of users that experienced side effects (erectile dysfunction), and that once the drug is stopped the side effects go away. However, there are people saying that the side effects didn't go away after discontinuation of use. What is the incident rate for this happening, and is there anything I should really be worried about?

[Username1234]

Also, what happens if you take Propecia for a while then go off it, in terms of hair loss? Does it all fall out really fast or does it resume at the same pace it previously was? What if you aren't actually going bald and you take it, then go off it? Can it cause you to go bald?

I guess I'm not really sure if I'm going bald or if my hairline is just receding or what. I don't want to go on this and have it affect me negatively, either with side effects or with causing me to lose hair.

Maybe I should post some pics first and get your opinions...

[Username1234]

Took these tonight, how I normally wear it:

http://i53.tinypic.com/2isv0cn.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/2q24to6.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/264hv8z.jpg

http://i51.tinypic.com/2rpfnfb.jpg

http://i55.tinypic.com/2zywunn.jpg

Some photos of the crown. I've parted my hair in some of these:

http://i56.tinypic.com/358bdqa.jpg

http://i56.tinypic.com/9iqv68.jpg

http://i56.tinypic.com/xmv28j.jpg

http://i52.tinypic.com/34zadjn.jpg

Photo back from around Halloween:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs457.ash2/72996_846865941968_26705452_45330303_5736960_n.jpg

This is where it gets bad. Here's my hair wet, from tonight:

http://i54.tinypic.com/2gucl1d.jpg

http://i56.tinypic.com/1zn76za.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/e7cug2.jpg

http://i55.tinypic.com/2efsy9h.jpg

http://i53.tinypic.com/2hx9eli.jpg

http://i51.tinypic.com/1zyatma.jpg

I mean nobody can notice it I don't think because of the length of my hair. I'm worried that I'm going to cut it and it'll be completely noticeable. I actually didn't realize it looked this bad until I took photos this morning.

Everybody's hair does that when it's wet, right? Right?!

Ah, well. I'm planning on going on Propecia ASAP to deal with this because I don't look good either with a shaved head or a hat, and women say my hair is my best quality.

How bad do you really think it is? Does it look like I'm going bald? Is it even noticeable? Can this be salvaged? I'm seriously stressing out over this like crazy! I'm only 23; it's a cruel joke that someone as young as me or younger should have to go through this.

EDIT: Here's some more photos, for comparison.

From August of last year: http://i55.tinypic.com/xp0nrc.jpg
From February: http://i55.tinypic.com/kciat3.jpg
From April: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-...8_967722_n.jpg
April: http://i52.tinypic.com/1j8exe.jpg
From May: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._6681175_n.jpg
May: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._5029425_n.jpg
May: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-..._3956431_n.jpg

Keep in mind I didn't start suspecting hairloss until around August or September. I know that throughout these photos I experienced some receding in the hairlines but that was it; I had my original thickness and everything. Unfortunately I don't have a good photo of that to provide.

This is seriously eating away at me like crazy. I need to get to my doc like next week to get some Propecia.

[dgman21]

I understand the feeling it sucks. Looks like you got some thinning and loss of density in front/top. But it doesn't look bad. Just comb it/style it right and get on propecia.

[Winston]

You’re still looking really good. You might have some very slight thinning in the front, or it could just be that your hairline is maturing and you will maintain your hair for many years. Are you actually shedding hair at this point?

[Username1234]

I've always had a high hairline, especially in the temples as you can see from the earlier photos.

I've been noticing a significant increase in shedding over the past few months. Basically this means that I notice 5 or 6 hairs on my pillow, I find hair on my shoulders and desk as well. I don't know how bad that really is as I've read some people here losing as much as 30 hairs in a single shower.

I can't tell if I'm just thinning, if my hairline is just receding or if I'm actually going bald. As I said befor I don't think it's noticeable to anyone else yet, but I would like to keep it that way.

What happens if I go on Fin for a bit then stop? Will that accelerate hair loss or will it continue as previously? I'm worried also that I'm just thinning or have a receding hairline and not actually going bald, and that if I take Fin and go off that it'll somehow cause me to go bald when I wouldn't have if I didn't go on it.

[CIT_Girl]

What happens if I go on Fin for a bit then stop? Will that accelerate hair loss or will it continue as previously? I'm worried also that I'm just thinning or have a receding hairline and not actually going bald, and that if I take Fin and go off that it'll somehow cause me to go bald when I wouldn't have if I didn't go on it.

Once you cease taking finasteride, the balding process will resume as if you had never taken the medication. However, starting and/or stopping fin shouldn't cause you to lose hair you wouldn't have lost to begin with.

[Username1234]

Once you cease taking finasteride, the balding process will resume as if you had never taken the medication. However, starting and/or stopping fin shouldn't cause you to lose hair you wouldn't have lost to begin with.

Sooo when you say "resume as if etc..." do you mean that if I take Fin for enough time that I normally would have went completely bald in that time, and then stop using it, that I will bald very quickly "as if I had never taken it"? Or do you mean that it will continue slowly at the same rate as it did before I started Fin?

I think I've concluded that, while I have lost some hair density on the top of my head, that it isn't actual balding. I've been monitoring my crown for like 2-3 months now and I haven't noticed it get any more noticeable so I really do think it was always like that.

I think my hairline is just receding. I'm getting pretty thin in the front 1/4" or so, which makes it look like I actually am going bald to anyone that looks closely, when in reality it's just the first little bit around my hairline.

I'm still paranoid that I am in fact going bald, or that my hairline is going to get much worse, but for now I think I'm going to just wait and monitor it and if it does get worse then I can set up an appointment with my GP to get a prescription for Fin.

Otherwise, does anyone know where to order generic Fin online for cheap?

[CIT_Girl]

Sooo when you say "resume as if etc..." do you mean that if I take Fin for enough time that I normally would have went completely bald in that time, and then stop using it, that I will bald very quickly "as if I had never taken it"? Or do you mean that it will continue slowly at the same rate as it did before I started Fin?

If you stop taking it, you will lose any benefit you had from taking it- so native hair that you managed to keep while on it will likely fall out within 12 months of discontinuing the medication.

[Username1234]

BTW what's your opinion on the photos I posted? It seems like, while it's gotten a bit thinner on top, it's still pretty thick, and that I haven't lost any noticeable amount in the crown area as far as I can tell. Seems to just be a receding hairline, the more I think about it. But I would really appreciate other opinions.

[CIT_Girl]

Personally, I don't notice any thinning in the crown area or on top. It's possible that you are noticing some slight recession of the hairline and in the temples but it's certainly not something I would say is noticeable to anyone other than yourself (we're all our own worst critics ).

[Username1234]

Well I can tell that it's thinning on top because of how it lays. I actually like it thinner like this because it's much more manageable, haha. Back when it was thicker it was really hard to style because it would always bounce back to its original shape, which was really annoying. Where it's at now I can pretty much do whatever I want with it.

So if my hair stays this thin and I'm just experiencing normal thinning from getting older I'm completely fine with that. I'm just worried it's going to continue. I've decided that if it does indeed continue, to the point where it's noticeable, that I'll get on the Fin/minodixil regimen but until that point I'm not going to worry about it.

Maybe I'll post some photos in a few days to show where it's at now, if I have some free time.

[Username1234]

So just wanted to update on where I'm at. My hair has been steadily falling out, though it's still not noticeable unless you look closely. My hairline has receded a bit further and my hair on top has been thinning diffusely.

Nobody's noticed really except girls that have gotten up close to it. Last girl I had over commented on it when she was playing with my hair, but she didn't care and I'm not really phased by it.

I'm at the point where it's not embarrassing and I've accepted the fact that I'm losing my hair, and that some day I will, but that right now I'd rather not, and so I've gone on Finasteride. I'm on day 3 of the stuff and still no sides whatsoever, and it seems like my hair loss has slowed a bit, but I'm sure that's just due to me getting my hopes up. Fin takes a while to take effect and I'm sure it hasn't after just 3 days.

I'm going to continue the Fin for a month or two and if everything goes smoothly probably start using Minodixil until I'm at desired thickness then just stay on Fin.

It's really not a big deal at all to me to take a pill every day. I'm really healthy so I take a multi, a fish oil and a calcium every morning anyways so one more pill really isn't a big deal to me.

I ordered Finpecia off United Pharmacies, and it took forever to get here! I know Finpecia's legit, though, and it's cheaper than Propecia. I'll probably get to the point where I'll get a generic Fin prescription sometime down the line, probably through Walmart because that's the cheapest right now, but I'm not too concerned with that until I have to travel overseas. The last dermatologist I went to had the nerve to tell me that generic versions of Propecia don't exist! I'm sure he's being paid by the company to claim that, so when I do want to get a prescription I'll have to find another dermatologist or just do it through my doc.

I'll post some pics later, I'm sure you guys will all be like "What's the big deal you have tons of hair!" haha, but the point is to keep it all and not wait til it's all gone!

I'll keep this updated every couple weeks/months with progress.