Need advice. Get on fin?

[nick9278]

Hello everyone! I'm 22, and for the past month or so I've been checking for possible hair loss. I figure if I think I'm experiencing hair loss, I probably am... but I wanted to get some outside opinions. I went to a ISHRS doctor, and checked for miniaturization. They seemed on the edge, like it is possible, but not positive. I figured I was fine for the moment, until I took a few pictures of my wet hair which seemed to show definite thinning at the crown. So if you guys could let me know what you think, that would be great! This really is a great resource!

I have the ability to take fin right now, but before I make that lifetime commitment, I wanted to make sure it is the right step. My hair loss doesn't seem very aggressive at the moment, but my dad started balding at 18, and my paternal uncle and grandfather are also bald. My mother's side of the family is pretty solid though, and I have her characteristics, thick hair/widow's peak.

I also have slight thinning at the hairline, and my crown seems a bit itchy lately. Additionally, if you don't notice I have a cowlick that parts my hair right on my crown, which you can see on the furthest left picture.

Sorry about the blurry pictures, and thank you!

[mnx]

I personally wouldn't take action until an expert is sure. I think the most reasonable course of action is to keep an eye on it, and check back with expert if there is a change.

I am no expert, so I'm not even going to venture a guess from your pics. I will say though that sometimes pictures make a situation look worse. For example, light hairs sometimes look like scalp, and wetness isn't very flattering. Try not to get too freaked out by a bad set of pictures.

[clandestine]

Understand fin has side effects. Beyond that, your decision, could be beneficial.

[25 going on 65]

It's a bit hard to tell from your pictures, but you may be in the early stages of thinning at the crown.

Definitely keep an eye on it, especially knowing it runs in your family. I would consider getting a second opinion from a different hair loss specialist as well.

Good luck!

[bob13]

Your hair looks good I wouldnt go on propcia for a while yet.. If it gets worse get a script

[Tracy C]

Hi nick9278,

Your hair looks fine. If you want, you could start using Nizoral A-D once or twice per week in place of your regular shampoo for about 6 months and see if it helps your hair look better to you.

[boricotico]

If I were you I'd try to avoid Fin until the last option, you're ok right now. We seem to forget that the Finasteride side effects are real, even at 2% it's a risk you're taking. I'm talking by experience, I only took the pill for six months and I'm still wondering if the side effects would go away some day.

[nick9278]

Thanks for the responses!

I have an appointment with a recommended IAHRS physician mid-April, so I'll monitor it until then.

I also picked up some Nizoral 1% last week. I've lived in a hot place my whole life and have recently moved to cold weather. I think it's making my hair react with some dandruff, which may explain the itchiness. I might be shedding more too? Who knows. Anyways, thank you again!

[25 going on 65]

Abrupt changes in climate can definitely cause changes in your skin, including unwelcome ones like dryness and itching.

I respectfully must disagree boricotico about finasteride. If you are in fact losing your hair due to male-pattern baldness, and you want to treat it effectively, finasteride would typically be the first line of defense and not the last. This is because it is the better-understood (i.e. safer) of the two proven DHT suppressants on the market, and because without DHT suppression, there is currently no way to stop hereditary hair loss in men.

That said, you don't want to take a lifelong pill if it's not necessary, so I would wait until after your doctor's appointment to make any decisions like that.

[nick9278]

Just wanted to update. I went to an IAHRS doctor in my area and found out I have MPB. Diffuse thinning with the worst in the crown. I've caught it early though and he said I have a good chance of maintaining what I have (cosmetically) for quite a while with the Big 3. Hopefully in 5 to 10 to 12 years... whatever they are saying nowadays... better treatments will be available and I'll still have a similar amount of hair, assuming I respond well to my current regimen.

Looking back I realized the process started when I was 21, last fall probably... I didn't think much of it at the time. Kinda crazy how it creeps up on you.

[nick9278]

Just wanted to update my story since I'm becoming a bit more active on the forums. That and I'm going through my biggest shed yet and I'd like others opinions. In retrospect, the pics I originally posted were terrible and didn't show my situation very well (denial).

Treatments:
Fin 1.25mg since April 17, 2012. No sides.
Minox 5% since June 6, 2012.
Nizoral 2% once-twice a week since April 17, 2012. 1% for a 2 months before that.

Important info:
Age - 23 as of Jan this year.
Dad - NW6 in 30s, not sure exactly when, could be 25. eek.
Me - NW 2 hairline, NW 6 diffuse. Hairline has been this way since I cut off my long hair at 18. Diffuse since 21, maybe 20, not completely sure.
First shed - June/July 2012.
Hair was pretty solid this past fall. Let the sides/back grow for a few months.
Second shed(worst) - January/February/March 2013... the worst in March. Hopefully it tapers off soon. Its freaking me out. Currently losing probably 150-200 hairs a day just from the top of my head.


I've attached some pictures, that are complete shit obviously, but all I have. I use an iPhone 4 camera which isn't very good quality, and I didn't know (still don't it seems) how to take proper pictures I could replicate before hand. I've tried to take the pictures in as similar conditions as possible, hair length makes this impossible, but I don't want to cut my hair. First pic was especially hard to replicate, different locations.

The first picture in each set is February-March 2012. Length ~ 1.5-2 inches
The second picture in each set is today, March 18. Length ~ way longer.. 5-6 inches on vertex maybe

Future:

• Hoping density increases following this shed, then maintenance.

• Considering Dutasteride. Have some Dutas already. My balding is quite aggressive, so I'm going to try it, just don't know if I should start taking it too soon.

Anyone care to comment, would be really appreciated. Did I maintain? Do my pictures suck so much its not worth commenting about? Any periodic shedding stories? Dutasteride, yes/no?

EDIT: will get some better pics up when I have time, wet hair and all

[nick9278]

Hey guys, having a pretty serious freak out, never been this concerned by my hair loss. I thought the finasteride/rogaine combo was working. Aside from my first shed, everything seemed to be going really well, but since January my shedding has continued to pick up.

It got really bad about in March, and continues to get worse. Yesterday after a shower around noon (combed my hair in the shower), I lost about 80 hairs applying rogaine, then 40-50 putting in product an hour later. Just took another shower, shampoo/condition and lost soooo much hair its crazy, hands covered. Combed out another 30 or so in the sink. Massaged rogaine in and got what the pic is showing (I know people usually say don't follow the "kitchen sink" approach, but I really need to talk about this) ... Its ****ing insane. How can an 10th-11th MONTH finasteride induced shed be this strong? Might it be that the fin hasn't worked at all I just wasn't shedding much this summer/fall.

The growing thinness of my hair is sickening.

[25 going on 65]

Do you use 1 mg finasteride or 5 mg cut into pieces?
What is your dose every day?
Do you use generic or brand name?
Do you currently use ketoconazole shampoo & how often?
Have you ever been tested for DHT levels?

Also have you considered other possible causes for hair loss like telogen effluvium, excess or lack of certain vitamins, etc.?

[nick9278]

Do you use 1 mg finasteride or 5 mg cut into pieces?
What is your dose every day?
Do you use generic or brand name?

5mg brand name proscar quartered everyday.

Do you currently use ketoconazole shampoo & how often?

Generic keto shampoo every 4 days for 5 min. Recently bumped up to this from once a week. Don't think it would cause a shed though because I've fluctuated how often I use keto (1-2/week) multiple times without causing shedding.

Have you ever been tested for DHT levels?

No... but I assume my follicles are really sensitive based on having my father's balding pattern and he lost it very early.

Also have you considered other possible causes for hair loss like telogen effluvium, excess or lack of certain vitamins, etc.?

Not really, my sides/back remain thick and aren't noticeably shedding comparatively.


I've been trying to follow the idea that finasteride synchronizes hair cycles so now its just my time and I heard the first 12-18 months are a rollercoaster, but I'm just shedding so much I don't understand. My other sheds have been noticeable, but lasted a matter of weeks to mayyyybbbeee a month and weren't this intense. So THIS is real shedding, I guess? I don't know. I just want it to slow down. Starting to think fin isn't effective for me.

Considering what I've started to lose in the shower, my daily loss must be conservatively 200-250 hairs from my NW6 region. That's probably being generous. Hell it seems like I lose that in a shampoo/rogaine application alone. Visually its becoming much more noticeable. This morning I was just looking at how much thinner its become... its too much. While I've been growing my hair out so its hard to say, I feel as though I didn't receive regrowth, so this shed is really throwing me off. End rant, thanks for listening.

[nick9278]

There are some white bits in my hair when I comb after a shower though. Not exactly sure what those are since I'm using keto dandruff shampoo.