Need advice. Get on fin?

[StuckInARut]

What do you mean by white bits? A white bulb at the end of the hairs or white dandruff looking bits?

[BigThinker]

Prob the white bulbs. Those are normal.

[Luzianaman]

I Agree With The Other Poster

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

I'd wait.

I visited a hair loss doctor and, like you, didn't really get a straight answer. My doc said I could use Rogaine three days a week but it was "up to me."

Kinda made me question this doc's wisdom in general because I've never, ever heard of using Rogaine three days a week.

So I'm waiting and looking around for maybe another doc.

[nick9278]

What do you mean by white bits? A white bulb at the end of the hairs or white dandruff looking bits?

Little bit on my shed hairs:
Both thick hairs and miniaturized. Mostly hairs that are my original hair thickness or a little thinner than my original hair width I'd say. Don't know if thats a good or bad thing. There's a white bulb at the end of all the shed hairs. The shed hairs maintain thickness throughout the strand as well, which I believe to be a good sign, since the follicles aren't thinning mid-strand. Sometimes the top end of the follicle is thinner than the middle and the root (tapered end), but I think thats just from wear and tear.

The white bits seem like dandruff. Guessing its either from the rogaine foam or I just have a tiny bit of dandruff. I never noticed it until I started combing my hair a lot more, which probably gets all the dead skin off my scalp. Hope I'm not drying it out or anything. Is using generic keto any different from the brand Nizoral?

I'd wait.

I visited a hair loss doctor and, like you, didn't really get a straight answer. My doc said I could use Rogaine three days a week but it was "up to me."

Kinda made me question this doc's wisdom in general because I've never, ever heard of using Rogaine three days a week.

So I'm waiting and looking around for maybe another doc.

My initial post was from Feb of last year. I've been on finasteride now for 11 months. My hair loss doc (IAHRS member) took microscopic photos of my thick donor region and my crown and showed me the difference in hair and evident hair loss.

Rogaine is most effective used twice a day, and almost as effective using once a day, or so I hear. Look into finasteride though, if you're experiencing hair loss. Only thing that has a good chance of stopping your loss.

[nick9278]

White bulbs mean that the hair being shed were in the telogen phase. It's likely they're being forced out to make way for newer, stronger hairs.

I was under the impression that all shed hair is in the telogen phase and has a white bulb. It simply means the hair was shed from the root. Its been 11 months so I think its really up in the air what happens to the next follicles. Hopefully they'll be thicker.

[Bobbby7]

Hey Nick I'm in exactly the same shape you are. Im 22 and have been noticing hair loss since i was about 18/19. My Dad lost his hair in his late twenties and my older brother is mid twenties and is a little further along then me. I've been using Regenepure for about 6 months which contains Ketoconazole and i take Biotin Pills everyday. I think it works a little but the keto deff dries out my hair unless i use conditioner with it. When I saw the doc they prescribed me propecia and said rogaine was the other alternative. What weirded me out was how much the women pitched propecia on me. Im very hesitant to take it, do you or anyone else have any advice about minoxidil and finasteride. I want to start doing more to fight MPB but not sure what other steps i could take. Also ive heard so much conflicting data on propecia.

[nick9278]

Update

Thought I'd update. Not sure why, except I just started a shed a few days ago, which is a pain in the ass and makes me want to vent a bit. I haven't been on the site since my shed stopped at the beginning of April. I believe I have just started my 3rd shed. Been on fin almost 17 months.

April 2012 - Started fin
June - Started minox
late June/July/August - shed
late Jan/February/March 2013 - worse than initial shed, really bad for a few weeks
September - just started mild shed

I'm hoping this is normal as many people report finasteride synchronizing their hair cycles, causing shedding periods throughout the first 2 years.

It appears I've freaked out in previous posts and misjudged things, but visually I've appeared to maintain, even through the sheds. I might have gained then returned to the original position in the corners of my hairline, but its really hard to say.

Will keep this updated. May make the decision to jump to duta. I've had Dr. Reddy's Dutas sitting in my closet for a while, just waiting until I feel I NEED to make the change. Anyway, it's always nice tricking my mind into thinking I have something to fall back on. Haha.

[Vic12]

Thought I'd update. Not sure why, except I just started a shed a few days ago, which is a pain in the ass and makes me want to vent a bit. I haven't been on the site since my shed stopped at the beginning of April. I believe I have just started my 3rd shed. Been on fin almost 17 months.

April 2012 - Started fin
June - Started minox
late June/July/August - shed
late Jan/February/March 2013 - worse than initial shed, really bad for a few weeks
September - just started mild shed

I'm hoping this is normal as many people report finasteride synchronizing their hair cycles, causing shedding periods throughout the first 2 years.

It appears I've freaked out in previous posts and misjudged things, but visually I've appeared to maintain, even through the sheds. I might have gained then returned to the original position in the corners of my hairline, but its really hard to say.

Will keep this updated. May make the decision to jump to duta. I've had Dr. Reddy's Dutas sitting in my closet for a while, just waiting until I feel I NEED to make the change. Anyway, it's always nice tricking my mind into thinking I have something to fall back on. Haha.

So you're sure your hair looks the same as it did when you started taking Fin? My thinning is not as bad as yours but holy shit I'm want your hairline. I'm only 18 and mine looks exactly like the NW2 picture. It's not even a hairline. It's just a peninsula. At least that peninsula hasn't receded.

[Notcoolanymore]

I am pissed I started treating my hair loss so late, but I don't know if I would be able to deal with some of the shedding you guys describe. If I had a good amount of hair and started losing it after treatment, I would be tempted to stop taking anything.

[BigThinker]

I am pissed I started treating my hair loss so late, but I don't know if I would be able to deal with some of the shedding you guys describe. If I had a good amount of hair and started losing it after treatment, I would be tempted to stop taking anything.

I venture I've had as bad of shedding on treatment as anyone, and I started treating at NW1.5-NW2.

It's very difficult to stomach, but you just keep reminding yourself that you're enduring short-term pain for long-term relief. You also remind yourself that waiting until NW3 would be asinine.

I wanted to quit treatment during the early shedding, and I read many dudes saying they want to or are doing just that. That's just silly. I wonder how many threads exist where some dude is freaking out about shedding only to be reminded it's to be expected and is favorable - Hell, I've probably made 2 of them myself.

I'm just now at the point where my diffusion is evident at the hairline and cowlick. It sucks, but at 6.5 months of fin and 1 month of minox, I pray that the good is still to come. No feeling could be worse than getting to NW7 knowing you didn't at least try to treat it. I hate 'what-ifs'.

[Notcoolanymore]

I hear what you are saying. I am just saying that I would be in a world of hurt if I was shedding like you guys describe. I did wait too long before I started treatment. It was not out of fear though, it was out of ignorance of effective treatments.

[nick9278]

So you're sure your hair looks the same as it did when you started taking Fin? My thinning is not as bad as yours but holy shit I'm want your hairline. I'm only 18 and mine looks exactly like the NW2 picture. It's not even a hairline. It's just a peninsula. At least that peninsula hasn't receded.

I'm pretty sure my hair looks the same. I have plenty of pictures. Only problem is these pictures were taken on a phone cam and are in different residences so comparing them is hard. I'll work on getting some up soon. My cowlick appears to be the same size though.


The shedding is hard to deal with but you have to rationalize it the best you can and understand that its part of the process for some people. I have a nice amount of hair, but diffuse loss. Shedding is expected in my opinion. I'd say I start a shed every 7 months and shed for 2.5 months. Hopefully they aren't as bad in the future. I'm hoping this one ends soon but according to previous sheds it could go until the beginning of November.