24 year old, early NW, just started [Pics]

[Breaking Bald]

So, I've been using 2% keto shampoo for ~2 weeks now, without any other "medical" interventions. (I also use castor oil, perform nightly scalp massages, eat a diet prime for healthy hair).

Anyways, I've seen people post a handful of studies regarding the efficacy of 2% keto, and have found a few myself on-line. I won't bother to dig them up and provide links, unless someone requests it.

My question: Anyone else on here just using 2% keto shampoo and had positive results?

My hairline that has been thinning out for the last 4-5 months now has small black budding hairs all over. I broke a cardinal rule for this forum, and didn't take "before" pictures, so I'm not sure how valuable a "now" picture would be to you all.

Just wanting to open a discussion on the efficacy of 2% keto shampoo (without other pharmaceutical or medical interventions) - I feel like I could use some grounding, because I'm pretty damn delighted by my progress and don't want to be naive. Still attending a derm appointment in less than a month.

I've been using it for a few months now by itself and to be honest I don't think it has done much (if anything). To be honest man I would add Minox as I have done just recently. Keto isn't really expected to give you any regrowth, it may help slow it down very SLIGHTLY and can often help in keeping your scalp healthy.

[BigThinker]

I've been using it for a few months now by itself and to be honest I don't think it has done much (if anything). To be honest man I would add Minox as I have done just recently. Keto isn't really expected to give you any regrowth, it may help slow it down very SLIGHTLY and can often help in keeping your scalp healthy.

Totally. And to be perfectly transparent, it's what my GP gave me as I'm waiting to see a derm early Nov. Kind of nice to give my scalp a month to get used to the keto before I prospectively begin fin. Prob not going to ever get on Minox. Just slow the loss down, hopefully, and enjoy life.

[Breaking Bald]

How come you don't want to try minoxidil? I suppose fin might be better for your situation.

[BigThinker]

Yeah, I have quite a bit of hair left. So, slowing it down might be suffficient. Plus, fin and keto are so cheap, and hardly inconvenient. I think if I can just slow my hairloss, I'll be content with my life. Probably just let it go once I've been married a few years.

[konfusion]

It might be a "Mature hairline" like this actor, 17 years later and still the same hairline.

well maybe he's on fin/minox or even had some plugs in the hair line, who knows? he's an actor, most of them "miraculously" stay the same for ages

[BigThinker]

well maybe he's on fin/minox or even had some plugs in the hair line, who knows? he's an actor, most of them "miraculously" stay the same for ages

+1.

I'm optimistic, but realistic. I'll have a derm decide my situation. (appointment come up soon). Been on keto for just over 2 weeks. Shedding feels like it's tapering down still.

I guess the big thing is finding out if i have miniaturization. I can't seem to find any miniaturized hairs on my head, though I'll notice one fall out once in a blue moon (seems pretty normal).

[BigThinker]

Couple things I wanted to update/add to my story:

A.)
1 mo on keto:
Well I've been on keto 2% for one month now. Started 2/week but went to 1 because of the discomfort. I really wish the GP would have at least guessed a diagnosis, because my hair loss has practically stopped (I pass the "pull test" 9/10 times, shaking my hair with my finger tips over my white desk leaves only 1-2 hairs). I have some new hairs in my hairline, but definitely not as many as have left since this time last year. I also started biotin 1000 mg, fish oil, men's multi-vitamin at the same time.

B)
Derm appointment on Monday, and now I'm feeling like I could just skip it and be content with my hair (if it STAYED where it is NOW). I can be a bit manic sometimes, and the appointment had to be set up 1 mo. in advance. Therefore, if my shedding started up again, I would probably be super bummed to have to wait another month.

In summation:
I'm in a weird spot right now. I'm content with my hair; i'm focusing on my Master's project, my social life, my internship (career), girls, etc. It's an awesome feeling, but who knows how long my hair will last. Further, I racked up $100 between visiting a GP, getting supplements, getting blood tests, getting ~1mo. of keto 2%.

So, I'm sort of looking for guidance from someone whose hairloss was cyclic (I'm assuming mine is?) Maybe, it was indeed a temporary occurrence because of not washing my hair much this summer, while working 70 hours/week at two jobs. Should I just go to the derm? Even if the derm says "I don't see miniaturization, blah blah blah, I don't think it's MPB", I'm sure there will be times where I think the derm was incompetent and I may have MPB, I might have another shed? When my keto runs out, maybe I will start shedding again?

This is a testimonial, as well as an ask for guidance. Thanks.

[BigThinker]

Sorry for double post. I feel compelled to offer a new pic.

click on it and it will get larger

[BaldinLikeBaldwin]

i dont know bro, you look NW 2.5 in that pic but the angle may be disadvantageous?

cant tell where you have receded are you slick bald there your can you feel weak vellus hairs?

so by the sounds of it you still have good density elsewhere, no weakening of the middle part of your hairline?

[BigThinker]

i dont know bro, you look NW 2.5 in that pic but the angle may be disadvantageous?

cant tell where you have receded are you slick bald there your can you feel weak vellus hairs?

so by the sounds of it you still have good density elsewhere, no weakening of the middle part of your hairline?

Not much going on where it has receded (where hair once was, but no longer is) - it is smooth from what I can tell. There are a good amount of new/short black hairs in my thinned hairline. I really wish I had a camera with the resolution to show them up close. The thinning is all at the hair line in front. Equally up and down the "M shape"; the front center isn't worse than if you were go go either direction in the "M". And no, there is no noticeable shedding in the back or top.

There is no doubt that I've receded, and it is in the "classic" pattern, which I honestly don't mind at all. It's really just a question of whether or not it's going to continue or whether I'll have mature hair line, and if so, for how long and at what rate will I develop. Bottom line is no professional is going to be able to tell me with certainty; I'm at peace with that.

[BigThinker]

Saw the dermatologist, going to take a break from BTT

Well everyone, I finally saw the dermatologist.

Paperwork:
Well, the visit was great. I attend a large research University in the Upper Midwest, and I have to say I was thoroughly impressed with their Dermatology unit. First, when I showed up, the nurse brought out a 4 page packet of questions specifically regarding hair loss. It covered everything from family history, recent stress incidents, current treatments I'm using, supplements I'm using, symptom (itchy, tingling, etc) and a section for amount of hair loss. Maybe this isn't uncommon, but I went to the clinic thinking the doc was going to be incompetent (at least in regards to hair loss. I already felt like the appt was going to accomplish something before it had started.

The doc:
Well the doctor was a very young attractive latin women. I only mention this, because I was initially adamant I should be seeing a middle-aged white doc to resolve this. She was friendly and I pushed myself to exude confidence, because I was actually a little bit embarrassed to be sharing my problems with this good lookin lady (kinda lame, I know). She asked me a ton of questions, asked me my concerns, and even asked me what route I wanted to go (blood work or biopsy). I told her that whatever she suggested would be fine with me. She decided having my blood work done would be best, because a biopsy may not be necessary, which leads to my next piece:

The diagnosis:
Well the formal diagnosis, if such a thing exists, was "Alopecia - undefined". She examined my scalp thoroughly, and said that all of my hair loss was indeed in the hairline and temples (I'm not a diffuse thinner, thankfully). She believes that the hair loss I describe, in conjunction to what she sees, isn't necessarily MPB, and that I should stray from "The Big 3". In fact, when I told her how keto caused me discomfort, she advised I drop it all together.

Next steps:
It seems my journey is slowing down. I had my blood work done, and the doctor will get back to me in ~week, she's looking at:
TSH (w/free T4 reflex)
Ferritin
Iron and iron binding capacity
Vit D deficiency
Basic metabolic panel
Testosterone (free and total)
Protein total
CBC w/platelet differential
Antinuclear antibody screen

Other than that, she advises I keep leading a healthy life, and wait 4 months (assuming blood work is fine) to address my hair loss again.

*She also advised getting 2-3 different dandruff/scalp shampoos with different active ingredients (keto, iron, etc.) and to rotate, to really hit your head with something new every day.

Summary:
I've decided that I should take a break from BTT, except to give updates on my story. I've learned a lot from the members, and would probably be overwhelmed with stress and uncertainty without most of you. I'm done bar tending 40-50 hours a week in the summers, and will now be pursuing my real career. I talked to my grandma who shared with me that my dad began balding at 17 and was an aggressive diffuse thinner (I was too afraid to sound like a whiney punk, so I never asked him directly). So, I'm hoping my hair loss will taper off and I will assume the hairline of my maternal side of the family, and I will enjoy a mature hairline for 5-10 years (or long enough for me to knock up a super model and not care anymore).

If the blood work comes back bad, I will share my new diagnosis.

Regards.

Thanks everyone.

[BaldinLikeBaldwin]

I've followed your story and I'll be honest and say I think you have clear cut MPB and that's not something I wish on anybody so I hope I don't sound like a high NW dude trying to drag you down in the hair loss trenches

in the event you'll fall out of any of the blood work value ranges I dont think it will mean you can attribute your hair loss to any deficiencies

since you wrote you'll be OK as long you dont lose more ground that's what I'll wish for in your case, that it stops for the foreseeable future

your a good kid, take care

[BigThinker]

Thanks BaldinLikeBaldwin. Hard to say how fast it will go, so all I can do is stay active in monitoring it.

In other news,

The derm called me today and said my blood work was back; I have low levels of vitD is all. Obviously, I'm not insinuating that is the culprit to my hairloss. But, I will however start taking 400 UI/day, per her recommendation.