coming to terms with hair loss and seeking advice

hello everyone. i'm 24 years old and my hair has been thinning for several years but just now getting to the point where it is getting regular comments. since i was 18, i had been diffusely thin across my scalp with thinner spots in the middle of my hairline and at the vertex. over the last year, it has worsened and my hair is not growing as quickly as it used to.

while i don't have any slick bald spots (though the center of my hairline is approaching that), my scalp is highly visible under light. under low light it is not as evident but it is still noticable with examination. my hair line, other than the center, is mostly where it was 4 years ago with maybe some temple recession - my temples were always around where they are.

as implied by the headline, i am new to treatments. i do not have any regimen other than the nutriox thinning shampoo i started using a couple weeks ago. if you want to see pictures, i have uploaded several - two of my scalp under near direct sunlight, then 4 of different angles in low light.

i would like to know if, considering my pattern of balding, there is any hope through the use of medication such as fin or minox. i am not too enthusiastic about untested experiments...

thanks for your advice! if i begin treatment, i will follow through with pictures on a regular basis regardless of the results.

The way i see it, fin only would restore your hair completely. You could throw in minox if fin is not satisfactory, but fin should do the job.

Hi

First off, you need to decide whether or not you would be happy taking a drug like Finasteride for the forseeable future. Personally I've been on it over the last four years and have never looked back. With any luck there should be newer therapies available that may replace this drug, but this could take ten years (hopefully a little sooner though).

The good news is that you may be a very good candidate for Finasteride / Propecia. It will likely halt your hair loss and you may get some regrowth as is known with diffuse thinners like yourself. The pictures you have taken show where you are headed into terms of further loss so if you decide to medicate, time is of the essence.

Good luck!

Hey,

I'm 25 and I had the exact same balding pattern than you with fine light brown hair. I recommend you start Finpecia(or any other brand of Finasteried) IMMEDIATELY. It will take a while before it stops the hair loss.

My doctor told me Finasteried doesn't regrow hair but re-thickens fine hairs that aren't terminal(in their last growth cycle) yet. That means it'll look as if some hair grew back. People with sudden onset usually have more fine hair to re-thicken than someone like you who have been losing hair for years. So don't get your hopes up with regrowth just do what you can, it will be worth it.

Don't worry about the side effects. You're libido might go up or down until your body adjusts, it took me about 6 months to be normal. Hair loss tends to happen in the years just before natural libido decline in men and people tend to unduly accuse Finasteried as 'permanently' damaging them, it's nonsense. If you ever stop taking Finasteried you're body will readjust itself to previous hormonal levels as you would have been on all accounts.

I don't recommend minoxidil since it discolors the hair a lighter shade and you look like you have even less hair.
There isn't a consensus on Laser treatment amongst doctors and I wouldn't recommend it since it is an arduous process and might just be wishful thinking.

Finpecia and hair transplant are the only real sustainable solutions out there in my opinion.

Best of luck.

I would also like to recommend you take a Zinc supplement.

It won't treat the underlying cause or stop hair loss. But maximizing general hair growth potential will help with your hair's recovery in the first few months you are on Finasteried.

I have been considering fin for some time and realize the potential side effects and that there is a period of time between beginning and seeing results.

Is nutriox supposed to be effective, or should I use nizoral? Also, I wash my hair daily.. should I use the nutriox treatment every other day or twice a week and a regular shampoo the rest of the time? If I order finpecia, is there a decent place to find it online and should I take it every day? Because I've read online that similar results come from less treatment.

Also, Set, have you had any luck with your regimen since beginning treatment or is it too early to tell? And I will look into the zinc suggestion.

Thanks a lot everyone.

I drink a 1mg Finpecia tablet each morning. And since it is the predetermined optimal dosage I wouldn't recommend chancing a lesser dose. Even though depending on the individual less might work.

Started using Finpecia in 2010. Before then I was using minoxidil with saw palmetto caps for a year and that combo led to more loss and discolouration.

The pics are of before and about 8 months after I started Finpecia and stopped minoxidil topical and saw palmetto caps. I look even better now but that's mostly due to the two HT I had in meanwhile.

Get all my Finpecia from the doctor who did my HT.
I'm unfamiliar with nutriox, nizoral and don't think they are available in my country. Sorry I could be more helpful in these regards.

Hi everyone,

I recently got on propecia like suggested. However, I've read through the forum that 1mg may be effective for 3-7 days, so I have been taking it once every three days. Is this a good idea? I know the person above suggested following the prescription but i'd like to not take more than necessary.

Thanks!

No way, the half-life on Finasteride is only a few hours at best so you should really be taking it everyday. EOD at the least. You could be doing more damage sending your hormones on a roller coaster so to speak, constant up and down fluctuations.