Should i start taking propecia now at 18 years old? Please give advice.

[Baldingat18]

Been receding slowly since 16 years old.
Went from v.thick norwood 1 to thining norwood 2

My hairloss is not noticeable yet as i can style it to cover my temples. Only one of my my close friends has mentioned it to me.

I have recently visited my gp who was very helpful and sympathetic.
She said she has no problem with prescribing me propecia but feels im maybe too young for it and that i should wait a bit longer to see how the hairloss progresses. She also talked me through the side effects which is why she felt i should maybe wait for a while.
She said also however, that if i wanted it prescribed now that she would do it but would prefer if i would wait for a while.

Should i take propecia now? my hair loss is only going to get worse if i wait? what would you do if you were in my situation?

*extra info*
I hit puberty at an early age and have stopped growing. I have a full chest of hair and developing back hair so i feel as if im done with puberty :L

[drybone]

Do you mind sticking a photo or two up ?

I wouldnt recommend a hair transplant but go see ur doc and ask if minox or finasteride (propecia) are legit

[Baldingat18]

Do you mind sticking a photo or two up ?

I wouldnt recommend a hair transplant but go see ur doc and ask if minox or finasteride (propecia) are legit

i'll stick up photos tomorrow. no camera atm. Did you not read the other part? i have already visited the doctor and she said she would prescribe it if i wanted it but im wondering is it my best option at my age?

[Tracy C]

Should i take propecia now? my hair loss is only going to get worse if i wait? what would you do if you were in my situation?

There is absolutely no way for you or anyone else to be able to tell if your hair will worsen or not. One thing you need to be aware of, especially if you are caucasion, is that most males loose their temple hair as they mature into grown men. This is especially true and more dramatic for caucasion males. Temple hair loss in and of itself is not a good indicator for MPB, though many in this and every other hair loss support forum will argue till their dying breath that it is. If however you have noticeable thinning in your vertex and/or mid-anterior, you probably do have MPB.

What would I do if I were in your situation? I would probably take the medicine that could stop it. But I would make sure I understood fully well what the possible side effects are and make sure I am fully willing to accept that I could possibly be one of the few who do experience these possible side effects.

[drybone]

tracy gives out good advice here quite often. Also if your Doc green lighted you then why not.

Take it and see if you have any side effects. Let us know how it goes

[ravegrover]

The sooner you start taking Fin (Propecia), the better. There is very good chance that you will retain your hair with it. I started losing my hair @16 too, but did not start taking Fin until I was 24. So I lost a lot of hair before I stabilized my hairloss with medicine.

[El Nino]

Should i take propecia now?

Is keeping your hair more important to you than potentially losing your erections and/or the full use of your brain?

[burtandernie]

Aside from known risks you have to also assume unknown risks long term do exist. If you think major changes in a powerful hormone long term is completely understood by current science your way wrong. There is a decent element of chance in there other then the listed sides.
I think men that do not treat MPB are certainly not wrong to go that route, but propecia is so far considered pretty safe and its all there is right now

[El Nino]

Aside from known risks you have to also assume unknown risks long term do exist. If you think major changes in a powerful hormone long term is completely understood by current science your way wrong. There is a decent element of chance in there other then the listed sides.

Exactly. Propecia was approved in 1997, only in the last couple of years Depression was added to the side effects on the label.

My question is what will be added in two, five or ten years time?

Maybe nothing or maybe Alzheimer's.

[Baldingat18]

The sooner you start taking Fin (Propecia), the better. There is very good chance that you will retain your hair with it. I started losing my hair @16 too, but did not start taking Fin until I was 24. So I lost a lot of hair before I stabilized my hairloss with medicine.

any sides?