Should I see a doctor -- 27/M

[seaside3110]

So I first noticed my temples receding two years ago. Since then it's been a slow and painful experience watching them go back. Then one day I noticed I could see my scalp when i spiked my hair up and my hair was "thinning." This was in the winter and it got thicker again in the summer -- apparently that's normal.

But I'm tired of just waiting and guessing. My insurance won't cover a visit so I'm hoping someone can give me an opinion -- is this MPB or is this just a maturing hairline? Should I see a doctor or no? Please note I'm deathly afraid of taking propecia. Yes, I'm the gullible type who reads the articles online with all the terrible side effects. Since everything that CAN go wrong DOES in my experience, I feel like the same will apply.

Anyway, sorry for the rant. Let me know what you think. I'm 27, healthy active, I work out daily, etc... My insurance doesn't cover this so I'd need to pay out of pocket. Just want others opinions before I do that.

[25 going on 65]

I would go see a doctor

IMO the time to go is the moment you realize you have lost hair and do not want to lose more

[BigThinker]

I would go see a doctor

IMO the time to go is the moment you realize you have lost hair and do not want to lose more

This. If it's troubling you now, and you are indeed balding, it is likely to only get worse. You probably won't get back of most you lose too; the longer you wait, the less you'll have.

[baldozer]

This. If it's troubling you now, and you are indeed balding, it is likely to only get worse. You probably won't get back of most you lose too; the longer you wait, the less you'll have.

We need a cure badly. I hate this do it now or else you will loose thing with hair loss. There might even be a cure out there, which is not being made public. I once read a news of a female doctor successfully treating bald patches in children, but never heard anything of that sort again. I wonder why. Just imagine the loss to hair transplant community if a cure comes. So it could be that these people are suppressing it through bribing. Corruption is reap in a capitalist society!

[burtandernie]

Well the doc would prescribe you 90 days at most so you need to go back and see him periodically I think to get another prescription. I would say yes but you probably know better then pictures show us. I am in kind of similar situation, but I might wait on propecia because I feel its kind of dangerous to use that long term regardless of what we know currently.

[25 going on 65]

You would not necessarily need to see the doc again every so often to get rx refills. Depends on the doc I guess....mine never asked me to come back in and I just kept getting refills for years.

I respectfully disagree with advice to wait for more hair loss before using DHT inhibitors. Anybody who will ever use DHT blockers for hair loss should have started yesterday and not 1, 2, 3 years from now. There is no advantage to waiting unless you are still growing up

[DepressedByHairLoss]

We need a cure badly. I hate this do it now or else you will loose thing with hair loss. There might even be a cure out there, which is not being made public. I once read a news of a female doctor successfully treating bald patches in children, but never heard anything of that sort again. I wonder why. Just imagine the loss to hair transplant community if a cure comes. So it could be that these people are suppressing it through bribing. Corruption is reap in a capitalist society!

Yeah, here is the article: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?p...d=a6OdEa5VFNV8. I've brought this up plenty of times. One time I brought it up, an HT surgeon simply dismissed it, saying these kids suffered from alopecia areata as opposed to androgenetic alopecia. Yet with the methodology that Dr. Fawzi used, this could definitely be applied to people with AGA as well.

[seaside3110]

Thanks everyone.

So the consensus seems to be that I am experiencing signs of MPB and should consult with a doctor.

One more question -- what "stage" does it look like I'm in? Forgive me if I'm not using the correct terminology. I saw a graphic that had images of people with NW NW2 NW3...

Also, if I took propecia (or even rogaine) would I expect to see a lot of thinning/shedding? I get mixed reviews from different write ups. The last thing I want is for my temples or the top to drastically recede. I know it would get better but if it's going to happen I want to prepare (mentally.)

[seaside3110]

Thanks everyone.

So the consensus seems to be that I am experiencing signs of MPB and should consult with a doctor.

One more question -- what "stage" does it look like I'm in? Forgive me if I'm not using the correct terminology. I saw a graphic that had images of people with NW NW2 NW3...

Also, if I took propecia (or even rogaine) would I expect to see a lot of thinning/shedding? I get mixed reviews from different write ups. The last thing I want is for my temples or the top to drastically recede. I know it would get better but if it's going to happen I want to prepare (mentally.)

Shameless *Bump* and one more question: would I expect to see shedding when taking fin? I mean, where all that hair seems to be less dense in my pics.. Would that just fall right out?

[25 going on 65]

Everyone responds differently to fin. Some do not notice much of an initial shed and others notice a major one. I personally have noticed several sheds during 2.5 years on the drug but the good news is I improved+maintained my hair overall.

Not sure how I would rate your NW with those pics. 2.5 maybe? Whatever it is you have plenty to be worth saving if you want to keep it

Edit: I do not use minoxidil/rogaine but some people do notice major sheds on it. I have heard it recommended that you taper on instead of jumping to 1-2x per day, which might reduce shedding.