another receding twenty-something

[jb21]

Hi guys, as the title says i'm twenty years old and i think i might be receding. I noticed a few months back that my hairline had moved after getting my hair cut shorter and at first thought it was juts a mature hairline. However, since then i think i may have lost more hair. I've tried posting on other help forums, but so far have been unable to get any advice/help, so i'm hoping this is the right place for me

I can't tell whether i have actually lost any or if i'm just being paranoid so i've included some pics and would be really grateful for some opinions. baldness does run in my family on my fathers side: he was completely bald by 30 (NW6-ish) but his father still has most of his hair at the age of 78. My uncle on my dads side kept his hair up until his death (mid-thirties) but i also have 2 cousins(my aunties sons) on that side that were bald by 30, so its quite an erratic pattern! this whole thing is stressing me out big-time, i was also on roactane for 6 months between 16 and 17 for severe acne, and i think that this plus the stress of doing my degree may have triggered even earlier onset of recession.

my hair seems to be constantly greasy all the time with large amounts of dandruff despite washing it daily with anti-dandruff shampoo since i noticed it was like this. i'm also noticing more hairs fall out and getting itches now and again but again i can't tell if that's paranoia or not (only get the tickle-itch when i think about it)

I'd also appreciate any advice on how to get to see a hair specialist in the uk (as i can see my local gp being less than helpful) and also about any low-dosage fin treatments that people have had success with (the side effects look scary, despite their apparent rarity). I'm completely clueless about all of this and could really use some help.

Sorry for the rambling post and thanks for taking the time to read it

album of picures- http://imgur.com/a/EQCVX
(it kind of messed up when i made it and there's some duplicates)

[jb21]

ok its been 3 weeks and although i haven't had any replies I thought i'd post an update. Just took some more pics and it looks to me like i'm definitely receding . I really need advice on how to get on propecia asap as well as how effective minox is alone and the degree of shedding that occurs when you use it. For some reason my images won't work with the in-text linknig but they can be found at the links below

http://imgur.com/JZe1rFZ

http://imgur.com/sN30wQD

[mature]

ok its been 3 weeks and although i haven't had any replies I thought i'd post an update. Just took some more pics and it looks to me like i'm definitely receding . I really need advice on how to get on propecia asap as well as how effective minox is alone and the degree of shedding that occurs when you use it. For some reason my images won't work with the in-text linknig but they can be found at the links below

http://imgur.com/JZe1rFZ

http://imgur.com/sN30wQD

Looks fine to me, you don't need minox or fin unless it progresses any worse, honestly it does not look like you have any loss in the first place.. The best thing you can do for now is get on a multi and a good Keto based shampoo. Set an appointment with a doctor before deciding to go ahead with treatments there is risk and reward.. Minox can set early aging in the skin and cause dark circles under the eyes in some cases which is not normally mentioned, Fin can do some serious damage to a very small percentage of people permanently while most just have a few noticeable sides and some that remain indifferent its pretty random.. However there is no point dropping all that money on stuff until you know it is actually doing something, if there is no miniaturization or potential signs of further loss you will just be dropping a ton of money and risking sides with no real benefit or need.

[KateLeFeb]

diet can play a huge role in this- are you getting the sufficient daily vitamins and proteins? this may or may not be whats causing your premature hair loss but is a great place to start

[jb21]

I know its been months since my last post but i thought i'd re-use this thread instead of making a new one.
Sorry for not replying to the earlier comments and thank you to those who did reply, but shortly after i posted this i went into a state of denial about my hair and have tried my best to not think about it. I did read then and was grateful for the feedback, but i just couldn't bring myself to reply because that would man another night spent worrying. However, recently I've been noticing the itch again so i snapped a few more pics and i think that a mature hairline might be out of the question. I've put the pics below in the hope that someone could give me a second opinion. I know that ignoring it was probably a bad idea but i just couldn't bare to think about losing one of the few things i like about my body any longer, the stress from that alone was probably contributing to the loss.

I'd say i'm probably still at NW2 but the situation is definitely going south and i think i'm ready to take action. I've decided that i'm going to start taking a multivitamin and saw palmetto extract, just in case it does slow it down at all. Any advice on treatments that involve little/no propecia would be appreciated, but i might make a separate thread for that and use this one to document my hair loss and (hopefully) stabilization/regrowth.

[Notcoolanymore]

I read this whole thread and have a few thoughts:

1. Your family hair loss history is similar to mine. My dad is slick bald, but his brothers and dad had full heads of hair their entire life.

2. If you say you are losing your hair, then you definitely are. You know your hair better than anybody. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise.

3. Like you, I didn't want to think about it at first, so I tried to ignore it. Only I did it for years. Don't make that mistake.

4. I messed around with vitamins and treatments with saw palmetto. They didn't work. Not discouraging you from taking vitamins, but they wont cure your hair loss IMO.

5. Make a decision on how important keeping your hair is to you. If it is important, than seriously consider treatments that are proven to work. Fin, minox, nizoral.

6. Lastly if you decide on starting fin or minox, do not look up "sides" of those treatments on the internet. You will only scare yourself away from the best options you may have. Use the treatments and don't think about it. If you over think their use, you will have sides.

Hope this helps.

[drybone]

I agree. Get on it right away. I am sad that I took until I was 46 but am also grateful the top of my head was still covered to a large degree.

Go to the doc and ask about Rogaine and Finasteride.

[Jcm800]

I agree. Get on it right away. I am sad that I took until I was 46 but am also grateful the top of my head was still covered to a large degree.

Go to the doc and ask about Rogaine and Finasteride.

Whats your experience with Fin drybone? I'm 44, have a fair covering still, but it's not great anymore, damn i think i'll be 46 by time i pluck up the guts to try the damn drug myself..

[Notcoolanymore]

I have heard that older guys do not suffer from sides on fin as much as the younger guys. I was almost 37 when I started. No sides at this point and I am on 1.25mg/day.

[Jcm800]

I have heard that older guys do not suffer from sides on fin as much as the younger guys. I was almost 37 when I started. No sides at this point and I am on 1.25mg/day.

Might be harder to tell as one gets older tho if sides are age related? Erectile dysfunction, weight gain, loss of muscle mass are all related to ageing, or could be attributed to finasteride too?

How long have you been on it?