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  1. #1
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    Default Confused about products.

    Hi everyone. I am a 21 year old male. So over the past 6 or so months I've noticed my hairline is thinning. Now I want to do something about it before it gets worse. I went to the doctor and my bloodwork is all normal, so it's not any kind of vitamin deficiency or testosterone problem. I've started using Nizoral shampoo, taking a mens once a day vitamin, fish oil, and hair skin and nails vitamin and hopefully that would restore some thickness.

    I don't want to take propecia because of the side effects (I already have some problems that the side effects would just make worse). I haven't started Minoxidal because I am unsure of the long term side effects (my physician told me it could cause prostate cancer, although a dermatologist has told me that he's never heard of that). Plus, I'm a little reluctant to start using a cream that I will have to use my whole life, especially if the effects are known to wear off after 5 or so years.

    I have looked in to Nioxin packages, but the dermatologist told me the results are iffy and to stick with the Nizoral because it blocks the DHT. Also, i have read that the Nioxin works well with women, but for men it doesnt do much, although one guy I know did see some results with it, but he doesn't use it religously.

    Right now, I am researching the hairmax laser comb. Again, it's one of those products that research doesn't help much. I don't know if there are any longterm side effects, or about the results. The problem with looking through reviews online is that there are just as many negative reviews for the positive reviews. It just leaves me with more unanswered questions for the lasercomb, minoxidil, and Nioxin.

    Baldness does run with the men in my family (my grandfather on my moms side didn't lose all of his hair, dads father did). My uncles (both sides) and Dad have all lost hair, but it didn't start for anyone until they were in their late thirties/early forties. My mothers hair also started thinning out at 56 years old. I am the only one whose hair has started thinning this early. My older brother (28) has had no sign of thinning.

    Besides the confusion over which product is the best, I still question the reason for my thinning hair. Not only am I the only one known to start losing hair so early, but I haven't been that nice to my hair over the years. This is the first time in 3 years that I've had a short haircut. For years my hair has been varied long lengths (longest has been to my shoulders, shortest was bangs to about my eyebrows). My hair is wavy, so for three years I have been straightening my hair everyday (with a straightner, not chemicals), and the thinning parts of my hair are where I concentrated the straghtening the most (I liked my bangs to be very straight). I have been reading a lot about how the heat from the straightner could thin out the hair, but it could restore itself once you stop. I am curious to see if now that I haven't straightened my hair in about 3 months and won't touch it with heat ever again, if it will restore some of it's thickness. I know that it could take up to a year for the burnt out hair to repair itself, but I'm afraid of it getting worse if I just wait and don't do something about the thinning. I assume that minoxidal could aid in the process of repairing it, but the fact that it's effects go away once you stop using it make me worried. If I start using it to help repair my hair, and it works, whose to say that it all won't thin out again once I am happy with the results and stop using it?

    Some pictures from when my hair was long (or from where I had long bangs) showed that it was a bit thin, but not as obvious as it is now (although, I'll admit, it's not as obvious to people that aren't looking at it every ten minutes like I am. Barbers notice it though, especially on the left side where it's the most thin and shallow looking. Either it has gotten worse, or the long hair helped disguise it better). When I cut it short, I started using hair gel/mouse that I washed out daily, which I know also causes thin hair (plus my hair gets oily quickly so I had to wash it daily), and I still straghtened some parts of the front. I've now started showering only three times a week with Nizoral and am using dry shampoo between showers. Haven't touched the straightner in three months, hopefully it will get better.

    If I do start using some products to attack the thinning, I am leaning more towards the lasercomb. Does anyone know about any longterm side effects or how well it works? (Also does its results go away once you stop using it like minoxidil?) I've read it works best when you just start losing hair, which is the stage I'm at right now.

    I know I covered a lot here, but this is all the factors that I've been dealing with. If my hair is thinning, and not just damaged, I want to start doing something about it before it gets worse. Both my physician and dermatologist don't really give me much help when I ask questions. The dermatologist was just trying to get out the door and my physician just told me to get a hair transplant because it's cheaper in the longrun as oppossed to spending money monthy on minoxidil. Please, please help. Any help or advice is greatly appreciated. Sorry for all the paragraphs lol

  2. #2
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    Sorry man laser comb is useless you are doomed if you use it...at the bare minimum use minox, it may buy you some time.

    I hate that fin is the best approved med out there, but the truth is if you use it and are side free it is the cornerstone of a good regimen against MPB.

  3. #3
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    Most negative results on the Laser Comb were because they weren't patient enough. It can take up to 2 years to work. But even if it does, the results aren't worth it. They're usually not that great.

    And 21 is pretty young for a transplant so I don't know why your physician would recommend that.

  4. #4
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    All of these products seem to take a while to start getting results, which worries me as I am a pretty impatient person and know that the initial shedding will freak me out even more.

    What exactly are the side effects to propecia? Is it just ED and lack of sex drive or does it also affect sperm count/fertility?

    Does anyone see any validity to my whole waiting for my hair to repair itself from straightening issue?

  5. #5
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    Post some pics man.

    Propecia can mess you up bad, but is quite rare this will happen.

    Just try and be honest with yourself and imagine when you reach a level where your hairloss is very noticable...is this going to bother you? Bother you enough to take the risk and try fin?

  6. #6
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    I have a verosceal (most likely spelling it wrong) but basically its a vericose vain in my testicles, which already inhibits my fertility, so propecia worries me quite a bit and want to stay away from it.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brandon92 View Post
    I have a verosceal (most likely spelling it wrong) but basically its a vericose vain in my testicles, which already inhibits my fertility, so propecia worries me quite a bit and want to stay away from it.
    ahh i see man. I dont think propecia effects fertility...but obviously this is somethign you should talk to your doc about with. If you have an irregular hormonal profile as it is, could be wise to avoid propecia.

  8. #8
    Senior Member Notcoolanymore's Avatar
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    Lets keep it simple 4 things work(proven): Finasteride, dutasteride, minoxidil, ketoconazole. That's it, like all meds they have their risks.

    As far as waiting a few months to see if things turn around, that is not a bad idea, what could it hurt. If things don't turn around though and you cant handle going bald, then you have to use something and keto shampoo alone will not cut it. At least use minox. It is cheap and not a big deal to apply. Start there and see what happens.

  9. #9
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    How long woud you say I should give it to see if my hair repairs itself?

    What are the risks of minoxidil? And what exactly is the difference between propecia and dutasteride?

  10. #10
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    Honestly, if you think you're thinning out - you probably are..

    That doesn't mean that it's really noticeable to anyone else, though.

    I'm not sure of the statistics or anything, but my doctor told me when I came to him a few months ago that the side effects from finasteride occur less often than hair loss that is not linked to MPB if you are on a average diet/lifestyle.

    I'm not saying to use fin or anything, but if you think it's happening and you want to at least slow it down you're going to need to use fin and or minoxidil. I mean, you never know if it's slow and you won't notice it for a few years at a significant level.

    According to pictures, I started thinning around 18 or so and I'm almost 22 now before I noticed it myself. Hopefully now I can reverse it back to what it was like before I noticed it, and I'd be thrilled. I'm into my 3rd month now of fin/minox/keto 1% and I have to say that it makes me feel a ton better than not trying anything. I came to the point where I told myself I'm either going to do something and if I get side's I'd stop or if it doesn't work it doesn't work - but I wasn't going down without a fight if I could fight it. After you do the research, that's all it comes down to. It's your personal choice and you need to know that you'll end up being comfortable with the outcome of what you chose to do, before you don't have the option of choosing anymore.

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