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  1. #1
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    Exclamation UPDATE: 8 months on Finasteride, 23 yrs old

    MY STORY: Hey all! Let me start off by saying that I am a 23 year old male, and before hairloss became apparent to me, I thought myself a very attractive male specimen (chicks did too!). Perhaps my ego was a bit too big when I was 18-19 years old, but let me tell you something...........hairloss definately humbled me haha!

    I frequent these forums very regularly, in fact, almost every day. I generally refrain from posting simply because I find reading through everyone else's plight therapeutic (in a sick sense, its nice to know you aren't the only one out there with the hairloss problem), however, for those of you who read and post regularly, you may recognize me.

    That stuff aside, my hairloss journey began when I started noticing hairs falling out in the shower enmasse when I was about 18, however, I never thought much of it untill I began to notice the thinning at around 20 years old. Sadly, I let my ego get in the way, avoided any treatments, and kept gradually losing hair. Hairloss devestated me, as I said before, I always figured myself an attractive guy, never had problems with women, etc. As a matter of fact, I had a girlfriend for a number of years during that time period, but still, I really liked feeling attractive to other women despite having mine around.......and for that feeling to be suddenly taken away, well, it just wasn't any fun. I began to habitually wear a hat, I started staying in (I was always an extrovert sports guy, played hockey growing up, etc.), and I just generally lost all interest in anything, even my college grades began to suffer. Everything began to just weigh down on me, working on a norwood 3 at the ripe age of 22 just did not sit well with me, ESPECIALLY because NOBODY in my family is bald. What crappy luck, right?

    Long story short, for those of you out there my age, it does get better. Since I started reading here, I've been able to make much better informed decisions with my hairloss, and while I am not willing to commit to Rogaine (too much hassle for me lol) this forum finally gave me the final push to "buck up" and go to my doctor. Even if some of you decide not to make that decision, please, for the sake of yourselves, continue to post and read here. Spencer Kobren's sight hosts an unparalleled amount of information pertaining to hairloss, and if nothing else, it is just best to be educated on the matter. For me, just reading here really got me feeling better about myself, even before I decided to go on meds. I bought my own set of clippers, began shaving my head on the longer setting(thank god I have a silver surfer-esqe shaped head), got a tan, and just generally felt on top of my game again.

    MY REGIMINE: Since April of this year, I have been taking Finasteride 1.25ish mg. a day, and since about 2 months ago, I have been using Nizoral 1% shampoo every 3 days.

    The last time I posted, I recall mentioning that at about five months I had not really noticed anything. If I can remember correctly, my hairloss had slowed, however, I wasn't really sure if much really was going on or if I was just having a placebo-type effect on myself.

    Well, at eight months now, I can say that I notice a fairly substantial difference in my hairloss. I DID NOT have a miracle happen, my hairline is still kinda "meh" but I can testify that my hair is no longer falling out at a pace outside of normal, and I have noticed a substantial improvement in the aesthetic quality of my hair. It is not perfect, but I have noticed a very good increase in the density of my hair all around, including my hairline. My temples are still mostly devoid of any hair, but the cosmetic appearance is now at a stage where I can style my hair any way I please and just look like a guy thats lost a bit of hair at his temples. Hopefully I can keep this going, so wish me luck on the meds not crapping out!

    THE POINT: Finasteride isn't going to magically regrow my hair to the level it was at when I was 18. But for the love of God, DO NOT make the same mistake I did when I was 18-20 and just "let it go". If it bothers you, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!! Get on propecia/proscar as fast as you can, and barring side-effects, stay on it! The worst mistake I made was just sitting idle while my hair continued to fall out.............who knows how much more I'd have in my temple region had I done something about baldness when I first noticed it. Thankfully, I like to think I responded fairly well to the meds (still only at 8 months too), but not everyone is as lucky.

    If you are like me before I started the meds, make the decision to see your doctor as soon as you can, and keep frequenting these forums. The supportive community really can help you get through it in an intangible sort of way.

    P.S. - Confidence is like a steel bullet in a werewolf when it comes to women, it just works. Don't let hairloss slow that down for you, most of them (yes, even the gorgeous ones) could give a shit about a guy's hair or lackthereof. Get fit, catch a tan, and get out there!

  2. #2
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    You replied to my thread and well.. you sound just like me.

    Same story almost to a T. I'm still with my girlfriend however but... man. I'm just deathly afraid of Propecia but... yeah

    I don't want to sound like I have a huge ego, but at one point I was considering maybe a hobby/see where it goes in modeling.

    That went down the drain fast. 20 I was fine... 23.. already on the way to Norwood 3 just like you.

    Sucks. Considering just shaving my head. I want to get a transplant, but even that doesn't sound 100%. Just depressing the hell out of me..

  3. #3
    Administrator SpencerKobren's Avatar
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    playsound Glad You’re Doing Well! | Audio Response

    Quote Originally Posted by Ragckr View Post
    MY STORY: Hey all! Let me start off by saying that I am a 23 year old male, and before hairloss became apparent to me, I thought myself a very attractive male specimen (chicks did too!). Perhaps my ego was a bit too big when I was 18-19 years old, but let me tell you something...........hairloss definately humbled me haha!

    I frequent these forums very regularly, in fact, almost every day. I generally refrain from posting simply because I find reading through everyone else's plight therapeutic (in a sick sense, its nice to know you aren't the only one out there with the hairloss problem), however, for those of you who read and post regularly, you may recognize me.

    That stuff aside, my hairloss journey began when I started noticing hairs falling out in the shower enmasse when I was about 18, however, I never thought much of it untill I began to notice the thinning at around 20 years old. Sadly, I let my ego get in the way, avoided any treatments, and kept gradually losing hair. Hairloss devestated me, as I said before, I always figured myself an attractive guy, never had problems with women, etc. As a matter of fact, I had a girlfriend for a number of years during that time period, but still, I really liked feeling attractive to other women despite having mine around.......and for that feeling to be suddenly taken away, well, it just wasn't any fun. I began to habitually wear a hat, I started staying in (I was always an extrovert sports guy, played hockey growing up, etc.), and I just generally lost all interest in anything, even my college grades began to suffer. Everything began to just weigh down on me, working on a norwood 3 at the ripe age of 22 just did not sit well with me, ESPECIALLY because NOBODY in my family is bald. What crappy luck, right?

    Long story short, for those of you out there my age, it does get better. Since I started reading here, I've been able to make much better informed decisions with my hairloss, and while I am not willing to commit to Rogaine (too much hassle for me lol) this forum finally gave me the final push to "buck up" and go to my doctor. Even if some of you decide not to make that decision, please, for the sake of yourselves, continue to post and read here. Spencer Kobren's sight hosts an unparalleled amount of information pertaining to hairloss, and if nothing else, it is just best to be educated on the matter. For me, just reading here really got me feeling better about myself, even before I decided to go on meds. I bought my own set of clippers, began shaving my head on the longer setting(thank god I have a silver surfer-esqe shaped head), got a tan, and just generally felt on top of my game again.

    MY REGIMINE: Since April of this year, I have been taking Finasteride 1.25ish mg. a day, and since about 2 months ago, I have been using Nizoral 1% shampoo every 3 days.

    The last time I posted, I recall mentioning that at about five months I had not really noticed anything. If I can remember correctly, my hairloss had slowed, however, I wasn't really sure if much really was going on or if I was just having a placebo-type effect on myself.

    Well, at eight months now, I can say that I notice a fairly substantial difference in my hairloss. I DID NOT have a miracle happen, my hairline is still kinda "meh" but I can testify that my hair is no longer falling out at a pace outside of normal, and I have noticed a substantial improvement in the aesthetic quality of my hair. It is not perfect, but I have noticed a very good increase in the density of my hair all around, including my hairline. My temples are still mostly devoid of any hair, but the cosmetic appearance is now at a stage where I can style my hair any way I please and just look like a guy thats lost a bit of hair at his temples. Hopefully I can keep this going, so wish me luck on the meds not crapping out!

    THE POINT: Finasteride isn't going to magically regrow my hair to the level it was at when I was 18. But for the love of God, DO NOT make the same mistake I did when I was 18-20 and just "let it go". If it bothers you, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!! Get on propecia/proscar as fast as you can, and barring side-effects, stay on it! The worst mistake I made was just sitting idle while my hair continued to fall out.............who knows how much more I'd have in my temple region had I done something about baldness when I first noticed it. Thankfully, I like to think I responded fairly well to the meds (still only at 8 months too), but not everyone is as lucky.

    If you are like me before I started the meds, make the decision to see your doctor as soon as you can, and keep frequenting these forums. The supportive community really can help you get through it in an intangible sort of way.

    P.S. - Confidence is like a steel bullet in a werewolf when it comes to women, it just works. Don't let hairloss slow that down for you, most of them (yes, even the gorgeous ones) could give a shit about a guy's hair or lackthereof. Get fit, catch a tan, and get out there!
    Spencer Kobren
    Founder, American Hair Loss Association
    Host, The Bald Truth Radio Show

    I am not a physician. My opinions and knowledge concerning hair loss and its treatment are based on extensive research and reporting on the subject as a consumer advocate and hair loss educator. My views and comments on the subject should not be taken as medical advice. Always seek the advice of a medical professional when considering medical and surgical treatment.

  4. #4
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    Wink

    Hey guys, thanks for stopping by and reading! Thanks to Spencer for the audio reply (I didn't really expect all that jazz haha).

    Anyways, to Phatalis:
    - Dude, you really should start on the finasteride if your doc gives you the go sign. I'd migrate away from surgery for now (personally, I can't see myself every going through with that)........we are just too young to really know what the results are gonna be like for the rest of our lives (hopefully a while to go yet!). Believe me dude, I felt the same way: Pissed off my fantastic looks are going down the drain (they really aren't, its just a poor perception of one's self), scared I'm gonna lose my boner on Finasteride, too broke for a hair transplant........etc. The thing is, its worth the shot at trying it out, the hairloss isn't going to stop itself, and a transplant will not give you back 100% of your hair, in fact, the hair in your crown and hairline that was not transplanted will continue to fall out without the introduction of meds.

    And don't be afraid of buzzing your hair man. If you were good enough looking to do some modeling (I did it for a short stint) then you are probably gonna look fine with a buzz and a tan. Go for it, and buy a hat incase you don't like the look lol.

    It is your personal choice, but for me, I found it worth the risk to know for sure that I did everything I could/was willing to do. If I go all the way bald, fine, I've been shaving my head anyways. I probably wouldn't feel that way had I not given finasteride a shot..........I'd constantly be wondering "what if". To tell you the truth, I already do that with my temple regions (what if I had just started this earlier). Don't set yourself up for that dissapointment if that is your case man.

    (Disclaimer: I also am NOT using Rogaine or even considering a transplant in the future. I have just grown to accept having a chrome dome if it comes down to it, and I really am not interested in keeping my hair if those are things I must do. For those of you that are on that med/ have had a transplant, I fully respect and admire your personal choice.......I just don't have the patience or the willpower to slap foam on my head every day. Now a pill everyday? THAT I can handle lol).

    The best news? If you do have sides from Finasteride, the manufacturer (and everyone I've personally met that gave it a shot and had some sides) claim that they go away when you stop using the meds.

    To Spencer:
    - Thanks for the lengthy reply sir! Let it be known, that when I implied that a miracle did not happen, what I really meant was was that I didn't just magically regain all of my hair, and as far as I know, the chances of that happening for anyone is pretty slim. But I agree and feel the same way, it is miraculous that I can at least keep what I have for now haha. I've been buzzin my hair anyways (and to tell you the truth, im liking the look), but when I do grow it out it really looks 100% better than where I was at, and for that, I am forever grateful.

    I'll also try to be better about posting more regularly

    For everyone:
    - I just wanted to write something and give some hope to those of you out there that are around my age. I know how devestated I felt, and especially how pissed off I could get at the fact I had to deal with this garbage. I won't lie and say that I wake up and think to myself, "gee, I sure am happy I'm losing my hair. its about time this happened to me" but it really does get better with some time (and I'm sure I'll feel EVEN BETTER about it the older I get).

    Like I originally said, stay confident. You don't have to be the prettiest dude, have the most hair, the most talent, etc. You just have to be confident and interesting. If you can do those things for yourself, you really can feel a heckuva lot better (and you'll do a helluva lot better with women ) Once I got my head glued on straight, I went right on back to the gym, hit up a tanning salon (its not gay, I swear), went back to the rink, and starting excelling in school again. Just doing those things for myself boosted my perception of myself again.........and its hard not to when you are doing successful things in your life. Thats the point, don't let this balding stuff slow you down too long. It does suck, but you CAN get past it, and you CAN have a really good life after it (mines actually better).

  5. #5
    Senior Member blowmeup's Avatar
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    That’s good advice and I like your line of thinking. Far too many younger guys panic and end up regretting their rash decisions.

  6. #6
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    Hi Rag,
    Thanks for your post .. very glad to hear that it worked for you.. Need a suggestion for my case… a few months back – I noticed a 3/4th inch hairline recession at my temples .. the hairline now seems stable but again its too early to say.. hairloss in general is normal but the fear that the temple hairloss is going to lead to balding soon is killing me … everyday that I try to start positive – the moment I see a couple of follicles on the pillow sets my heart thumping and gets me down…I also see hairloss when running wet hands through my hair – if these are something to go by.. I visited a dermatologist who just said “if you feel you have hairloss use propecia”! .. now, that left me more confused ..do u think I should start propecia? …im sure there are many like me who are not very sure if serious hairfall started but don’t want to take chance too..

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by john_storey View Post
    Hi Rag,
    Thanks for your post .. very glad to hear that it worked for you.. Need a suggestion for my case… a few months back – I noticed a 3/4th inch hairline recession at my temples .. the hairline now seems stable but again its too early to say.. hairloss in general is normal but the fear that the temple hairloss is going to lead to balding soon is killing me … everyday that I try to start positive – the moment I see a couple of follicles on the pillow sets my heart thumping and gets me down…I also see hairloss when running wet hands through my hair – if these are something to go by.. I visited a dermatologist who just said “if you feel you have hairloss use propecia”! .. now, that left me more confused ..do u think I should start propecia? …im sure there are many like me who are not very sure if serious hairfall started but don’t want to take chance too..
    Hey John, thank you for the reply!

    As far as your question regarding hairloss, I can fully understand your frustration and hesitation with what exactly to do. When I FIRST noticed that I may have a balding problem a big part of the reason I never did anything about it was because I wasn't 100% sure it was actually MPB. My family has practically no history of MPB (gramps died at 93 with a freakishly thick head of hair, Father has no hairloss, etc) and it was very gradual at first.

    Looking back on it, I wish I would have done this: Visit a dermatologist or doctor who can look at close up photos of your scalp. Basically, they magnify a picture of your scalp and hair follicles and they can tell pretty much instantly whether or not you have MPB based on miniaturized hair follicles. If it is deemed that you do in fact have hairloss, then you can start the best reccommended treatment (more than likely it will be finasteride).

    Good luck and Godspeed!

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