Story time

[alik4n]

Hi guys,

My story starts when I was 17, had a fresh haircut and someone pointed to me my left temple saying 'you're going bald,' at the time being 17 I was like nah no way, so I didn't take much notice of it. Few years later at 19, I went to University and one guy was talking about how he has 'balding' and how by the end of the degree he'll be bald. For some strange reason, I went home and started googling baldness and came across the norwood scale. Started pulling my hairback, slicking it back with loads of gel to compare my hairline to the chart and it was matching the norwood 2 and from there I was in panic mode. I kept touching my crown, considered treatment etc etc.

From there literally for around 3/4 years I was checking everyday, thinking it's moving, getting all crazy about strands of hair like "this wasn't like that yesterday," I was obsessed. It got to the point where I ordered my first pack of propecia.

I started off with propecia one a day as you do. After a month I got the sides and was like great, stuck around, experimented with different dosings but sides wouldn't go. I never experienced the dreaded propecia shed, luckily. So after a year and a half on it, I gave up because of the sides. My hairline didn't change, not sure if that was because propecia saved it or if it is destined to stay this way for a number of years.

I have a fresh pack of propecia just lying there and I haven't been touched it for 3 months. My sides went away after a month of stopping and I haven't experienced a shed at all.

I recently sent pictures to 'The Belgravia Centre' in regards to my MPB, and their response was I have MPB and should get on propecia, minoxidil etc but after reading their site they say, 'you may have a maturing hairline but even then you should take preventative measures.'

So here I am now, quite a few years of hair hating haha. The last year I kinda haven't given a s*** and started styling it my own way. I am a norwood 2/2.5 with a big head lol (doesn't help the cause) but it is what it is. Just hoping coming off the pill doesn't cause a mad shed or anything.

That's my tale. My advice is, if you think you have MPB, do not obsess. Look at it every 3 months and take good quality photos. If you start to see a change, start to explore the range of treatments. Yes propecia gave me sides but that doesn't mean it will give you sides too.

Few pics from before I started propecia......
http://i.imgur.com/SjfHZMm.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ldTj1sk.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/VSzLUEH.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/0qRTzqX.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/FYb02Od.jpg