...the saddest part about this; my life has only just begun.

[smileyface19]

Hey people,

just need to vent I think because I'm about the blow up. Nobody really cares about me, and I know this because no one can help me. I've always had to find my own answers in life with no help from my family, and my father died when I was too young to blame him for this terrible mess I'm in and I'm only 20! I don't find things fun anymore. I don't, and I'm pretty sure I'm on the verge of suicide because of it. I'm almost positive that a doctor would diagnose me with bipolar disorder on the spot, and I'm one hundred percent positive that it has occurred because of hair loss.

20 Year old's review of:

Rogaine and Propecia (applied properly) = Expensive Remedy (used daily) =
mild to modest results with no satisfied change in appearance (personally, and others have said the same). In conjunction I would rate the two together as a 3/10. It's so pathetic that these are the best options. You don't feel any better taking it because you have to fork out so much money to continue to be unhappy in the state that your hair is in, with only hopes of not losing anymore, but not gaining any lost either. This is a joke to me, and one of the worst aspects of this whole ordeal.

I've been on Rogaine and Propecia for over a year and it only made my hairline, and the top of my head worse, and yet, I can't seem to stop buying these products because I have no more options (sucked in and fed up). AND I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE, read some of the other hairline destruction stories from these medications. It's funny, Rogaine and Propecia are both a fixed form hair loss and take complete advantage of anyone who loses their hair and want to "fix" anything. I blame both of these companies for this state that we're all in right now writing on these forums instead of being out being proactive and enjoying life which is what these products promise in the first place (I say promise because Propecia states it works in 85% of men which is their statistic which I think is quite flawed but hey, they'd be the only ones to know about that because they create these statistics). With ALL OF THE MONEY that they suck out of our pockets every month, you don't think that one of these companies, amongst other advancing constantly over a period of 20 YEARS, had or has had the means or technology to change this? I think they do or at least they have the money to at least fund the research (which I feel they OWE YOU AND I), they will not invest into anything because pharmaceutical company's DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOUR HEALTH OR YOUR SPIRITUAL WELL BEING, they care about your money, and once that's gone they could care less about you. Just like other pharmaceutical company's, scumbags.

But I hate people that just complain, and thus I may have to seek an answer for myself, because apparently professionals and trained biologist, medical professionals and surgical technicians can't figure this conundrum out (with all of their education), so I've decided that I may need to think about perusing a career in medicine, being deeply concerned that we can land a robot on the surface of mars but cannot manage to regenerate a single hair follicle out of real tissue. Although Matri-stem Micromatrix and PRP seem to be picking up other professional socks, if you know what I mean...

I'm so sorry that this post sounds so ungrateful and/or depressing, but I've stood to reason that I've been patient, I've been calm, but now know that I am not equipped to solve this problem on my own. This is the biggest issue I've faced in regard to my mental health, and I feel as though I'm diminishing, the saddest part about this; my life has only just begun...

I've been consumed by hair loss and it's taken over my life. Not even just trying to find a cure, but completely questioning my position and stature as a member of the human civilization. I'm not sure where I sit anymore. I used to think I was strong, adaptable, pro forward moving, and important, and now I feel nothing. I'm not being a baby but I know that my thoughts are beyond me at this point. I've been depressed for the last 3 years of my life, pretty frequently, will not take mental pharmaceuticals and hair loss has completely hijacked my life. My life is now pretty miserable: no girl friend (I don't even hit on girls anymore because I'm hard as stone with no emotion), no more education because I'm so demotivated to go, and have a very scary vision of a future I never intended on partaking in. Oh and I'm angry, and I was never an angry person. I feel very backed up in the corner with no more options.

This is the worst thing that could happen to a teenager/ young adult. I'm sorry but it's true. It's the most progressive and public "loss of any type" that you will ever have to face. In a nutshell, having nothing to look forward to in the mirror every day can wreak havoc on the toughest person and their sanity, never mind that of a teenager who's supposed to be getting girls and thinking about the near future. I'd trade anyone of my extra organ's for a full head of hair at this point because I'm so afraid that I will never ever be happy again without it.

I don't feel worse for any woman over man who loses their hair, because they receive all of the attention while I have to feel like a fraud in any attempt at trying to salvage my old self. I'm sorry, but at this point it's how I feel and a miracle cure is all that will change this. I'm not built up of blame and sorrow, I'm just a kid. The doctor that cures baldness will win a Nobel Prize. You think more people would be working on this considering how many people have to face this on a day to day basis...

I don't want to be angry, sad, mentally unstable, bipolar, ungrateful, anxious, undesirable, suicidal, afraid, betrayed, unusable, untraceable, irregular, different, abnormal, not myself or old. In fact, these are all words up until 2 years ago that I would have never considered putting together in a sentence along with my own name. But now, I'm not so sure, just like every other aspect of my so uncertain future.

Mr. Kobren's done an honourable thing here with this community, and I'm positive that he's saved suicidal lives in the past decade. He's the greatest psychologist out there on the issue and his words are kind, sincere and pro forward moving (hopeful). I'm not sure I would have made it without this community and/or these answers to my surreal questions, and I would like him to know that I represent a lot of other teenagers/ young adults out there that feel this way, trapped and alone.

Thanks for your time.

[Zao]

I was exactly where you are now and things will get better for you I PROMISE! Keep listening to Spencer's show, it’s what got me through some of my tough years. Propecia does work, but for some people it takes time to realize it’s working. You’re so young and you have your whole life ahead of you! Have you thought about trying PRP?
Keep your chin up, it gets better, trust me!

[Layercake]

haha, damn man, now I'm depressed. f*** hair loss.

[Buckerine11]

At least you don't have... ah, screw it. There's really no words out there that can palliate hair loss. The only thing we can hope for is that a cure will come within 5 years, so we can salvage as much of our youth as possible. I honestly think that I'll have a terrible case of midlife crisis if/when the cure finally comes. I'll have the Michael Jackson syndrome of trying to relive the part of my life that I lost.

The hardest thing I found about progressive hair loss is that no matter how hard I fight to accept myself today, I'll have to fight harder tomorrow ...

[slideshow]

Hey there,

I know exactly how you feel - it's one thing to go bald when you're 40 something, but at that age it sucks. I was 18 when my hair started falling out, and I was almost completely bald by 21. I don't have to tell you how tough that is to accept, when only a few years before I'd had hair down to my shoulders. That was about 10 years ago now, and even though you do, eventually, get used to being bald, it's hard not to look in the mirror and remember what it was like to have hair. But then again it's not so bad - sure, I'd love to have hair again, but there are a lot of girls who like bald guys, and I didn't have a bad time in my early 20's.

At some point you have to make a choice, you can either continue letting it get you down, or you can say "sure I'm bald, but that doesn't define who I am - I'm good at X, Y, and Z", and if you're not good at x, y, or z then now's the time to get good. You could always start studying biology and chemistry, so that you can work on a solution. What greater motivation is there than to cure baldness - if you do that I'm sure we'll all buy you a beer :-)

(And thinking about Buckerines comment, I think you're right about trying to relive a lost part of your life - I kind of think I've had trouble growing up and acting like an adult because I'm stuck at 18. When they finally have a cure then I'll be able to move on)

[heynow1234]

Hey, your post killed me. I really feel for you man. Im 26 now and have been on propecia for alittle over 13 months and i dont think its done much. I know its gotta be tough to be 20 and dealing with this, im 26 and it really sucks too. I gotta say though I know it seems insane, but bald guys do live dam good lives. I have two buddies totally bald who are in there mid 20s and they have pretty great lives. I get depressed to, my hair look especially bad today, but we gotta keep on trucking! Also think about this, theres a good chance (not a garuntee) that within the next 5 years we could have some new things popping up esp with Follica Inc. So think about it this way, you may go bald now at 20 and be bald till 25, 30, or 35, so you suck it up for 5 years (maybe even realize being bald is pretty ****ing sweet )and than bam new treatments arrive and instint full head of hair with tons of your life to go!

I also think about something that happened to me when i was 20, I had a full obnoxious head of long hair, and was trying so hard to date this chick, believe me she was pretty much a 10, and she turned me down for a 20 year old bald guy (i think they are engaged now). Goes to show you hair doesnt really mean that much i guess

Stay Strong, Hang in there, Live life, and Know that you always have people to support you!