Worried and lost, what to do

[unlucky]

Im not even 20 and i think im starting to lose my hair.

Strands of hair on my hands after i style it or just run my hands through it, on my pillow, in my hoodie and seemingly everywhere else. That and a slightly itchy scalp.

I would say it is very early on, but it has caught my attention lately and im obsessing over it. I dont know what to do about it, but I would like to keep my hair at all costs. That includes dietary changes, lifestyle changes and supplements (DHT blockers) or shampoos or whatever it might be that could help me.

Im currently studying about 5 hours away from my hometown, and the thought of returning home and meeting my friends and family without hair at such a young age terrifies me and makes me ashamed.

Some of you might not relate to this, but I cannot picture myself without hair and am therefore desperate to fight the hairloss.

I greatly appreciate all advice, suggestions, tips and tricks those more experienced than me can offer.

[allTheGoodNamesAreTaken]

Finasteride (ie. propecia), a daily pill, get on it and stay on it. Diet is largely irrelevant, as is masturbation, natural treatments are bullshit, research chemicals are... a gamble to say the least. It's the only proven option for protecting your follicles. Doesn't always work, doesn't always come without side-effects, but it's currently your only commercially available hope (aside from the stronger version, dutasteride (ie. avodart)). It's available online, both brand name and cheaper generic versions, don't wait around.

[unlucky]

Would you advice seeing a dermatologist before getting on Propecia or just going for it on my own?
My hesitation with propecia comes from the reported side effects like erectile dysfunction which would be another huge problem. Ive never really taken pills in any way and im scared that if i happen to be affected by these side effects, that getting off the pills will not reverse the effects.

I dont want to be in a situation where i have to choose between my dick and my hair at such a young age...

[k9gatton]

You might want to try Minoxidil. Even two percent was enough to regrow my hair when I was twenty.

It won't hurt your drive. It will only put you twenty five percent above baseline, but that's enough
to gain everything back when you're just starting to lose your hair.

[allTheGoodNamesAreTaken]

Would you advice seeing a dermatologist before getting on Propecia or just going for it on my own?
My hesitation with propecia comes from the reported side effects like erectile dysfunction which would be another huge problem. Ive never really taken pills in any way and im scared that if i happen to be affected by these side effects, that getting off the pills will not reverse the effects.

I dont want to be in a situation where i have to choose between my dick and my hair at such a young age...

I'm not sure what good seeing a dermatologist would do other than getting a prescription (which you can get online from some online pharmacies anyway). I suspect they won't tell you anything you can't learn in five minutes from sites like this (since there isn't very much to know, many doctors don't even know what propecia is) and they won't offer you an alternative to propecia because (other than avodart) it doesn't exist.

It's not a straight choice between your hair and your dick either. If you google for the rate of propecia side-effects, you'll find it says 3.8% of men on propecia experienced sexual side-effects compared to 2% on a placebo. So there is a risk, but it appears small, apparently just 1.8% greater than if you don't take it. And if you are one of the unlucky few who gets intolerable side-effects then you can just stop taking it, they generally aren't permanent. It is a drug that just doesn't agree with some people though, it's far from a perfect option but that's what is available to you.

And regarding minoxidil, it's a growth stimulant but it's not a DHT blocker. So it's in my opinion a secondary treatment, it's not going to protect your follicles from being degraded over time. Not to mention it's a real hassle compared to simply swallowing a pill.

[unlucky]

Okay thanks for the input.
Propecia isnt actually sold in my country though, which is partially why i wanted to see the dermatologist.
Should i get the brand name finasteride online or get those 5x doses and a pill cutter?

[allTheGoodNamesAreTaken]

Okay thanks for the input.
Propecia isnt actually sold in my country though, which is partially why i wanted to see the dermatologist.
Should i get the brand name finasteride online or get those 5x doses and a pill cutter?

I don't know where you are but I have purchased Propecia and avodart online (as well as a prescription) from the pharmacydirectgb website (UK company), and I've had it delivered to me whilst I've been in the UK and in the US. And I believe they ship to many more countries than that.

If you're on a tight budget then I believe you'll save money by getting (I think it's named Proscar?) and dividing the 5 mg pills up. Generic medications are supposed to be chemically identical to the actual brand-name stuff, just sold more cheaply when the patent runs out for the brand name company. However, I've always gone for brand name because I trusted it more. It was just one less variable to consider - ie. if it turned out that I saw no positive results, I wouldn't be wondering if it was because I'd been buying poorly-manufactured pills.

Actually regarding the dermatologist, I'll add this. If you're convinced you've just got standard male pattern baldness then yeah, I reckon a dermatologist isn't going to be much use. They don't have any magic treatment or we'd all be all over it. But if you think it could be something else causing your hair loss, then it might be worth seeing one.

[unlucky]

Avodart? Is that something i should get in addition to propecia?

[allTheGoodNamesAreTaken]

Avodart? Is that something i should get in addition to propecia?

No, it's not time for that yet. That's your last resort if propecia doesn't work enough. It's stronger. Contains dutasteride rather than propecia's finasteride. Blocks two kinds of DHT, and is only officially sold to treat enlarged prostate in most if not all countries. It stays in the body much longer and has, I believe, a higher risk of side-effects. With that said, I've been taking it for more than 3 years now every day and I feel fine (I'm 28).