17 Years Old & Losing Hair - Where do I go?

[Spores]

Hello, everyone. So, I'm 17 years old and have noticed a significant amount of hair loss in just the last few months. It started around the time I got my first job in October. Right now, I just want to know what steps I should take and how I can slow this process. I don't have a lot of money, as I just got accepted into the college of my dreams and I'm trying to focus all of my finances on that.

My family and I have gone through a major shift in our home lives the last 5 months or so, and I've been exponentially stressed. I've read that this could also be a factor? I dyed my hair for a number of years, so that's probably a factor too. (Not since I began my new job, however.)

As far as hair loss in my family goes, my fathers used to have thin hair in his 30s/40s, but not quite balding. My mother is currently 45 and has thinned a bit, but not a lot.

In the first picture I've parted my hair in two certain spots to show where I'm losing it the most. Right now, I can comb it so that you can't tell I've really lost hair. My hair has always been a little on the thin side, but I know this isn't normal for me. I know I'm balding, and I hope there are solutions. I just need t know where to go and where to begin.

Thank you all ahead of time! This forum has already been amazing.

[allTheGoodNamesAreTaken]

The only thing really worth bothering with that's commercially available at the moment is propecia. Maybe minoxidil too, but that's a twice-a-day messy hassle rather than a simple pill like propecia and unlike propecia, it doesn't protect your follicles, only stimulates growth. If you're lucky.
But at 17, when your body is still developing, I'd be hesitant to **** with your hormones, which is how propecia works. Another option is to try out a shaved head - you might not hate it and if it's something you can be content with, it'll save you possibly years of trouble (and money).

[hal]

Agree with the previous poster.

Propecia is your only real option at this point.

It's cheap enough, too.

Do the research on Propecia, understand the risks, and make your call.

You look like you have what I would call "Woody Allen hair". There's a guy who had a lot of hair loss early in life and it just seemed to stop and stabilize-- maybe that's how it will be with you.

If there is an upside, your balding pattern is pretty established. You will be a candidate for hair transplantation in a few years at a fairly young age.

For now, I would seriously consider the shaved look if you can get away with it. If you can't, then just go short. Short and tight looks a lot better than thin and scraggly.

But bottom line: Propecia is your play. Just understand the risks and what to expect.

Finally, I'll tell you what I always tell guys in your position: yeah, it sucks balls to start thinning at an early age. You have a few options but its still unfair, right?

Well yeah, but don't let it take over your life and steal this time from you. Because it can and will if you let it. It can poison you whole existence. But it doesn't have to be like that.

Focus on school, your goals, your friends, and enjoying life. Your attitude and confidence, combined with your personality and other qualities tell the world what you're about. Don't let that message be you've been decked by a thin head of hair.

Hal

[Spores]

You look like you have what I would call "Woody Allen hair". There's a guy who had a lot of hair loss early in life and it just seemed to stop and stabilize-- maybe that's how it will be with you.

That'd be great lmao.

Thanks to both of you, though! I'm seriously considering trying out a super short look. I've always talked about it, but my hair has always been long, curly, and colorful, so it's a sucky situation. I think I'm gonna hold off on anything in the realm of medication until I can consult a doctor about the effects it would have on me.

[Kashman]

I am 22 , I started loosing my hair around your age . I took Propecia 8 months ago for 4 weeks and quit. I am off the pill for 7 months now and not only I completely lost my libido , my peni$ is still numb and I am not the same person I was mentally. I rather lose every single strand of hair on my head just to be back to my pre-propecia state . I d give everything I own to be same person I was before . Bro just please Google post finasteride syndrome before taking it .

[robincurtz]

Finasteride works for most of the men and the side effects are rare. If you love your hair, you should try the best option available.

[hal]

If you do go short, you might look in to a spray concealer like Toppik.

You have enough residual hair to fill in the thinning spots.

Now I'm not talking about spray painting your head. Just a few blasts here and there with the right color and you'd be amazed at the results it can provide.

[k9gatton]

Finasteride has more permanent hair saving abilities.


That said, we can physically grow even in our twenties. The only thing bad
DHT does to us is make our hair fall out.


Use Minoxidil foam for now. It won't cause dandruff. And use it all over your head,
on the top. That will be more than the recommended dosage, but it's a safe drug
(ineffective probably, that's questionable). In the US, it's the cost of a meal.


It really is safe. I use a thirty percent solution, which I supplement with regular
five percent foam occasionally. No side effects from it (or none that I know).

[JustShaveIt]

**** it, just shave it.

I had started losing hair at 20 I believe. My dad was and is bald but I was in complete denial at that age. I made an irrational decisions and I got my first HT at the age of 25, then over the next few year afterwards I did 3 more. I'm 37 now and now I'm in the process of scar revision because HT just wasn't for me in the first place. Ive already done a trichophytic closure to reduce the size of the scar. I am scheduled to do FUE into the scar in early Feb.

I will be posting photos of my revision.