Introduction and one question

[Unfateful]

Hi, I started balding when I was 15, those blasted grandfather's genes. 3 Brothers, all three got them but myself (got) the worse case of all.

When I started receding -when I was 15- I didn't think much of it either, I though to myself I'd simply shave, "it would be cool", I thought. But alas when I turned 18 it hit me, I started to admire more and more the social function of hair and the capacity to have a *choice* to your hairstyle, the capacity not to look 35 when in fact you are 18. So I seeked therapy; for 6 years now I'm on minoxidil plus certain elements (like zinc, etc) which help the quality of the hair.

Even though I'm under the constant surveilance of my doctor things kept going south, every time it was getting worse, in one single summer I found myself with a bald spot (quite big) on the crown and in less than two summers after it I suddenly got a thin front part that it was see through under any form of light. What nobody warned me about balding is how abruptly it happens, there are months (even years) of calm and at certain sudden moments one loses a big part of their hair.

"Unfortunately" I was a handsome kid who would turn into a good-looking adult but my early onset baldness (as I found out later) closed a lot of doors to me (not only of emotional content but also of more general social interest). I would give anything to have my hair back, but unfortunately I'm far from a wealthy individual (in fact I'm a poor student), even minoxidil seems too much.

Anyhow, here's my current hair:

http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/4181/bt1u.png

(I'm 24, they look like a 50 year old's btw) and I would like to know what is the more likely therapy which could have had good results (not mediocre like minoxidil), especially given how aggresive my male pattern baldness is. I guess I can hold out for a couple of years more (before going completely bald), if such a therapy exists in a future time-frame.

Thanks for your attention.

[whynot]

Hey friend. Welcome to the forum.

If you haven't heard of propecia (which I find unlikely), that's still an option if you wish to keep what you still have. A shampoo with ketoconazole (Nizoral) can work very small wonders as a local DHT inhibitor in the scalp.

There's been a lot of talk about future treatments recently. Look up Spencer's interviews with Dr. Craig Ziering and Dr. Gail Naughton (Histogen), Ken Washenik (Aderans), and Gary Hitzig/Jerry Cooley (ACell).

Also of interest is CB-03-01. This is a topical anti-androgen currently in development, apparently free of systemic anti-androgenetic activity (thus side effects aren't as bad). Latisse is also in clinical trials for a new topical treatment.

All in all, things are looking OK for our futures. It's fair to say that you'll be able to see our reflections in the mirror again within this lifetime - perhaps even within this decade.

[spectrum]

or maybe dutasteride ...

I completely understand your feelings, man. I 've lost many of my social interests as well and got alone (maybe because of my personality) and there will be no chance for me to get back to them even if get a head full of hair again because I cant get back to the past. be assured that there will be a certain therapy within next years. Have a look over Dutasteride as well.

[Unfateful]

From what I understand propecia does not do much more than what minoxidil already does. In other words even if I'm to save what I have it will still be thin hair which IMO look horrible. In a way I have a head full of hair already but most of it is so thin that the camera does not catch it, I don't see what finasteride (propecia) can do more to aid my ailment...

I was thinking of starting it for the last 3 years or so but the only reason I don't is because I've been told (by my doctor too) that it does not do much more than what minoxidil 5% does and also it would had been added cost to my (already tight) budget; even if one is to overlook the possible effects from long-term use (I'm a bit weary of anti-adrogens).

As for having a full head of hair in the coming years... I was thinking that that will happen by 2003 already, but all the promises do is to further themselves into the future, all the while I'm getting older and more chances are being lost. If I'm 40 by the time it will happen, I would have already lost half my life battling this social blight and -yes- unfortunately I'm not of those individuals that my head is fit for shaving either, so I'm stuck with this prematurely thinning hair...

[Havok]

it's true that propecia isn't a miracle pill but it is far more potent drug than minoxidil for majority of men. you may even be one of the lucky few to see significant regrowth from propecia. you can buy generic finasteride dirt cheap at Target. i'm guessing it's cheaper than generic minoxidil you can get from Costco. everyone responds differently to finasteride and minoxidil. you could be a great responder but you'll never know unless you try it. i don't know what kind of doctor you've talked to but what he said about propecia is his ASSUMPTION. go see a real hair restoration doctor and ask him about pros, cons, sides, and whatever question you have about propecia.

[Unfateful]

it's true that propecia isn't a miracle pill but it is far more potent drug than minoxidil for majority of men. you may even be one of the lucky few to see significant regrowth from propecia. you can buy generic finasteride dirt cheap at Target. i'm guessing it's cheaper than generic minoxidil you can get from Costco. everyone responds differently to finasteride and minoxidil. you could be a great responder but you'll never know unless you try it. i don't know what kind of doctor you've talked to but what he said about propecia is his ASSUMPTION. go see a real hair restoration doctor and ask him about pros, cons, sides, and whatever question you have about propecia.

Through minoxidil I was able to hold on to a significant amount of my hairs. The problem with it is that the quality of the hair has been reduced significantly (to the point that it rapidly becomes unsightly).

I do know that finasteride can even cause regrowth but my problem is not the amount of hairs but the quality. It's not only my doctor but also what I generally gather that finasteride does not do much more to improve the *quality*. Then again maybe I'm mistaken, enlighten me if you have personal experience with it...

I'm thinking to start finasteride for the last 3 years now but the incentives never seemed strong enough to me, if it can make the hair less thin I'll reconsider.

[Havok]

Through minoxidil I was able to hold on to a significant amount of my hairs. The problem with it is that the quality of the hair has been reduced significantly (to the point that it rapidly becomes unsightly).

I do know that finasteride can even cause regrowth but my problem is not the amount of hairs but the quality. It's not only my doctor but also what I generally gather that finasteride does not do much more to improve the *quality*. Then again maybe I'm mistaken, enlighten me if you have personal experience with it...

that sorta sounds like a 180 from your original post.

I would like to know what is the more likely therapy which could have had good results (not mediocre like minoxidil), especially given how aggresive my male pattern baldness is. I guess I can hold out for a couple of years more (before going completely bald), if such a therapy exists in a future time-frame.

not sure what you mean by the quality of your hair? are you talking about split ends or something? the way it feels? if you can't style your hair like the way you used to because your hair follicles are miniaturized and thus thin, weak, limp then it's the thinning problem.. if you're talking about healthy hair strands but don't like the texture and what not then go buy a good conditioner. there are tons of beauty products out there that can help you with improving 'quality' of your hair unlike hair loss.

[Unfateful]

Oops sorry then, I thought I implied it but as it turns out I cleared things out (about it) in my second post.

By "bad quality" hair I strictly mean an especially thin hair. So much so that even though I have still held up to most of my hair it looks as if I have serious bald spots. Under the sun the hair is see through (front and crown part) disabling me to have *any* haircut apart from cutting them too short...

My main problem is that things are moving *fast* and I want to do sth before all my hair get as thin, or simply won't be there anymore...

Anyhow thanks for your attention...

[Havok]

it sounds like your hairs are in the process of thinning. healthy hairs just don't fall out and never come back. it could be a long painful process for some. a lot of men who go through slow thinning/balding are usually in denial until it becomes exceedingly obvious. but yeah they'll probably continue to thin w/o the help of propecia. since u said u'd give anything to have your hair back i think it's worth a shot as studies have shown that vast majority of men who take propecia see benefit. i know it won't fully regrow your hair back but hair loss can progress dramatically at anytime so don't wait until it's too late if you want to at least keep what you have.

[Unfateful]

Like I wrote in my introduction I'm not in denial, I just want to know whether Finasteride can *actually* make my hairs less thin/stronger. If it does that then (and only then) it worths my try.

Anyhow thanks.