It's time to take care of this

[perrier]

Hi,

I'm 23 now but I've noticed my hair falling since I was 18. It's caused genetically and passed down from my mother's side so I know what to exact. I've reserached this a lot and knew about the so called here "Big 3" a long time ago, but I was always put off by the side effects and tried to just accept my hair the way it is. However, it's definitely not easy. Whenever I'm with people, I try to position myself so they can't see the back of my head. I feel I'm acting as if I have something disgusting on my head, which is depressing me.

Now as my New Year's resolution I have to solve this. I don't want to feel like this anymore. Whether I'll give another try at accepting it or go with something I read here, I'll decide in the coming days.

I've attached some pictures to show you on which stage I'm at the moment. My frontal hairline is looking good still with no receding there, so I didn't take pictures of it. On one of the pics you can see a small red dot. My hair at any one time has about 5-6 such things which appear and heal after that. Also if I don't wash it everyday it gets very itchy. I'm going to see a doctor on Monday for consultaion on these and possibly get a perscription for propecia. Do any of you have this too? I'm using Johnson's baby shampoo daily because it's very gentle on the hair and it doesn't make me itch so much but I'm thinking of switching to Nizoral once or twice a week.

Also, in the details for the study on finasteride it says the side effects include impotence. http://www.drugs.com/sfx/finasteride-side-effects.html
I see impotence as something permanent and non-reversible. Am I right? Why isn't this causing more concern if true?

Any comments and suggestions are welcome

Thanks

[perrier]

PS. I just want to add that this is possibly the one single thing I have that's worrying me in my life. I have a great gf, great job, great salary and this is probably just my mind that there should always be something bugging me in my life. So my baldness is what my mind has chosen to troll me about.

[8868alex]

Hi


First off, I imagine that given the lighting and angle of the picture taken, the crown loss is not as visible to others as it may seem. For a true representation of what others see, use two mirrors in a normal lighting conditions. This should reassure you that people won't be picking up the situation as much as you percieve the are. Second, I have been using Propecia for over 3 years and experienced nothing but the benefits. In my opinion, if you are going to have sides, you will know fairly quickly and if so, you can discontinue the drug. There are risks inherent with most medical intervention but don't buy into the hysteria. One thing I never hear mentioned is that this forum was started by a guy (Spencer) who has been using the drug effectively for over 15 years. Thusly, the site endorses careful, monitored use of the drug. We all make our own decisions and accept the responsibility for it but for what it's worth, I think that considering Propecia is wise if you are in fact serious about stopping the progression. Good luck!

[Tracy C]

Hi perrier,

Concering the itchyness, I think using Nizoral in place of your regular shampoo once or twice per week would probably help that.

Concerning Propecia (or generic Finasteride), there is a lot of fear mongering going on over the internet. It is best to get your information on this medication from a doctor rather than the internet, preferably a doctor who specializes in treating hair loss. Here is a list for you:

http://www.iahrs.org/member/

One of those doctors is Dr. Bernstein. He has some really good information on his website that may help you.

Information on Propecia (Finasteride)

http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/medical-treatment/medications/propecia-finasteride/

http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/medical-treatment/medications/propecia-finasteride/tips-on-propecia/

http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/medical-treatment/medications/propecia-finasteride/finasteride-information-sheet/

Information on Rogaine (Minoxidil)

http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/medical-treatment/medications/rogaine-minoxidil/

http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/medical-treatment/medications/rogaine-minoxidil/tips-on-minoxidil/

Information on low level laser therapy

http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/medical-treatment/laser-therapy/

http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/medical-treatment/laser-therapy/hairmax-laser-comb/

http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/medical-treatment/laser-therapy/hairmax-laser-comb/fda-clearance-for-hair-loss-in-women/

You are young, your hair loss is relatively recent and barely noticable. You will probably do fine on treatment. Here is a link to a page of before and after photos of men who have been treating worse cases than yours:

http://www.bernsteinmedical.com/medical-treatment/patient-photos/

Take care,

Tracy

[spm]

I was in your shoes almost 1 1/2 years ago. I was scared to death of Propecia! I wish I hadn't given credit to any of the scare sites. I was depressed every day and was like you, I had enough of hair loss. Millions of men have been on Propecia and Proscar for enlarged prostate. The science is in favor of the drug being safe. The ones with permeant sides they can't even give them a percentage of because it's that low. I wish I had taken control of my hair loss sooner. Im very happy with the results. With your age and it being in the crown you should have good results. Here is the chart of Propecia clinical trials. Your page has the 5mg trials. Propecia is just 1mg. The odds are in your favor. http://www.drugs.com/sfx/propecia-side-effects.html. Call into the show and get the best advice from Spencer tonight.
Wish you the best with your battle.

[mattj]

Your hairloss doesn't look like it will show much under normal conditions. I think you should listen to what people are saying about the side effect issue being overblown with a lot of fear-mongering going on out there. The chances are you'll be fine if you take Propecia, and if you do experience side effects, they might be mild and tolerable, and if they are too much then you can stop the drug and the problems will go away.

Those instances of irreversible erectile dysfunction are extremely rare.

Most of all, don't let hairloss impact upon your state of mind and destroy your confidence. You risk losing more than your hair if you allow hairloss to alter you as a person.

[VictimOfDHT]

Fin will cause permanent impotence ! Yes, as much as an aspirin will.

[perrier]

Thanks for the responses. I'm leaning more towards starting propecia after reading them. However I didn't get a chance to visit the dermatologist today.

I started using Nizoral and want to see how it works on my red dots.

I have a theory about my hair loss and I'll say again it's just a theory so take it easy . I started losing my hair in my second year of uni. I was very stressed (broke up with a long-term gf and uni work) and my house was infested by all possible house creatures starting from rats to spiders and bed bugs. Why I was living in such a sh*t hole is a different story, but I think some of the fungi that were living there could have got to my scalp. This was over 3 years ago and since that time I've continuously had itchy red dots and have been losing hair. I went to see a dermatologist about them but what I was persribed didn't help and lost hope about curing it. I have read that some of these fungi could cause hair loss. Could it be that Nizoral curing my red dots will also allow my hair to grow back?

Thanks

[VictimOfDHT]

I use Nizoral at least twice a week and have been doing so for years and my dandruff problem never went away. I don't think this shampoo will do much. The simple sad fact is that if you inhereted the curse gene (baldness) you'll lose your hair no matter what you do, or dont do. Only thing is you can slow it down with the use of meds and if you're really lucky you'll keep what you have.

[perrier]

I use Nizoral at least twice a week and have been doing so for years and my dandruff problem never went away. I don't think this shampoo will do much. The simple sad fact is that if you inhereted the curse gene (baldness) you'll lose your hair no matter what you do, or dont do. Only thing is you can slow it down with the use of meds and if you're really lucky you'll keep what you have.

That's the thing with meds. They work for some, don't work others. But when it comes to baldness, isn't that what finasteride is proven to work against? How can you say if I'm lucky I'll keep what I have. I just find your statement pessimistic buddy .

[Tracy C]

That's the thing with meds. They work for some, don't work others.

That is true of almost everything. It just is what it is. Concerning treating hair loss, Propecia (or generic Finasteride), Rogaine (or generic Minoxidil) and low level laser therapy all work for most people who use it but none of them work for everyone. Again, it just is what it is. These things have been through the mill to get FDA approval or clearance, they would not have received those approvals or clearances if they did not provided statistically significant improvement. One thing to think about with this though is that "statistically significant" improvement is not necessarily the same as "appreciable improvement". Whether a treatment provides "appreciable improvement" or not depends on how the person using the treatment feels about it.

[rupe]

Taking propecia is a risk. I delayed taking it because of the possible side effects, but then got desperate because I noticed my hair thinning and had a long term relationship breakdown and used my prescription.

One morning after 6 weeks I woke up and suddenly realised I couldn't remember that last time I had a morning erection and that my libidio had been very low. I stopped taking it immediately and then suffered from post-finasteride syndrome. During this time I really couldn't care about my hair anymore, I just wanted to be able to be able to properly function sexually again. I was perhaps more depressed by this than my hair loss.

Luckily after 4 weeks it went away, and now I am depressed about my hair loss as it has got even worse. Reading these posts even makes me think about taking propecia again because I could already tell it was working, but then I remember how I felt with the side effects.

I don't write this in an attempt to scare you but I can tell you the side effects are real. The little information sheet I received with the propecia tablets said that a small number suffer erectile dysfunction but that it goes away when the drugs are discontinued, but everyone who is doubting these side effects may be interested to know that in the US this has been change to reflect the fact that the side effects persist even after use is stopped. I find it amazing they can do that, but still lie about it in other countries. They are being sued for a reason.

[clandestine]

Don't **** around with your sex life man. Simply stated, what good is having hair is you are sexually defunct? Just my two cents.

Call it fear mongering, but the fact remains that a risk does indeed exist, whatever that risk may be, that finasteride can provoke very serious sexual sides.

"Side effects of finasteride include impotence (1.1% to 18.5%), abnormal ejaculation (7.2%), decreased ejaculatory volume (0.9% to 2.8%), abnormal sexual function (2.5%), gynecomastia (2.2%), erectile dysfunction (1.3%), ejaculation disorder (1.2%) and testicular pain. According to the product package insert, resolution occurred in men who discontinued therapy with finasteride due to these side effects and in most men who continued therapy. The PPI also states that patients have reported persisting erectile dysfunction despite discontinuing the drug. In December 2010, Merck added depression as a side effect of finasteride.[6]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finasteride#Adverse_effects

While effective in some respects, I find it seriously disheartening that in 2012 this is our best treatment option regarding hair loss.

Stay educated, make informed decisions.