Hi, 28 year old, lack of hair on crown

[Tracy C]

Hi mnx,

It does not matter which side of your family has hereditary hair loss. You can inherit it from either side.

What you have going on does not look bad but it does look like the typical start of hereditary hair loss. If this does bother you, you should see a doctor who specializes in treating hair loss. Here is a link to help you find a good one. Though these doctors are hair transplant surgeons, don't let that scare you off. You do not need a transplant and they will see that. They will tell you what you need to do to manage it.

http://www.iahrs.org/hair-transplant/

Provillus is a complete scam. Natural DHT blockers do nothing to slow down, stop or reverse hereditary hair loss. No one has ever been able to slow down, stop or reverse hereditary hair loss with natural DHT blockers. Taking the natural course is a waste of time, money and your hair. Don't listen to the fear mongers about Propecia. The medicine does have possible side effects but the percentage of males who experience them is very small and the side effects usually go away, even for those who continue to use the medication. Talk to a doctor who specializes in treating hair loss to get the real information about Propecia.

You can find the most truthful information on treating hereditary hair loss at this link:

http://www.americanhairloss.org/

You will learn that there are only two medications that are proven to work and FDA approved to treat hereditary hair loss. Those medications are Propecia (or generic Finasteride) and Rogaine (or generic Minoxidil). Nizoral shampoo and low level laser therapy can help as adjunct treatments but everything else on the market is a complete scam. Don't fall for the scams.

[chrisis]

Tracy C, I've read people who've had success with saw palmetto. The number of men who have side effects from finasteride is up for debate.

I think that's the balanced view on this topic, since it's a complex and uncertain one.

[Tracy C]

Tracy C, I've read people who've had success with saw palmetto.

Ask them to provide photo evidence as proof.

[chrisis]

It's true I've not seen photo evidence, but the problem is not many people are bothering with saw palmetto, given that finasteride is heavily promoted as superior. Of those men, a fraction will be actually administering it effectively (the correct type of saw palmetto, the correct dose, in conjunction with beta sitoserol and over a long enough time period). Of those men, a fraction will be documenting it with photos over the space of several years. Of those men, only a fraction will actually be successful at controlling their hair loss (as with finasteride).

It's easy to understand why it's hard to get testimonials, let alone testimonials with photographic proof.

All I'm saying is the topic is too complicated to boldly write-off saw palmetto.

We're all feeling around in the dark here.

[mnx]

It's true I've not seen photo evidence, but the problem is not many people are bothering with saw palmetto, given that finasteride is heavily promoted as superior.

There are only a few people who try it, but they're a fraction of the men who even bother to research the topic properly. Of those men, a fraction will be actually administering it effectively (the correct type of saw palmetto, the correct dose, in conjunction with beta sitoserol and over a long enough time period). Of those men, a fraction will be documenting it with photos over the space of several years. Of those men, only a fraction will actually be successful at controlling their hair loss (as with finasteride).

It's easy to understand why it's hard to get testimonials, let alone testimonials with photographic proof.

All I'm saying is the topic is too complicated to boldly write-off saw palmetto.

We're all feeling around in the dark here.

I think you and stbb make a good point. I'm not completely writing off the effect of the correct supplements. There are no clinical trials or testimonies proving their success, but there is some science attached to various herbs and their abilities as 5 alpha reductase inhibitors. I think they have the potential for some effects, and since my hair loss to this point hasn't been very aggressive I'm willing to give them a shot.

I figure until the time I'm willing to try finasteride, if that happens, I may as well try it out.

[mnx]

A couple questions for Tracy or whoever can answer. (I will ask specialist when I am able to meet with one, but any answer I can get now is greatly appreciated)

I've read somewhere that finasteride is only effective at stopping hair loss at stage 2 or 3. Myself being early in the process, should that preclude my use of it until I'm more progressed? Would it not be able to stop hair loss at it's current state?

[Tracy C]

I've read somewhere that finasteride is only effective at stopping hair loss at stage 2 or 3.

The Medication does not care what stage of hair loss you have. It simply blocks the formation of the hormone that triggers hereditary hair loss (DHT). The medication can stop hereditary hair loss regardless of what stage you are. Of course for someone who is beyond NW6 there is no point.

mnx, my advice if you start on finasteride would be to start at a lower dose, and take your time working up.

I think this is good advice. This is what I had to do when I started on Spiro.

[25 going on 65]

I would say with almost total certainty that you are in the beginning stages of hereditary hair loss, if I'm going by the crown.

A hair loss specialist could tell you for sure.

If it is MPB, I suggest using a proven DHT suppressant that can stop and help reverse the loss. There are two of these on the market, finasteride and dutasteride. I would strongly recommend the former over the latter to start with. Both have a risk of side effects, but they are significantly higher with dutasteride (and there is also much less information currently about using dutasteride long-term for hair loss).
I don't recommend spending time on alternative remedies like saw palmetto, because there isn't scientific evidence that they can maintain your hair. If you get unacceptable side effects from finasteride, you could try experimenting with alternatives at that point, but if you do things in reverse order you will lose more hair than you have to. Delaying treatment for just one year can unfortunately have a noticeable cosmetic impact.
(2% ketoconazole shampoo and minoxidil are good supporting treatments, but on their own they won't maintain your hair or reverse your loss in the long term.)
Good luck.

[mnx]

I would say with almost total certainty that you are in the beginning stages of hereditary hair loss, if I'm going by the crown.

A hair loss specialist could tell you for sure.

If it is MPB, I suggest using a proven DHT suppressant that can stop and help reverse the loss. There are two of these on the market, finasteride and dutasteride. I would strongly recommend the former over the latter to start with. Both have a risk of side effects, but they are significantly higher with dutasteride (and there is also much less information currently about using dutasteride long-term for hair loss).
I don't recommend spending time on alternative remedies like saw palmetto, because there isn't scientific evidence that they can maintain your hair. If you get unacceptable side effects from finasteride, you could try experimenting with alternatives at that point, but if you do things in reverse order you will lose more hair than you have to. Delaying treatment for just one year can unfortunately have a noticeable cosmetic impact.
(2% ketoconazole shampoo and minoxidil are good supporting treatments, but on their own they won't maintain your hair or reverse your loss in the long term.)
Good luck.

Thanks for the advice. My hair is very important to me, and if finasteride is the absolute best answer I may be able to talk myself into doing it.

The time issue is not lost on me at all, I am currently considering all options.

[itssomuchfun]

Wow, you have the exact same hair loss pattern I had at 28. I'm 31 now. I didn't do anything about it at the time because no noticed it and everywhere else was thick with no receding hairline. I agree it's probably the onset of MPB, especially since you have hairloss in your family.

All the other posters here seem to have covered everything pretty well. See a hair loss dermatologist and see what they can do for treatment. Make sure you weigh the risks/rewards of drugs like propecia/proscar. I have chosen not to try it because the possibility (I didn't care how small the possibility) of sexual side effects, both long or short term. I started Rogaine this year and it has been slow going and there has been some shedding involved which is something you might want to keep in mind if you start it. It's like a lot of drugs where it makes things worse before it makes things better, but supposedly if you stick with it for 6-8 months. Also it apparently works better when you're younger. The company Rogaine claims 85% of men regrew hair, but I've seen clinical studies that report it's closer to 55%.

Lastly, start conditioning yourself for what baldness might be like. I rarely see people suggest this on websites. With treatment you may keep your hair looking pretty damn good for many years, but eventually it will fall out if it's in your genes. I wouldn't hold my breath for "the cure" even though there have been some great advances and I don't think it's healthy to pin so much hope on the possibility coming soon, even though I hope it does.