19 yrs old -- Very High/Receding Hairline --Suggestions?

[dv119]

Hey guys,

 

I usually don't do this kind of thing but I figured I'd give it a try. I've noticed that my hair has been receding alot the past couple years but just kinda dealt with it. I also don't have very thick hair. My dad does have hair loss and my mom has thin hair. Not a great combination if you ask me. It doesn't bother me too much but if there a way to help then why not try it. I wouldn't mind having fuller, thicker hair since I still in college and don't want to go bald by earlier 20's/ I feel like its getting really bad and may get worse so I thought I would get some suggestions. I've been using Nioxin product line daily along with Nizoral 2x a week. Just wondering if there was any suggestions and what else I could try. Contemplated HT since my forehead is around 7cm from eyebrow to center but it expensive and I'm still rather young. What do you guys think?

 

Thanks for any input! Much appreciated!

[Blake Bloxham]

Dv119,

 

Thank you for sharing your story and including some images. First, although it is difficult to tell based strictly on these photos, it does look like you are experiencing some degree of recession and hair loss. I'd be interested to know if you've seen an increased amount of hairs on your pillow or on the shower floor lately?

 

Second, the active ingredient in the Nizoral shampoo, Ketoconazole, has demonstrated some benefits with regard to decreasing certain hormones, increasing hair shaft thickness (etc), but may not be an optimal treatment in your case. Because of your age, you are too young for a transplant procedure, but you are, most likely, advanced enough to start Minoxidil (Rogaine) and Finasteride (Propecia or divided Proscar).

 

I think you should meet with a dermatologist, undergo an evaluation, and discover the cause of your recession and/or loss. If your physician does confirm that you are suffering from hair loss, I would look into Minoxidil, Finasteride, and sticking with the Ketoconazole shampoo. I think these three therapies (or some combination of these treatments) should really help stabilize, maintain, and possibly improve your current state. After this, a transplant may be an option at a later date.

 

I hope this helps! Please feel free to ask any further questions. Additionally, you may want to look into optimizing your experience at the hair transplant network by creating your own hair loss blog and social profile!

 

Good luck!

[dv119]

Thanks for the response! As to your question, I normally don't see hair on my pillow but when i shower there is probably 2-3 strands here and there. A lot less since I started Nizoral + Nioxin. I also had a question. Does my symptoms look to be MPB? I've normally always had a high forehead due to my genetics but didn't know if it has lead to MPB.

 

Thanks for the help!

[Sparky]

Your symptoms do look like mpb to me, but I would say that an HT is defo out of the question, at least for now. You need to get your hairloss stabilised before any surgery can be considered, otherwise you'll end up with an island of nonsense hair at the front of your head, and thats one of the worst places to be.

[aw33]

Hey man, I know how tough it can be to lose your hair at such a young age. The majority of people around you don't even know what MPB is and you end up asking yourself, "why me?". To me, it does look like you have MPB and your hair line does like quite weak - I wouldn't be surprised if you see more loss in that region in the future.

 

I am 20 now. When I was 3 months shy of my 17th birthday, one of my obnoxious aunts pointed out that my temples were disappearing and although I brushed it off at first, thinking of myself as being immune to hair loss, after careful inspection I had to face reality. That is how my loss started, at the temples and then the hair line receded a bit and gave up it's lining/shape. Then I started to lose hair at my crown and after taking Propecia for almost 2 years now, I am stuck with a NW3.5 pattern, with thinner hair all over my top. In your case, it appears that your MPB started out at the front - you should look at family members and you should inspect your crown. I say this because if it turns out that your MPB only causes you to lose your hair at the front/mid scalp, then a hair transplant would help you fix the problem quite efficiently. Most HT cases where the patient has hair at the crown and sides but nothing at the front and middle, the end results have been fantastic (at the hands of professional surgeons, of course).

 

You should try Propecia as it can prove to be extremely helpful with your hair loss. In most people, it either slows down or stops the loss but there have been cases of regrowth. Most people would tell you that Propecia is most helpful at the crown/vertex area. For me, it has helped me keep my hair on my frontal forelock, at the middle and just above the middle. It has slowed down hair loss at the crown/vertex and at the temples. If you find Propecia too expensive, try Proscar which is the exact same thing with 5mg, instead of 1mg and it is quite affordable.

 

If you are satisfied with your current hair style then so be it, otherwise, the only other option that I can think of is to buzz your head. I wouldn't recommend shaving your head unless you can grow some facial hair to go with it - the majority of people I have seen look good with shaved heads also had a degree of facial hair.

 

Good luck.

[dv119]

aw33,

 

Thanks for the response! I know how you feel man..I've always feel as though I'm the only person that's going through it when I look around school and everybody has nice hair. I've always just brushed it off or tried to work around my hair to make it look less noticeable but it just doesn't work sometimes. I've looked and it doesn't seem to look like I have any loss in the crown (yet) but I am going to the dermatologist sometime this summer to take a look and get his opinion as well as what he thinks about propecia. Have you had any bad symptoms from using the medication?

 

I've also contemplated buzzing it off with a two or three this summer (considering its going to be hot anyways) and see how that works with my look. I don't really have facial hair (which is something else I would really like) so going bald might not look too good. But I figured buzzing wouldn't be too bad so why not.

 

I really appreciate the insight and support! Glad to know I'm not the only one out there.

 

Thanks

[the B spot]

Hey dv--you've gotten some great advice here, so I just want to add that at 19..it is good idea to put the idea of a HT out of your mind for at least another 4-5 years. Buzz it down, continue with topicals/shampoo's and try propecia AND most importantly...develop some short/long term life goals..get physically fit, work on finishing a degree, travel, etc.... and do not focus on the hair...its tough, but worth it!

 

Take Care,

Jason

[aw33]

Propecia has done nothing but wonders for me - no side effect whatsoever.