Should I wait it out?

[gerazzi]

The first two pictures were taken 3 years ago, how am I balding this quickly? Seriously.

Both my grandfathers started balding when they were 50, my dad has all his hair still. I am only 24.

Maybe the formaldehyde from the hair relaxer products did this to me?

 

Any suggestions? I feel like getting surgery now will be useless because I'll probably still lose a lot more, plus the scar Ill be left with, I will never be able to shave my head (please save the affective scar filling procedure comments)

I heard propecia and other products are useless, and have just about as many side effects as anti depressants.

Lastly, I don't have months to stay in doors to recover from the transplant.

 

Should I just wait it out, until techniques become more advanced?

 

 

Thanks

Edited April 8, 2011 by gerazzi

[hairthere]

You should get on finasteride asap. It has a good success in guys your age. It will help stop the loss and maybe grow some hair back.

[gerazzi]

THanks but the side effects or possible side effects aren't worth it.

[Vincent]

Doesn't look like you have lost enough to really take advantage of a hair transplant as you will just loose more in due time.

 

You really should get onto the meds ASAP and halt any further loss. I was also worried about the side effects around your age (mainly the shedding part) and since I left it for too long I am now a norwood 5A. I started propecia and minoxidol around 6 months ago and it seriously has halted any further loss and regrew some aswell.

 

My advice is to take the meds and wait 1-2 years to see if you really need to go for surgery or not. Don't hold it off like I did cause you will regret it in the end.

[Blake Bloxham]

Gerazzi,

 

I'm sorry to hear that this issue is affecting you so greatly, but I think you've made a wise, proactive choice to coming to the discussion forums and seeking advice.

 

First, and foremost, remember that genetic male baldness (androgenetic alopecia) is a very tricky ailment, and it really doesn't follow a lot of the standard genetic inheritance patterns that we've all come to depend on (i.e. 'my dad still has his hair, so I'll be fine;' 'my mother's father still has his hair, so I'll be fine,'). The fact of the matter is that if baldness is somewhere in your genetic tree, you can be affected by it.

 

Next, it's good to see that you're monitoring this issue now and looking into treatments while you still have a good amount of hair and time on your side. Frankly, it does sound like you aren't interested in Propecia (finasteride), so I don't want to 'force' anything upon you, but I do recommend doing some research because the published data still shows side effects as low (2-3% of individuals) and benefits as high.

 

However, if you aren't interested in Propecia/finasteride, I do recommend looking into Rogaine/minoxidil. This therapy works in a different manner than Propecia, and usually isn't singled out for perceived sexual dysfunctions.

 

As far as hair transplantation is concerned, while you're still a bit young for the procedure, it doesn't mean that you can't meet with a recommended hair restoration physician and map out some type of restoration plan that includes a few years on the medications and a planned transplant down the road.

 

Finally, if you're concerned with the scar associated with traditional follicular unit transplantation (FUT), you should also consider researching (and determining whether or not you're a candidate) for follicular unit extraction (FUE).

 

I hope this helps! Feel free to ask any additional questions.

[Hal]

The short answer is yes, wait it out.

 

The longer answer is that you're too young, too uneducated, and have way too much hair at present to be thinking about a HT.

 

Meds are about your only option right now-- and if they work for you, your hair is probably going to look worse before it get better.

 

I'm not endorsing meds, only saying that right now, its about the only card you have to play.

 

Hal

Edited April 7, 2011 by Hal

[TakingThePlunge]

gerazzi

 

"I heard Propecia and other products are useless, and have just about as many side effects as anti depressants."

 

Useless? Not so. In fact, you can find plenty of patient created threads on our forum documenting success with Propecia (finasteride) and/or Rogaine (minoxidil).

 

Side effects - yes, some guys experience them in varying degrees others don't experience any. I myself have been taking finasteride for two years with very mild and insignificant sides. I was afraid to take it at first but, for me, it's been well worth it for the recovery I've seen in my crown. We all have to decide how much our hair is worth to us. I don't fault anyone for deciding either way but you have to understand that there is no other effective way to preserve your existing hair at present. You photos tell the story clearly, your crown is on its way out and you need to take action if you want to preserve it.

 

You are correct, surgery at this point would be useless. Given your age, the state of your hair loss (lots more to come) and your aversion to medically stabilizing your hair loss you would likely end up chasing your loss with multiple procedures and potentially running out of donor hair.

 

"... I don't have months to stay in doors to recover from the transplant."

 

The bottom line is that we've all been waiting for an overnight, non-scarring hair restoration treatment with no side effects for ages. It's not likely to be here for quite a long time.

 

If it means a lot to you to save your hair then the best advice anyone here can give you is what you've already heard. Medically stabilize your hair loss and wait a few years. Have realistic goals and understand that your juvenile hairline is gone. Spend time on this forum researching and availing yourself of the combined experience of our members.

 

Above all, be wary of unproven, miracle cures, snake oil peddlers, etc.

 

If you want to explore natural/herbal hair loss treatment options, have a look at our Online Hair Loss Treatment Shop. We only sell credible alternative hair loss treatments but I will stress once again that they are not proven as effective as finasteride and should only be used when drugs are not an option.

 

Best of luck!

Edited April 6, 2011 by TakingThePlunge

[gerazzi]

I don't know, conerta and stratterra also had low % and I still suffered from those.

The only reason I was considering a transplant was because of financing plans, as well as accommodations (I've been researching hasson and wong alot)

 

I may start rogaine since I've read several places that it's better at regrowth, versus propecia which is better at blocking further loss.

[franz85]

I do sympathise with your situation as I am in a similar boat to you. In fact, both my grandfathers have full heads of hair at 70, and my dad is also good. However, I was stunned when my crown started thinning and now I am probably a Norwood 3V. I am 25.

I guess Future-HT-doctor is right in that it is a genetic lottery. I tend not to think - why me? I concentrate on other things and strive to do better in my job/postgraduate studies etc because of what is going on on the top of my head.

I cannot comment on propecia. I should have got on it a few years ago. I took my first mg yesterday and I did a lot of reading before taking the first pill. At 25, I hope it serves me well. I did not want to mix rogaine and propecia from the start as it will be hard to see what is doing what and where any (possible) side effects are coming from.

Good luck.

[Dutch]

Propecia and mino aren't useless. They work. You need to try them to see if you'll experience side effects, as some people don't.

 

You need meds. You either take them and wait for a transplant or don't take them and wait for a transplant.

 

Maintaining the hair is much easier than re-growing it with the meds

[RCWest]

I heard propecia and other products are useless, and have just about as many side effects as anti depressants.

 

 

The side effects are blown out of proportion. For some reason a few guys are getting on the internet and making a big deal out of nothing because they couldn't "get it up" on date night. But really, side effects are rare and if you do get them your body will adjust to it in a couple of months. I've had some of the best sex since starting Finasteride so I find some of the accusations about Finasteride hard to believe.

[goingthreetimes]

As long as you stay on 1mg a day you will be fine! And even if you do have side effects (not very likely) as soon as you stop taking it they will go. I stupidly upped my dosage to 5mg a day and lost all my libido (desire for sex) which I thought nothing of at the time because I wasn't in a relationship. However I started a relationship and realised I could not get an erection....it was the darkest time off my life! And of cause you research into it on the internet and the only things you see are worse case scenarios....I honestly thought id never get an erection again from what I read. It was horrific! I was looking at viagra, penis implants! the lot! I think the anxiety of what I read was causing me more problems that the actual medication...the mind is a powerful tool! anyways I stooped taking 5mg a day and within 2 weeks everything was back to normal! Looking back now those 2 weeks seemed to last a lifetime!!!

 

On a side note since reverting back to 1mg from 5mg I have had an amazing development...I don't know if its related but now after I ejaculate I can still maintain a rock hard erection! My girlfriends like are you on Viagra! If anyone has an explanation for this I'm all ears...Im obviously not gonna see a doctor about it because why would I want it to stop!

 

So honestly give it a go and do not worry because if you get side effects you just stop taking them. There are alot of vocal people on the net about how propecia ruined their sex lifes and I feel sorry for them but they are a very loud very small minority. Millions on men take propecia with out any or very small side effects so I really would not worry!

Edited April 6, 2011 by goingthreetimes