22 and balding, where do i start?!

[Schwelm]

This is my first time posting on here after spending months lurking through other threads looking for information and thought it was about time I join in haha!

 

I'm about to turn 22 and I first started to notice that my hair was receding when I was 20.

I'm not currently on any medication but I'm finding it harder to disguise the balding so i want to get started, I've read a lot about Propecia and minoxidil but I'm on the fence about taking Propecia due to the amount of negative comments about side effects, I haven't spoken to a professional yet because I'm unsure if I'm best consulting my GP or approaching a hair specialist (sending photos to a clinic or something).

 

I've attached some photos, I think I'm somewhere between a norwood 2 or 3, I really want to slow down the balding and ideally halt it so that in a few years time when I'm ready to start looking into a hair transplant my hair loss will have been stable for several years. If anyone could shed some light on the best way to start tackling my balding and if Propecia is the best way to go I would hugely appreciate it!

[Dr Blake Bloxham]

Schwelm,

 

Welcome to the community!

 

You're definitely doing the right thing. Addressing the hair loss early and slowing the process as much as you can is key.

 

Starting finasteride is really up to you. Some guys do well with it. Others experience serious and often long-lasting side effects. I recommend continuing your research and consulting with a hair loss doctor in person. He/she can evaluate your scalp and provide expert recommendations.

 

I don't think finasteride will help restore much of what you've lost in the fronto-temporal areas. This will likely need to be addressed with surgery down the road. However, preventive medications may help you maintain some of the forelock in the center and the hair in the midscalp behind it. This will all be helpful if you do undergo surgery down the road.

 

Hope this helps!

[smash1407]

I will give you some advice

 

i am 27 and was losing my hair at 20 ish i know what you are going through

 

One thing i wish i did was take propecia earlier in life

 

Please take a look at this

 

Finasteride | Twins Hair Loss

 

also - You have options like nanogen etc - but.... as great as it is for the time being, in the long run it just mask's the problem - i was using it a lot it probbaly suffacated my hair and made it fall out more.

 

3 Years on, i am not petrified of the stuff falling out of my hair and people seeing what is under it - i would strictly stay away from the stuff, its a viscious circle and very addictive too.

 

Take in to consideration if you get a HT now, you will forever be having to catch up with it as the hair starts to fall out of other area's

 

All the best - please PM me if you want to ask any private question's

[Schwelm]

Thanks for the replies guys I really do appreciate them...

DrBlakeBloxham- yes I'll keep looking and try and speak to a specialist in the next couple of weeks and see what they say about Propecia. I've come to terms with the fact that I wont be able to regrow any of the hair in my temples without surgery but as long as I can keep what's left that's fine.

 

smash1407- Yes I've read about those twins before it really is encouraging to see, I am willing to try Propecia it's just the side effects that worry me, are they really as common as people make out?

I've been using Nanogen as a concealer however I try not to rely on it as it can get a bit messy.

Thanks for the offer I'm sure I'll take you up on that at some point haha.

[gillenator]

Schwelm,

 

One option is to start low dose finasteride in a smaller dose or frequency to minimize any potential side-effects. The dosage can be increased over time to the recommended 1 mg daily but only consider this under a doctor's advice and direction. Propecia was developed exclusively for treating MPB at 1mg tablets and requires a prescription.

 

Most GPs are not very informed regarding the treatment of MPB which has been my overall observation.

 

Another thing. Only low dose finasteride is effective in inhibiting excess DHT which is the source of the problem with MPB. Minoxidil does not inhibit DHT but can help with rejuvenating some lost hair and increasing hair caliber.

 

Finasteride is most efficient in the crown area if you thinning there as well.

[bilbobaggins]

Hey man, I started losing my hair about 21. I tried a bunch of different stuff (pretty much primarily topical stuff like foams and shampoo stuff), then started taking Procerin. It's pills and foam. The suggested regimen is 2 applications of the foam per day and 1 pill/morning and 2 pills/night. I take the 2 pills at night and apply the foam about once a month and its pretty much held my hair exactly where it was since I started taking it. It hasn't regrown hair, but its staved off hair loss, or at least really really greatly slowed it.

[Dr. William Lindsey]

Much of the above is good advice. Here's a bit more.

 

1. Yep, you are losing your hair. Look at your male relatives on both sides of your family and see where you are likely heading. There is some component of luck (meaning a yet undetermined genetic factor) involved that may make you "luckier" or "less lucky" than your relatives though.

 

2. Don't make any hasty decisions. Research!

 

3. Were I 20ish and losing that much hair, yes I'd see a doctor and discuss meds. Only then can you make a decision if its worth it or not. And pick a doctor that doesn't sell propecia as a profit center in his office....then you'll get a more honest opinion (I think).

 

4. I'd bet you will eventually get surgery. And some guys will tell you to do it now and others will say to wait til you are 30. I personally have no problem offering and doing surgery on young guys as long as they: 1. accept a hairline that will look ok when they are much older and 2. realize that they will almost certainly need a second or even third case down the road.

 

The trouble you may face is a hot sales girl telling you that for the easy 299.99/month payment plan that you can get hair back and look like all of your friends.... DO NOT DO THAT. Almost inevitably you'll get a low hairline, a small case that will fit your budget, and a bit of hair tossed into your thinning tuft, a lower bank account, a good sized scar on your head, AND distaste and distrust for the entire field.

 

There is no absolute rush. Take your time.

 

Good luck.

 

Dr. Lindsey

[secondtryuser]

I started loosing my hair in my early 20s and didn't start taking propecia until I was 29. I really wish I had started taking it when I was in my early 20s. Get on it now!

 

Propecia hasn't encouraged any regrowth, but it has definitely stopped the loss. In five years my hair is pretty much the same as it was just before I started taking it. My brother on the other hand is now completely bald.

 

If you take propecia, you can relax and stop thinking about your hair for a while. Propecia kind of stops the clock, so you don't need to take any further action. It's also useful if money is an issue; HT can be costly and you may not be able to afford it now.

[Schwelm]

Thanks for all the replies guys any information is helpful!

I've been looking for a specialist to speak to which has turned out to be surprisingly hard, I've found a doctor called Dr Ingrid Wilson who seems to be well qualified and is a member of the trichology institution which I've been told to look out for so I'm pretty confident her opinion can be trusted but how exactly would I know if she was trying to sell propecia to make a profit?

 

Also a lot of you are saying you wished you had started propecia earlier, did you experience any negative side effects?

[Swooping]

Thanks for all the replies guys any information is helpful!

I've been looking for a specialist to speak to which has turned out to be surprisingly hard, I've found a doctor called Dr Ingrid Wilson who seems to be well qualified and is a member of the trichology institution which I've been told to look out for so I'm pretty confident her opinion can be trusted but how exactly would I know if she was trying to sell propecia to make a profit?

 

Also a lot of you are saying you wished you had started propecia earlier, did you experience any negative side effects?

 

Do much research. Asses the benefits vs the risks for yourself. Finasteride is a pretty damn serious medication. Doctors can be biased. Ultimately the decision is up to you.

[KO]

You cannot make a profit selling propecia. It is now available in generic form. That said, propecia is pretty much the only option to keep your hair.