Will Finasteride be effective for my type of hair-loss?

[kebas239]

Hi (I posted this in the wrong forum before, so I asked a mod to delete and re-posted here),

 

I'm a 30 year old guy who has been balding about 7 years, but a majority of it has happened in the past 3. The story in my profile has the details.

 

Anyway, my hair loss has gotten severe enough to where I'm very bothered by it. Mainly because I feel as if I'm at a turning point where if I don't take action, I may as well say bye to a decent head of hair.

 

I'm trying to find out whether Finasteride will be effective in reversing my type of hair loss to the point where it's cosmetically acceptable. I understand that the drug is not a miracle worker and probably won't restore my hair line, but I'm hoping that it may be able to help enough so that the untrained eye won't easily notice I'm balding. The potential (albeit small) chance of permanent sides scare me, so this is not something I'm taking lightly.

 

I'm also looking for opinions on how severe my hair loss is - I feel like it's bad, but my family does not seem to agree.

 

Thanks in advance. I've attached some photos.

[thisguy1]

I would not count on "reversal". Fin is mostly about maintaining. And yes with your hair loss it will help you maintain what you have. You will probably still slowly recede in the front over time but it should help forestall that too.

 

You don't have "bad" hair loss but it's clearly there and at age 30 it sucks because many of your peers have yet to begin their hair loss journey. In 10 years you'd feel less out of place.

 

Most of your loss is from the front as your crown looks to be in very good shape and your top is good if not great. If I were you I'd also consider going shorter on the sides in your haircut but that's just an opinion.

 

You are probably a NW2 headed to NW3 and look to be a good candidate to explore a HT in the coming few years - get on the medicine for a year and then revisit things. But I think you are headed for probably a 2000 or so HT to firm up your hairline and rebuild your temples. Stick to conservative hairline because you are still quite young and who knows what the next 10 years will bring to your hairloss. If the meds work for you, you will have a great result for a good HT as you are pretty strong in areas outside the hairline and temple.

[kebas239]

Thisguy,

 

Thank you for your response. I'm afraid the hair loss on top and on my crown is worse than it looks in my recent pictures. Right before New Years, when the fact that I was balding sunk in, I freaked out and shaved my head completely bald. I attached a photo of the top of my head from around that time, when my hair was just growing back in. It may be a better representation of what I've lost.

 

What you see in my original post is how my hair has grown since then. I've let it grow out a bit in the hope that it will make the balding less apparent.

 

I might take your advice and try Propecia. I'm very nervous about it, but the incidence of permanent side effects is low right? I know you said that I shouldn't count on regrowth, but do you think it might fill in the diffuse area a bit?

[thisguy1]

 

I might take your advice and try Propecia. I'm very nervous about it, but the incidence of permanent side effects is low right? I know you said that I shouldn't count on regrowth, but do you think it might fill in the diffuse area a bit?

 

Some people get sides, some don't - if it happens you can go off if it.

 

It helps to varying degrees with every person. Really it's going to be up to your body chemistry and that's just a guess to every person's ultimate reaction.

[Rashid36]

My dad and brorther are norwood 7 (family pattern)

I'm 35 yrs reaching norwood 6 slower than them but with all signs i'm heading for 7 !

 

Some people have told me to take it while others have said its not going to do anything at this stage of hair loss.

 

Thinking of this, the sides and the cost i have not taken it.

 

Some have reported the sides lasted even after they had stopped taking it.

[Bill - Seemiller]

Propecia is a lot better at helping hair loss suffering men Propecia is a lot better at helping hair loss suffering men maintain their existing hair then it is reversing the process. Only hair transplant surgery is proven to grow hair in completely bald areas. Hair follicles that have shriveled to the point that it is no longer producing new hair will most likely not to be revived by Propecia or minoxidil. That said, you still have a pretty good head of hair so I would suggest considering Propecia to at least help maintain what you have. Then in a couple of years, if your hair loss has stabilized, you might want to consider hair transplant surgery to recline areas that you are not happy with. However, if you are happy with the results from Propecia, then you don't even need to consider surgery.

 

I hope this helps,

 

Bill

[Rashid36]

In the past I was thinking let whatever will fall out, fall out then see what i have to work with for a transplant. Because what i would be trying to maintain will eventually go any way?

 

Now i'm thinking to give propicia a go for any possible benefit.

 

Is there a differences between falling and thinning ?

 

 

How long do people have to take it for it to have some kind of affect if any ?

[ontop]

Why wait to let what falls out then have HT that dont nake any sense.

 

If you want to try to hold on what you have then meds is the only thing.

you either use it or defo loose it.

If you take propicia then that will be for life as long you want to keep what you have & can take up to 12mths before you notice anything

[ontop]

Why wait to let what falls out then have HT that dont nake any sense.

 

If you want to try to hold on what you have then meds is the only thing.

you either use it or defo loose it.

If you take propicia then that will be for life as long you want to keep what you have & can take up to 12mths before you notice anything