What type of hair loss do I have? What can I do to combat it?

[Curious]

It's unlikely.  Are you going to see a second doctor for an evaluation?  How tall are you and how much do you weigh?

[Gman1]

59 minutes ago, Curious said:

It's unlikely.  Are you going to see a second doctor for an evaluation?  How tall are you and how much do you weigh?

Yes I’m going to get a physical check the beginning of next month. And I’m 5’7 weight about like 110. But when I’m getting evaluated by the doctor for my hair & health what tests should I tell them to do so I can check what’s going on with my hair? For example: scalp biopsy, iron levels, vitamins levels, haircare, dht levels etc etc..

[Curious]

If you go to the right doctor, he can take a video camera and look at your scalp under magnification to see if your hair is miniaturizing in certain areas, to see if you have mpb.  I'll defer to someone with more knowledge, but normally a scalp biopsy would not be done just because someone's hair was thinning.  There is no blood test that will indicate whether you will keep your hair or lose it.  5'7, 110 lbs is very thin.  It is highly unlikely that there is any relationship between your weight and your hair, but in the interest of overall health and well being, why don't you try having one additional meal each day and a multi-vitamin.

[gillenator]

Sorry about that...I thought you also took Accutane...so we can rule that out for you Gman.

This could still be a case of TE based on your age and generalized overall thinning of your scalp.

Are you planning on seeing a doctor?...having blood work analysis done is also a good idea.because yes there are a number of types of hair loss other than MPB.

But you are in fact showing MPB in your crown...it may be a combination of reasons for these types of hair loss that you are experiencing.

[Gman1]

On 11/13/2019 at 10:06 PM, Melvin-Moderator said:

Well 2,000 calories isn't that low, but yes vitamin deficiencies can cause hair loss. Biotin, Vitamin D and other deficiencies can cause thinning. Homeless people for the most part don't starve, they have people feed them. Why don't you eat enough? Is there a particular reason why?

 

On 11/23/2019 at 9:28 AM, Curious said:

If you go to the right doctor, he can take a video camera and look at your scalp under magnification to see if your hair is miniaturizing in certain areas, to see if you have mpb.  I'll defer to someone with more knowledge, but normally a scalp biopsy would not be done just because someone's hair was thinning.  There is no blood test that will indicate whether you will keep your hair or lose it.  5'7, 110 lbs is very thin.  It is highly unlikely that there is any relationship between your weight and your hair, but in the interest of overall health and well being, why don't you try having one additional meal each day and a multi-vitamin.

 

On 11/26/2019 at 1:25 PM, gillenator said:

Sorry about that...I thought you also took Accutane...so we can rule that out for you Gman.

This could still be a case of TE based on your age and generalized overall thinning of your scalp.

Are you planning on seeing a doctor?...having blood work analysis done is also a good idea.because yes there are a number of types of hair loss other than MPB.

But you are in fact showing MPB in your crown...it may be a combination of reasons for these types of hair loss that you are experiencing.

Hey Guys, I know it’s been awhile since I was last active on this discussion also this may not be good timing on my part due to COVID I’m pretty sure you guys are all focused on your priorities especially during this horrible situation that’s affecting all of our lives in some way my prayers & respects to everyone....

this will be a update after getting all my test & results from blood work, examinations, and even a scalp biopsy procedure...

 

So my doctor stated that my vitamins & minerals were all normal levels nothing to be found in my blood that would seem to be having an impact on my hair growth that was done to me late December when my hair was pretty long and besides ruling out the fact that I still need to improve my weight & gaining mass issue... overall she said I was fine and nothing abnormal. She gave me some shampoo(Betamethasone) to clear any dandruff, itchiness or irritation on my scalp and told me to return in a month for results. Which gave some aesthetic benefits bringing it some shine and on that day the doctor has said it helped somewhat and I I have a lot of hair compared to others basically trying to tell me what I want to hear but not what I actually need to hear so obviously not the outcome I was looking for because I’m still experiencing miniaturization.... still I was determined to find out what’s really causing my hair to fallout.
So then came the procedure I was asked to be performed on me beginning of February the scalp biopsy the after math wasn’t fun once it was done cause I literally had to wait for results right when this pandemic was in its progressive stages )): 

so sadly I couldn’t be appointed to until last week to get to hear my results & final thoughts in person from my doctor. She started by saying that my hair went through that shedding phase all the time was a stress induced reaction which caused my hair to have telogen effluvium for a long period time and then which it advanced and accelerating my androgenic alopecia that runs in some of my family. I couldn’t believe that it was combination of both hair loss conditions. During the time between on getting my procedure & my last advice about my hair last week.. I had shaved my head bald within these last 2 months and i noticed the decrease in hair falling out but you can clearly see that my hair is lacking volume & thickness even when short the quality was the same my progression was & still is stagnant. But yet my doctor says my hair looks normal as of now and that I shouldn’t worry much since my hair now going through the early stages of androgenic alopecia and I should start basic treatment now like minoxidil that it would benefit me cause I’m young and that were catching this situation early.

So she concluded with saying your hair may not as be as thick before like when I was in high school but if I were to start on treating my hair with minoxidil and improving my health status it’s most likely I would regain hair that I lost & see results but it will take months to notice any change due to the implementing minoxidil in my daily routine in life. She said if I wanted my hair to return to its natural look that I needed to hop on minoxidil and if I do I could keep my hair as long as I want & kind of prevent from losing even more hair follicles so my situation wouldn’t worsen. Overall I guess I’ll have to start buying & utilizing rogaine daily also I plan to take a lot of supplements like omega vitamins, biotin & especially have a healthier lifestyle considering the other factors taking a toll on me and I’ll start doing scalp massages to stimulate more blood flow to my head if necessary...she’d like to see me in 3 weeks to go over anything she may have missed & examine my records one last time i assume.

 

Well that about wraps everything about my hair loss I’m still very very new to this so I’d like to hear your guys feedback on getting the best results or any alternatives, opinions that may be considered valuable insight you got on my hairs journey to get it in a better position if y’all are willing to share & if you guys have the time too....

Should I start minoxidil immediately? If so which application should I use? Foam or liquid? How do I apply it? Is there a specific method or technique? What days should be my regimen schedule when using minoxidil? Should I consider on purchasing a dermaroller? Are dermarollers reliable? Is it true that they are effective on hair line regrowth? Does dermarolling show stacked results while also using minoxidil? If not anything else comes to mind on what can help my hair please? 
 

thanks I appreciate you all...

[gillenator]

Did your doctor inform you that minoxidil does not inhibit DHT in any way?...minoxidil has been proven to improve hair shaft diameter and prolong the growth period (anagen phase) however unless you start a more effective medication such as low dose finasteride, the hair loss will progress.

Finasteride has been proven to effectively inhibit DHT for many men and I would encourage you to look into it.

BTW, I always thought that TE might have been a contributing factor for you.

[Gman1]

On 4/29/2020 at 1:27 PM, gillenator said:

Did your doctor inform you that minoxidil does not inhibit DHT in any way?...minoxidil has been proven to improve hair shaft diameter and prolong the growth period (anagen phase) however unless you start a more effective medication such as low dose finasteride, the hair loss will progress.

Finasteride has been proven to effectively inhibit DHT for many men and I would encourage you to look into it.

BTW, I always thought that TE might have been a contributing factor for you.

No my doctor did not mention any DHT treatment.. I am still young & scared of the side effects from finasteride.. so that being said I haven’t officially started any regiment cause I would still like to see the many options to treat it. As of this day my hairline is now officially Norwood 1 sadly.. so here are my final concerns & questions..

What are other effective alternatives combating DHT buildup besides finasteride? I have heard of dutasteride & RU but not well informed of it. If I do decide to get on Finasteride is the topical solution less risky? Or is a natural source of treatment like saw palmetto a good way to also combat DHT?

Honestly kind of desperate now Is the BIG 3 really my best options from now on to treat my situation? (Minox+Fin+Nizoral)

here are some updated pics...

[gillenator]

There are potential side effects from Dutasteride as well...I have never heard of anyone having any real efficiency from saw palmetto or Nizoral but they are still worth a try because everyone responds differently, some have better results than others.

[Gman1]

On 7/24/2020 at 2:48 PM, gillenator said:

There are potential side effects from Dutasteride as well...I have never heard of anyone having any real efficiency from saw palmetto or Nizoral but they are still worth a try because everyone responds differently, some have better results than others.

Okay sounds good man thanks for the feedback dude! I really appreciate it, also I see my dermatologist for follow up in a couple days. I wonder what insight she’ll give me if I mention finasteride or any DHT treatment most likely she would be against it as of now due to my young age. And my current unhealthy condition but more or less I would like to start saving & halting my hair loss ASAP. So sooner or later I’m going to research into anti androgen topical solutions since I heard they are to an extent less risky with side effects.
 

Once I start my regimen I’ll post a before & after update in a couple months since I’m starting from scratch by shaving all my hair. See you soon bro! 

[gillenator]

Ok, sounds good my friend....a couple of things:

You want to make sure your dermatologist is experienced in treating all forms of hair loss because it varies between them...if she is indeed experienced in treating hair loss, then she should have a good working knowledge of all the medications to treat MPB, especially those that inhibit DHT.

Based on your initial post in this thread, it appears that you will turn 21 this year right?...so IMHO, you are not too young to start hair loss meds.

And again IMHO, trying topical solutions is definitely worth it to see how you respond.

[Gabreille Nelson Mukhia]

On 11/11/2019 at 2:12 AM, Gman1 said:

hey guys this is my first post so a little background of me....

 

I barley turned 20yrs 2months ago  and I’ve always had naturally fine straight hair but it’s not until the beginning of 2019 my hair started its course to shed a lot I thought cause it was due to the stress I was handling at the time by being a full time college student and a janitor working nightshifts everyday.. also key factor is that I’m really skinny like borderline anorexic and I have a very bad diet basically to the point if I don’t change my weight I can progress into more serious health issues. So back to my hair..my dad has hair and it’s thin too I’d place him at Norwood 3 and he’s about 50yrs old my paternal grandpa has thin hair too but he keeps it short like a buzz cut so it looks fine just receding on the hair & temples. My maternal grandpa had so much hair he died of cancer couples years back with little to no hair loss at all. And I recently went to a dermatologist in August to identify my hair loss and he didn’t do any special examination or scalp biopsy he just told me to take off my hat(which i was wearing cause of being embarrassed) only words he said was it’s male pattern baldness and he prescribed me biotin supplements & minoxidil 5%. Another key factor is my hair care is so bad like i have a bad case of dandruff and oily/greasy scalp my hair gets so itchy if I don’t take a shower in 1-2 days so I don’t know if I should get a 2nd opinion on my hair but I can’t wait no longer!! my Hairline started to Finally show receding this month & now my temples are thinning im at like NORWOOD 1.5 i started wearing a hat all the time now I DONT KNOW if that’s making it worse either!!!! I want to treat this fast and possibly reverse & regain my hair if I can. Or atleast is prevent & stop the hair shedding now & make my current hair stronger and thicker!!! Please guys I need your opinions I’m too young to be experiencing this ... 😞

You are only 20 years old which is very young. You should focus on a healthy lifestyle: good diet, sufficient sleep, stress management, physical activities and avoiding harsh chemicals on the hair. You can also keep taking the hair specific multivitamins. Don't leave Minoxidil abruptly when you are using it. It has withdrawel effects where you'll feel more hair fall. You can also talk to your doctor if you can take Finasteride if it is infact the onset of baldness. You can prevent baldness from taking away your hair. 

Most of all, enjoy your 20s. Don't worry about it a lot.

Wish you the best.

[Gman1]

On 7/29/2020 at 3:07 PM, gillenator said:

Ok, sounds good my friend....a couple of things:

You want to make sure your dermatologist is experienced in treating all forms of hair loss because it varies between them...if she is indeed experienced in treating hair loss, then she should have a good working knowledge of all the medications to treat MPB, especially those that inhibit DHT.

Based on your initial post in this thread, it appears that you will turn 21 this year right?...so IMHO, you are not too young to start hair loss meds.

And again IMHO, trying topical solutions is definitely worth it to see how you respond.

Yeah the day I posted this thread I had seen 3 medical professionals for my hair situation. First was my personal doctor he’s a male so I felt his insight would be better than most but he did say that my hair is still in a good condition rather than other progressing hair losses that was a 2 years ago. He referred me to a hair specialist to examine my scalp to diagnosis which he also stated that it was Androgenic alopecia(MPB). Then I went to a dermatologist the beginning of the year to perform a scalp biopsy to confirm that my hairloss was TE which was stress induced & accelerated my hair loss. So I say I’ve had enough opinions on my condition I think including you guys you’ve been a big help I appreciate the wisdom guys honestly means alot🙏
 

So I’ll take the advice and start investing into topical solutions since that seems best for me. 

[PizzaWolf]

On 7/29/2020 at 5:30 PM, Gabreille Nelson Mukhia said:

You are only 20 years old which is very young. You should focus on a healthy lifestyle: good diet, sufficient sleep, stress management, physical activities and avoiding harsh chemicals on the hair. You can also keep taking the hair specific multivitamins. Don't leave Minoxidil abruptly when you are using it. It has withdrawel effects where you'll feel more hair fall. You can also talk to your doctor if you can take Finasteride if it is infact the onset of baldness. You can prevent baldness from taking away your hair. 

Most of all, enjoy your 20s. Don't worry about it a lot.

Wish you the best.

Sorry, but from a hairloss perspective, I don't think healthy lifestyle makes a bit of difference. Pro athletes lose their hair all the time, while totally inactive slugs can keep heads of hair like Elvis for life. Genetics aren't fair, plain and simple.

 

10 minutes ago, Gman1 said:

Yeah the day I posted this thread I had seen 3 medical professionals for my hair situation. First was my personal doctor he’s a male so I felt his insight would be better than most but he did say that my hair is still in a good condition rather than other progressing hair losses that was a 2 years ago. He referred me to a hair specialist to examine my scalp to diagnosis which he also stated that it was Androgenic alopecia(MPB). Then I went to a dermatologist the beginning of the year to perform a scalp biopsy to confirm that my hairloss was TE which was stress induced & accelerated my hair loss. So I say I’ve had enough opinions on my condition I think including you guys you’ve been a big help I appreciate the wisdom guys honestly means alot🙏
 

So I’ll take the advice and start investing into topical solutions since that seems best for me. 

With the level of stress you're currently going through, and how badly it seems to be affecting you, maybe it would be worth it to give Finasteride a shot. Minoxidil doesn't actually address the underlying mechanism of hairloss.

[Gman1]

On 7/29/2020 at 5:30 PM, Gabreille Nelson Mukhia said:

You are only 20 years old which is very young. You should focus on a healthy lifestyle: good diet, sufficient sleep, stress management, physical activities and avoiding harsh chemicals on the hair. You can also keep taking the hair specific multivitamins. Don't leave Minoxidil abruptly when you are using it. It has withdrawel effects where you'll feel more hair fall. You can also talk to your doctor if you can take Finasteride if it is infact the onset of baldness. You can prevent baldness from taking away your hair. 

Most of all, enjoy your 20s. Don't worry about it a lot.

Wish you the best.

Yes my doctor told me to take biotin supplements & she prescribed me rogaine(minoxidil 5%). So you’re telling me I should avoid chemicals like minoxidil for my hair? Or what are you referring to specifically? 
Also what do you mean I can prevent baldness from taking away my hair ?

[gillenator]

IMHO, I still think that both minoxidil and finasteride are the 2 most proven FDA approved medications for treating MPB...although minoxidil does not inhibit DHT, finasteride does....minoxidil has been shown to both improve hair shaft diameter and prolong the growth phase in the life cycle of hair.

I do agree with Gabrielle that if one should decide to stop minoxidil, it should be done by weaning off of it, not stopping it cold turkey.

A healthy diet can potentially improve hair health but will not affect the genetic disposition of MPB.

 

[Gabreille Nelson Mukhia]

17 hours ago, Gman1 said:

Yes my doctor told me to take biotin supplements & she prescribed me rogaine(minoxidil 5%). So you’re telling me I should avoid chemicals like minoxidil for my hair? Or what are you referring to specifically? 
Also what do you mean I can prevent baldness from taking away my hair ?

By chemicals, I meant products used for hair colouring, hair straightening etc. Thats how I started losing hair in the first place so I am giving you advice from personal experience. Harsh chemicals on the scalp really wear out the hair and tje scalp health. Mild and safe products are always better. Minoxidil is, infact good for the hair so you can use it. It is good for you. But don't stop abruptly because you will experience withdrawel effects in the form of increased hair loss. I also meant that if you are experiencing Androgenetic Alopecia then you can take Finasteride and it will completely prevent any further progression of baldness. However, you can consult your doctor for Finasteride before deciding to use it.

[gillenator]

Finasteride will not completely prevent hair loss from MPB, it may significantly slow down the progression, but will not stop it completely.