Fin every other day, will it benefit me

[Marty1990]

Made a topic in open hair loss a couple months so, but a comment from a colleague has made me investigate and ultimately order finasteride. 

My crown hasn’t really changed in like 10 years, I’m 32 now, but there is a parting coming from my crown which is bothering me - and a colleague called it a “bald spot”.

I’m debating 0.5 it a pill every other day of fin to see if it does anything - but I’m hesitant in case I’m being overly critical and there’s no reason for me to do so. 

2022

 

2022

2022

2020

2017

2015

 

The top pic highlights the part I’m concerned about most - I don’t know if I’m imagining it, I’ve always had the parting there, but it doesn’t seem to be able to be hidden as easier as it used to be. I rarely had to brush my hair over to cover up that area, but now I have to otherwise it looks like pic #1. Also looks worse under direct light and doesn’t help my scalp is red.

Thoughts on half a fin tablet a day, or is it unlikely it’ll do anything if that’s just my crown?
 

[BurnieBurns]

0.5mg every other day is likely to benefit hugely

[Marty1990]

This is what I’m thinking but still not sure if I have minor thinning or it’s just my crown / whorl, but I’m still curious about .5mg to see. 

Edited August 31, 2022 by Marty1990

[Gatsby]

Yes taking Finasteride every other day is effective. 

[pkipling]

Hi Marty! While taking Fin every other day can definitely be effective and is a very viable strategy, it seems like you're also wondering if you're experiencing hair loss or not...

It's hard to say definitively, and the best thing to do may be to see a hair loss specialist in person if you're concerned about it, buuuut - it looks to my unprofessional eye that what you're seeing is the result of a few different things: You seem to have a prominent whorl while also having fair skin/lighter hair so that when your scalp even gets the slightest bit red/irritated, it's more noticeable than it would be on someone with a different hair/scalp type. And on top of that, you may be in the very early stages of MPB, which is what you may be picking up on. It doesn't seem super aggressive at the moment, so starting off on fin now would be a great way to get out ahead of it. 

I don't think you should panic, but also would recommend getting some professional input sometime soon so you can start the medication accordingly should you so wish!

[Marty1990]

Thanks for your reply pkipling. Yes that’s exactly it. I’ve been bothered about my hair since I was 20, after a comment about my crown, so I’ve documented my hair and have lots of comparison pictures. The reason I’m hesitant about fin - although I  have had some delivered - is that I don’t know if there’s is MPB or if it’s just my scalp / hair contrast & a hair whorl. I don’t want to take it if I don’t have to, but IF I had to I’d rather do a low dose. 

For reference I’ve attached a handful of pics from a decade plus ago, trying to work out my scalp - I have psoriasis - is making my scalp inflamed thus making scalp more visible, or whether there is a touch of MPB. My hairline is fine - there are pics in the open hair loss forum. 
 

I don’t know if I’m being overly critical or whether there has been a slight change in my hair whorl, hence why I’m back and forth as to whether I start medication.

I’ve been to my GP who wanted to send me to a dermatologist for my scalp, but since COVID it’s still difficult to get an appointment, they only do online only. I was able to purchase fin from a reputable online pharmacy, which is how I’ve got some.  

Edited August 31, 2022 by Marty1990

[jr1986]

I took the plunge on finasteride a couple of weeks ago. Like you I REALLY did not want to mess with my hormones. You can read all the studies on finasteride but at the end of the day I think it is a bit of a gamble. But the odds favour you being fine. I think the worst part is the idea of taking it for life, somehow I very much doubt I'll be taking forever.

I'm a bit older and my hairloss is slow so I decided to basically microdose. I am currently taking 0.2mg every second day, and after a bit of a shaky start I feel fine now.

I plan to stick to this dose for a while, I know its low but I'm not aggressively balding and I'm older at 36.

I may increase in future but I've sort of already decided I won't be doing 1mg every day. There's only so much I'm wiling to do for hair.

Hard to say if you are losing without someone checking it out. 

The trouble with slow balding is you just can't tell what's going on. If you had taken fin 5 years ago some would say it slowed it down and saved your hair. But it's almost the same.

Tough call 

 

[Marty1990]

Yeah so I’m leaning towards starting it. Family think I’m stupid and can’t see anything wrong with my hair, but this part of whatever it is, I feel like it’s more noticeable. 
 

2020 I took a pic of my “parting”. 

Tried the same again and it looks mostly the same 

However, I’m finding it more difficult to cover up the parting. 

Figured out now the barber leaves my crown hair longer so it falls over - I stupidly decided to cut it today and now it’s really difficult to hide this area;

For reference this is 2 years ago 

So either that area is becoming more apparent, it’s it’s just a case of my scalp being red and the way my hair is being cut it making this part more noticeable.

Apologies for the further pictures, I guess I’m just gearing myself up to take the damn pill. Never thought I’d need it, and I’m still not 100% I do but for whatever reason this parting - at least to me - is noticeable. 
 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 2, 2022 by Marty1990

[jr1986]

If you pull hairs from your crown are you seeing any low quality hairs coming out? Thin, wavy, curly hairs can sometimes indicate miniaturisation. 

[Marty1990]

Funnily enough I have noticed the odd thin wispy, curly hair on my hand in the shower. Not a lot, but I noticed one today. I didn’t realise that indicated miniaturisation?