Newbie seeks info on receding hairline (read through a lot the of forum already...)

[JRx999]

Hey guys,

 

I read through a lot of the forum and am left with a few questions that even my doctor didn't really care to try to answer for me. It would be great if some of you with more experience than I have could weigh in on my possible options.

 

I am a 25 year old Caucasian male with thick, wavy hair and a pretty bad dandruff problem. Up until a year ago, I never thought I would have to worry about balding because my hair is so thick and nobody in my family (on either side) had any issues with balding. Unfortunately, about a year ago I noticed my hairline was starting to recede at the temples. Luckily, it's not thinning anywhere else. Over the past year, it has receded at the temples about 2 inches on each side and is getting very hard to hide. I notice pretty significant shedding (~10 hairs) whenever i comb my head and notice very extreme shedding (about 100 hairs or so) every time I have a severe dandruff attack, which is about every 2-3 weeks.

 

Things I could really use a few suggestions on are as follows. If you could shed light on even one or two of these, I would be very thankful.

 

1) Is there any connection between dandruff/flaky scalp and hair loss? Or were these hairs simply weak and ready to go regardless, and the dandruff attack just slightly sped up the process?

 

2) Since I have no history of balding whatsoever in my family, is there any chance that my receding will simply stop at some point? A lot of the men in my family do have rather high foreheads, but nothing that looks like balding. Unfortunately, at the rate mine is going, it does not look like it is going to stop.

 

3) My dermatologist said if I wanted to, I could do a biopsy. What will this tell me about my hair less? She wasn't very clear on this issue.

 

4) My dermatologist also suggested using Rogaine. Is there much chance of this working on my receding hairline, even though Rogaine's literature said it is not proven for frontal hair loss? Also, some of the threads I read on the internet said that Rogaine regrown hair is very thin and wispy and only grows to about an inch. Is this true, and if so, would using Rogaine be worth it anyways because it might help halt the continuation of my hair loss? How inconvenient is it really to use Rogaine? People have told me that it's really slimy and gross (even the foam) putting it on their hair everyday.

 

5) I've also been looking into Propecia. What I've read makes it sound like it's the one drug that can really do wonders towards halting / reversing hair loss. However, their literature also says it isn't proven to work on frontal loss - does anyone have any experience with this? Also, reading about the side effects (that, according to propeciahelp.com, are much worse than indicated by the manufacturer or the FDA) makes me very, very hesitant about Propecia negatively affecting my long-term health. Any comments on this?

 

6) I've heard that hair transplants nowadays are great and virtually impossible to discern from looking at the person who had the transplant. Is this true - can people not notice your implanted hair? If so, this sounds like a great thing to do at some point in the future if I earn enough money. Someone told me that doctors typically have the patient on Rogaine and Propecia in addition to getting a transplant so help ensure that the untransplanted areas stay intact. Would is be possible for me to never use any products like Rogaine or Propecia and still get a successful hair transplant? Or, let's say I get one at age 28, would my hairline continue receding beyond where my transplant was, making me look strange (and my transplant very obvious)?

 

 

I guess basically I'm trying to discern a treatment program because I know that with my particular head shape (and a bunch of funny veins and scars I have on my scalp) that I would look terrible bald. It seems to me like my options are:

 

A) Do nothing. Hope my hairline stops receding on its own.

 

B) Just use Rogaine. Deal with the inconvenience of the wet foam.

 

C) Just use Propecia. Hope for the best regarding all the terrible-sounding side effects.

 

D) Use both Rogaine and Propecia

 

E) Don't use any drugs and get a hair transplant in a few years

 

Any comments on these (or ideas I haven't though of would be much appreciated).

 

Thank you very much for the advice.

 

Best,

John Roman

[JRx999]

Hey guys,

 

I read through a lot of the forum and am left with a few questions that even my doctor didn't really care to try to answer for me. It would be great if some of you with more experience than I have could weigh in on my possible options.

 

I am a 25 year old Caucasian male with thick, wavy hair and a pretty bad dandruff problem. Up until a year ago, I never thought I would have to worry about balding because my hair is so thick and nobody in my family (on either side) had any issues with balding. Unfortunately, about a year ago I noticed my hairline was starting to recede at the temples. Luckily, it's not thinning anywhere else. Over the past year, it has receded at the temples about 2 inches on each side and is getting very hard to hide. I notice pretty significant shedding (~10 hairs) whenever i comb my head and notice very extreme shedding (about 100 hairs or so) every time I have a severe dandruff attack, which is about every 2-3 weeks.

 

Things I could really use a few suggestions on are as follows. If you could shed light on even one or two of these, I would be very thankful.

 

1) Is there any connection between dandruff/flaky scalp and hair loss? Or were these hairs simply weak and ready to go regardless, and the dandruff attack just slightly sped up the process?

 

2) Since I have no history of balding whatsoever in my family, is there any chance that my receding will simply stop at some point? A lot of the men in my family do have rather high foreheads, but nothing that looks like balding. Unfortunately, at the rate mine is going, it does not look like it is going to stop.

 

3) My dermatologist said if I wanted to, I could do a biopsy. What will this tell me about my hair less? She wasn't very clear on this issue.

 

4) My dermatologist also suggested using Rogaine. Is there much chance of this working on my receding hairline, even though Rogaine's literature said it is not proven for frontal hair loss? Also, some of the threads I read on the internet said that Rogaine regrown hair is very thin and wispy and only grows to about an inch. Is this true, and if so, would using Rogaine be worth it anyways because it might help halt the continuation of my hair loss? How inconvenient is it really to use Rogaine? People have told me that it's really slimy and gross (even the foam) putting it on their hair everyday.

 

5) I've also been looking into Propecia. What I've read makes it sound like it's the one drug that can really do wonders towards halting / reversing hair loss. However, their literature also says it isn't proven to work on frontal loss - does anyone have any experience with this? Also, reading about the side effects (that, according to propeciahelp.com, are much worse than indicated by the manufacturer or the FDA) makes me very, very hesitant about Propecia negatively affecting my long-term health. Any comments on this?

 

6) I've heard that hair transplants nowadays are great and virtually impossible to discern from looking at the person who had the transplant. Is this true - can people not notice your implanted hair? If so, this sounds like a great thing to do at some point in the future if I earn enough money. Someone told me that doctors typically have the patient on Rogaine and Propecia in addition to getting a transplant so help ensure that the untransplanted areas stay intact. Would is be possible for me to never use any products like Rogaine or Propecia and still get a successful hair transplant? Or, let's say I get one at age 28, would my hairline continue receding beyond where my transplant was, making me look strange (and my transplant very obvious)?

 

 

I guess basically I'm trying to discern a treatment program because I know that with my particular head shape (and a bunch of funny veins and scars I have on my scalp) that I would look terrible bald. It seems to me like my options are:

 

A) Do nothing. Hope my hairline stops receding on its own.

 

B) Just use Rogaine. Deal with the inconvenience of the wet foam.

 

C) Just use Propecia. Hope for the best regarding all the terrible-sounding side effects.

 

D) Use both Rogaine and Propecia

 

E) Don't use any drugs and get a hair transplant in a few years

 

Any comments on these (or ideas I haven't though of would be much appreciated).

 

Thank you very much for the advice.

 

Best,

John Roman

[tooyoung]

John,

I too am young with recent loss to the hairline and vertex. After researching this and other forums like crazy, your best bet is to get on Propecia and Rogaine, which is pretty much the unanimous choice as the best preventative non surgical method to halting loss for young men. You stated both drugs "are not proven" to work on the front. This is because both companies can not legally state it works there because their studies only focused on the crown. Read posts on this forum, both can and have helped with frontal loss.

 

I just started both a month ago and here is my logic. I too can not settle with being bald, but am too young and have too premature of loss to have a transplant. So, I got on the best option of meds available and will try for AT LEAST one year. Neither drug will speed up loss, so why not give them a shot. The sexual side effects of Propecia are reversible, so if i get them, i will stop.

 

Also, Ive read that its recommended to get on Propecia before a transplant, because it will stabilize loss, and strengthen existing hair thus helping the transplant succeed once you go through with it.

 

Just my two cents after diligently researching the past few months.

[giants]

if you plan on getting a HT your going to have to get on propecia anyways, so id suggest you do it now.

Im 18 and have been on it for 7 months-no sides

[JRx999]

Really, for HT you do need to be on Propecia? Ugh, I guess I need to give it a shot then - because those are pretty much my 2 only decent options for my hair...

[23 years old]

If you have an active sex-life be very weary of propecia...Im 23, and am at the point where I can no longer hide that Im balding but, I still do not look bald....I tried Propecia, and my entire Libido = GONE...I have tried scalp med and was a raving fan for a while, but recently I started shedding like crazy!!! I was already noticing thinning without finding 10 hairs every time I touch my head...I just started shedding and am wondering how many months I have left to live a rather premiscuous lifestyle...Im 23!!!

[JRx999]

See, these are the kinds of mixed messages that leave me utterly confused and clueless about whether I should try propecia!! I want the hair - but will it screw up everything else?

[Bill - Seemiller]

JrX999,

 

The reality is that the possibility of sexual side effects with Propecia are real. However, most Propecia users (like myself) don't experience any side effects. I've been using it for almost 4 years now without any problems.

 

According to Propecia's website, even if you do experience side effects, stopping the medication will most likely eliminate them.

 

But you really have to decide for yourself whether or not you want to try it. Be sure to consult with a physician before you do.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[Peaceful_Lion]

Hey John,I would first consider option B for a while if the situation gets worse,I would try option D which is basically all you can do.

 

Although Rogaine is not meant for the temple area,it does however stop further hairloss on that area,in my case,it actually grew lots of "baby hair" back which made my temple look less bald.but you really have to be consistent.

 

you should also use the rogaine on other layers of your hairline to prevent further hairloss.

 

I personally prefer the solution rather than the foam because,in our case with almost full head of hair,the chance of getting the foam on the sculp using hands is slim.

 

I use "0.5 ml" of the Rogaine solution on my temples (0.5 ml total for both temples ).more than that will be messy and useless in my opinion.

 

I always use a small napkin in case it starts to drip,but believe me once you start using it,it becomes a very fast daily ruotine,I do both temples in less than a min.