19 year old in need of help

[username101]

I'm 19 years old and am struggling with a receding hairline since I was 16. I have quite a receded hairline with an almost V shape hairline from loss of hair from my temples. My hairline starts about 4 fingers from my eyebrows and its almost 6/7 in the V spots. I have had a consultation with a hair clinic who in turn said I was suffering from the early stages of MBP. I was told that I was suffering miniaturization in the area that I mentioned, the temples and forehead. I was told to start on Monoxidil, Azealiac Acid and Saw Palmetto (extremely expensive when bought direct from the clinic) to stop the whole process which is optimally what I'm after.

Now from reading, I have come to the conclusion that I really do need to start with Monoxidil (will be using Rogaine foam) aswell as Nizoral shampoo. The question I need answering is should I go with the recommended prescription from the hair clinic which would be Monoxidil, Azealiac Acid and Saw Palmetto to stop my hairline receding anymore?

Or should I go with the Rogaine, Nizoral? (But I would have no DHT prohibitor then?) I'm abit afraid of self-diagnosing as the whole thing has caused me alot of distress especially since people have started commenting on my receding hairline. I really want to just halt the process in its tracks which I was told I will need a DHT prohibitor. Now I'm totally up for trying out Finisterade/Proscar. I know there is sides but I've heard that if its introduced to the body steadily over time it is safe? My Doctor has told me to try the Rogaine as starting Finisterade can be quite risky?


Really need help on the whole situation.

Also can someone give me an indication on what level I am on the Norwood Scale?

 

[username101]

gonna bump this up

 

[elephant_knight]

Yes, finasteride, just as any other drug, has the potential to cause some really messed up side effects. But side effects are only present on a minority of individuals who use it (or at least that the way drugs are supposed to work). You never know if you are going to get side effects or not, so I think you should try it first and see for yourself. Forget about saw palmetto. That crap is useless. Well, maybe it is not but, up to this point, nobody even knows if it works against male pattern baldness. And even if it does, what is know is that it doesn't work as good as finasteride, that's for sure, yet, it also has the potential to cause the same side effects! (albeit to a weaker extent). What I am trying to say is that, if you are willing to try a DHT inhibitor, if you are trying to decide between finasteride of saw palmeto, you should go for finasteride. Saw palmetto is used when there is no any other option.

Between Rogaine and finasteride, the best treatment would be finasteride. In fact, as your male pattern baldness is still on it's early stages, you could start by using only finasteride, see how do you react to it, and then see if you want to improve your results with rogaine. Or you can start them at the same time, do whatever you want.

By the way, just so you know, you won't get your temples back, at this point, all you should ask for is for a halt to your hair loss.