Adrenochrome
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While doing one of my usual late night, depressive searches on the Internet about hair loss, I came across this message board and am excited to see so much activity. I've found a number of other hair loss message boards, but most of them have just been platforms for selling questionable products, or a concentration of people who have had purely negative side effects. Again, I'm glad to see positive experiences here and a lot of activity.
I'm a Caucasian 29/yo Male. I'm unclear on my family's history of baldness, at least on my father's side. My father died at 32 years of age with a full head of hair, and I never met his father. My grandfather on my mother's side was as bald as they come when he finally went, but I'm unclear if that was just old age. My biggest warning sign came from my older brother. He's only 5 years older than me, but always had very fine blond hair and started to noticeably lose it in his late 20s. My hair is dark and has always been quite a bit more dense and higher quality than his.
I started to really worry when I was about 24. I started shedding a bit and noticing that my hair didn't quite have the body it used to. I started using Nioxin religiously which I think helped. My hair did not visibly appear to be thinning, I just had that worrisome hair on the back of my neck raised. Time went on and it seemed fine. I've always had "rock star" hair that always gets lots of attention and I was happy that I wasn't ending up like my brother.
As time went on, I started to really notice that my temples, particularly my left, was starting to noticeably diffuse. I distinctly remember driving to work one day with my sun roof open, and catching a clear shot of my scalp in the rear view mirror. My heart jumped through my chest and I started the obsessive mirror checking. That was about 2 years ago.
Since then, I've had more diffuse thinning, at the temples AND the overall top of my head, including the crown. It's at that stage where it isn't obvious to people unless I mention it, and they really look in the light, but in recent months I've noticed the thinning has sped up. I feel like I'm at the make-or-break period and am horrified at what I may have to face. I've always been obsessed with my hair my whole life (to a ridiculous degree), and it's a HUGE part of my appearance, so I feel like my identity is fading away right with it. To add insult to injury, I used to weigh about 245lbs in my early 20s, but by late 2005 I was down to 165lbs. As soon as I shed all that weight and got my life/confidence back after so many years, my hair started to fall out. It feels like I can't win! This past year, I've been so depressed about my hair, I started gaining weight again, don't go out very much like I used to, and find myself wearing a hat lots of the time. I actually picked up some Toppik to thicken up the crown of my hair when I do go out, so I don't feel so self conscious. I was totally the cool popular guy, always in bands, etc and I feel like I'm on the road to be the desperate balding guy!
I have a gorgeous and caring girlfriend who is supportive, and says she'd still think I was hot with a shaved head, but you can tell in her voice that there is a small part of her that wishes it wasn't true either. Her ears perk up whenever I mention hair transplants, etc and whenever there is some infomercial on TV for hair-restoration she'll ask "So how does this one work?". =\ Everybody wants their mate at the best!
So, enough whining and moping around, I'm going to give it a real shot. I've been horrified by some of what I've read regarding Finasteride side-effects, but I feel it's one of those dice rolls that you'll never know unless you try. I'm captain side-effect where drugs are concerned but I need to give it a shot or I'll never know. I just hope nothing irreversible happens!
I have an underactive thyroid, and started being treated for that in early 2006 which is when I really started to notice the hair thinning speed up. I also take medication for high blood pressure (unexplained, "essential hypertension"). As I said, I use Nioxin and have just starting using Nizoral several times a week, with amazing results where dandruff is concerned! I just ordered some Rogaine foam and am going to try my luck with that for a few weeks before seeing a dermatologist and getting on Propecia.
So, that's that. It felt good to get it off my chest. I'll post here with updates!
I'm a Caucasian 29/yo Male. I'm unclear on my family's history of baldness, at least on my father's side. My father died at 32 years of age with a full head of hair, and I never met his father. My grandfather on my mother's side was as bald as they come when he finally went, but I'm unclear if that was just old age. My biggest warning sign came from my older brother. He's only 5 years older than me, but always had very fine blond hair and started to noticeably lose it in his late 20s. My hair is dark and has always been quite a bit more dense and higher quality than his.
I started to really worry when I was about 24. I started shedding a bit and noticing that my hair didn't quite have the body it used to. I started using Nioxin religiously which I think helped. My hair did not visibly appear to be thinning, I just had that worrisome hair on the back of my neck raised. Time went on and it seemed fine. I've always had "rock star" hair that always gets lots of attention and I was happy that I wasn't ending up like my brother.
As time went on, I started to really notice that my temples, particularly my left, was starting to noticeably diffuse. I distinctly remember driving to work one day with my sun roof open, and catching a clear shot of my scalp in the rear view mirror. My heart jumped through my chest and I started the obsessive mirror checking. That was about 2 years ago.
Since then, I've had more diffuse thinning, at the temples AND the overall top of my head, including the crown. It's at that stage where it isn't obvious to people unless I mention it, and they really look in the light, but in recent months I've noticed the thinning has sped up. I feel like I'm at the make-or-break period and am horrified at what I may have to face. I've always been obsessed with my hair my whole life (to a ridiculous degree), and it's a HUGE part of my appearance, so I feel like my identity is fading away right with it. To add insult to injury, I used to weigh about 245lbs in my early 20s, but by late 2005 I was down to 165lbs. As soon as I shed all that weight and got my life/confidence back after so many years, my hair started to fall out. It feels like I can't win! This past year, I've been so depressed about my hair, I started gaining weight again, don't go out very much like I used to, and find myself wearing a hat lots of the time. I actually picked up some Toppik to thicken up the crown of my hair when I do go out, so I don't feel so self conscious. I was totally the cool popular guy, always in bands, etc and I feel like I'm on the road to be the desperate balding guy!
I have a gorgeous and caring girlfriend who is supportive, and says she'd still think I was hot with a shaved head, but you can tell in her voice that there is a small part of her that wishes it wasn't true either. Her ears perk up whenever I mention hair transplants, etc and whenever there is some infomercial on TV for hair-restoration she'll ask "So how does this one work?". =\ Everybody wants their mate at the best!
So, enough whining and moping around, I'm going to give it a real shot. I've been horrified by some of what I've read regarding Finasteride side-effects, but I feel it's one of those dice rolls that you'll never know unless you try. I'm captain side-effect where drugs are concerned but I need to give it a shot or I'll never know. I just hope nothing irreversible happens!
I have an underactive thyroid, and started being treated for that in early 2006 which is when I really started to notice the hair thinning speed up. I also take medication for high blood pressure (unexplained, "essential hypertension"). As I said, I use Nioxin and have just starting using Nizoral several times a week, with amazing results where dandruff is concerned! I just ordered some Rogaine foam and am going to try my luck with that for a few weeks before seeing a dermatologist and getting on Propecia.
So, that's that. It felt good to get it off my chest. I'll post here with updates!
