Ahhh Help!

[Napoleon]

Hi there,

I'm 18, and have been balding ever since around my 17th birthday. To this point, you really cant tell I'm balding, I've had a few friends make comments that they think im balding, but they cant tell, and my parents and family think im going crazy because they cant see a problem at all with my hair.

However, when I wake up, there's hair on my pillow, and in the shower I lose 30 or so hairs. When I look in the mirror my hairline is perfectly intact, but ther's a triangular area behind my hairline that is noticbly thinner under light. I've gone to the dermatologist and he acknowledges that i've got a little thinning at the crown, and behind the hairline.

He suggested I use minoxidil, and that should treat the problem. If In 6 months it's worse I should go back and ask for propecia.

I've been using minoxidil now 6 months, and to be honest my hair doesnt look terribly different, it's still thin behind the hairline, and hair is still falling out in the shower, and during sleep.

I can make due, I still do alright with the ladies, but I used to be unstoppable when I had my full head of hair. I'm heading off to college in September, and I really want to have my hair back, and with it, my confidence, so I can have a great time.

Since I havent lost much hair, if Propecia did work for me, would it bring me close to prebalding status?

What I'm worried about is the side effects, I know, I'm probably an idiot. Is it guaranteed you'll lose you're libido? Being 18, and having raging horomones, I'd rather be bald than uninterested in persuing women, and having a great time. Additionally, if you do experience sides, and stop taking the meds immediatley, will they go away?

Thankyou in Advance

 

[Skaff]

I'd ditch the minoxidil and get on propecia. You don't want to putting that crap in your hair for the rest of your life, it doesn't address the cause of hair loss and if it was going to work you probably would have noticed something by now. There's about a 5% chance propecia of affecting your libido (I've had no sides what-so-ever), it addresses a major cause of hair loss (DHT) and it's as easy as popping a pill. The sooner you start, the better your results but certainly don't expect any miracles. It'll almost definitely slow down your loss, it'll probably give you maintenance and you might get regrowth. My advice - give propecia a year then decide if you want to add minoxidil.

 

[OverMachoGrande]

I agree, why start with too much, if you could get results with just the pill.

 

[seeves]

Napoleon if you ditch the minoxoidil, from what i hear on this board, you are proabably gonna go through a pretty bad shed and wonder why your hair is worse than it was when u started it. 6 months seems like a long time but in reality it is not enough time to get the full effect of minoxidil. Throw in finasteride and you will definately get better results than either one alone. I wouldnt just stop it cold turkey if i was you but its your hair man.

 

[jd24]

my advice is take half of it (0.5g)
cheaper and your loss doesnt sound too bad so it should do the trick with half

 

[Napoleon]

thanks for the advice guys

any chance of a significant new hairloss product comming out within the next 5 years?

That would mean my time on propecia would be relativley short.

 

[Skaff]

Napoleon if you ditch the minoxoidil, from what i hear on this board, you are proabably gonna go through a pretty bad shed and wonder why your hair is worse than it was when u started it. 6 months seems like a long time but in reality it is not enough time to get the full effect of minoxidil. Throw in finasteride and you will definately get better results than either one alone. I wouldnt just stop it cold turkey if i was you but its your hair man.

Normally when people stop minoxidil they only shed what they have regrown. Since he says he hasn't had any regrowth then he shouldn't shed - but everybody is different.

thanks for the advice guys

any chance of a significant new hairloss product comming out within the next 5 years?

That would mean my time on propecia would be relativley short.

Who knows...hopefully. I wouldn't count on it though. They might develop something to add to your regimen but it's unlikely it would replace the need to take propecia - thats probably further down the track.

 

[Napoleon]

Alright thanks guys.

A couple of final questions. Propecia wont mess with your physique right? You should still be able to gain muscle just as easily?

Also, is there any credibility to these stories of permanent side effects? How do you avoid these if true?

 

[seeves]

Yeah you will shed what you regrew if anything and whatever normal male pattern baldness would have made you loose if u werent on anything so it could leave u worse than u first started. I dont know for sure but that just seems logical.

 

[jd24]

ive found it easier to gain muscle
side effects not sure... meant to be slim to none, in reality this is debateable
some people say loss of sex drive, but if you work out this shouldnt be a problem
others sex drive has increased, it appears to affect everyone differently