Attawnnc's Story - (Input please!)

[attawnnc]

Hello everyone,

Im new to the website as I have just noticed my hairloss .....very recently

I have experienced rapid shedding in, what I feel like is, the last month or so. Im 23 years old and my family doesnt have much of a history of male pattern baldness so Im considering that it could be something else. im just not sure. Just yesterday I was sitting at my computer doing some work when I started rubbing my head. A BUNCH of hairs fell out and it freaked me out. I counted them....and 40 hairs had fallen out....in two minutes, just from touching my hair. and this has been pretty common recently. I feel like there is certainly something wrong if its coming out that easily. The thinning has become pretty noticeable in a short period of time. someone suggested that it may be telogen effluvium triggered by something else. or maybe its just male pattern baldness and it decided to hit me all at once :-(. I should point out that I have read that telogen effluvium causes hairs that fall out to have the characteristic club shaped root, which my hairs have had. My hairline has not been affected at all. it looks the same it always has I believe. in fact if you are looking at me straight on the thinning isnt even noticable. I have major cowlicks, especially on the hair line and my crown. the thinning has taken place in the crown, top of the head and sides. I would really appreciate some input, im kind of freaking out a bit. it's a scary thing. I dont have insurance right now...so until i figure something out I cant see a doctor.

any input would be greatly appreciated. I dont know what to do

 

[bunchies]

Re: Input please!

go to a derm asap :shock:

 

[joshua88]

Re: Input please!

go to a derm asap :shock:

:agree:

 

[attawnnc]

Re: Input please!

Im definitely planning on seeing a derm.....I just have to figure out how im going to pay :dunno:

I was wondering if anybody had experienced something like this? Im assuming I should be concerned that it has been so rapid. is it likely male pattern baldness? or Telogen fulluvium? or something else?

 

[Artas]

Re: Input please!

It is likely to be Telogen fulluvium, so I would see a derm straight away!

Hopefully they recommend finasteride and minoxidil.

 

[adolobe]

Re: Input please!

Your crown does show some thinning compared to the area around it.

Be advices that a lot of ppl experience a shed during the summer months. This is just nature and we are mammals after all.

If your experiencing inflamation then you def need to visit a dermitaligist.

My advice is to go to the Propecia website. They have a directory there of local doctors by zip codes. A good number of the listed doctors will offer free office visits and only charge you if they write you a prescription. So be sure to tell them were you saw them listed and your interested in talking to them about male pattern baldness.

 

[attawnnc]

Re: Input please!

Thanks Natwraggie,

Hopefully they will suggest something that will help. Im hoping that whatever is going on is something temporary. My grandfather on my mother's side still has a full head of hair but my dad has a little bit of a receding hairline, nothing to bad though.

Adolobe,

thanks for your input. I think i may have noticed slight pain at times on my scalp, im not to sure though. I find myself jumping to every conclusion possible haha. Ill definitely take a look at the propecia website and see if I can find someone


I am also conisidering the fact that if this is not something temporary, such as telogen effuluvium, that it may be diffuse balding.....is this possible? does it look like that to anyone? is there anything I should be doing until I vist a doctor? any product I should be using?

thanks again everyone

 

[TheGrayMan2001]

Re: Input please!

I'd go to the doctor.

If you become convinced or if he says it is male pattern baldness, though, get on finasteride ASAP.

 

[attawnnc]

so i saw a doctor.....a free one haha.....and he didnt have much input for me. He gave me a physical, asked me some questions and then decided that he was gonna give me a blood test to check for thyroid problems. he said he is pretty sure Its not thyroid problems but my family has a history of it. anyway....so after that im not convinced it's thryroid.

I asked him if its not thyroid, what could be causing my sudden hairloss....his answer....."I dont know, are you stressed?"
I realize stress can do this but I was hoping for more input. he didnt seem to know much. but I can't complain that much, it was a free clinic.

so my question is.....how do I go about finding a doctor that is more knowledgeable about hairloss??

 

[emex4]

That looks identical to my hairloss. Zero hairline recession/thinning, but thin all over the head about an inch back from the hairline. Mine started about 4 years ago much the same way as you.

Did you recently lose weight? I noticed my loss after about a year long "crash diet". From other stories Ive read, this can actually be a trigger in the onset of diffuse thinning.

Two years ago I started a regimen of 0.5mg of finasteride everyday, liquid minoxidil over entire thinning area once at night, nizoral shampoo every third day and NANO shampoo on the days in between. Luckily for me, my hairloss has completely halted and Ive grown back and thickened up a nice amount of hair. the key for me is to keep it short. I buzz to a number 3, every three weeks or so.

I would go see a dermatologist if you are able but dont get too excited about it. Most doctors know very little and will tell either tell you its male pattern baldness or that it will grow back. Not very helpful IMO.

Anyway, i look forward to your response as Im always interested to hear the experiences of people who have the same pattern of loss as me because it does seem to be quite rare.

 

[attawnnc]

thanks for your reply emex4! sorry I havent checked back in a while but i'm really interested in hearing more about your regime. I think I'm past my stage of denial. I had been telling myself that it was some sort of temporary thing......but alas....it is not ugh! do you happen to have before and after pictures from when you started your regime to now? I would love to see em....it would prob encourage me a little

I am going to make an appointment next week to see a derm and get a prescription for propecia.......so to everyone here....please help me feel good about this decision!! haha

I'm pretty nervous about starting proprecia because of horror stories that I have read. I'm assuming that some are slightly exaggerated however. is it true it's only less than 2% of guys that experience side effects? can I expect that it will really help me? my biggest fear is starting it only to find that it doesn't help me at all :-/