Curious108's Story - (21, Unsure) UPDATED: 31 August 2010

[Curious108]

In recent years I've grown my hair longer than it used to be. It's not 'long' as such, but long for me.

I have pictures of me when I was just 17, and noticed in one that my hairline at the temple was a little far back even then when balding wasnt on my mind, however to me it looks worse now.

This may be my mind playing tricks on me, or maybe it looks worse because my hair is longer now, but I'll let you guys decide.

Baldness runs in my mothers side of the family. Her father went bald (not completely) as did her brother (also not completely) but they started loosing their hair at the crown, which I havent done. I don't know about my fathers side.

Below you'll be able to see firstly a recent picture, and a picture of when I assume I had no signs of balding. Unfortunately I wasnt able to hold my hair back fully in the first pic, as I need to print screen to get webcam pics for some reason.

But in it you can see that the hair on that area of my head is thinner than it is elsewhere.

Is this a sign of balding? Does it matter what patterns my grandfather and uncles balding took?

 

[Petchsky]

Re: Curious108's Story - 21, Unsure.

Does appear to be receding on the side. How old are you now?

 

[Curious108]

Re: Curious108's Story - 21, Unsure.

I'm 21 now.

Heres a better picture, with me holding my hair back.

I'm really not sure. I get paranoid about this every so often, I took pictures of it last year as well, to show people and ask what they thought. I don't think it's changed much if at all since then, but I still do think it's a sign of what's to come unfortunately.

 

[Curious108]

Re: Curious108's Story - 21, Unsure.

Any other suggestions or thoughts as what would fix this?

 

[thenational]

Re: Curious108's Story - 21, Unsure.

Similar loss to mine, i feel your at an earlier stage than myself though, id say if it continues maybe think about some meds. But its nothing to be getting to upset by

 

[Curious108]

Re: Curious108's Story - 21, Unsure.

Similar loss to mine, i feel your at an earlier stage than myself though, id say if it continues maybe think about some meds. But its nothing to be getting to upset by

I'm not really in the know about this stuff, but surely it's a sign I will eventually lose my hair if I don't do something? (if anything can be done that is).

What meds would be useful?

 

[Petchsky]

Re: Curious108's Story - 21, Unsure.

Proscar, otherwise known as propecia or finasteride. The biggest cause of male pattern baldness is DHT... Proscar blocks around 80% of it in your body, this will either trigger varying amounts of regrowth, and/or maintain what you have.

The same advice i dished out to national. For guys who have caught their hairloss early, use proscar and nizoral.

 

[thenational]

Re: Curious108's Story - 21, Unsure.

Im not a Doctor or anyting, but from what most people suggest finasteride (propecia) gets the best results. It usually goes hand in hand with Nizoral and minoxidil.
Just try not to get caught up with all the possible side effects if you decide.

 

[Curious108]

Re: Curious108's Story - 21, Unsure.

Proscar, otherwise known as propecia or finasteride. The biggest cause of male pattern baldness is DHT... Proscar blocks around 80% of it in your body, this will either trigger varying amounts of regrowth, and/or maintain what you have.

The same advice i dished out to national. For guys who have caught their hairloss early, use proscar and nizoral.

I just made a thread about this in another part of the forum, but I should ask here.

I read that Propecia hasnt been shown to work on the temple area of the hair, is that true?

Also, side effects? What are they and how serious of a concern should they be?

 

[Petchsky]

Re: Curious108's Story - 21, Unsure.

Not many things are 100% true with hair loss. The temples are a hard place to re grow hair but looking at your hair, maintaining what you have should be your goal. minoxidil is the best regrowth drug and is great in conjunction with propecia, but with minoxidil you have to apply it to your head twice a day, every day?

So, either try the finasteride and nizoral for 8 months then you can always add minoxidil later, you may not need to go all guns blazing.

Side effects are not that common when looked at objectively

 

[Curious108]

Re: Curious108's Story - 21, Unsure.

Not many things are 100% true with hair loss. The temples are a hard place to re grow hair but looking at your hair, maintaining what you have should be your goal. minoxidil is the best regrowth drug and is great in conjunction with propecia, but with minoxidil you have to apply it to your head twice a day, every day?

So, either try the finasteride and nizoral for 8 months then you can always add minoxidil later, you may not need to go all guns blazing.

Side effects are not that common when looked at objectively

True, if I maintained what I had I'd be happy.

Although I suppose there is no proof it's actually working if nothings regrowing, just staying the same?

Since it's effecting testosterone, will that effect my exercise? I work out quite a bit and take protein suppliments to build muscle.

I read you shouldn't be on the medication when trying for children - That's not a concern of mine right now, but is it harmful for women if you're on it?

 

[Petchsky]

Re: Curious108's Story - 21, Unsure.

Not particulary. They just put that on their to cover their backs.

Believe it or not, propecia has a positive effect on muscle building, and is banned for balding footballers by FIFA, because it adds a competitive advantage. The Brazilian footballer Romario was banned for it.

You could say you would know if it's working because you won't lose any hair... their have been people that have stopped taking it, believing its not doing anything, them 2 months later shed city...

 

[Norsk]

Re: Curious108's Story - 21, Unsure.

To me this doesn't look like worse than a NW2. So it could be just a mature hairline. Many men get a hairline like that in their 20's and never lose more hair.

 

[Curious108]

Re: Curious108's Story - 21, Unsure.

Hmm, I suppose there is no way of finding out for sure if it is just a mature hairline or the sign of further balding to come?

So propecia is a steroid then? At least that's the impression I'm getting from footballers being banned for using it. Does it come with any of the same dangers that regular steroids do?

I used to use Nizoral for a scalp infection years ago so I'm pretty familliar with it. Is propecia available on prescription as well?

 

[Curious108]

Re: Curious108's Story - 21, Unsure.

Has anyone got any more advice for me on this?

Should I look into starting treatment now, or can I afford to wait for more obvious signs?

 

[die_hard]

Re: Curious108's Story - 21, Unsure.

Has anyone got any more advice for me on this?

Should I look into starting treatment now, or can I afford to wait for more obvious signs?

Your signs are as obvious as they should be. You hairloss is the exact same as mine. In a year or two you'll feel some thinning around the crown area and the peice in the front will start to break apart and grow thin as well. I posted my pics in the "die hard hairline" thread. check them out and you'll see it's time to start the treatment now. You'll likely regrow a bit of hair, but the goal is to maintain. Recieting hairlines look great, but thin hair does not.


-DH

 

[Curious108]

Re: Curious108's Story - 21, Unsure.

I'll look into treatment then.

Can proscar pills be bought online or got from a chemist?

I'd like to buy them in private, without people asking questions as to what I'm using them for, but if I order them online and get them delivered I'm bound to get questions when they arrive through the door.

 

[Curious108]

Re: Curious108's Story - 21, Unsure.

Has anyone got any more advice for me on this?

Should I look into starting treatment now, or can I afford to wait for more obvious signs?

Your signs are as obvious as they should be. You hairloss is the exact same as mine. In a year or two you'll feel some thinning around the crown area and the peice in the front will start to break apart and grow thin as well. I posted my pics in the "die hard hairline" thread. check them out and you'll see it's time to start the treatment now. You'll likely regrow a bit of hair, but the goal is to maintain. Recieting hairlines look great, but thin hair does not.


-DH

Btw if I was you I wouldn't be half as worried about this sort of thing.

You quite suit the shaved look.

 

[die_hard]

Re: Curious108's Story - 21, Unsure.

Has anyone got any more advice for me on this?

Should I look into starting treatment now, or can I afford to wait for more obvious signs?

Your signs are as obvious as they should be. You hairloss is the exact same as mine. In a year or two you'll feel some thinning around the crown area and the peice in the front will start to break apart and grow thin as well. I posted my pics in the "die hard hairline" thread. check them out and you'll see it's time to start the treatment now. You'll likely regrow a bit of hair, but the goal is to maintain. Recieting hairlines look great, but thin hair does not.


-DH

Btw if I was you I wouldn't be half as worried about this sort of thing.

You quite suit the shaved look.

Thanks man. I don't mind the shaved look with the head of hair I have now but when it starts to progress to a Norwood 3 you have to shave it closer and closer and too often otherwise it starts to show a lot.


-DH

 

[Curious108]

Re: Curious108's Story - 21, Unsure.

Just read this, on Propecia's own site:

There is not sufficient evidence that PROPECIA works for receding hairlines at the temples.

Is there much point in me taking this stuff then, if this is the case?