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Hello all! I've been a reader of the forum for a while but decided to make an account today, as I have recently begun taking Finasteride.
First, a little background: I am a 21 year old male, who has had thick hair their entire life.
When I was 18, I noticed my hairline receding slightly - as my father has a similar hairline, and a full head of hair otherwise, I took comfort in that, and never really saw it as an issue until recently. The men on my mother's side of my family however, have gone almost completely bald by age 30 or so.
6 months ago (I was 20 at the time), I got my hair cut a little shorter than usual, and noticed how far back my temples had gone. Furthermore, I noticed that the hair on the front of my head (between the temples, not sure of the technical term) was also starting to thin, albeit slowly. This has taken a huge hit to my self confidence. I did nothing at the time, except research potential treatment and was turned off by my findings (too young for transplant, Finasteride will destroy your testicles and life, etc.). So, 3 weeks ago, I finally went to see my doctor who had no issue prescribing me 5mg Proscar (very cheap, and I cut it into fourths), claiming that the drug had a good track record, and if I did see sides, to stop taking it.
My goals for this treatment are to halt any further loss (just in case I were to end up like my mom's brothers), and, while perhaps unrealistic, regrow as much of my temples as possible (I don't like the recession, it makes me look older than I am and a result, feel older than I am).
So here I am, 3 weeks in today. Here's what has happened so far:
Regimen: 1/4th Proscar daily, and 2 biotin gummies a day. No Minoxidil, as I want to gauge the effectiveness of finasteride alone. However, I would be open to try things like derma-rolling, if it's worth the time.
Side effects: So far nothing substantial. My sex drive has seen little effect, but I have had a few moments of strong sexual desire (AKA very horny for no particular reason, similar to when I was 13-16, AKA random boners in class). My semen appears to be slightly more watery, although it's hard to tell. Feeling healthy.
Hair loss/growth/shedding: This is a tough one. Before treatment, I would typically shed 5-10 hairs in the shower, another 5 or so every time I brushed my hair, and would frequently find my hairs on things such as my notes or my laptop. Thus far, my shedding seems to have "worsened", as I am shedding more hair in the shower particularly. That being said, I am no longer shedding many long strains of hair. What I see the most of now are short (1/2" to 1") hairs that vary in colour - some are very dark and coarse, although most are very light and thin. I am hoping someone can provide some insight as to why this is.
I have also attached a picture. The one on the left is me about 5 days into treatment, and the one on the right is me today. This may be wishful thinking, but I feel my hairline looks a little better in the recent picture, although I know it's almost impossible to see regrowth this early (and the lighting isn't the exact same). It does look healthier though, I think. Let me know what you guys think.
I plan to update this on a weekly/bi-weekly interval. Thank you for reading thus far, feel free to ask questions and input whatever you like.
First, a little background: I am a 21 year old male, who has had thick hair their entire life.
When I was 18, I noticed my hairline receding slightly - as my father has a similar hairline, and a full head of hair otherwise, I took comfort in that, and never really saw it as an issue until recently. The men on my mother's side of my family however, have gone almost completely bald by age 30 or so.
6 months ago (I was 20 at the time), I got my hair cut a little shorter than usual, and noticed how far back my temples had gone. Furthermore, I noticed that the hair on the front of my head (between the temples, not sure of the technical term) was also starting to thin, albeit slowly. This has taken a huge hit to my self confidence. I did nothing at the time, except research potential treatment and was turned off by my findings (too young for transplant, Finasteride will destroy your testicles and life, etc.). So, 3 weeks ago, I finally went to see my doctor who had no issue prescribing me 5mg Proscar (very cheap, and I cut it into fourths), claiming that the drug had a good track record, and if I did see sides, to stop taking it.
My goals for this treatment are to halt any further loss (just in case I were to end up like my mom's brothers), and, while perhaps unrealistic, regrow as much of my temples as possible (I don't like the recession, it makes me look older than I am and a result, feel older than I am).
So here I am, 3 weeks in today. Here's what has happened so far:
Regimen: 1/4th Proscar daily, and 2 biotin gummies a day. No Minoxidil, as I want to gauge the effectiveness of finasteride alone. However, I would be open to try things like derma-rolling, if it's worth the time.
Side effects: So far nothing substantial. My sex drive has seen little effect, but I have had a few moments of strong sexual desire (AKA very horny for no particular reason, similar to when I was 13-16, AKA random boners in class). My semen appears to be slightly more watery, although it's hard to tell. Feeling healthy.
Hair loss/growth/shedding: This is a tough one. Before treatment, I would typically shed 5-10 hairs in the shower, another 5 or so every time I brushed my hair, and would frequently find my hairs on things such as my notes or my laptop. Thus far, my shedding seems to have "worsened", as I am shedding more hair in the shower particularly. That being said, I am no longer shedding many long strains of hair. What I see the most of now are short (1/2" to 1") hairs that vary in colour - some are very dark and coarse, although most are very light and thin. I am hoping someone can provide some insight as to why this is.
I have also attached a picture. The one on the left is me about 5 days into treatment, and the one on the right is me today. This may be wishful thinking, but I feel my hairline looks a little better in the recent picture, although I know it's almost impossible to see regrowth this early (and the lighting isn't the exact same). It does look healthier though, I think. Let me know what you guys think.
I plan to update this on a weekly/bi-weekly interval. Thank you for reading thus far, feel free to ask questions and input whatever you like.
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