Finasteride shedding or normal hair loss?PICTURES) :(

[Guest]

Hey guys,


I have a thread with pics of my hair in the tell your story subforum.

I am 21 years old and I have been on Proscar 1.25 mg per day for 2 weeks and will use Nizoral for the first time tonight.

I was on a trip yesterday and I just pulled my hair back when I went in thebathroom and I realized that when I pulled my hair I could see a ton of scalp. When I left it like I normally wear it, down in front, I realized that I could see some scalp in the center of my head. I also see scalp in the front of my head when I pull the hair in front of the forehead away from the hair in the hair above that. I know that sounds confusing but I took some pics of the center of my head or close to it.



Please if you can take a look at my pics and tell me what's going on. Is that normal or am I definitely balding? Is it an effect from the finasteride? My problem is that I haven't really looked at my scalp much till now. I was unsure if I was before but now I am convinced that I am balding fast so I hope that this Propecia works for me and that it kicks in fast. Does it start working from day 1 or is it true I could lose a lot of hair for up to a year more?

Should I be getting on Minoxidil ASAP or should I let the Propecia try to do its magic?

Thanks guys... so much.

Anyway, pictures:

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/2204 ... 005iw6.jpg

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/273/hairloss006ka6.jpg

 

[nervx]

http://www.vette454.com/~peanut/Forum%20Pics/i-cant-see-sh*t.jpg

You gotta move the camera back some then take your pictures. Only the first one or two show anything.

Is that normal or am I definitely balding?

looks like diffuse balding.

My hair is thin like that too, it blows ***. You probably wont notice any change on propecia for at least a few months, so keep a picture record. If you don't see any improvement after a year try something else like dutasteride.

 

[Guest]

sorry i removed all except the first two. do you really think its diffuse? what norwood would you say i am?

and do you recommend i start the minoxidil?

 

[Aplunk1]

Hey, my friend,
I would definitely get on minoxidil and keep with Propecia.

You've got some serious thinning.

Throw down the law:

Propecia, Rogaine, Nizoral.

 

[StoptheMadness]

Should I be getting on Minoxidil ASAP or should I let the Propecia try to do its magic?

Or try this option: BOTH!!

You have diffuse thinning going on. Your (temporary) salvation lies with propecia. But use minoxidil to augment the propecia as well.

 

[Guest]

Gotcha.

Is it right though that I have to hold the hair down to see the scalp. I mean seeing some scalp is natural right? I think im still trying to talk myself out of the fact that im balding.

Like in this pic from 2 weeks ago when I don't lift my hair up:

http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/2531/hair0058fl.jpg

It doesn't look that bad. But im just prob tryin to convince myself that i don't have it.

Ok so I go buy Rogaine 5% tomorrow right? not 2%? I don't really know how to apply it. Should I just put some on wherever I can find scalp?

Thanks a lot

 

[Guest]

Should I be getting on Minoxidil ASAP or should I let the Propecia try to do its magic?

Or try this option: BOTH!!

You have diffuse thinning going on. Your (temporary) salvation lies with propecia. But use minoxidil to augment the propecia as well.

gotcha. can you explain to me the dif between diffuse thinning and pattern baldness if u come back to this thread? how do they work differently and how do they look different visually?

AND, does minoxidial actually inhibit DHT and stop thinning or does it just grow hair to supplement it? It's listed on the main site here as a hair regrower and not a DHT inhibitor so I am confused.

thanks a lot

 

[nervx]

sorry i removed all except the first two. do you really think its diffuse? what norwood would you say i am?

Looks diffuse but i couldn't say what norwood you are unless you take more pictures of the sides, front, top and back that come out clear.

I mean seeing some scalp is natural right?

If your hair is parted yes but in the first two pictures above it does look like it's thinning out.

and do you recommend i start the minoxidil?

Personally i wouldn't start the minoxidil until later. Give propecia some time to see if it works first, add minoxidil later if you need to. This way you'll know if you should keep using propecia or not.

gotcha. can you explain to me the dif between diffuse thinning and pattern baldness if u come back to this thread? how do they work differently and how do they look different visually?

Diffuse thinning makes your hair thin out on top but your hairline stays intack. Pattern baldness is where it stays thick but slowly recedes up/down your head. Most people get a mix of both.

 

[Guest]

Here are some pics for you nerv:

Top(thats just light glaring off my head not scalp):

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/5839/hair71nu4.jpg

Back:

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/9568/hair0019us.jpg

Side:

http://img110.imageshack.us/img110/1640/hair0030pz.jpg

When I wear my hair natural and forward rather than spiking it I can't see my scalp at all. Does this make a difference in diagnosis?

So what do you think about the norwood?

And so which is preferable to have? Diffuse or pattern?

And is it possible that this front stuff is shedding from me starting Propecia 2 weeks ago or no? Thanks.

Oh and finally teh reasdon I asked about the minoxidial was that if I have lost all that hair in front, I'd like to try to regrow it, because propecia even if it is effective might not.

 

[Aplunk1]

None of the pictures you provided in yo,ur last post showed ANY of the male pattern baldness areas.

You are almost certainly not going to benefit from using Propecia for two weeks.

No shedding, just normal hairloss.

Get with Propecia, minoxidil, nizoral, and maybe copper peptides.

And goodluck!

 

[nervx]

When I wear my hair natural and forward rather than spiking it I can't see my scalp at all. Does this make a difference in diagnosis?

It can yes. If i spike mine it looks extra thin but worn forward, which is what i do as well, i can hide it a bit. Take a mirror outside in direct sunlight even when your hair is down, you might be surprised how bad it looks. That sun is a bastard.

So what do you think about the norwood?

We still cant tell, you need better pictures.

Side Pic: you want to show the temple areas (pull your hair back to show it off better)

top/back pic: you want to get the crown in the shot to check for bald spot developement

front pic: comb back your hair and snap a shot of your hairline

try not to use the flash, use a well lit room or sunlight, and keep the camera a good ways away. your top attempt came out fuzzy again. it takes some practice to get good pictures. you can take a look at the tell your story forum if you need example pictures.

And so which is preferable to have? Diffuse or pattern?

Personally i think pattern because with diffuce it looks thin and you can't style it without it lookinh like ***.

And is it possible that this front stuff is shedding from me starting Propecia 2 weeks ago or no? Thanks

it's possible, everyone responds differently to the drug.

 

[Guest]

thanks a ton nerv for all your time spent in my thread.

do you think though that minoxidil may benefit me ifim trying to regrow this hair that ive lost in the front?

and yes my hair feels very thin all over so you may be right about diffiuse. it falls through my hands and just feels very thin.

 

[nervx]

do you think though that minoxidil may benefit me ifim trying to regrow this hair that ive lost in the front?

It could yes but if your starting propecia i would wait.

If you use both products at the same time you never know whats giving you the results. If the propecia or minoxidil isn't doing anything you'll end up wasting money on a drug that can also give you other negative side effects. That's why i say wait it out and see what propecia does before adding anything else.

I know everyone wants their hair back nice and thick and fast but these things take a long time.

 

[Guest]

ok one more question nervx,

is it ok if i start on the nizoral? or should i hold off that too?

thanks.

 

[Follically Challenged]

You are definately balding.

If you give propecia the 2 years it takes to fully work, you may lose out on being able to grow back hair with minoxidil. The more bald you get, the less good your results will be.

Use what you want, I am not going to say "use this and this and this" because there are a ton of options. But Propecia and minoxidil will help you, and the only reason to use one at a time is if you are experiencing side effects. if u are having no side effects, no reason to not continue on using both.

Best of luck.

 

[nervx]

is it ok if i start on the nizoral? or should i hold off that too?

nizoral is fine, it promotes healthy scalp more than hair growth. just don't over use it because it can dry your skin and make your hair brittle.

 

[Guest]

well nervx, against the advice of most people in this thread i am going to listen to you and hold off on adding the minoxidil at this point. i have been on the finasteride for 2 weeks and you suggested giving it a full year before adding anything else right? do you think that the finasteride may be able to regrow the hair at the vertex(that's the top, right?) of my scalp that I've lost?

thanks for yourhelp

 

[Follically Challenged]

"If you use both products at the same time you never know whats giving you the results."

Results for Propecia could just be maintenance. Chances are they will both work for him in growing new hair. I can understand waiting a few months before adding minoxidil, to make sure you are okay with Propecia. But waiting before you see results from Propecia will take a long time, and like I said, results from that could just be keeping what you have.

 

[Guest]

Hey Folically,

I heard from Merck that I should discontinue finasteride after a year if it doesn't seem to be having an effect on me, and that a lot of men will see maintenance begin by 6 months. This is how much I have balded since people told me I had a tiny bit 4 years ago, so I am hopefuly that it will continue to progress slowly.

Does finasteride inhibit DHT starting from day 1?

Thanks. And do you know how I set up that My regimen click button like you have?

Thanks a lot

 

[Follically Challenged]

Jayman

Merck says on it's website that it does work from day one. And, I was only going by experience when I said that it will be a long time before you see results. There are people here who saw great results in just a few months time. It was after a year before the regrowth I saw was of importance, and was closer to 2 years before considerable benefit was obtained.

When I started taking minoxidil after 2 years it really kicked my regrowth into a new gear, and in only a few months time. And this was all at the front, pretty much.

I think the regimen option is non-existent now. I ws looking to update mine and i couldn't figure out how.