First post

[incubusor]

Hello everyone. I have been reading these forums for a few weeks now, have read some good things (and just as many depressing things :cry: )

First of all, sorry in advance for the long post.

I just turned 23 recently. My family hairloss is on my father's side (him, and his brothers etc.) Everyone on mom's side has full head of hair.

In november 2003 (1 month before 21st birthday) I noticed my hairline changed. It had receded slightly at the temples. I always had a slight widows peak, never had a straight hairline growing up. I panic'd when this occurred and started researching Male Pattern Baldness, because I believed the myth that it's inherited from mother's side. Everything I read explained male pattern baldness as a receding hairline followed by baldspot on the crown and both expand until you're a NW7-8. I was thinking "Ok my hairline receded so is the crown next?". Later I read that hairlines mature with age and it's common to see a slight recession of your hairline after the age of 19. This calmed me down, especially since I had no changes on crown. I even combed my hair back after this, and no one ever said anything about a receding hairline.

A year+ had passed and no changes to my hairline, so I was buying the "it's a mature hairline and not male pattern baldness theory".

However, in October this year something was happening. I started getting this itch/tingling all over the top of my scalp. It had started the day after I got my haircut (clippers #7 around whole head). The cold weather was also starting in October, so I thought perhaps it was just dandruff. I purchased some head and shoulders and I got some relief, but noticed the itch/tingling always came back while I was studying in my room or doing work (job related). This itch has become more and more consistent in the month of December and it drew my attention to my scalp even more. One day after taking a shower and seeing my wet hair in the mirror - I noticed the top is thinner than the sides, I spashed water on my scalp to have a better look and it was confirmed. The thinning on the top is even, it's not in patches or more severe in one area compared to another. And the itch has only been on the top of my head and not the sides or back.

I started reading these forums and found out that male pattern baldness can also be in the form of diffuse thinning over the top of scalp! AHHHHHH

Yesterday I got another haircut (clippers size 6 around the whole head). She showed me the back with a mirror and I didn't see a baldspot on my crown. Looking at the top under intense light is scaring me!

I don't ever recall having one of those sheds that people talk about on here, and am still confused about that. Isn't male pattern baldness the general thinning of hair follicles as they grow back after 'normal shedding' ?

What to do? 1mg proscar daily?

I'm skeptic because of everything I have been reading on here...

-finasteride will keep what you have
-finasteride makes you shed a lot of your hair at first
-finasteride accelerates male pattern baldness
-finasteride makes my c*** limp
-finasteride can help you maintain what you have for another 5-7 years
-finasteride can be great for the first 2 years
-finasteride is best when started early
-finasteride shouldn't be used too early as someone may develop a resistance to it and not be able to resort to using it later when their male pattern baldness has gotten a lot worse

:freaked:

Thanks for listening.

On a positive note, this baldness thing sure has motivated me to get in shape.

 

[Dinzy]

You are probably going to be a diffuse thinner so hopefully you can halt it where it is. Don't beleive all the crap you read here about finasteride. People just like to complain and spread paranoia. What they don't realize is that is spreads misinformation and can lead to wrong decisions by people such as yourself.

If finasteride works for you it will slow down the progression of male pattern baldness and may even result in thicker hair for a while. Yes it does loose effectiveness after several years but you will be much better of if you take it now and do respond. finasteride also can lead to a limp dick. I had that for a week or two in the beginning but then it came back to life and has been fine since. It may also lead to a bad shed or two but it will not exacerbate the problem. And getting on it sooner as opposed to later will net you more hair now and later. finasteride isn't a miracle drug and can usually only keep what is there, not bring back what is lost. so postponing it is nonsense.

 

[Aplunk1]

Hey, there's no need to worry. It's a treatable condition, and you have a handful, if not more, options that you can use. You should visit a dermatologist, because you probably have male pattern baldness. In my opinion, you should start treatment with Finasteride because it sounds like your male pattern baldness isn't too aggressive.

Shedding happens when you start a treatment and your hair follicles adjust, usually to a larger size. They adjust by pushing out the existing hairshaft and growing a larger one.

If you don't seek treatment, then everytime your hair falls out, it will likely grow back thinner and weaker.

Finasteride is your best bet. You can always discontinue treatment if you find it necessary. There are other options that are clinically proven to help you, as well.

You're right when you stay that you should start treatment early. You might regret it later. But once again, seek the council of a doctor, and ask about Propecia or Proscar.

Oh yeah, working out works wonders for your mind, too. I recently started some lifting and cardio so that I could tone better. It's already making me look and feel like a million bucks.

Goodluck buddy, and I hope that some of this helps you.

 

[incubusor]

Thank you for your replies.

What about the itch? Is it common to experience it during male pattern baldness?

 

[joseph49853]

My story is fairly similar to yours. In my mid-twenties, I started to feel a strange tingling sensation and did nothing, even after my hairstylist warned me about my developing a small baldspot at the crown. I just put it out of my mind for a few years, until it was almost impossible to conceal. One day after looking in the mirror with a wet head, I realized it was time to take care of my diffuse thinning.

I started on 1mg of finasteride daily for an entire year, and had lots of interesting side effects.... which eventually subsided to the point of tolerability. But when you're young, you *immediately* notice an impairment of erectile function. There's no mistaking it for anything else. I would have trouble maintaining a *fully* hard erection, and any sensation was reduced to a dull throb. Maybe it's similar to the dulling of sensation associated with really thick condoms. I also became slightly depressed, had a need to urinate more frequently etc., but on a positive note, I also started to have a lot more energy.

I eventually lowered my dosage to .2mg daily, and the side effects almost completely vanished... while my hair maintained rather nicely. Fast forward, three and a half years later, and I'm now taking exactly .5mg daily of finasteride, have included minoxidil in my regimen, for the past six months, and have maintained every bit of re-grown hair. I actually have the same amount of hair, and hairline from around 23-years of age.

Interesting to note, I started late, and yet, was able to grow back every single inch of hair. But also realize, every person is different, and not only the side effects, but the results, could also be markedly different. Good luck.

 

[incubusor]

I'm considering starting at .5mg, but if I go with proscar, splitting it may cause some trouble - what if the cuts are not accurate and one day I end up taking .7mg and the next day .3mg, for example.

With Propecia I just have to cut the pill in half. With proscor I'd have to make 10 cuts to achieve .5mg!

Edit: Joseph, did you experience any nasty sheds?

 

[joseph49853]

I'm considering starting at .5mg, but if I go with proscar, splitting it may cause some trouble - what if the cuts are not accurate and one day I end up taking .7mg and the next day .3mg, for example.

With Propecia I just have to cut the pill in half. With proscor I'd have to make 10 cuts to achieve .5mg!

Edit: Joseph, did you experience any nasty sheds?

Unlike a lot of people here, I never experienced heavy shedding, just slow and steady. The most shedding in one day might have been around 30 hairs tops. I guess I'm pretty lucky in that respect.

But if had it to do all over again, I would have started at .5mg myself. I probably would have avoided lots of the sides, and only enjoyed the benefits. And then, after a year of your body adapting to finasteride, you could always increase your dosage.... if needed.

As far as super-accurately splitting the dosage, I wouldn't worry about it too much. If .5mg daily is your goal, as long as you consume the entire tablet in 10 days, you should be just fine.