How To Determine If Minoxidil Has Worked For Me

[himynameisj]

Hello, I am honestly curious whether Minoxidil worked/works for me or I should stop trying. I am asking you to determine if it has any effect so here's my background.
I was probably past NW2, have left temple more receded than the right temple which frustrated me a lot and that's why it made me hop on Minoxidil. The doctor I went told me to take this (and not Propecia yet) and also use the shampoo Alpecin C1.
I started using minoxidil on March 25th so I'm almost half a year on it. I am 22 years old.

Now moving onto effects. Unfortunately, I do not have clear pictures of my hairline before using it and hence I cannot post anything that could help facilitate this thread. I have taken some pictures which weren't exactly showing my hairline so it's hard to compare even by myself. I can tell you that, in my opinion, my right temple has regained some hairs and looks about NW1.5 (maybe NW2 if I'm brutally honest). Meanwhile, top and left temple which was the most damaged and important to me, hasn't regained anything significant. Still the same miniaturized hairs on the edge of the hairline. At very best, it stayed the same. Of course that's pretty good considering that I do not use the pills, but I expected better than this and especially on top where my hair is sh*t and you can see the scalp if I wash it. I genetically inherited poor hair quality, my mom's hair is greasy and falling all the time, but she's not bald. My dad went bald around 23-24 years old, but had a different type of hair (I have straight hair like mom, he had curly hair, I mention this because that's how I am trying to cope with this).

I know it's hard to give an opinion just based on this, but I want to hear what you'd say if you were me, would you keep using it or you'd drop it? Because honestly I don't know what to do, in some mirrors, my left temple looks brutally terrible and it completely drains me off and makes me depressed for the rest of the day.
Thanks.

Here's one picture I took before I started minoxidil, from another thread.
http://i.imgur.com/ZnadgHt.jpg

Updated, added some low quality pictures for reference from today.
http://i.imgur.com/pN5xpVU.jpg - left temple
http://i.imgur.com/TI963ux.jpg - right temple

 

[michel sapin]

at least it seems that you have maitained which is still a big sucess

 

[himynameisj]

at least it seems that you have maitained which is still a big sucess

Do you have any ideas where I am situated on the Norwood scale?

 

[dralex]

Do you have any ideas where I am situated on the Norwood scale?

Would say NW2 still, but could be heading to a NW3. You have a lot of miniaturization on your hairline. The hair type you inherit doesn't determine whether you inherit the male pattern baldness gene. I would keep using it if you think you've even maintained. If it still looks the same after 6 months then stick with it. If you're not on finasteride I highly recommend it as your not going to be able to stop your loss for long. Your hairline has a lot of miniaturized hairs.

 

[himynameisj]

Would say NW2 still, but could be heading to a NW3. You have a lot of miniaturization on your hairline. The hair type you inherit doesn't determine whether you inherit the male pattern baldness gene. I would keep using it if you think you've even maintained. If it still looks the same after 6 months then stick with it. If you're not on finasteride I highly recommend it as your not going to be able to stop your loss for long. Your hairline has a lot of miniaturized hairs.

Honestly I would have started Finasteride a long time ago, but there are two factors that made me avoid taking it.
1) my family don't support me, my mother is completely against Finasteride after some pharmacist friend told her that doctors usually prescribe them for benign problems in prostate. Also my girlfriend said I shouldn't take them after I told her of the sides I could get.
2) I kinda fear the sides aswell especially after reading some reports not only about sexual sides but mental too, I had problems with depression and anxiety before and I fear this could bring them back again or worsen it.

So I really don't know what to do, I really don't want to lose my hair, I would do anything (or almost anything as you see I still avoid the pills) to keep it and especially if I could regrow it to some better looking hairline I would be especially glad.

 

[dralex]

Honestly I would have started Finasteride a long time ago, but there are two factors that made me avoid taking it.
1) my family don't support me, my mother is completely against Finasteride after some pharmacist friend told her that doctors usually prescribe them for benign problems in prostate. Also my girlfriend said I shouldn't take them after I told her of the sides I could get.
2) I kinda fear the sides aswell especially after reading some reports not only about sexual sides but mental too, I had problems with depression and anxiety before and I fear this could bring them back again or worsen it.

So I really don't know what to do, I really don't want to lose my hair, I would do anything (or almost anything as you see I still avoid the pills) to keep it and especially if I could regrow it to some better looking hairline I would be especially glad.

I understand the side effects are worrisome, but they are pretty uncommon and usually subside if you quit the drug. If you notice them I'd just quit. There is risks to everything you do and every drug you take, have to weigh the pros and cons. Honestly, many dermatologists don't even believe these side effects exist, as it has become more of a complaint in the last decade and the drug has been approved since 1992 for BPH, and 1997 for hair loss.

If it worries you too much then I wouldn't bother, but trust me the depression gets much worse from hair loss alone. I've had a history of mild depression and anxiety, but my depression has increased in infinitely as my hair loss got worse. I am taking finasteride as well, but didn't respond well and am still losing hair. Haven't had any side effects though.

 

[himynameisj]

I understand the side effects are worrisome, but they are pretty uncommon and usually subside if you quit the drug. If you notice them I'd just quit. There is risks to everything you do and every drug you take, have to weigh the pros and cons. Honestly, many dermatologists don't even believe these side effects exist, as it has become more of a complaint in the last decade and the drug has been approved since 1992 for BPH, and 1997 for hair loss.

If it worries you too much then I wouldn't bother, but trust me the depression gets much worse from hair loss alone. I've had a history of mild depression and anxiety, but my depression has increased in infinitely as my hair loss got worse. I am taking finasteride as well, but didn't respond well and am still losing hair. Haven't had any side effects though.

Sure and what do I say to my family members who completely disapproves this? Especially when some of them do not trust doctors' advises and such.

 

[ALightInTheDark]

Sure and what do I say to my family members who completely disapproves this? Especially when some of them do not trust doctors' advises and such.

There is side effets with finasteride. Most of long term users have it. If you don't want to have weird side effects, keep an eye on your DHT blood levels. If it's too low -> Side effetcs

 

[Dogma]

I understand the side effects are worrisome, but they are pretty uncommon and usually subside if you quit the drug. If you notice them I'd just quit. There is risks to everything you do and every drug you take, have to weigh the pros and cons. Honestly, many dermatologists don't even believe these side effects exist, as it has become more of a complaint in the last decade and the drug has been approved since 1992 for BPH, and 1997 for hair loss.

If it worries you too much then I wouldn't bother, but trust me the depression gets much worse from hair loss alone. I've had a history of mild depression and anxiety, but my depression has increased in infinitely as my hair loss got worse. I am taking finasteride as well, but didn't respond well and am still losing hair. Haven't had any side effects though.

Bingo, well said.

 

[Dogma]

Sure and what do I say to my family members who completely disapproves this? Especially when some of them do not trust doctors' advises and such.

Say you are a grown man, I will do what I want. But like some have said above, you're already too paranoid about it you will just make yourself believe you're having side effects. Especially if you have outside influences adding to the fear mongering