In desperate need of analysis/feedback. New guy!! Help!

[bonehead45]

HELP!! I'm a new member, and I've been reading and researching all I can about different people's hair loss situations and their treatments and their results. This is all motivated by how devastated and disgusted when I discovered the back of my head was in such horrible shape a week ago. I never ever see my crown and so I never gave it a second thought as to what might be back there.

However I have noticed through the years that my hair was getting thinner. But I always believed it was because of my poor diet and upkeep of my body. I am a big guy (you can tell by my enormous head) but I am overweight at like 300 pounds, and I knew I could always get in better shape, and then that would just fix it! Anyways, my hair loss must have started when I was 22 or so, and here I am a 26-year old in these pics.

I went to an endocrinologist in Sept of last year and all my levels came back normal. He said it was male pattern baldness. I am scheduled to see a dermatologist this weekend, as I wanted different opinions.

Also, I believe it is worth saying that neither my mom nor my dad can remember anyone in their family who started balding at my age. That seems confusing and unfair to me...


I would like you guys to give me your honest analysis on my condition...I have a number of questions


1. Is this a diffuse thinning pattern? Also what Norwood am I?

2. What is up with my pink scalp?

3. Do you think I should see my dermatologist this weekend first before trying out treatments? FYI, I've never been on any sort of hairloss treatment before. I know if you start the process you don't want to quit in the middle of it.

4. I've read all about the big 3, RU and the other Kane chemicals, palmetto, regenix, spironolactone, etc. I don't have money or faith in a transplant right now. What do you guys recommend? Given yall's experiences and opinions, will I see good results in the shape I'm in? Regrowth and thickening?


5. Does anyone have an explanation about the fact that apparently nobody on both sides of my family has had this condition until me?

6. Finasteride - holy $%^t. Is this basically Russian Roulette? I am concerned because right now, since I am overweight and fat (I am absolutely changing that - It's a new year), that my testosterone/libido is already considerably low. Should I go ahead and start taking it or wait until I'm in better shape?

I apologize if this is way too long, but i didn't want to leave anything out. Again I'm 26 years old, never used minoxidil or anything else for hairloss, but I plan to do something about it now. If you could give me opinions and feedback and answer these questions, it would be much appreciated

 

[GoldenMane]

This is a diffuse form of male pattern baldness, the norwood scale doesn't really apply to cases such as yours.

You've let it get to quite an advancedstage of thinning, so I wouldn't expect to recover full density, though if you are a good responder, then it's entirely possible that you will recover to a cosmetically good head of hair.
Your pink scalp may be seborrheic dermatitis. It isn't the cause of your hairloss, but it's not helping things either, this is why Nizoral is part of the big 3.

Buy proscar 5 mg, buy a tablet cutter, cut into quarters. Take 1/4 every day. If you start getting side effects then either quit or reduce dosage.
Apply minoxidil to the entire thinning area, in your case it's your whole scalp, so you'll need to apply 4-5 ml, not the recommended 1 ml. You can do this once or twice a day, but once a day is fine.
Buy nizoral, use it every second or third day until your scalp stops itching/flaking/the redness goes away, then use it once a week.

If you decide to quit this regimen at any stage, then you will revert to the stage you would be at if you had never begun treatment.

Good luck man, you're a little late to begin treatment, but not too late, there's still a good chance you can achieve cosmetically good hair. Also consider using nanogen to improve the appearance of your hair until it recovers to a stage you are satisfied with.

 

[bonehead45]

This is a diffuse form of male pattern baldness, the norwood scale doesn't really apply to cases such as yours.

You've let it get to quite an advancedstage of thinning, so I wouldn't expect to recover full density, though if you are a good responder, then it's entirely possible that you will recover to a cosmetically good head of hair.
Your pink scalp may be seborrheic dermatitis. It isn't the cause of your hairloss, but it's not helping things either, this is why Nizoral is part of the big 3.

Buy proscar 5 mg, buy a tablet cutter, cut into quarters. Take 1/4 every day. If you start getting side effects then either quit or reduce dosage.
Apply minoxidil to the entire thinning area, in your case it's your whole scalp, so you'll need to apply 4-5 ml, not the recommended 1 ml. You can do this once or twice a day, but once a day is fine.
Buy nizoral, use it every second or third day until your scalp stops itching/flaking/the redness goes away, then use it once a week.

If you decide to quit this regimen at any stage, then you will revert to the stage you would be at if you had never begun treatment.

Good luck man, you're a little late to begin treatment, but not too late, there's still a good chance you can achieve cosmetically good hair. Also consider using nanogen to improve the appearance of your hair until it recovers to a stage you are satisfied with.

Thank you Goldenmane for your thorough and very specific diagnosis and suggestions, I sincerely appreciate it. I'm 98% sure I'm gonna go big 3 asap..and try not to think about finasteride. Dear god, let my body handle it.

I heard somewhere that diffusers typically respond better to finasteride than regular cases...is this true? Is there something better about being a diffuser?

Also, about the nanogen. Do you use it? When I play sports or workout, or basically any activities in the hot, humid summer where I live, I sweat profusely. Like 3 fat guys in 1. How does nanogen respond to sweating?

And finally, by just looking at my condition, do you think it could be anything other than male pattern baldness? I am just completely hung up on the fact that I am the first person on both sides of my parent's family who they know starting losing it so early... How much does family history matter?

- - - Updated - - -

This is a diffuse form of male pattern baldness, the norwood scale doesn't really apply to cases such as yours.

You've let it get to quite an advancedstage of thinning, so I wouldn't expect to recover full density, though if you are a good responder, then it's entirely possible that you will recover to a cosmetically good head of hair.
Your pink scalp may be seborrheic dermatitis. It isn't the cause of your hairloss, but it's not helping things either, this is why Nizoral is part of the big 3.

Buy proscar 5 mg, buy a tablet cutter, cut into quarters. Take 1/4 every day. If you start getting side effects then either quit or reduce dosage.
Apply minoxidil to the entire thinning area, in your case it's your whole scalp, so you'll need to apply 4-5 ml, not the recommended 1 ml. You can do this once or twice a day, but once a day is fine.
Buy nizoral, use it every second or third day until your scalp stops itching/flaking/the redness goes away, then use it once a week.

If you decide to quit this regimen at any stage, then you will revert to the stage you would be at if you had never begun treatment.

Good luck man, you're a little late to begin treatment, but not too late, there's still a good chance you can achieve cosmetically good hair. Also consider using nanogen to improve the appearance of your hair until it recovers to a stage you are satisfied with.

Thank you Goldenmane for your thorough and very specific diagnosis and suggestions, I sincerely appreciate it. I'm 98% sure I'm gonna go big 3 asap..and try not to think about finasteride. Dear god, let my body handle it.

I heard somewhere that diffusers typically respond better to finasteride than regular cases...is this true? Is there something better about being a diffuser?

Also, about the nanogen. Do you use it? When I play sports or workout, or basically any activities in the hot, humid summer where I live, I sweat profusely. Like 3 fat guys in 1. How does nanogen respond to sweating?

And finally, by just looking at my condition, do you think it could be anything other than male pattern baldness? I am just completely hung up on the fact that I am the first person on both sides of my parent's family who they know starting losing it so early... How much does family history matter?

 

[maher]

What about your estrogen\estradiol level? You do not want to take finasteride if your E is borderline high. You could lose some weight, that would balance your hormones for start. And yeah.. lower your sugar intake.

Guys here are mostly "all about big 3" Sometimes they cant think outside the box.

 

[GoldenMane]

Finasteride and minoxidil are better at thicking existing hair where it has thinned than restoring a receeding hairline, that's why diffuse thinners see greater success, they thicken up areas that have miniaturised. People with receeding hairlines, tend not to regrow their old hairlines though. I had a lot of diffuse thinning too, it wasn't quite as thin as yours has become, but still quite thin in places. I've had really good results from about 3 months into treatment.

And maher is right, losing weight would certainly not hurt at all. No crash diets though, that can result in shock loss. Just lower your calorie intake, exercise more and eat more healthy food. If you have high estrogen then certain side effects are more likely to occur as your DHT levels decrease, including the dreaded gynecomastia. If your testosterone and estrogen levels are normal then you have nothing to worry about.

But the big 3 is crucially important. There's a good reason why everyone recommends finasteride, it is the most effective hairloss treatment and the only prescription drug that you can buy that is both effective and FDA approved for inhibiting the cause of male pattern baldness. If you have male pattern baldness and decide not to use finasteride, then your chances of maintaining and regrowing hair are drastically reduced.

 

[bonehead45]

Thanks guys...this has given me some consolation and hope. I think I know what I have to do now.

 

[TinTin]

Finasteride and minoxidil are better at thicking existing hair where it has thinned than restoring a receeding hairline, that's why diffuse thinners see greater success, they thicken up areas that have miniaturised. People with receeding hairlines, tend not to regrow their old hairlines though. I had a lot of diffuse thinning too, it wasn't quite as thin as yours has become, but still quite thin in places. I've had really good results from about 3 months into treatment.

And maher is right, losing weight would certainly not hurt at all. No crash diets though, that can result in shock loss. Just lower your calorie intake, exercise more and eat more healthy food. If you have high estrogen then certain side effects are more likely to occur as your DHT levels decrease, including the dreaded gynecomastia. If your testosterone and estrogen levels are normal then you have nothing to worry about.

But the big 3 is crucially important. There's a good reason why everyone recommends finasteride, it is the most effective hairloss treatment and the only prescription drug that you can buy that is both effective and FDA approved for inhibiting the cause of male pattern baldness. If you have male pattern baldness and decide not to use finasteride, then your chances of maintaining and regrowing hair are drastically reduced.

It is possible to regrow you hairline with finasteride and/or Min....

Took this pic from another site

I think hair-regrowth can be done anywhere on the head. It's just the thinner/balder you are, the longer it takes to see results and even longer to get to your desired look. It took 4years for the guy in the pic to go from left pic to right pic

 

[LBerg12]

Be positive, check w/ your dermatologist and use efffective products. Good luck!

 

[bonehead45]

Update:

Got some bloodwork done. Nothing was necessarily abnormal but my testosterone was borderline - I was 347 and the limits are 348 - 1197.

Also saw my dermatologist. He looked at my blood tests and didn't see a reason to not get on Proscar. He didnt have any patients experiencing problems with finasteride., and basically told me things I already knew from extensive research in these forums.

So..I have 2 final questions, then I swear I will shut the f$#k up and put in the work to make a change.

#1. Should I give serious second thoughts about taking finasteride. given my test. level? Granted I am out of shape and do plan to exercise and get rid of excess fat (pot belly) immediately. But do I need to raise my test level (shots, cream) before taking finasteride. or simply try it while I'm raising it via exercise, diet, etc.?

#2. Should I try using finasteride. and nizoral BEFORE starting a regimen of minoxodil? I plan on using Nanogen/Dermmatch while on Proscar so maybe it will give me patience to see results with one product. My main reasoning is that with minoxidil., you cannot quit, and if all I needed was finasteride, whats the point? So basically, given my pics and given yall's experience, do you think I should jump on BOTH immediately, or should I try finasteride for a while and then evaluate from there (would I risk losing more hair this way?)

 

[I.D WALKER]

Good questions for any hair loss sufferer hell bent for combat . Hair loss as we all know is a life long condition. So whether implementing any of the 3 aforementioned weapons, such as minoxidil. or finasteride., once you start them you are immediately in it for the loooong haul. If your interested in a more conservative approach in order to isolate which product works for you then starting one at a time, most would agree is the only way to learn if it is helpful. In my opinion combination therapy offers the most rewards. Just remember to give each product enough time before you jump to conclusions . Either way neither can be stopped. Also remember that even if you don't observe regrowth does not prove they are ineffective.Glad you are putting in the work before making a commitment. Best Wishes!

 

[bonehead45]

Hey guys, Update:
I’ve been taking Proscar 1.25 for about 5 weeks now. Hair has been shedding like crazy, and my hair has lost a lot of density, very thin and wispy. So….for many reasons, I BUZZED it. For now at least.
My question for you guys is – Is this (a buzz cut) an ideal thing to do during the shedding phase? Will it be easier or harder to notice new hair growth? Is it practical to remain buzzed, let the shedding cycle run its course, and then grow out my hair again?

Do any of you guys have opinions and advice on this? I’d love to hear anything…

 

[Iwanttoregrowhair]

I just started using minoxidil and buzzed mine because I started shedding. But it makes it easier to get the minoxidil on. How much minoxidil are you applying daily?

 

[bonehead45]

Just started minoxidyl. About 4-5 ml.

 

[Iwanttoregrowhair]

Wow that seems like a lot is that 4-5 ml twice a day or like 2ml in the am and 2ml in the pm? That could be cause for major shed. How is your scalp holding up tot that ? How much proscar do you take daily? Right now my plan is to also keep it buzzed until the shed stops.

 

[bonehead45]

I'm gonna do rogaine once a night, starting tonight. I take 1 quarter piece of Proscar daily. Also whenever I shower I use Nizoral as my shampoo.

@Goldenmane suggested I use 4-5 mil since my thinning was so advanced and all over. But I don't know if this changes if I have less hair potentially absorbing the minoxidyl away from the scalp.

 

[Vitor Diniz]

You need to use minoxidil 2 times, to more effectiveness
Your body must be as healthy as possible. Make some blood tests and find out if it is lacking nutrients in your body and work to put everything in the right levels. The follicles need nutrients to function, if your diet is too bad you could end up limiting the effectiveness of the Big 3.
For God's sake, do not make crash diets.

 

[GoldenMane]

Once a day is fine. For diffuse thinners, we need minoxidil on almost all of our scalp, it takes about 4 ml to get that coverage. If we did that twice a day then that would mean a 60 ml bottle only lasts 6 days, it's just too expensive for me at that rate, and I can vouch for it working at once a day, I don't think going twice would make too much difference tbh. Shaving your head is fine, maybe it'll make minoxidil application easier. You'll notice vellus hair to terminal regrowth better with a shaved head, but you'll notice thickening more with longer hair I think. But really it doesn't make much difference, you should notice either way.

 

[Iwanttoregrowhair]

I'm gonna do rogaine once a night, starting tonight. I take 1 quarter piece of Proscar daily. Also whenever I shower I use Nizoral as my shampoo.

@Goldenmane suggested I use 4-5 mil since my thinning was so advanced and all over. But I don't know if this changes if I have less hair potentially absorbing the minoxidyl away from the scalp.

That just seems like a lot of minoxidil to absorb at one time, I imagine that would be driving your scalp crazy as well as using Nizoral every day. I believe that is only supposed to be used 2-3 times a week. So those two things used at that rate would definitely increase shed and irritation. Not to mention the money impact with going through that much product that quickly. Just my .02 though, maybe a more senior member on here has more solid advice. Good luck bro!

 

[I.D WALKER]

There is a guy I believe who is from renowned hair transplant surgeon Dr. John Cole's office who has suggested that a Derma Roller (.25 mm. length) may aid in providing greater minoxidil absorption.This (DR'ing) has been discussed in the past here but in a dramatically different context. This may prove worthwhile for those electing the minoxidil. 1X per day approach.

 

[bonehead45]

Did you really on discover tht 'like a week ago'. Did it happen dramatically or did you genuinely not notice that?

The back of my head. With two mirrors, It was literally the first time I noticed how thin my crown had become. Uggh.

You need to use minoxidil 2 times, to more effectiveness
Your body must be as healthy as possible. Make some blood tests and find out if it is lacking nutrients in your body and work to put everything in the right levels. The follicles need nutrients to function, if your diet is too bad you could end up limiting the effectiveness of the Big 3.
For God's sake, do not make crash diets.

Thanks. Earlier in the thread I mentioned how I got some blood work done before staring Proscar. Currently I and eating mostly fish, broccoli, a few other veggies, and water. Don’t know if that’s bad or not.

Once a day is fine. For diffuse thinners, we need minoxidil on almost all of our scalp, it takes about 4 ml to get that coverage. If we did that twice a day then that would mean a 60 ml bottle only lasts 6 days, it's just too expensive for me at that rate, and I can vouch for it working at once a day, I don't think going twice would make too much difference tbh. Shaving your head is fine, maybe it'll make minoxidil application easier. You'll notice vellus hair to terminal regrowth better with a shaved head, but you'll notice thickening more with longer hair I think. But really it doesn't make much difference, you should notice either way.

I can see your point about the amount of minoxidil. I’ll take you up on it for now. And I hope you’re right about noticing new hair with the buzz. I just couldn’t take the wispy thin hair during this shed phase.

That just seems like a lot of minoxidil to absorb at one time, I imagine that would be driving your scalp crazy as well as using Nizoral every day. I believe that is only supposed to be used 2-3 times a week. So those two things used at that rate would definitely increase shed and irritation. Not to mention the money impact with going through that much product that quickly. Just my .02 though, maybe a more senior member on here has more solid advice. Good luck bro!

I don’t use Nizoral every day, just about 3 times a week. I think I’ll try the 4ml for now…if it gets too pricey I’ll switch tactics. And I don’t mind the shedding as long as it grows back, lol.

There is a guy I believe who is from renowned hair transplant surgeon Dr. John Cole's office who has suggested that a Derma Roller (.25 mm. length) may aid in providing greater minoxidil absorption.This (DR'ing) has been discussed in the past here but in a dramatically different context. This may prove worthwhile for those electing the minoxidil. 1X per day approach.

The dermaroller makes a lot of sense. Thanks, I might look into it.