Is this male pattern baldness shed or Finasteride shed? + other questions

[jrg]

hi.

Background: I'm 28 years old and I noticed that i was losing alot of hair about 1.5 months ago. Before that, for about 1 year or so, I was losing hair, but at a much lower rate to be noticeable (even i was nonchalant about it at that time). The type of hairloss is diffuse thinning all around that top. The hairline seems ok.. not receeding.

1 month ago, i applied tricomin once per day. 2 weeks ago, i started taking 1 mg finasteride per day and applied topical Biolyn 1 to 2 times per day (see http://www.hairlosstalk.com/discussions ... ght=biolyn).

Right now, i am still shedding lots of hair. I usually keep my hair short (about 1-2 inches) but even the scalp is showing distinctly now.

Q1: How do I know this shedding is due to my hairloss problem or due to the effects of Finasteride? From this forum, it seems that finasteride shedding usually starts at the 3rd month. But already my semen is watery.

Q2: I've heard alot that Finasteride can maintain what you have now. In my case, will I retain what I have 1.5 months ago (start of obvious hairloss) or 2 weeks ago (start of finasteride)? There is a huge difference!

Q3: Related to Q2, if I just want what i have 1.5 months back, is there a need to jump into minoxidil at this moment?

Q4: My PSA has been out of range (about 9-11) for the past 5 years. 1 week after I started finasteride, it was 8. I do not have prostatitis, BHP (or whatever you call that), or cancer. Now the question is, is the dose of 1 mg finasteride/d right for me? I asked because if my prostate is highly active (that's what the doctor say), it must be producing alot of DHT. If that's the case, should I increase the dose?

Q5: How short should I buzz my hair so that its not obvious I'm losing hair, yet long enough to allow me to assess the changes?

Thanks.

 

[socks]

Q1: How do I know this shedding is due to my hairloss problem or due to the effects of Finasteride? From this forum, it seems that finasteride shedding usually starts at the 3rd month. But already my semen is watery.

There is no sure way to tell what the EXACT cause of your current hairloss is. It could be a single variable or multiple variables.

Q2: I've heard alot that Finasteride can maintain what you have now. In my case, will I retain what I have 1.5 months ago (start of obvious hairloss) or 2 weeks ago (start of finasteride)? There is a huge difference!

Most men (80%) atleast retain what they have at the start of their treatment. It is also said that hair that has been "dormant" for no more then 5yrs may be still viable and possible to stimulant to grow again.

Q3: Related to Q2, if I just want what i have 1.5 months back, is there a need to jump into minoxidil at this moment?

IMHO, I would stay away from minoxidil until your hair stabilizes. Minoxidil (especially concentrations above 2%) can commonly cause an initial shed (chances of shed goes up as the concentration of minoxidil goes up).

Q4: My PSA has been out of range (about 9-11) for the past 5 years. 1 week after I started finasteride, it was 8. I do not have prostatitis, BHP (or whatever you call that), or cancer. Now the question is, is the dose of 1 mg finasteride/d right for me? I asked because if my prostate is highly active (that's what the doctor say), it must be producing alot of DHT. If that's the case, should I increase the dose?

As far as DHT is concerned, 1mg of Finasteride (Propecia) is 82% as effective as 5mg of Finasteride (Proscar).

Under normal circumstances, the benefit of 1mg of Finasteride is comparable to 5mg of Finasteride. The increase in the chance of side effects usually offsets any minor (if even measurable) improvement 5mg of Finasteride may have over 1mg.

However, if you have a high PSA it might be a good idea for you to take the higher Finasteride dose not for hairloss but for your prostate. I would talk to your doctor about this one

Q5: How short should I buzz my hair so that its not obvious I'm losing hair, yet long enough to allow me to assess the changes?

Well I cant give you an exact # without seeing your hair but you might consider a #8 on the top (I believe that is the 1inch attachment) and maybe go with a #3-#4 on the sides.

 

[jrg]

IMHO, I would stay away from minoxidil until your hair stabilizes. Minoxidil (especially concentrations above 2%) can commonly cause an initial shed (chances of shed goes up as the concentration of minoxidil goes up).

If I try Nano Shampoo, will I get an initial shed. And if I stop Nano later on, will i shed more?