Link's Story - (22) [PICS]

[Link]

First of all would like to say hey you can call me Link , i've only just found these forums a few weeks ago and this day decided to register for an account, this websites been of great use to me so far so would just like to say thanks.

Anyway like I said my name's Link, i'm 22 and i'm from the UK, when I was growing up I noticed that all 4 male's on my Dad's side family were bald and I was told they all started going bald mid twenties, around 25. So of course i'm pretty much expecting the worst that when I grow up i'm going to be exactly the same and towards my 19's I noticed my hairline go south a tiny bit but my hair retained it's thickness and length so I didn't think nothing of it at the time. Since then my hairline as continued to regress to the point it's at now, but as I say the hair seemed to retain it's thickness and length. It's only for the past few months, since after I turned 22 that my crown area has started to thin and that I notice my overally hair getting thinner.

To be honest with all this going on i've had major confidence issues, I've been told i'm rather a good looking guy but I just don't see what they see, what with me wearing hats constantly to hide my ever thinning hair, I have a lot of body hair to which I know is a result of DHT, if it's anything to go by I think I have an overabundance of DHT in my system. I see potential in myself but my confidence is shot to pieces mainly.

Sorry about quality of images

These were taken today and the crown one really has me depressed, to be honest I realise it's something some people just have to go through life and I was preparing myself for it since I was young, but I just can't go bald before i'm 23 it will probably leave me devastated in all honesty.

I'm planning a major change in my lifestyle, i'm quite skinny and my metabolism is ridiculous, so much so that I can eat a lot of crap and put practically no weight on. Suffice to say my diet mainly is crap but i've shaping that up a bit in the past few weeks ready to hit the gym and hopefully get healthier and happyer, if I can maintain and grow a bit of hair i would be absolutely delighted.

[Treatment Planned]

Topical spironolactone 5% (Imported from this website) - Plan to use day I go to the gym, before I hit the gym

Rogaine Foam - I've got 6 months worth of Rogaine Foam sat right infront of me

Nizoral Shampoo - Probably use this once every other day

Shampoo - Everybody stories i've read seem to use a shampoo in between the Nizoral wash's so I was wondering if anybody might be able to recommend any please?

and then we come to the last..

Propecia/Finasteride
To be honest earlier in the week I was one click away from joining the Boots Hair Retention Scheme, which is basically a prescription for Propecia. I'm not going to lie i'm worried about the side effects, naturally. Reading things like inability to achieve an erection, ball ache, watery semen, decreased libido, even the likes of infertility and impotence and maybe even permanently. But I know there are some that have little or no side effects at all, understand i'm absolutely willing to try Propecia but the side effects scare me a little, a little decreased libido I could handle because it's already ridiculously high anyway but the likes of infertility and impotence? No way (i'd like to have kids some point in the future).

I wondered if, considering I seem to have a high amount of DHT in my body anyway would this hopefully decrease the likelyhood of sides in myself (A nice side would be getting rid of some of this body hair like i've read it's done for some people)

Some advice would be welcome.

I know i've rambled on quite a bit haha sorry about that, but any information or suggestions are welcome. Thanks for reading .

 

[Link]

Im also on the Boots programme. I would not worry about the sides that much. Sure it may give impotence problems but that goes away once you stop taking it. Ive not read that Infirtility is a possibility? Where did you read that?

Just a couple people complaining about it really, no studies or anything. Hey i'm a United fan to haha . Don't suppose Rooney will lend us 30 grand to get our hair done to do you?.

 

[Rawtashk]

Don't stress out about sides. There's a 98% chance that you won't get anything. If you do get sides, then there's a 99.9% chance that you'll be fine inside of a month after stopping.

If you're looking for something positive in regards to finasteride, then check my story out

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=65594

 

[cuebald]

Your recession is at NW2.5, which is slightly passed the mature hairline stage. The final picture shows a lot of diffusion hidden under the rest of your hair (the "comb over")

I would say without finasteride you will be a NW4 - NW5 in 2 years.

 

[Link]

Don't stress out about sides. There's a 98% chance that you won't get anything. If you do get sides, then there's a 99.9% chance that you'll be fine inside of a month after stopping.

If you're looking for something positive in regards to finasteride, then check my story out

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=65594

I have mate and I have to say your thread is a great inspiration, no sexual sides to which is great to hear , how you doing on your treatment these days?.

Your recession is at NW2.5, which is slightly passed the mature hairline stage. The final picture shows a lot of diffusion hidden under the rest of your hair (the "comb over")

I would say without finasteride you will be a NW4 - NW5 in 2 years.

Yikes , thanks for that that actually kinda motivates me a lot more!.

Guys another quick question I mean the Boots Retention Scheme provides a month's supply of Propecia for about £40 ($50?)'ish should I go with that or try this Generic Propecia (Finpecia) If I can find a reputable source in the UK, I assume there's no difference?

 

[cuebald]

Actually I think that last picture is actually just blonde dye I thought it was scalp I was seeing there - if this is so your loss isn't as bad as I said it was and your male pattern baldness could progress quite slowly.

I think the only way you can get Generic 1mg finasteride is to go through a GP. I don't even know if they do generic finasteride in 1mg, they might only do it in 5mg (and because the 5mg dose is only indicated for BPH not male pattern baldness few doctors here will prescribe it). Boots is probably the safest way to go (I buy mine off of the net because a ) it's cheaper and b ) I didn't want the embarrassment of waiting in a Boots checkout for finasteride :laugh: )

 

[Link]

Haha fair enough and no unfortunatly it's not blonde dye , it seems to switch though sometimes my hair seems thicker and covers up more and sometimes it just seems thinner it's weird. If you don't mind me asking where do you get your finasteride from?

 

[cuebald]

I get mine mostly from the EU inhouse pharmacy, but I have bought from clickremedy too (buying from clickremedy is a pain in the arse as they only support paypal).

The sides I got were achy balls and slightly watery semen which went away after a week or so. My sex drive also increased by about 10% for a month. I also shedded more hairs for months (but my hair grew thicker, paradoxically).
It also seems to have stopped any new body hair from growing in, so if you are still waiting for a beard to come in, it can slow that down. (I've been on finasteride for about 3 years, I am 25).

Other than that I've had no sides. Some people say they get big, vague sides (a few guys even say "I no longer feel like a man" etc). I don't know what to make of such reports (I think they might be a little crazy myself). You can read more at the Side Effects board, but if you read too much, you will imagine side effects.
There have been no infertility cases on finasteride, despite what some quacks on here have posted. Though you must beware that pregnant women are not to handle finasteride at all, as if they do, it will inhibit DHT in the foetus = it might interfere with sexual organ development in a male foetus (but I haven't seen any cases where this has actually happened)
When I reach the stage of trying for a baby, I will probably stop taking finasteride until after conception has occurred (but people on here have had kids while on finasteride, some users have had 3 boys while on finasteride with no problems)

finasteride will only slow down/halt hairloss, it won't give you stellar regrowth. It has thickened up my hair a bit though (it has even made my temples slightly better despite what people say - I don't bother with minoxidil myself)

There are a few users in success stories who have thinning like yours, who have had good success on the "big 3". One I think was called CBF or something like that, he posted for something like 8 months with his hair getting worse and worse, then all of a sudden he posted an image of his hair looking very full and thick - it can take time to work.

 

[jjchin]

Hi Link,

I don't get the sides. The sides will most probably go away as you discontinue the medicines.

I thought that was your scalp as well :smack:

Hope things will go well for you!

jjchin

 

[Link]

Hi Link,

I don't get the sides. The sides will most probably go away as you discontinue the medicines.

I thought that was your scalp as well :smack:

Hope things will go well for you!

jjchin

Thanks mate .

I was thinking about slowly introducing it into my system? i've read some people do that, also maybe possibly starting off on .5 of Propecia a day

 

[SlowlyReceeding]

Please keep us up to date with your progress. Good luck.

 

[Hate2LoseIt]

Dont listen to CueBald

 

[Link]

Dont listen to CueBald

Uh, which part do you mean?

 

[Rawtashk]

No, listen to cuebald. If you're going to save your hair, then the best way to do it is finasteride. Yes, there's a small chance that you'll get sides. Yes, there an EXTREMELY TINY chance that you'll get sides that persist after you get off of finasteride. The question you have to ask yourself is, "How much does my hair mean to me?" Are you willing to take the "risk" of a 2% chance at sides? Are you willing to take the "risk" of a 90% chance that your hair will (at least) maintain, if not re-grow?

You've read my success story. Remember how I said "propeciahelp scared the sh*t out of me, so I put it off for 2 years"? Oh...how I wish I could have those 2 years back. I shed more in the 6 months before finasteride than I have in the last 3 years combined.

I did finasteride @ .5mg for 3 years and had good success. Go ahead and start out @ .5mg, then ease up to 1mg if you think you need a bit more help.

 

[Link]

Well i've bit the bullet and joined Boots Hair Retention Scheme, basically a monthly supply of Propecia, ordered 1 month's worth of Propecia see how I go along, hoping for the best!

 

[Link]

Well my finasteride has come in the post today, i'm actually just staring at it haha, push through the first one :unsure:

 

[cuebald]

Dont listen to CueBald

:sobbing:

 

[Link]

Okay so, after much staring haha (few days) I just took my first tab, cut it in half and took .50, almost immediately my stomach feels slightly weird? . Well anyway here goes I guess haha

 

[Rawtashk]

There is literally no way that "almost instantly my stomach feels weird" could mean anything besides "I'm super nervous". It takes time for that pill to dissolve and work its way into your bloodstream.

Don't freak out. You'll be fine.

Don't look for sides, otherwise you'll find some.

Getting a little bit of ball ache is normal until your body re-adjusts a bit.

 

[Link]

Well seem fine so far so, here's hoping . Thanks a lot dude.