macbeth81
Established Member
- Reaction score
- 16
Hello HairlossTalk community. I have been here more lately while watching the Hair Congress thread (please donate), but will probably be less afterwards. Below is my story.
Age: 31
Family History: Father's hair was similar to mine by 30, but slowly receded more with age. By 70 he had noticeable thinning at the crown.
My mother doesn't have hair loss. Her father was effectively bald by his 40s (recession and diffuse). Some of her sisters (aunts) have female hair loss (shave it girls!). Some of her brothers (uncles) have thinning hair by 60 but otherwise solid hair when younger.
Timeline:
Around 19-20 I started noticing temple recession.
Around the age of 21-22 I visited a dermatologist (female), was laughed at, and thoroughly embarrassed. I went to seek a second opinion with a male dermatologist and he didn't see an issue.
Around 23-24 I noticed more thinning on the left temple.
Around 27 I noticed thinning of my front forelock.
At age 29 I was under a lot stress and lost about 20lbs (190 to 170lbs) which caused a bad shed. My hair is apparently sensitive to weight loss.
Around July, at age 30, I lost about 20lbs (185 to 165lbs) again and came in contact with poison ivy. I was placed on prednisone and began shedding once treatment completed.
By August, I decided to try S5 cream. I experienced redness, severe itchiness and shedding. I am assuming an allergic reaction. Worst shed I have ever experienced.
By October I started finasteride. I experienced slight aching in my testicles, but subsided after two weeks.
By November my shedding literally stopped. I suppose everything capable of shedding had already fallen. I have never shed so little in my life and still don't today.
By March my hair began shedding at normal rate. Hair seemed thicker.
By October I see some slight thickening but overall no major changes.
Pictures and Comments:
I have included comparison pictures from Jun-2006 (age 22), Nov-2014 (30, 1-month finasteride), Mar-2015 (30, 5-month finasteride), and Oct-2015 (31, 1-year finasteride). All pictures are taken with a Canon 3.2-megapixel camera, flash on, at a distance of approx. 3-4 feet. Unfortunately, I don't have the same hair length which ruins the comparison.
The forelock has definitely thinned at the hairline, and I have lost a little on my left temple. Not sure about my right since it was already worse. Overall not drastic being I went from 22 to 30 without treatment.
It is possible last year I had Telogen Effluvium from the negative reaction, weight loss, etc. because my hair thinned out a lot. Otherwise my hair loss accelerated. Most has grown back since.
I also included pictures with my hair wet. It tends to want to part and looks very, very thin. This concerns me since my maternal grandfather had diffuse thinning. My father had thick hair until 50+. Even when dry my hair it is not thick at the front. My crown appears solid though.
Finally I included pictures holding my hair back and some close ups. The photo containing an arrow shows the spot that bothers me the most. It was never thick there, but wish I had started finasteride sooner to save more. Hopefully it doesn't look too bad when not in direct light.
I assuming I am around NW3.
It looks better in the pictures for some reason.
Being one year on finasteride, I am assuming that is as good as it gets. Hopefully something better will come in a few years. I have been waiting 10 years and want to move on.
Age: 31
Family History: Father's hair was similar to mine by 30, but slowly receded more with age. By 70 he had noticeable thinning at the crown.
My mother doesn't have hair loss. Her father was effectively bald by his 40s (recession and diffuse). Some of her sisters (aunts) have female hair loss (shave it girls!). Some of her brothers (uncles) have thinning hair by 60 but otherwise solid hair when younger.
Timeline:
Around 19-20 I started noticing temple recession.
Around the age of 21-22 I visited a dermatologist (female), was laughed at, and thoroughly embarrassed. I went to seek a second opinion with a male dermatologist and he didn't see an issue.
Around 23-24 I noticed more thinning on the left temple.
Around 27 I noticed thinning of my front forelock.
At age 29 I was under a lot stress and lost about 20lbs (190 to 170lbs) which caused a bad shed. My hair is apparently sensitive to weight loss.
Around July, at age 30, I lost about 20lbs (185 to 165lbs) again and came in contact with poison ivy. I was placed on prednisone and began shedding once treatment completed.
By August, I decided to try S5 cream. I experienced redness, severe itchiness and shedding. I am assuming an allergic reaction. Worst shed I have ever experienced.
By October I started finasteride. I experienced slight aching in my testicles, but subsided after two weeks.
By November my shedding literally stopped. I suppose everything capable of shedding had already fallen. I have never shed so little in my life and still don't today.
By March my hair began shedding at normal rate. Hair seemed thicker.
By October I see some slight thickening but overall no major changes.
Pictures and Comments:
I have included comparison pictures from Jun-2006 (age 22), Nov-2014 (30, 1-month finasteride), Mar-2015 (30, 5-month finasteride), and Oct-2015 (31, 1-year finasteride). All pictures are taken with a Canon 3.2-megapixel camera, flash on, at a distance of approx. 3-4 feet. Unfortunately, I don't have the same hair length which ruins the comparison.
The forelock has definitely thinned at the hairline, and I have lost a little on my left temple. Not sure about my right since it was already worse. Overall not drastic being I went from 22 to 30 without treatment.
It is possible last year I had Telogen Effluvium from the negative reaction, weight loss, etc. because my hair thinned out a lot. Otherwise my hair loss accelerated. Most has grown back since.
I also included pictures with my hair wet. It tends to want to part and looks very, very thin. This concerns me since my maternal grandfather had diffuse thinning. My father had thick hair until 50+. Even when dry my hair it is not thick at the front. My crown appears solid though.
Finally I included pictures holding my hair back and some close ups. The photo containing an arrow shows the spot that bothers me the most. It was never thick there, but wish I had started finasteride sooner to save more. Hopefully it doesn't look too bad when not in direct light.
I assuming I am around NW3.
It looks better in the pictures for some reason.
Being one year on finasteride, I am assuming that is as good as it gets. Hopefully something better will come in a few years. I have been waiting 10 years and want to move on.
