Male, 26, looking for advice re. shedding and apparent thinning

[Rakti1988]

Male, 26, looking for advice (PICS ADDED FOR SEVEN MONTH UPDATE)

Hi,

I'm hoping someone is able to offer me some advice regarding the current condition of my hair. I'm 27 next month and up until the last 4-6 weeks I have not given much thought to losing my hair. Particularly as there is no direct link to either my maternal or paternal family. My dad is approaching 60 and has a full head of hair, uncle and Papa both the same whilst my Grandfather on my mum's side also had a full head of hair up until his passing.

It was around six weeks ago I started noticing that when I was styling my hair, using hands and brush, that I was accumulating single strands of hair in my hands and the area around me. It has been continuous since then and I will shed anything between 20-40 single strands of hair whilst styling. I've also noticed hair on my brush, when drying it using a towel and I can ruffle my hair without being aggressing and several hairs will come loose. I'm not saying it's substantial but it is new to me.

I wasn't overly bothered by this until my girlfriend noticed that my hair looked thinner at the crown one day it was styled. The main area in question is to the left of the crown and looks to be about two inches in length and an inch and a half wide. This is where it gets confusion. For years I have (very stupidly, I know) trimmed hairs from around this area as they would never sit properly when I styled it. I went to speak to my barber about four weeks ago and she was adamant that it had been cut and proceeded to thin the are next to it in order to blend it in. She was sure it would grow back. I've unfortunately not retained any pictures from when I originally noticed it.

I got my hair cut last week but it was a different barber but she too was of the opinion that it was deliberate (for want of a better word) rather than male pattern baldness or natural thinning. Again, I'm not so sure.

I suppose it's a combination of the noticeable shedding of hair and this sudden bare patch at the back of my head which is concerning me. I have attached a variety of pictures and would be grateful if somebody with more knowledge than me could advise as to whether or not my hair is inkeeping with the male pattern baldness or another explanation.

Many thanks for taking the time to read.

 

[zzzzz]

looks like male pattern baldness, sounds like male pattern baldness. Inheritance for balding is complicated and just because there is no one in your family that you know of who has it doesn't mean you cant be balding. You should start finasteride 1mg or 1.25mg daily (cutting 5mg procar or fincar in fourths with pill cutter to save money). That should at least maintain your hair. If you add minoxidil 5% solution it might help with getting additional regrowth than from finasteride alone

 

[Rakti1988]

In terms of the Norwood Scale, what would it be?

 

[nizme]

i guess it is Norwood 1.5

 

[Rakti1988]

Thanks for replying. I had thought either that or Type III. Would really appreciate if anyone else could offer an opinion on this - I'm pretty much in the dark about all this.

 

[zzzzz]

u are not on the norwood scale you are a diffuse thinner heading towards norwood 6

 

[Rakti1988]

u are not on the norwood scale you are a diffuse thinner heading towards norwood 6

Not what I was wanting to hear considering how drastic it sounds. I guess that's a indication that it will be quite aggressive?

 

[I.D WALKER]

If that's the case then ZZ is correct saying that minoxidil. and finasteride. are to date our only effective treatment options. Together the two seem to work the best in terms of providing you with a more successful outcome. If you want to try and minimize the adverse sides fro finasteride. usage you may start it at a lower dose and increase the dosage by increments over time. Consistent treatment use along with much time and patience is required on your part. Please consult with a well qualified and respected physician, preferably one who is experienced in hair loss/M.P.B. All the best.

 

[zzzzz]

If that's the case then ZZ is correct saying that minoxidil. and finasteride. are to date our only effective treatment options. Together the two seem to work the best in terms of providing you with a more successful outcome. If you want to try and minimize the adverse sides fro finasteride. usage you may start it at a lower dose and increase the dosage by increments over time. Consistent treatment use along with much time and patience is required on your part. Please consult with a well qualified and respected physician, preferably one who is experienced in hair loss/M.P.B. All the best.

starting with a lower dosage wont make sides better everything over a fifth of a milligram daily has about the same serum DHT inhibition. No being a diffuse norwood 6 does not necessarily mean your hair loss is more aggressive it just means your going to look like doctor phil at some point if u don't start treatments

 

[GoldenMane]

Almost all diffuse thinners are heading for a Norwood 5 or 6, it's actually a good thing, it means that rather than receeding from teh front, your frontal hairline is actually fine, it's just thinning all over and finasteride/minoxidil are much better at restoring thinning hair than regrowing a receeding hairline.

 

[Rakti1988]

An update to this: I have an appointment at a hair clinic this weekend and I'll hopefully get confirmation there to allow me to start some sort of regime. There's an awful lot of hair beginning to grow - and I mean at the very beginning - all over my head, including the crown. Not sure what to make of this, will it be real growth or just a false dawn?

 

[zzzzz]

male pattern baldness doesn't get better it is false dawn

 

[JZA70]

Not what I was wanting to hear considering how drastic it sounds.

Its like being diagnosed with cancer, isn't it ? From this day forward, you know that life will never be the same.

 

[2bald2young]

Its like being diagnosed with cancer, isn't it ? From this day forward, you know that life will never be the same.

You forget one thing: if you are diagnosed with cancer you know you will die and just life a couple of years and after that life is over. Not to mention to everyone is showing sympathy for you and are giving you support.


When you are bald, you will have to deal with it the rest of your life 50+ years, everyone ignores your problem and won't show sympathy or support, you will fall very very hard off the social ladder(at least that is what happened to me).

 

[zzzzz]

You forget one thing: if you are diagnosed with cancer you know you will die and just life a couple of years and after that life is over. Not to mention to everyone is showing sympathy for you and are giving you support.


When you are bald, you will have to deal with it the rest of your life 50+ years, everyone ignores your problem and won't show sympathy or support, you will fall very very hard off the social ladder(at least that is what happened to me).

today only half of people diagnosed with cancer will die if not a minority of people. I had cancer at age 12 and it is like nothing ever happened. Mostly old people will die from cancer, younger people have a better chance. This is in terms of cancer in general

 

[Rakti1988]

Another update to this...

I have been taking 0.5g of Propecia everyday for nine weeks, now. I'm still shedding, and I'm positive it's a greater amount than before which I expected. My hair is continuing to lose density because of this whilst my crown is becoming thinner, which is generally the case all over. I'm not expecting any quick fix but is there any estimation at when I should (realistically) expect the shedding to stop? I understand I'm unlikely to get a great deal of regrowth simply taking propecia but I do hope I'm able to maintain what I have.

Thanks

 

[zzzzz]

Another update to this...

I have been taking 0.5g of Propecia everyday for nine weeks, now. I'm still shedding, and I'm positive it's a greater amount than before which I expected. My hair is continuing to lose density because of this whilst my crown is becoming thinner, which is generally the case all over. I'm not expecting any quick fix but is there any estimation at when I should (realistically) expect the shedding to stop? I understand I'm unlikely to get a great deal of regrowth simply taking propecia but I do hope I'm able to maintain what I have.

Thanks

either any day now or within 2-3 months

 

[Rakti1988]

either any day now or within 2-3 months

I'm guessing if it is going to stop it's going to be at the uppder end of those three months. Now 16 weeks on finasteride and still shedding. Hairline has taken a bit of a pounding and had thinned considerably and has also receded. Hair is thinner all over but it's more noticeable at the crown - as it was when I orginally noticed the hair loss.

I'm planning on going at least a year on finasteride before doing anything else and although there's few (none) positives thus far, I'm aware that I need to peservere and hope the loss eventually subsides.

 

[Rakti1988]

7 month update

I will have been taken 0.5mg of Propecia everyday since July using 2% nizoral for roughly the same amount of time. I have seen no let up on the shedding/hair I was losing before starting the treatment and I feel my hair is thinner all over. The left of my crown remains the most affected but there has been noticeable receding in the temple area, and hairline. I've attached some photos taken tonight after washing with nizoral.

I was planning on staying on this treatment for at least a year before doing anything else but wondering if I should try something else just now? In terms of sides, there's been nothing major. Maybe slight low mood but nothing else.

 

[TD500]

You could switch to dutasteride since you got no sides. Or just wait out till you hit the 12 month mark you could experience some stabalization/regrowth inbetween then.