So this subforum has scared me straight out of getting treatment.

[lalala88]

Hey guys. First thread here.
I've started losing hair at age 17-18, but VERY slowly. I still have tons of hair, but my temples obviously receded. Thankfully I still have long hair and it gets covered. But I'd like to not be worried about my hair all the time (it's really messing my life up), so I decided to start researching about treatment. I have a cousin who has had excelent success with finasteride, so I was leaning towards it. I have gone to a dermatologist several times when I was 18-20 and she almost kicked me out of the room saying it was all in my head. But now the recesion is over. I'm having a hard time styling my hair, when some years ago I just showered and my hair "fell" into place and needed no combing.

But, after reading this thread: http://www.hairlosstalk.com/interact/showthread.php/38556-Shedding-timeline! I'm scared ****less about shedding.
Is it aesthetically noticeable when you have it? I still have a lot of hair, and I wouldnt like my balding to progress faster to the point its noticeable because I've started to take finasteride. Would you recommend to let things get worse until they are noticeable to start treatment and worry about it just then? I don't know what to do. My hair (or lack of it) is starting to control my life. I cant go to places without looking myself everywhere to see how I look. I don't like to go outside because of the wind. I know it's a bit extreme, but I'm sure you can relate.

Is shedding even that common when taking finasteride? I don't remember my cousin telling me about it.

Thanks for reading.

 

[I.D WALKER]

Yes, typically shedding is a common response to finasteride use. Should you get on finasteride. to potentially reduce/prevent further M.P.B. progression? May be. Will you further progress if you don't take any action? Absolutely. Will you experience unwanted sides? Maybe. Are there users that respond well to finasteride? Absolutely. Will you respond well to finasteride. with little or no unwanted sides? Possibly. Summary: If your M.P.B. induced hair loss worries you then preferably under a good and supportive doctor's supervision you can trial the finasteride. option treatment for at least one year or 2. If you experience adverse sides you can not/ will not live with, then you should stop finasteride. usage or at least reduce dosage. Any cosmetic gains made(ie; hair loss halt, marginal or dramatic gains) will eventually be forfeited and M.P.B. progression will resume. Strictly on a single treatment plan like finasteride. there sadly really is no compromise. All the best .

 

[Vlatch]

Hair loss treatments basically stimulate hair in telogen phase (resting phase) into entering anagen phase (growth phase) faster.

People usually have 10-15% of their hair in telogen phase, let's say 25% if you have severe hair loss. Telogen phase lasts 3-4 months.

In the vast majority of cases, people don't lose more hair than that during a shedding, it would have fallen anyway and it's usually not noticeable.

I've started treatment two and a half months ago and I'm still losing a lot of hair, but it's not noticeable.

Start treatment now, good luck !

 

[zzzzz]

your being completely illogical. If you don't start treatment your hair will get worse. If you do it will get better or stay the same most likely. It will never be worse than it would if you never started treatment if you do. (long term) So why wouldn't you start treatment if you are scared of losing some hair again? Completely stupid

Many shed on treatments, I shed a ****load of hair in the first 2 months on treatment to the point where my hair was noticeably worse. I've never seen any numbers on those who shed vs. those who don't but its probably around 50-50 or slightly more who shed.

 

[lalala88]

No, I meant. I know Im going to get on treatment sooner or later. Im asking if, since the treatment will most likely worsen my hairloss to where it becomes noticeable I'm balding (at first, at least, but there are also several sheddings according to what I've read), would it be better if I just let my hair loss go on untreated, since its so slow, and to get noticeable on its own before getting treatment? I think we are all trying to hang on the hair we have/get as long as we can until someone finds a cure for this, right?
So if my hairloss isnt noticeable right now, wouldn't it be logical to pospone treatment until it is noticeable?

I'm just asking for opinions here. I don't know if treatments work less when the hairloss is more advanced and it's better to catch it early, or they have a roof they reach no matter what in each person. I hope I'm being clear.

 

[Vlatch]

No, I meant. I know Im going to get on treatment sooner or later. Im asking if, since the treatment will most likely worsen my hairloss to where it becomes noticeable I'm balding (at first, at least, but there are also several sheddings according to what I've read), would it be better if I just let my hair loss go on untreated, since its so slow, and to get noticeable on its own before getting treatment? I think we are all trying to hang on the hair we have/get as long as we can until someone finds a cure for this, right?
So if my hairloss isnt noticeable right now, wouldn't it be logical to pospone treatment until it is noticeable?

I'm just asking for opinions here. I don't know if treatments work less when the hairloss is more advanced and it's better to catch it early, or they have a roof they reach no matter what in each person. I hope I'm being clear.

Of course it's better to catch it early, finasteride is meant for maintaining, not really for regrowth.

Basically, if you start treatment now, you'll keep the hair you have now.
If you start treatment in five years, you'll keep the hair you'll have in five years, and you may be NW6 in five years without treatment I don't know.

Regrowth is always possible but you shouldn't rely on it too much.

 

[I.D WALKER]

Treatment is better sooner than later. Proceed with consistent usage and don't look back. You will only delay the inevitable if you wait. All the best.

 

[lalala88]

Of course it's better to catch it early, finasteride is meant for maintaining, not really for regrowth.

Basically, if you start treatment now, you'll keep the hair you have now.
If you start treatment in five years, you'll keep the hair you'll have in five years, and you may be NW6 in five years without treatment I don't know.

Regrowth is always possible but you shouldn't rely on it too much.

Interesting. I thought finasteride would regrow too? Maybe I thought that just because I've been reading the success forum too much.
Do most people just maintain and dont regrow anything with finasteride?

 

[I.D WALKER]

If your hair status is as decent as you stated, then maintenance is presently all you are up against. So therefore naturally if you respond well that's a huge win. Many users have maintained and many have additional regrowth. It's probably 50% (+/-) of all responders. I am guestimating at the moment. I'll look into attaining confirmation maybe a little later for verification.

 

[zzzzz]

only half get regrowth after two years. 40% of the remaining 50 only maintain

 

[Vlatch]

only half get regrowth after two years. 40% of the remaining 50 only maintain

Yes, and OP, keep in mind that it's -some- regrowth, never full regrowth (unless balding started less than a couple of years before treatment).

Basically if you get some regrowth, it's going to be the last hair you lost, because follicles that have been miniaturized for too long almost never grow hair again with nowadays' treatments.

 

[lalala88]

I would be happy if my hairline was stronger and my hair didnt feel so much. I still have lots of little hairs in my hair line that look weak, but you can still see them.

 

[Notcoolanymore]

[h=2]So this subforum has scared me straight out of getting treatment.[/h]
Then mission accomplished. That's what these forums are for.

 

[lalala88]

Yes. Sometimes I think investigating too much is bad. I remember I started to think about going bald not because I showed signs of baldness but because I randomly stumbled on a forum and started reading.
Actually going bald came later, haha.

 

[AntiAndrogen]

Hey guys. First thread here.
I've started losing hair at age 17-18, but VERY slowly. I still have tons of hair, but my temples obviously receded. Thankfully I still have long hair and it gets covered. But I'd like to not be worried about my hair all the time (it's really messing my life up), so I decided to start researching about treatment. I have a cousin who has had excelent success with finasteride, so I was leaning towards it. I have gone to a dermatologist several times when I was 18-20 and she almost kicked me out of the room saying it was all in my head. But now the recesion is over. I'm having a hard time styling my hair, when some years ago I just showered and my hair "fell" into place and needed no combing.

But, after reading this thread: http://www.hairlosstalk.com/interact/showthread.php/38556-Shedding-timeline! I'm scared ****less about shedding.
Is it aesthetically noticeable when you have it? I still have a lot of hair, and I wouldnt like my balding to progress faster to the point its noticeable because I've started to take finasteride. Would you recommend to let things get worse until they are noticeable to start treatment and worry about it just then? I don't know what to do. My hair (or lack of it) is starting to control my life. I cant go to places without looking myself everywhere to see how I look. I don't like to go outside because of the wind. I know it's a bit extreme, but I'm sure you can relate.

Is shedding even that common when taking finasteride? I don't remember my cousin telling me about it.

Thanks for reading.

Get yourself some dermmatch, it is the greatest thing ever. Waterproof (until shampoo'd), windproof, touchproof, gives your hair volume but doesn't stick it together like a gel or whatever, quick and easy to apply once you've done it a few times, it is fantastic. You don't even have to apply it every day. It's not like the other concealers where you're shaking fibres onto your head, it's more like make-up if anything. I have long hair which has thinned a decent bit but with dermmatch in it and a blast with a hairdryer you'd never tell. I can't reccommend it enough and wish I had discovered it sooner.

 

[Wolfy]

Get yourself some dermmatch, it is the greatest thing ever. Waterproof (until shampoo'd), windproof, touchproof,

Sorry but it's not "touchproof". It comes off easily if you scratch your head and stains your nails. Otherwise it works great.