Thatwouldbenice's Story

[Thatwouldbenice]

HI. First off all I realize that I am lucky to still have the amount of hair that I do at 32, so I do not want to come off like a jack *** to those who are younger and have less. That being said I am a Leukemia survivor, had leukemia at 20, lost all off my hair. It grew back super thick, darker and wavy when it had always been stick straight. After about a year it went back to being straight. I started noticing some hairloss at around 24 or 25, nothing major though. At 27 I started noticing that my hairline was receding fairly quickly, handfulls of hair in the shower. This was during a time when I had been diagnosed as having chronic prostatitis. For a period of around two years they kept a check on it and my prostate was indeed chonically infalmed for no reason that they could find. My hairloss has continued over the last 4 years and it is to a point now where I realize it really is on the way out. No longer just the hairline but the whole top seems to be thining in an uneven manner. I am surrounded by my wife and parents telling me that I am crazy and that I am not loosing my hair. I eat well, work out regularly and do not smoke or drink. I would like to weigh the side effects against keeping my hair. Please educate me.
Thanks

 

[TheGrayMan2001]

From the pictures you posted your hairline looks OK and still thick. Are you sure it's thinning on top or is it just that your hairline has changed? Are you 'miniaturizing' on the edges of your hairline? Are the hairs getting shorter and thinner as opposed to normal sized and thick in the past?

 

[deadlocks]

I think you could maintain everything you have with Propecia / Finasteride alone. But wow, what a story. Good luck with everything. Luckily you found about your 'hairloss' quick enough, so that's the least of your troubles now.

 

[Thatwouldbenice]

From the pictures you posted your hairline looks OK and still thick. Are you sure it's thinning on top or is it just that your hairline has changed? Are you 'miniaturizing' on the edges of your hairline? Are the hairs getting shorter and thinner as opposed to normal sized and thick in the past?

Hi. Thanks for the response. It has been only my hairline for a while but now seems to be the top as well. The hairs that are coming out are extremely fine with a root that is hardly noticable.

 

[Tom1985]

You don't need to use hair loss treatments.

Especially finasteride.

 

[Thatwouldbenice]

You don't need to use hair loss treatments.

Especially finasteride.

Heres the thing. After loosing my hair when I had Leukemia, I have a phobia of again being bald. Maby I associate it with poor health, dont know, but it freaks me out. Also, I have big ears. : )

 

[Tom1985]

Being scared of going bald is perfectly normal but you seem to have a full head of hair!

However, if you do decide to start taking propecia DEFINITELY talk to your doctor first and maybe get some tests done.

It's a very powerful drug that will alter your body chemistry and given the fact you were ill for quite some time, you shouldn't rush into taking treatments

 

[Michael84]

I think multivitamins with biotin and some general hair care will be the best choice at the moment. Do not start meds right now.

 

[whats up im joe]

mature hairline, you're not going bald.
go enjoy life.

 

[BodyDysmorphic]

no signs of thinning in those pics provided

you hair looks super thick, but the lighting is dark so that could add to the thickness

try taking some pics in daylight for a better diagnosis

maybe a mature hairline
but thats normal at age 32

 

[Thatwouldbenice]

Ok. I know I am obsessing but who on this board dose not. So here is a current picture and I swear I think there has been noticeable thinning over the last couple of months. My wife is telling my that it is just my part or whatever but I do not remember it ever being that pronounced.

 

[Thatwouldbenice]

So my hair is still thinning out and since posting this thread I have started to have noticeable miniaturization around my temples and hairline.
It would not be so bad if it were receding symmetrically but it is not. The right side is going back a lot faster than the left and the temple is receded deeper.
I am still intent on attempting to stem the hair loss so I would like to know if starting on Rogaine will be a step in the right direction or a waste of time.
Should I just get on Finesteride or start the big 3 all at one time? I now have noticeable miniaturized hairs all over my head. Were ever I part my hair there are numerous fine, colorless hairs that are unmanageable. This was not the case 3 months ago. I am going through a divorce and although it may seem vain I would love to still have a nice head of hair when that is over. I am concerned about side effects. I would hate it if I acquired any of the sexual sides that I hear people talk about. It sounds like a small risk factor though and I usually respond well to meds. My main two concerns are ED and the possibility that a treatment could actually make my hair loss worse, permanently. Any suggestions other than do nothing would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[TheLastHairbender]

go enjoy life.

THIS.

I'm very glad you beat leukemia, you have a ton to be thankful for. Your hair is great too! If you're thinking about miniaturization and getting on meds, definitely go see your doctor first. You know that finasteride works on the endocrine system which is intimately related to the health of the prostate, so there may be some interactions with your condition you should be aware of.

Your case is one where I would not take the good people of this board's advice exclusively...go see a doctor and get a referral to a dermatologist since your hairloss is very early and light. I wouldn't settle for a G.P. taking a quick look and calling it male pattern baldness either. You're an exceptional case so I'm sorry to say I recommend taking the long, hard route of seeing both a GP and dermatologist. Only they can tell you whether finasteride is right for you. (It may very well be the case that a different type of anti-androgen is better suited to your health conditions, one like Fluridil or Spironolactone that doesn't regulate DHT levels as much as finasteride.) You have prostatitis and I wouldn't take some casual commentator's word for how to proceed, as I'm sure not many people here have experience diagnosing and treating prostatitis, even if they have heard that finasteride "shrinks the prostate"...that is not a clinical evaluation and treatment plan, it's reckless and dangerous jaw-flapping. Ask your doctor and only your doctor what you should do.

Aren't you already on finasteride or dutasteride for the prostate condition? If not, what are you taking for that?

 

[Thatwouldbenice]

Thank you for the feedback. I will be visiting my general practitioner first and then a dermatologist if necessary. I can tell you that all of the men on both sides of my family go bald. I have actually held out longer than most of of my relatives do. I have decided that I will try to keep my hair as long as possible.
I am not exaggerating when I say that I used to have hair like George Cluney did in his youth, now my hair is more like Charlie sheens of recent years. I had insanely thick dense hair and a lot of it. Even with a buzz cut you could barley see my scalp. My hair has actually been thinning for years now. At least 5 or 6 but I did not really notice it increasing in speed until this last year. I also only noticed it around the edges and the crown until last year when it started to be my whole head. The sides and back are also thinning out considerably. I have tiny, miniaturized, clear hairs every where on my head now. My scalp also itches constantly even though I have no dandruff and my scalp appears to be healthy. Dose male pattern baldness cause your scalp to itch like this? Often times, when I scratch my head, I have little oil balls under my nails, the kind you squeeze out of the pores of you nose. Does male pattern baldness cause your scalp to itch constant Does it sound like I may have an excessively oily scalp? Thanks again guys.
I will be starting a thorough post about my treatment as I get it underway. The only thing that worries me about this site is that I have noticed that some people post for a year or two about the amazing results they are having and then they disappear permanently. Kinda makes me wonder if all of their hair fell out suddenly after two years and they gave up on the whole damn thing and vowed never to return to this site again. :dunno:

 

[BodyDysmorphic]

i believe and have researched that the "itches" have to do with inflammation of the hair follicles.

probably mostly due to DHT and your hair follicles sensitivity to DHT.

keep well

 

[Thatwouldbenice]

Day 1.

 

[ivangennaro]

No loss, move on pal.

 

[JohnDoe1989]

Use nizoral 2% 2-3 a week for itching! maybe it's not from dht. i can't imagine what you are talking about becouse all i see is good healthy hair!

 

[Thatwouldbenice]

I just wanted to update this as it has been a while. I took Propecia for about a year, but ultimately quit due to pain and swelling under my left nipple. I am about about 9 months off of Propecia and my hair has returned to the pre Propecia state. And yes, now I am getting the miniaturized hairline, especially at the forelock. I think I am a good responder and I am considering getting back on it.

So I think I can confirm that if you stop taking finasteride you really will loose what you retained while on it. In my case it appears to be my forelock.

 

[Thatwouldbenice]

Well guys, do you still think I am imagining things? Or does it appear that I have started to experience diffuse thinning since I started this thread?