Unusual Story(I think), Diagnosis, and Solution Help

[iron_john]

So after lurking this forum for awhile I finally decided to register. I'm iron_john and this is my story. It's kind of odd I think, most hairloss stories I hear usually involve someone in their 20s, 30s, 40s and so on but my hair loss started around elementary school(looking back at pictures I can see some receding). It's obviously not aggressive, but just sneaky and consistent. I think it might have been my popcorn, soda, and ice cream diet, that's fixed now though. My dad's bald, both of my grandfathers were bald, uncles, etc. I'm going to be 20 in 2 months and my hairline isn't too receded, meaning you can't tell if I just let my hair grow and cover it up, but I know my hair is slowly but surely fading away. I've finally decided to do something about it by asking people who are familiar with this topic and who've applied no-bs products and have gotten results. I have done a bit of my own research though and it seems propecia and rogaine or other finasteride. & dutasteride. products are the norm. I went to a dermatologist and he recommended those as well, but I've heard a lot of horror story about propecia and rogaine is not only hit or miss but from what I understand only helps keep what you already have and goes on cycles of shedding, regrowing without any real progress for the hairline. I'm mostly interested in regaining some hair but I guess if that can't be done at least keeping what I have. It annoys me that I can't style my hair line David Beckham because I'm self conscious about my receding hairline. So I guess what I really want to do is develop a regimen to help grow some lost hair and/or keep what I got. Don't want to spend too much money maybe around $2-400 a year. I've been searching for some hairstyles too but I don't

As you can see from the pics, my right side is noticeably worse than my left. You'd think hairloss would at least have the decency to take away your hair evenly lol. I appreciate any help which takes me forward, thanks in advance.

Edit - Sorry the pictures aren't straight, I don't know how to fix them.

 

[Agustin Araujo]

Hey iron_john, welcome.

If you want to keep your hair from getting worse, you'll need to get on Dutasteride or Finasteride. For regrowth, you'll need to get on Minoxidil. Don't let the horror stories from the medications scare you away from at least trying them. If you do get side effects, you can just quit and they'll go away. There's no scientific evidence that they can cause persistent side effects.

 

[zzzzz]

Your hairline could not have receeded in elementary school, that is just dumb. It's called a widows peak. male pattern baldness can't begin until after puberty

I would use finasteride only. You can start minoxidil along with it but imo its a waste of time and money for you because I don't think you have any reasonable potential for regrowth and you would have to apply that **** every day for the rest of your life for maybe an extra couple millimeters of hairline at best. You are maintaining with treatment only, nothing is going to regrow those temples other than a hair transplant so you just have to live with it. Your hairline is very good anyway I don't see why you care so much about regrowth. It won't cost 400 dollars a year, probably more like 30$ for generic finasteride. The sides aren't that bad and temporary so try it.

not unusual, totally normal onset of male pattern baldness at a totally normal age with a normal solution

 

[Bad]

Dont you have pictures with a better angle? I cant tell nothing from these..

 

[iron_john]

Your hairline could not have receeded in elementary school, that is just dumb. It's called a widows peak. male pattern baldness can't begin until after puberty

I would use finasteride only. You can start minoxidil along with it but imo its a waste of time and money for you because I don't think you have any reasonable potential for regrowth and you would have to apply that **** every day for the rest of your life for maybe an extra couple millimeters of hairline at best. You are maintaining with treatment only, nothing is going to regrow those temples other than a hair transplant so you just have to live with it. Your hairline is very good anyway I don't see why you care so much about regrowth. It won't cost 400 dollars a year, probably more like 30$ for generic finasteride. The sides aren't that bad and temporary so try it.

not unusual, totally normal onset of male pattern baldness at a totally normal age with a normal solution

LOL I appreciate the no-bs response and you're probably right. About my hairloss starting at elementary, take a look at the picture below that's me in the 5th grade. If you look closely you can kind of see some loss on the sides. Very subtle, but noticeable. But that's not important, what is important is what specific product I should buy to at least keep the hair I got for a couple of decades or so. I was looking at this, seems to have good feedback, and cheaper than Rogaine.
http://www.amazon.com/Kirkland-Mino...F8&qid=1417581860&sr=8-2&keywords=finasteride

 

[zzzzz]

I already said, don't waste your time and money with minoxidil. Use finasteride only. That site doesn't sell finasteride. And that pic is just the way your hair is laying/widows peak

 

[iron_john]

I already said, don't waste your time and money with minoxidil. Use finasteride only. That site doesn't sell finasteride. And that pic is just the way your hair is laying/widows peak

Apologies, I typed finasteride. on Amazon and that came up i'm a newb etc. I went to alldaychemist and i'm seein finpecia and fincar, which do you recommend for my condition?

 

[Agustin Araujo]

Apologies, I typed finasteride. on Amazon and that came up i'm a newb etc. I went to alldaychemist and i'm seein finpecia and fincar, which do you recommend for my condition?

Get Fincar if you want to save money. You can cut the pills into fourths and take 1.25 mg of Finasteride daily, that's what most men do when they buy 5 mg tablets of the medication.

Just make sure your doctor knows that you plan on taking this medication. I'd be concerned if they don't know.

 

[zzzzz]

Apologies, I typed finasteride. on Amazon and that came up i'm a newb etc. I went to alldaychemist and i'm seein finpecia and fincar, which do you recommend for my condition?

they are the same but I think one is 5mg and one is 1mg. If you want to get the 5mg it's cheaper per millgram, but you should buy a pillcutter with it and cut it into quarters and take 1.25mg daily

and to two posts above, yeah you have to take finasteride, but it isn't as expensive as min or nearly as hard to apply

 

[zzzzz]

Why is that a valid reason to not use it at all? "You shouldn't get a gym membership since it's cheaper and easier to eat less." Most are paying more for finasteride anyway. Minoxidil can be purchased for $50/year.

its a valid reason because I don't see much benefits to him using it. For a diffuse thinner on the other hand I would definitely recommend it

 

[zzzzz]

Fair enough. How are you getting finasteride for under $50? I've seen someone say $30/year somewhere around here but I always assumed that was outside the US. The cheapest I can find @ an online pharmacy is like $180 for generic proscar, and legit pharmacies seem to be about the same or more.

http://www.goodrx.com/proscar#/?fil...tablet&strength=5mg&quantity=90.0&qty-custom=

fincar on alldaychemist is $13 dollars for 90 tabs - 120 days worth for 13$