1 year 6 months

[circusrat]

Thought I'd come back to post an update. 24 years old... first noticed temple loss beginning about 2 years ago.

Have been hitting my head with the big 3 religiously for 1 year 6 months. The only skimping has been a once daily application of minoxidil instead of twice, since I don't want that crap gumming up my hair going into work.

What I've learned: the hair loss products work as advertised... though only as advertised. First the good news: I've been keeping a close eye on the typical balding spot and have not had any noticeable loss. That means, from the back, I have a full head of non thinning hair. I have no idea if I would have started thinning back there if I hadn't started treatment, but... there you go.

Bad news: the front just continued to slide back. It's been pretty consistent temple loss since I started treatment. It also shows no sign of stopping at a 'mature hairline'. started at a 1.5.. now 2, going full speed to 3. The minoxidil has done nothing but grow small white vellus hair all over, the fincar hasn't seemed to even slow it down either. My hair started at a point that only I would notice the loss. Now it is pretty safe to say most people would say I have a receeding hairline.

End result: Genetics > treatment. I think I represent pretty typical early 20's hairloss, I also was consistent with treatment application.

The good news for you guys that are 20 - 22 and are in a smilar position that I was is that it DOES get somewhat easier to deal with it as you get older. It does bother me every time I look in the mirror, I won't lie to you... but if you go to a bar with people in their mid 20's you'll see that everyone else is in the same situation. When your friends are all 18-20 you see the signs of balding and think it's the end of the world. Well by the time other people start to notice it, they've all started balding as well.

Good luck.

 

[DownTheDrain]

The good news for you guys that are 20 - 22 and are in a smilar position that I was is that it DOES get somewhat easier to deal with it as you get older. It does bother me every time I look in the mirror, I won't lie to you... but if you go to a bar with people in their mid 20's you'll see that everyone else is in the same situation.

I hope you are right dude! I hope you are right... I hope that no one sees that I am balding!

I guess acceptance is the key to overcome the whole hair loss situation.

 

[jeffsss]

The good news for you guys that are 20 - 22 and are in a smilar position that I was is that it DOES get somewhat easier to deal with it as you get older. It does bother me every time I look in the mirror, I won't lie to you... but if you go to a bar with people in their mid 20's you'll see that everyone else is in the same situation. When your friends are all 18-20 you see the signs of balding and think it's the end of the world. Well by the time other people start to notice it, they've all started balding as well.

Good luck.

very true.

I think my biggest problem was that I manage a bunch of 18-22 guys at my work.. being 8+ years older than some of them i should realize that i wont have as much..

then i look at other managers my age.. they're thinning up too!?

 

[Solo]

You´re right, circusrat. As I get older I notice more and more of my friends and relatives getting thinner hair.

I can say that vast majority of people in my age (25) is receeding. Some of them dramatically. Yesterday I was with a guy that used to go to school with me. He is now NW7. By the way he wasn´t bothered at all, he was as cocky as before. We made some good laughs. He also has black, nasty, teeth as a result of an illnes, but he seems to enjoy life. Why not?

I´m one of the very few who retains his teenager hairline, ironically. I´ve started from the end, the crown :cry: .

I think that if you are on treatments, even if you are a bit worse, you have points added to retain what you have. I haven´t seen a single pic of someone who is worse after 1 year on finasteride. Many stories, but not a single pic, and I´ve been here for a year.

 

[Z]

You could try dutasteride if you feel up to it and I would suggest using 5% spironolactone cream on your hairline to try and halt and maybe recover some receded hair.

 

[techprof]

solo. very well said.
I have been browsing various forums for two years.
I can safely say that I haven't heard or read of a single poster starting at NW2 or less advancing to NW3 or more after using finasteride and/or big 3.

I wish I had started when I was a NW2.

 

[stax]

circusrat, I think "Z" has some great advice if you really want to grow back some hair at the hairline and prevent future loss. IMO Propecia is too weak and Dutasteride will give you the extra kick along with %5 spironolactone to block androgens from the scalp. I've also read good things About a topical named Ell Crannell Alpha (17a Estradiol) which topically converts scalp testosterone to estrogen and also has mild dht inhibiting effects. I think scalp testosterone also plays a role in hairloss and Dutasteride increases scalp testosterone more than Finesteride. So if you really want results i would do some research and consider Dutasteride, Ell Crannell Alpha in the AM, and %5 spironolactone before bed. Also there is quick drying Minoxidil at http://www.minoxidil.com and the product is called Xandrox 5 and you can also get a version with Retin-A. Retin-A may irritate your scalp but it is also supposed to have regrowth properties in its own so it might be worth a shot. These Minoxidils are perfect for the AM before you go to work because they dry in like 5 minutes and leave no residue on your scalp. But if you go for the version with Retin-A that has to be applied at night because Retin-A will make your scalp more sensative to sun damage. For the PM Minoxidil there is also Xandrox 15 which is %15 Minoxidil, Remox 3 Lotion which is 15% Minoxidil with Retin-A, or Spectral DNC which is equivalent to %10 Minoxidil and it contains many other agents that could be benificial for hairloss. Minoxidil is most benificial if used in the AM and PM if you want to stimulate new regrowth and thickening. So i would do some research on those and make a decision if your hair is important to you. Ive just switched up my regimen as The big 3 and Proxiphen was pretty much maintaining with some vellus hairs at the hairline, but i didnt get the thickening i wanted.

 

[circusrat]

You´re right, circusrat. As I get older I notice more and more of my friends and relatives getting thinner hair.

I can say that vast majority of people in my age (25) is receeding. Some of them dramatically. Yesterday I was with a guy that used to go to school with me. He is now NW7. By the way he wasn´t bothered at all, he was as cocky as before. We made some good laughs. He also has black, nasty, teeth as a result of an illnes, but he seems to enjoy life. Why not?

I´m one of the very few who retains his teenager hairline, ironically. I´ve started from the end, the crown :cry: .

I think that if you are on treatments, even if you are a bit worse, you have points added to retain what you have. I haven´t seen a single pic of someone who is worse after 1 year on finasteride. Many stories, but not a single pic, and I´ve been here for a year.

Well, like I said, I have lost hair and continue to do so, on 1.25 g of finasteride a day. Granted, I haven't lost any hair where the drug is advertised to work, on the back. It is my firm belief that balding works somewhat differently in the front than the back, and finasteride just sadly doesn't do much if anything for this type of balding.

 

[Solo]

I maintain what I´ve said. I´ve heard a lot of people claiming they are going downhill after starting finasteride. Not a single pic.


But I agree with you that finasteride has lower effectiveness in frontal/temporal area than top/crown. I think that´s because, somehow, temple/frontal hair switches from thick to almost invisible vellous hair very quickly and top/crown hair miniaturizes slowlier and gradually. So when people see recession at the temples noticeable it´s already too late for anything to regrow it, because finasteride regrows hair, but to a limited amount and for a limited period of time.

Still, I think that finasteride halts further hair loss. It´s logical if you understand the mechanics, and it seems to be confirmed in real practice. I´ll can discuss this longer, if you find some pics in any forum of some guy on finasteride for a year whose hair loss continued after it. I repeat: I haven´t seen no one.