Hi there, I am a 16 year old male and as of recently (last few weeks) i noticed my my top middle section of hair was thinning drastically and the sides were receeding, giving me the typical 'M' shape. This came as a huge shock to me as I always have had my hair long and could not picture myself without long hair/hair at all. I knew I would be affected by male pattern baldness at one point, Both sides of my family carry the gene, Both grandfathers were bald and my father also is. However they all started losing their hair in their late 20s, Thats why it has come to a shock to me at this age why i suddenly have such aggressive hair thinning/loss. It also worries me because at this age I wont be able to be prescribed finasteride and will have to stick with over the counter treatments. According to alot of other members on other hairloss forums, I could be very visibly bald by age 18...That would crush me. I have attached photos showing the area of loss on my head.
16 And Going Bald Already?, Please Help..
- Thread starter jsmith123
- Start date
You are definelty a diffuse thinner. My hair looks very, very similar to yours. Since you're only 16 maybe try some natural remedies first. If you don't take care of yourself start working out and start eating healthy. Cut out junk food, sat fats, etc. Did you just go through a stressful situation recently?
Does it definitely look like male pattern baldness setting in very early and aggressively or could it be something else?. I am seeing a doctor in a few days time about it, however i do not know if i would be able to be prescriped finasteride due to my age. Nor do i know if i want to take a risk using it with all the worries about the 'decreased sex drive' as i definitely can not have that happening around this age, even if that issue shows up in a few years time..Should i use nizorol and minoxidil or must i get take a risk and get finasteride?..
I'm guessing its male pattern baldness. I asked if you've been stressed recently to see if it's been brought on by an extremely stressful situation. The finasteride is up to you and it depends....if you care more about your hair than your normal and natural body development you should go on finasteride, if you want to wait a few years you can do that as well. All in all it is up to you and how you want to handle the situation , it is your body after all. And by the way, there's like a .001% chance you'll get sides from propecia so I wouldn't include that in your decision. If you choose to wait it out, I would use nizoral and minoxidil, and maybe add a dht blocker to the minoxidil.
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- 594
Frowny face is right. It's up to you to decide what matters more, you're physiological development, or your hair. If I was you, I'd load up on topical androgen receptor blockers, topical spironolactone, nizoral, topical finasteride if you can find/make it and then when you're 18 or 19 jump on finasteride straight away.
It's really not fair in any way that this should happen to somebody so young, you don't deserve this, but you've got to fight this aggressively, because you have an early and aggressive case
It's really not fair in any way that this should happen to somebody so young, you don't deserve this, but you've got to fight this aggressively, because you have an early and aggressive case
I sometimes really ask my self why god(mother nature or someone else) let this happen...
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It's much higher than that frowny face. In a study of 3200+ Japanese men, the side effects rate was something like 0.7%. In a US study by Merck I think the side effects rate was something like 4%, though I'm not sure what their sample size was. No way is it as low as 0.001%, but you would still have to be unlucky to be in the minority who do get side effects, and even then side effects do include minor stuff like temporary reduction in libido and water semen as well as the more serious stuff like gynecomastia and ED. If I was a betting man, I'd say there are very good odds of you bet on propecia, and that even if you lose, you can quit and side effects will subside.
And finasteride doesn't have a 5% chance of causing regrowth, more like 60%
http://www.thewestminsterpractice.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/propecia-v-placebo.gif
And finasteride doesn't have a 5% chance of causing regrowth, more like 60%
http://www.thewestminsterpractice.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/propecia-v-placebo.gif
Im so worried guys..My hair is my favourite feature about myself and if i was too lose it I would be devastated, especially at this age..If it was to keep going at the rate it looks like it is now, would i be halfway bald in 2 years?...I don't want to go all depression mode but I am having terrible thoughts.
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If it was me, I think I would risk my physical development and take finasteride. Bear in mind I was pretty much physically fully developed at that age in terms of height and muscle mass. I would basically explain how important it is to a doctor, and do everything in my power to obtain finasteride, because my hair is that important to me that I would be willing to risk my physical development.
But that's not a risk most people would take, and it is a big risk... The consequences are a complete unknown at that age...
Good luck man, I really sincerely wish you the best, I hope you can beat this thing, don't give up, weigh up your options carefully, consider your level of development/maturation and how much you value your hair. When you go to your GP, show him that you're totally informed and know your stuff!
The safest options are topical spironolactone for preventing the cause of hairloss (no as effective as finasteride) and minoxidil for regrowth. Hopefully those two will work for you Nizoral is a mild AR blocker. As soon as you turn 18 you need to get on finasteride though.
Oh, and be aware that GPs and dermatologists may not actually know much about hair loss or treatments, most aren't particularly interested so may not be able to help you. You may have to inform them...
But that's not a risk most people would take, and it is a big risk... The consequences are a complete unknown at that age...
Good luck man, I really sincerely wish you the best, I hope you can beat this thing, don't give up, weigh up your options carefully, consider your level of development/maturation and how much you value your hair. When you go to your GP, show him that you're totally informed and know your stuff!
The safest options are topical spironolactone for preventing the cause of hairloss (no as effective as finasteride) and minoxidil for regrowth. Hopefully those two will work for you Nizoral is a mild AR blocker. As soon as you turn 18 you need to get on finasteride though.
Oh, and be aware that GPs and dermatologists may not actually know much about hair loss or treatments, most aren't particularly interested so may not be able to help you. You may have to inform them...
In terms of physical development. I would say I am pretty much fully physically developed. I can grow a proper beard, i have reached my max height, build etc etc. I have always been one to have things 'start early' with me, ie puberty hit me at 11/12. If i was to take 'the big 3' would my hair pretty much be safe as long as i am on them?. I am just so worried about taking finasteride as of all the stories/ side effect problems i have read regarding it. I dont know what is worse, losing my hair or losing my dick. What would you all recommend?
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There's no guarantee that the big three would work for you, but the odds are in your favour. There is also no guarantee that you will not have side effects, but again, chances are you wont. You aren't gonna lose your dick. I've seen a specialist and he believes that erectile dysfunction is largely a psychosomatic issue that just happened to coincide with patients being on finasteride during clinical trials. If you do try finasteride and get sides, you can always quit, side effects will subside eventually after you quit. Side effect are possible, but finasteride affecting your physical development is a far more pressing concern. You will have a hard time convincing any doctor to prescribe you finasteride at your age, but if you want to risk it then you may be able to buy online or convince a GP how much it means to you and that you understand the risks. The thing is, even though you may feel and look fully mature, that does not mean that you are internally...
Bear in mind that clinical trials have been conducted on males aged 18+, so with regards to side effects, your experience may differ from the average, if you do experience sides that is. You have options, and treatments available, but at your age it's difficult to say.
Again, I think that if it was me, I would take the risk, and take finasteride, but there is always the possibility that it could mess you up in terms of physical maturation, which in most men isn't 100% complete until age 21. It's risky, and a tough decision to make, you just have to weigh up your options as best you can, discuss them with your parents and GP.
Doctors have, and can prescrie propecia to teenagers though, it's not totally unheard of...
http://www.baldingblog.com/2011/02/28/im-16-years-old-and-my-doctor-prescribed-propecia/
Bear in mind that clinical trials have been conducted on males aged 18+, so with regards to side effects, your experience may differ from the average, if you do experience sides that is. You have options, and treatments available, but at your age it's difficult to say.
Again, I think that if it was me, I would take the risk, and take finasteride, but there is always the possibility that it could mess you up in terms of physical maturation, which in most men isn't 100% complete until age 21. It's risky, and a tough decision to make, you just have to weigh up your options as best you can, discuss them with your parents and GP.
Doctors have, and can prescrie propecia to teenagers though, it's not totally unheard of...
http://www.baldingblog.com/2011/02/28/im-16-years-old-and-my-doctor-prescribed-propecia/
I think I will take my chances with finasteride If i am allowed to get on it. My hair is so alarmingly thin all of a sudden right now, I still have about 18 months until I am 18. I dont know if i could preserve my hair until then just on minoxidil and nizoral at the current rate it is now. Have you personally taken the big 3 before and if so did it help ?
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Yeah I'm on the big three, been on them for 4 months, you can see my before and after pictures in the success sub forum. But I'm 27, I have 11 years on you. I'm a pretty big advocate of finasteride, and I think you should be aware of finasteride and the risks, and you should think about them very carefully, and consider just how much your hair means to you. You could try topical spironolactone and minoxidil, but you do have an aggressive case so I'm not sure how effective they would be. For me I think the negative impact of hair loss would outweigh any concerns I would have, but you may feel differently in a few years time, your values may change. The teenage mind is not particularly good at making impartial and rational decisions... I don't want to push you either way, it's your decision and you're taking risks with your own body. Your penis won't fall off, and ED in the rare case that it may happen will go away, but I'd be very concerned about the developmental risks. But if your hair really is something you cannot live without, then finasteride is the best chance you have of keeping it.
I'm just talking about the percent of people that experience permanent/long term side effects. Most of those peoples side effects went away after a few months. And of those that lasted, most went away after stopping finasteride.
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See i think i have reached full development for all of that , however once again as you said, i dont know whats going on internally so i could be wrong. It would be best to see what the doctor /dermatologist says when i see them soon. Did you experience any bad side effects so far on finasteride golden?