18 with diffuse loss

[Derivative]

Hey, I'm an 18 year old with a noticeable level of diffuse thinning (on top) and recession. My scalp is visible at any length and probably at NW2. The recession doesn't bother me at the point where it's at, however the diffuse thinning is quite disheartening. I realize this isn't the end of the world or anything, but I would very much rather have hair.

male pattern baldness definitely runs in my family, with my father being at NW7 (not until the normal age for it though), and brother having noticeable hair loss when he was probably 2 years younger than I am.

I've been lurking this and other hair loss forums for a while now, and decided to go to a doctor to get on finasteride at the end of January of this year after researching about all the options available for a while (and waiting until I was 18). The doctor knew very little about the treatments available or hair loss. I've experienced no sides with finasteride so far and have been taking pictures in month intervals in different lightings with a not-so-great camera. I want to see the results of finasteride before I make the commitment to minoxidil, and I've been using Nizoral 2% 1-2 times a week starting in December since it's pretty easy.

Anyways, during the visit with the GP she asked if I had other problems and I said no mainly due to her already saying it was male pattern baldness and mainly just wanting to get a prescription and get out, though now I've looked into the symptoms of hypothyroidism and the symptoms seem to match but I'm not sure if that's just grasping in hope that it could be that it's something temporary. I've always had the problem of sleeping over 12 hours on weekends and being overly tired with a normal amount (always contributed to 'being growing' but it never ended) / feeling most awake at late night.

So my main question would it be worth going back to get a blood test considering the back (except the nw7 area) and sides of my hair are normal? I realize this would be better to ask in a doctors office, but I'd rather avoid going back if it's not a possibility and I'm assuming it's just early age male pattern baldness.

Pics include a grade 3 and grade 5 on top, and looks a lot worse in sunlight.

Sorry for the long post as well as the weird pictures.

Edit: Pictures won't upload in a normal resolution

 

[Quantum Cat]

Sorry to hear your worries. I hope your doctor did help in some way, but you can read this wwwllwllwlwlwl I am on this natural treatment now after trying a bunch of stuff for years and it's regrowing my thinninh hair. Good luck

 

[The_Mentalist]

If I understand you correctly, you are asking if your hairloss might be due to hypothyroidism and not Androgenetic Alopecia. Looking at pictures, your inherited background, and even confirmation by your doctor, I think I am safe to say that you have Androgenetic Alopecia. If you had hypothyroidism, then your hairloss would have been uneven or even (depending on how you look at it) all over your scalp including non-Androgenetic Alopecia parts such as your sides and nape areas. Pictures show that you have normal thick density hair on sides. Do you see hairloss in non-Androgenetic Alopecia areas or if the loss is in a "pattern?" Furthermore, the symptoms you described such as oversleeping and fatigue could also be due to depression and other factors. Nevertheless, it is a good idea to have a complete checkup for thyroid, liver, urine tests etc.

 

[Derivative]

Yeah, this thread took a while to get approved or something but since then I've had a blood test and it must be fine since the doctor didn't call me about it. I definitely agree it's male pattern baldness but I was more concerned with the possibility of hypothyroidism accelerating it or something but I think it went as fast as it did in the last few months due to a finasteride shed/aggressive hair loss

The only thinning on the sides is in the same pattern as my father, although my older brother who has much more advanced male pattern baldness is starting to get thin hair in patches on non-Androgenetic Alopecia areas and has the same complaint about always being tired was what made me think of hypothyroidism.

Thanks for the reply though, just gonna have to stick with finasteride and hope for the best I guess.

 

[talmoode]

I am tired all the time too and have no energy to go out with some friends and enjoy a normal life like normal people....had blood test for thyriod, DHT, testosterone and cholesterol.... some of the test results got back and the thyriod one wasn't quite clear enough to rule out the possibilty of me having thyroid gland problem so my GP wants me to do some more blood test for FBE, TFT-T3, T4, CRP, ESR, Anti-thyroid Ab and US-Thyroid in 6 weeks' time..don't ask me what they are ..I have no idea !