25 years old, considering propecia---objective feedback please

[sportsfan12]

Hi all,

I just turned 25 and noticed thinning in the crown right when it started about 2 years ago. I went to the derm right away who told me use rogaine which I have been using since. It's difficult to gauge how well it's done since I don't know where I would be without it, but I'm assuming it has slowed the hair loss down. I have slight thinning on the crown/corners, but the majority is still here (for now).

I'm an active guy, work out 4-5 times a week, work in sales so I am the face of my company/product and yes, I believe image is important. Losing my hair has been most difficult due to the fact that my brother who is 1 year older than me has jungle thick hair and my dad who is 62 still has just about all of his hair. Everybody on my dad's side (uncles/cousins) have plenty of hair- my mom has no siblings and her father died young, by looking at the few pictures that exist of him, I can deduce this is where my hair genes came from and it has really caught me off guard as I was always assuming i would follow my brother/father in terms of hair.

I went to a derm again who offered to write me a prescription for propecia- I asked him many questions including side effects and what he has seen in patients he has prescribed. He said there always is the potential for side effects, mentioned the studies that have came out relating to ED/sexual related symptons, and told me that if I experience any, I should just discontinue use and most likely be fine.


I really would just love to hear from knowledgeable users on here- the most relevant/recent studies and anything they can share.

I am going crazy and every day I look in the mirror, it kills me knowing there will continuously be less and less, especially with how young I am.

I have a fairly defined jaw and I can grow a beard easily but I am just not ready to give up and shave my head at this age. I used to do it for style but that's a little different than out of necessity. If this happened 10 years from now, I would be more accepting, but I am single and still in my freedom/partying years. I am fortunate to have some money saved up and I am absolutely fine with doing a hair transplant when it gets to that point, but that means waiting for the hair loss to get significantly worse before I can even consider that.

Any objective feedback is greatly appreciated- in terms of sex drive/libido and all, I am completely normal.

 

[zzzzz]

Propecia is extremely effective relative to every other option out there, does not cause permanent sides, and only causes sidesin a few percent of people. Start it

 

[sportsfan12]

what is the consensus on a lower dose and it's effectiveness/side effects?

 

[shreyaskini]

inability to have or keep an erection, low sex drive are the common ones. Only a few experience that but its the most effective available for hair loss. Take 1mg/day.

 

[WonderDrug]

I'm 26 and had similar concerns to you, took the plunge a couple of weeks ago and started on propecia before it's too late.
I've got around 90 pills as a tester and will continue if I don't get side effects.
Had a slight dull ache in my balls which came and went for the first couple of days, but since then I've been fine. Not noticed any change in libido, got laid last night and woke up with morning wood this morning.
If you can afford it then it's absolutely worth trying, even if it only buys you five years or so.

 

[zzzzz]

dosage doesn't matter unless you go to the extremes

 

[sportsfan12]

I'm 26 and had similar concerns to you, took the plunge a couple of weeks ago and started on propecia before it's too late.
I've got around 90 pills as a tester and will continue if I don't get side effects.
Had a slight dull ache in my balls which came and went for the first couple of days, but since then I've been fine. Not noticed any change in libido, got laid last night and woke up with morning wood this morning.
If you can afford it then it's absolutely worth trying, even if it only buys you five years or so.

id love to hear from you even just in the next couple of weeks here as you start- im leaning towards doing it, these horror stories are just freaking me out but then again that most likely is the 2% (ballpark) that receive side effects.

temporary decrease in libido or anything like that im fine with if it means more hair- id gladly be a little less horny if it meant thicker hair. I think the only thing really worrying me is the gynecomastia/ball shrinking you occasionally hear of. Additionally, anything related to sperm worries me as I obviously have intentions of having kids later on.

All in all, I think side effects are uncommon and it makes sense that if you discontinued use, you would return back to normal

 

[viet nom nom]

Just remember, placebo get sides almost as much as treatment. If you get sides, its more likely that you are psyching yourself out than having a medical issue

 

[WonderDrug]

id love to hear from you even just in the next couple of weeks here as you start- im leaning towards doing it, these horror stories are just freaking me out but then again that most likely is the 2% (ballpark) that receive side effects.

temporary decrease in libido or anything like that im fine with if it means more hair- id gladly be a little less horny if it meant thicker hair. I think the only thing really worrying me is the gynecomastia/ball shrinking you occasionally hear of. Additionally, anything related to sperm worries me as I obviously have intentions of having kids later on.

All in all, I think side effects are uncommon and it makes sense that if you discontinued use, you would return back to normal

I'll try and pop in here over the next couple of months and keep you updated.
Gyno is the major worry for me too, especially as a slim guy, what finally swung it for me was a video on youtube where a guy basically said that in almost every case of 'permanent sides' he'd heard of, the guys had continued using finasteride for a prolonged period despite suffering sides.
That's why I bought my initial 3 month prescription to see how my body reacted. I'm also taking 1 x 30mg zinc tablet each day which aids fertility and apparently helps minimize the effects of finasteride on the body.

 

[zzzzz]

I'll try and pop in here over the next couple of months and keep you updated.
Gyno is the major worry for me too, especially as a slim guy, what finally swung it for me was a video on youtube where a guy basically said that in almost every case of 'permanent sides' he'd heard of, the guys had continued using finasteride for a prolonged period despite suffering sides.
That's why I bought my initial 3 month prescription to see how my body reacted. I'm also taking 1 x 30mg zinc tablet each day which aids fertility and apparently helps minimize the effects of finasteride on the body.

only 1/250 cases have finasteride induced gyno

 

[pidda]

wow please don't be afraid of sides, finasteride is nothing! At least for me anyway...

 

[CliffLee]

Imo you should get on finasteride.

A question you should ask yourself is: how would you feel if your hair loss became worse? If the answer is that you would be unhappy then you should seek medical treatment. Waiting longer will simply allow more time for your hair loss to worsen!

The risks of sides are low and if you should encounter any issues, you can always stop the treatment. No one is going to force you to continue.

I‘ve been on finasteride for one year and I would say that my hair has improved in overall quality, both temples have thickened and I now lose less hair in the shower. I have more confidence when I'm out and style my hair etc. My only regret is that I didn’t start sooner – don’t let that be your regret.

 

[sportsfan12]

Imo you should get on finasteride.

A question you should ask yourself is: how would you feel if your hair loss became worse? If the answer is that you would be unhappy then you should seek medical treatment. Waiting longer will simply allow more time for your hair loss to worsen!

The risks of sides are low and if you should encounter any issues, you can always stop the treatment. No one is going to force you to continue.

I‘ve been on finasteride for one year and I would say that my hair has improved in overall quality, both temples have thickened and I now lose less hair in the shower. I have more confidence when I'm out and style my hair etc. My only regret is that I didn’t start sooner – don’t let that be your regret.

I'm seeing a second derm tomorrow- once he gives me the heads up I'm going to get the script. I'm sick of looking in the mirror, or I should say my now avoiding mirrors

 

[CliffLee]

I'm seeing a second derm tomorrow- once he gives me the heads up I'm going to get the script. I'm sick of looking in the mirror, or I should say my now avoiding mirrors

Honestly get it, you will thank me later. I use to hate pictures of myself and started wearing hats etc when going out.

I started losing my hair some years back and am now 32. I use to frequent these forums for info but would end up reading some scare stories and decided that I wasn't prepared to take 'the risk'. My hair then got worse! I decided to search for any actual studies and found out that the risk of permanent sides (continued sides, post 5 years after stopping treatment) were negligible.

 

[sportsfan12]

Honestly get it, you will thank me later. I use to hate pictures of myself and started wearing hats etc when going out.

I started losing my hair some years back and am now 32. I use to frequent these forums for info but would end up reading some scare stories and decided that I wasn't prepared to take 'the risk'. My hair then got worse! I decided to search for any actual studies and found out that the risk of permanent sides (continued sides, post 5 years after stopping treatment) were negligible.

I'm a really busy guy (actually in medical sales, the derm im seeing is at a hospital network that's a big customer lol) and I'm just gonna try it out. Take a pill in the morning and go about my day. Obviously if I have any crazy sides I'll stop, but I'm hoping that doesn't happen. I know I'll regret it if I don't at least try it out- going to be starting at half dose

 

[centurie]

Ive been doing 0.5MG EOD. So far i cant tell if its working or not but hey no sides... Im going to give it another couple of months and then re-asses. Im in month 6 btw

 

[David.G]

I've been on it for 4 months. There was one week last month where I was certain I was losing my libido. It was all in my head of course because my erections are still strong. What sucks is I'm still losing hair. My hair is worse now than it was before I started but it might just be a massive shed from minoxidil. The amount of hairloss the last month especially has been rapid. I'm hoping its just a shed!

 

[sportsfan12]

Keep us posted!

 

[IrishFella]

The only crazy sides I got was an increased libido. I mean a "through the roof" increase. The first week I was constantly horny, jacking it 5 times a day, just unbelievable, so much so it was distracting me, sex was on my mind literally all day. Thankfully it went away the following week and nada since.

- - - Updated - - -

I've been on it for 4 months. There was one week last month where I was certain I was losing my libido. It was all in my head of course because my erections are still strong. What sucks is I'm still losing hair. My hair is worse now than it was before I started but it might just be a massive shed from minoxidil. The amount of hairloss the last month especially has been rapid. I'm hoping its just a shed!

Give it a year. DON'T LET IT GET TO YOU. Persevere.

 

[David.G]

The only crazy sides I got was an increased libido. I mean a "through the roof" increase. The first week I was constantly horny, jacking it 5 times a day, just unbelievable, so much so it was distracting me, sex was on my mind literally all day. Thankfully it went away the following week and nada since.

- - - Updated - - -



Give it a year. DON'T LET IT GET TO YOU. Persevere.

I definitely will, Irish. I am seeing some improvements (long hairs) in certain areas that were hairless before. If the shedding would just stop that would be nice lol. Cheers.