27 - Should I start minoxidil?

[shouldistart]

I'm 27 (turning 28 in 2 months) and I recently noticed some thinning. (album attached at end)


I've always had a high hairline, and I've noticed the front has thinned over the years (and receded maybe a centimeter), as well as the overall thickness of my hair (which has always been straight and fair).

I've also experienced an odd burning over the past two weeks on my scalp which I've read can be a sign of balding.


Anyway, I was wondering if I should start minoxidil? I've read some things online that say it's never too early to start, BUT I've read horror stories about people in about my shape (NW2) that have started minoxidil/Rogaine as a way to maintain what they have, and then it just nukes their hair into a bald spot and it never came back, even after a year of use. :\


From the photos you can see, depending on the lighting and angle it goes from looking pretty bad to me (2nd to last photo), or it looks even unnoticeable. I am growing my hair out it the thinning in back will probably not be noticeable by summer. I've even noticed that some people just have a slight thinning in crown where the hair all parts...so is it just normal?


I don't really notice my hair 'shedding,' although I did in college (about 6 years ago), but in recent years I don't wake up with hair on my pillow or see it fall on my desk or have dozens of hairs in my hands as I wash my hair (instead I'll get 3 or 4).


ALBUM: http://imgur.com/a/04Mqy


I'd appreciate any opinions. Also I'm really scared of the side effects of finasteride, so I'd rather not jump on that right away. Could it just be that my hair loss has stabilized and I just never realized how thin I was on the crown? (hopefully?)

 

[buckthorn]

You should start another thread

- - - Updated - - -

sorry, jk. your hair looks perfect man. Perhaps take some more revealing photos?

 

[kmm179]

Dude I literally thought those were my pics. I have same hair color,length swirl. You look fine though buckthorn is right. Have you been noticing shedding?

 

[shouldistart]

I haven't noticed any shedding at all. I'll get the normal amount that falls out. But I definitely had a shed back in college (6 years ago) my girlfriend at the time joked about me shedding like a dog. I was being pessimistic the other day and thought maybe I just don't notice the shed because my hair is so fine.

 

[rcom440]

I don't think you are experiencing hairloss looking at you pics. Skin will always show under bright light.
If I were you I would wait to see if there is any change in your hair density.

 

[623]

Damn I was getting a little freaked out there. Your hair looks exactly like mine (color, length, whorl, fineness etc) and the pictures you took are nearly identical to ones I have as well. If it wasn't for the hookah(?) and the chair in the pic, I would still think these were pics I took (esp. the last two).

Anyways, I'm 24 and started finasteride at 21. finasteride has helped me keep my hair looking more or less like yours, although I think mine is a bit thinner now. I don't think your (possible) thinning is noticeable at all to any normal person at the moment though. IMHO, it is likely that the "C" shaped whorl will continue to thin out and become more pronounced in the years to come (did for me). Also, I've found that cutting my hair shorter makes the vertex look better - maybe give that a shot.

However, I really would go to a good derm and have them look at the follicles and ask for finasteride. I started with 0.5mg of finasteride at night. I didnt experience any sides except I thought I felt a little funny after I took it (hence why I switched to night time). This was probably something I made up in my head and passed after about a week anyways. Bumped up to 1mg now and haven't noticed a difference (finasteride has a flat response curve so technically the dosages should have the same effect). I truly believe that finasteride has allowed me to keep about 95% of my hair over 3 years, with regrowth in the beginning.

minoxidil is the wrong medication to start with as it won't actually halt the balding process. Unless you have ZERO male pattern baldness (unlikely), there are two scenarios for you in my opinion:

1. Start finasteride now and if you have no sides, potentially keep all your hair as is for the foreseeable future (maybe even grow some back!).

2. Don't start finasteride now, notice you really are thinning later on and start finasteride then. At that point you will be farther down the road, with less to keep.

There's a lot of information on how to use Proscar to save money on it. If you can afford that and don't get sides, there is no reason not to start (if a derm agrees that there is ANY male pattern baldness going on). You'll shed some for a bit but it is probably the best move to make with your hair. Also understand that you will read about tons of sides on the internet because everyone who thinks they have them will post about it, while everyone who doesnt have them generally won't (so the people who get sides are massively over-represented on the internet). The vast majority of people who take finasteride do not get any side effects and if they do they are not permanent. The general attitude about it really sucks because it prevents lots of people who would benefit massively from it from using it, only to kick themselves later.

Anyways, overall it looks great. I'm no expert but based on my experience and research I would consider the above.