A Question about Propecia and minoxidil..and male pattern baldness

[DragonLord]

hey guys
i'm a 21 year old indian male and i noticed loss of hair at the age of 17 if i can remember
to this day,i lose about 20-30 strands of hair everyday
but nobody can look at me and say that i'm losing hair, you know what i mean
but of course, i know best that i'm indeed losing hair
esp near the temples and a bit at the crown too
and that's bothering me a lot
then i came across this forum,and you guys have really boosted my spirits,i sincerely thank each one of your for that
its really a great feeling to know that i'm not alone
ok coming back to my problem, i think i'm gonna start on propecia and minoxidil,i'm currently using nizoral 2% for the flaky scalp problem that i have
ok here are my questions
1.is losing 20-30 strands a day normal?
2.what exactly does propecia and minoxidil do?assuming i take propecia from now on to fight the hairloss, what effects would it have on my hair if someday i should stop taking propecia due to its side effects such as having a limp willy?
3.could a flaky scalp result in hairloss?i've got these yellowish white flakes coming out of my scalp when i comb my hair or just brush it off
4.what exactly is male pattern baldness,is it reversible?is it hereditary?my parents had great hair until about 40 years of age.my mom's parents have great hair too and my dad's parents aren't bald either,so i hope its some kind reversible hairloss i'm suffering from
i'd be grateful if somebody could answer any of my questions
thanks a lot
regards

 

[SE-freak]

You could just start on finasteride for now if you hair is in decent shape.
I guess that being indian, your predisposition is not great and you could turn things around with time.

1) yes it is definately normal. Do not listen to anyone claiming that this is a trick by the docs to calm you down and that crap. Hair needs to cycle and 30 hairs per day is completely normal.

2)propecia is an inhibitor- prevents further damage to the follicle and could possibly lead to some thickening.

minoxidil is a growth stimulant- keeps hair in the anagen phase but does not prevent further damage by dht.

3)No, but it is an indication of bad scalp health often accompanying male pattern baldness inflammation. Add nizoral, or any ketoconazole containing shampoo into your weekly rotation.

4)Hm... is your loss patterned? You should visit a dermatologist just to confirm that it is Male Pattern Baldness (or AndroGenetic Alopecia).
This loss is a result of scarring caused to the follicle by the immune system itself, after the follicle androgen receptors bind with the potent androgen DiHydroTestosterone.

I think you should really rule out any other kind of loss before startind on meds. Visit a derm to verify it is indeed male pattern baldness.

 

[DragonLord]

thanks a lot my friend(freak)
ok honestly,i don't think there are any good derms in south india atleast, where i live
they r just a bunch of money minded people trying to fool others
how can i verify whether or not its male pattern baldness myself?what r the symptoms.Also,what do u mean by pattern hairloss?i mean my hairline has definitely receeded over the years,its more near the temples.
as for the crown,my scalp can be seen under direct light,but its not that visible in dull light conditions
now can u please tell me what it is?and hopefully rule out male pattern baldness
is it a risk starting on finasteride and min unless i'm a victim of male pattern baldness?
thank u
regards

 

[SE-freak]

If you are receeding/thinning along these patterns:

...then most likely it is male pattern baldness. Look for signs of miniaturization(thinner, maybe less pigmented hair shafts in the vertex and temple areas) and compare the contour of thinner areas to the typical male pattern of recession above. male pattern baldness loss is usually almost symmetrical. No scattered spots here and there- it is pretty distinctive.

ps. Who did you call a freak, boy?

 

[DragonLord]

lol..i'm sorry but i was addressing u by your nickname..se freak
well,i think its more or less like 1,but still the M shape is not very prominent
and the hairline has receeded more at the right temple than the left,a bit i guess
by the way,what's your good name,i hate calling u freak
u can call me dragon

 

[SE-freak]

Freak is my good name, but I always find it offensive.

 

[DragonLord]

lol..that's interesting my friend
anyway,thanks a lot for helping me out here
i'll send u my hair pics tomorrow so u can conclude what it is
anymore replies from other people r welcome
regards