Agh! Some advice please :)

[bobblehatbob]

Hey there -

Basically I've been hungup on having a prematurely receding hairline (I'm 19) for the past year or so. Noone has noticed yet and still refuse to accept I do, including this Doctor a little while ago, but I know it for a fact - for example, if I squashed my hair into a sort of mohican style, it's obvious my hair is thinner near the parting which is surely not natural.

So, I really need some advice. I'm not that bothered about regrowth, just maintence, given it's just me who notices so far. Would Propecia do the trick for this, or do I really need to use Minioxidil too? Would the combined treatments mean indefinitely halting any further thinning/baldness, or am I still doomed to gradually bald through my 20s? And furthermore, I've heard about this shedding m'larky - I've not really noticed any hair falling out (in any abnormal fashion), just the usual one or two in the shower perhaps, but I've heard all this about "shedding" when people start anti-baldness treatments. Would Propecia/Minioxidil mean things get a lot worse before they get better - that is, would they suddenly speed up baldness temporarily and make it obvious I'm thinning to everyone before then improving and reversing? Furthermore, how irritating is Minioxidil to use - how long does it take to apply, how long does it need to be kept in, and is it still possible to use hair styling products when using it?

I'm obviously really really worried about this, so any help would be really gratefully received.

warm regards

 

[VoRteX]

well, if you have male pattern baldness, you ARE going to lose your hair eventually, so you might as well try and do something to remedy the situation if it bothers you. Sheds and acceleration of male pattern baldness are very rare with the proven treatments. Remember, they work for most people and those you see on these boards are the small percentage that have problems.

you are still pretty young. most people agree that 21 should be the minimum safe age for propecia.

I would recommend minoxidil 5% 2x/day and Nizoral 2-3x/week. Use Tgel on the other days. You still need to inhibit DHT so topical spironolactone applied at least once/day would help as well. you can get it from http://www.minoxidil.com

 

[flux]

This is tough. I'd sway the other way on this one. 19 can be a bit risky to start Propecia, I conceed. But minoxidil is a huge commitment. If age were not a factor, considering no regrowth is required I'd say Propecia for sure.

Maybe just spironolactone, 2x day? Then add Min if the situation gets worse? Add Propecia in a year or two.

 

[drinkrum]

well, if you have male pattern baldness, you ARE going to lose your hair eventually, so you might as well try and do something to remedy the situation if it bothers you. Sheds and acceleration of male pattern baldness are very rare with the proven treatments. Remember, they work for most people and those you see on these boards are the small percentage that have problems.

you are still pretty young. most people agree that 21 should be the minimum safe age for propecia.

I would recommend minoxidil 5% 2x/day and Nizoral 2-3x/week. Use Tgel on the other days. You still need to inhibit DHT so topical spironolactone applied at least once/day would help as well. you can get it from http://www.minoxidil.com

I disagree about the age. Merck used the ages of 18-41 for its clinical trials of Propecia, and I would recommend sticking close to that range. I, for one, started when I was 18. I say, try Propecia for a year, if you notice excessive side effects, then stop it.

D.

 

[bobblehatbob]

Firstly thanks very much for the feedback.

Flux - what's spironolactone?

And in response to drunkrum's comments about Propecia - I've heard that this is designed for thinning at the crown, rather than a receding hairline - would it be successful in preventing further hairloss at the hairline?

And this might sound like a bizarre problem, but if the doctor once more refuses to accept I have a receding hairline, how exactly would I get Propecia prescribed? My friend with premature baldness won't even accept I have a problem. It's a little irritating, for the past year people have called me crazy and said I have the baldness equivalent of anorexia(!!!)

thanks one again

 

[Grantspots]

And this might sound like a bizarre problem, but if the doctor once more refuses to accept I have a receding hairline, how exactly would I get Propecia prescribed?

You can purchase finasteride (generic or branded) online through various sources without a prescription. SEARCH this forum for more information - please don't ask - there are many options and this has been asked and answered 100's of times...

Good luck.

jerry grant