Balding Since 11 Years Old - Considering Finasteride - My Story

M.G

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One day, about when I was 11 years old, I started getting comments from my friends about my hair looking thin and my crown looking "bald". Later on my brother freaked out and said my hair density had drastically lessened. The balding was in a textbook diffuse manner. This was incredibly stressful. Looking back I'm getting convinced that my male pattern baldness was triggered early due to stress. I was suffering from OCD at the time and severe anxiety from parents getting a divorce.

Here a pic of my hair when I was 13:
naknoooo_1.jpg

When I was about 15:
Micho_024.jpg

I'm 21 years old today. During my teens I was able to hide my balding by just saving my hair out and parting it, it wasn't see through, it looked normal and I was happy. Then... at around age 19 I had a massive, massive massive shed that basically gave me a bald spot at the crown and heavy diffuse thinning all around. I'm thinning in a Norwood 6 manner. I went around for a year with a cap until I discovered Toppik, which was such a relief since it's covering up my baldness great.

And here's my questions:
My bald spot (and other thin areas) is filled with vellus hair, it isn't really slick bald - so I figure I would be an ideal candidate for finasteride (like any diffuse thinner as I understand?)?

Since I began balding at 11 years old - could this mean finasteride won't be as effective on me since the balding process have been ongoing for so long, even if I'm only 21 years old?

I'm hairy like a monkey, seriously, scientists could use me as proof for human evolution. I'm suspecting I have seriously high DHT-levels in me. Would taking finasteride make me more or less prone to sides then?

Since I started losing hair at 11 - could DHT/male pattern baldness really be the cause?

Other perhaps relevant information: My brother is 25 haven't had any hairloss until about now. I've noticed that he's thinning a bit in the crown.

I ordered a genetic test from a geneticscompany 23andMe, I'm interested in population genetics but the results is also gonna tell me about my male pattern baldness-genes. I'll let ya know.
 

centurie

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Go and get your thyroid checked urgently, and all blood tests done. I think you might be severely deficient in something or more than likely your thyroid isn't working properly. I say this because at 13 (usually the onset of puberty) your hair would not of thinned in such a manner purely based on DHT and male pattern baldness, furthermore your brother shows no signs on male pattern baldness. Please spend the money as get a full evaluation. Good luck
 

M.G

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I've had blood tests done about two years ago - they all came out normal. Never asked for a thyroid test, but here in Sweden they're hesitant to do anything unless it may be really serious. My doctor prescribed me finasteride when I showed her my pics when I was a kid and how it is today. She said that I'm most probably one of the few extremely unlucky who get male pattern baldness as a kid/teen and that balding doesn't have to follow the same pattern in the family.

I've read that stress can trigger early male pattern baldness, and that's probably the cause. Especially since I recently was diagnosed with gastritis too which I had for about the same time as when my hairloss started, and that is usually caused by stress. I've always tought my gastritis was back pain, since that's where it mainly hurt, but my doctor knew that it was gastritis since strong back pain is a common symptom paired with a hurting tummy. Currently eating some presciption drug which is helping alot.

But how important is the thyroid really for the hair? Perhaps I'll go for it.
 

M.G

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Yeah:
hm.jpghm2.jpg

Balding in a diffused manner all over the scalp, there is no thick area. Sides and back are thin too, except donor area which is somewhat thicker.
 

M.G

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Okey, I've paid for a thyroid-test (TSH, T4 and T3) and I'll be doing it first thing on monday morning.
 

Illu2ion

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Wait for the results of the thyroid test untill you do anything further, though I'm affraid it's male pattern baldness. It's weird that it started so early (never heard of such a case actually) and even more weird that your older brother doesn't show any signs of male pattern baldness. But your recent picture shows, beside diffuse thinning, a receding hair line and I don't think thyroid problems can make your hair line recede.

If the results come out normal, get on finasteride, minoxidil and ketoconazol asap.
 

M.G

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My bro do got male pattern baldness but it just started. Slight thinning.

I've been on the big 3 for a week and a half now and i noticed my hairline has gotten even thinner.

I also believe its most likely male pattern baldness because I got retrograde alopecia too.
 

M.G

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How were the test results?

Sorry for the late response.

The test results all came out normal said my doctor.

TSH = 1.7
T3 = 5.2
T4 = 18

Perhaps I'm just a very special case. Both my parents sides are very bald. Perhaps the balding gene was so strong that even at 11 years old my follicles was very DHT-sensitive. Or perhaps my childhood anxiety somehow kickstarted my male pattern baldness earlier. Who knows.

You think there's some other tests I should check out? Right now I'm just hoping that the Big 3 will work. 5 weeks in.
 

Pequod

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You could have had your testosterone and DHT levels checked prior to starting finasteride.
 

M.G

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Is DHT-test really necessary considering its not the level of DHT in you, but how sensitive your follicles are to it?
 
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DHT levers do not determine the severeness of your hair loss but probably gives some evidence on how finasteride will work for you and if you will be likely to have sides or not.
 

M.G

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I just got the results from my genetics test. Apparently my chances of developing male pattern baldness are typical of the average european (im Middle eastern though).

The information was kinda limited though.
 

Armando Jose

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M.G. wrote: "Both my parents sides are very bald"

have you the same type of hair of your parents? sparse, thick, curly?


 

M.G

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I've been on finasteride for 9 weeks now.

I think (and I really hope) that I've gotten some hair thickening/regrowth at the crown. Nothing on the mid/front right now I believe.

To my eyes it feels like the crown definitely have thickened up a tad bit. If I'm not fooling myself it looks like some of the miniaturized hair have turned darker and some of them grow much longer now. I don't remember they being this long.

My crown is still very, very visibly balding, but I hope this is real progress and that I'm not just imagining. I'm keeping my expectations low.

I'm angry that I didn't take any good baseline pics. I took some at the 2-month mark and I will perhaps compare to them to the 3-month mark when I get there, if I find the results worth it.

M.G. wrote: "Both my parents sides are very bald"

have you the same type of hair of your parents? sparse, thick, curly?



I got the same hair as my parents. Fairly "straight" (definitely not scandinavian straight though) at shorter lengths which turn somewhat wavy/a little bit curly when it becomes longer.
 

higherx

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Hi, I just joined the forum today as I'm about to start minoxidil - should be here in about a day. Only thing is I am 16, hairline has significantly receded from the top of my head and about 1-2 inches back on my temples. I know what you're going through and it's tough. I've had multiple tests and all came back fine - thyroid etc. How are you finding it and how are you coping?
 

Armando Jose

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A lot of luck M.G.
But in nine weeks it is impossible see any regrowth or thickening of hairs.
 

M.G

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Be honest guys, any difference?

2 months:

2 months 1.jpg2 months 2.jpg2 months 3.jpg2 months 4.jpg


3 months:

3 months 1.jpg3 months 2.jpg3 months 3.jpg3 months 4.jpg

When I look at my hair IRL, to me, it seems a bit thicker compared to baseline (no good pics sorry), but I'm doubtful.
 
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