Breadnbutter Story - ( 21 / pics!)

[breadnbutter]

I started noticing loss at 19-20. I'm 21 now and its just bad. I was recommended rogaine and started taking it for a week or 2 and then stopped... I guess I was looking for instant results... Then I tried propecia for about 2 months... Didn't really notice anything but that may have been too early to quit. I am going to start again using both, and Nizoral as advised by people here. I've always had longer hair but it only worked for so long, now I have to face the music. I don't know norwood or anything like that, I think its temples but my temples are fine, its mostly the top and the back like regular male pattern baldness I guess.

Here is a pic taken Sept 06, 2009 right after applying a nice gob of the foam. Hopefully I can report back in a month or two with something better.

September 06, 2009

November 29, 2009 (page 2)

December 22, 2009 (dry) (page 2)

January, 22, 2010 (dry) (page2)

 

[YouKnow]

Re: breadnbutter story (pics)

I would say get on meds asap. I cannot believe you lost that much hair in a 3 year span. I would also recommend seeing a doctor because that is very aggressive hair loss. A transplant may be your only route also since you have lost so much hair. I would also recommend to shave your head. It will look a lot better.

 

[SE-freak]

Re: breadnbutter story (pics)

Welcome to the forums! Fortunately for you, you are at the right place.

This is a really strange pattern of hairloss: your hairline is intact! That is great. Your density is severly hit though. If you are diagnosed with Androgenetic Alopecia (male pattern baldness) you are a great candidate for the combination of the two FDA approved hairloss treatments (finasteride-minoxidil+ Nizoral) since there are no slick bald spots on your head.

Stick to the big 3 for at least 12 months, do not do the same mistake again. Treating your hairloss will take time and should last for as long as you want to keep the hair you regrow or maintain. Pics will help you monitor your progress along the way.

You could also try a shorter look, since it would help tracking changes, make application of topical treatments easier and not exaggerate your thinning.

Be patient and keep us posted!

 

[tooyoungforthiscrap]

Definitely should get some blood work done with your doctor/ dermatologist ASAP, that's a LOT of hair lost in such a short time, there may be something other than male pattern baldness at work here.

I think you'd look a lot better with a buzz cut too, if you're comfortable with that.

Get back on those treatments and post updates when your hair starts filling in! I'd love to see your progress.

 

[breadnbutter]

Thanks for the replies. I went to see a doctor when I was first losing my hair, he recommended rogaine foam and then recommended me to a dermatologist. I've always had pretty bad dandruff. That was a while ago, I was noticing some red spots on my head, they would itch too (they don't happen now for the most part). I took loprox shampoo and some fluocinonide to stop the itching. Still lost hair to my knowledge. I later went back and was prescriped propecia by another dermatologist. Maybe there is other stuff at work, but I just lost track of everything and was pretty discouraged about the whole thing. It doesn't help that I don't really have money for a transplant, my mom told me someday I could... By then the damage will have been done. I guess the hairline is a strange plus but unfortunately that's only a fraction of the equation. I'm just going to get back on the stuff and hope for the best. That's why I came here, so I don't give up and can see progress if there is any.

 

[SE-freak]

There is no point starting treatments if you are not planning to stick to them consinstently, every day and for as long as you want your hair. This is important.

Also, I would not consider a hair transplant at all if there was that rapid loss (in 3 years time you lost significant density-quality). Your hairloss must be relatively stable or slow pace to plan graft numbers and area to work on.

 

[somone uk]

GO SEE A TRICOLOGIST, you have an unusual pattern and it's a good idea to rule out any other possibilities, even if they are just things happening alongside male pattern baldness

and i would say persevere with minoxidil and propecia if you are diagnosed with male pattern baldness, you are fortunate enough to have hairloss in the most treatable areas, growing back a badly receded fringe is much harder than a crown
actually i know this sounds stupid but i always think it's a good idea for people who start losing their hair to buy a 12 month supply because simply it means they will use it for the 12 months least to say (and it's cheaper)
but the 6-8 months before actually expecting anything is a golden rule

 

[breadnbutter]

Is this really all that rare? I had no idea.


My head does itch a lot sometimes, and it feels like my hair is being pulled (maybe rough sleep). It is painful sometimes. I don't know, figured maybe someone else has felt similar things. I don't know what hair loss is supposed to "feel" like.

 

[breadnbutter]

Hey guys small update. I am seeing some small colorless hairs come in near the front, I can only see them at an angle so I can't tell if I have any on my head. They are about half the diameter of my regular hairs. They are too small to post pics so I will post update pictures in a month or so.

 

[lpm2]

Agree with Joe here. I noticeably lost most of mine in a space of 6 months, althout it was probably happening for about 18 months.

Do check your bloods though, best to rule out diabetes or anything like that.

Shaving make a HUGE difference. I'd say I'm a lot less worried about it now it's shorter. Also, I'm getting use to being balder, and more accepting of it - although obviously wouldn't mind it back.

 

[breadnbutter]

I've had blood tests done and nothing abnormal.

 

[breadnbutter]

Small update with pics

November 29th

There might be minor improvements visible, not sure, but I am more interested in the progress that I can't capture on camera. Colorless hairs are filling in the center of my hairline, all along the hairline as far back as an inch is visible, and some along the temples (I think the ones on the temples are new but I'm not sure because I never paid attention to that area). Unfortunately I can't see if there are any colorless hairs anywhere else because I can only see them at an angle with light. I am going to continue the regimen and hopefully get some color in a couple months, it will probably be a nice show all coming in at once.

 

[Artas]

Minor??
That is a big improvement
Well done, althought your hair loss looked agressive on the first pics you posted, it seems to slightly improve quite quickly

 

[breadnbutter]

About a week short of a month since my last update, but I felt like putting this up. This time its dry, after showering with nizoral on top and head & shoulders for the rest of my hair. It also looks like my scalp is not red/irritated like in the first pic, it could have been the light but I don't think so. I also don't get pains anymore where it feels like my hair is being pulled out. I keep forgetting what light setting I use so I tried to match them up consistently with my old pics.



December 22, 2009 (dry) (page 2)

The back is still a pain for me to look at (especially in the bathroom with the bright lights). I'm hoping what is happening in the back and on top is what is happening in front, which is small, colorless hair. I'm thinking about dying my hair and trying to see if I can get some color in those hairs, not sure though.


I'm also hopping back on biotin, I neglected taking that for a while but I figure it can't hurt while I'm taking a finasteride.

 

[breadnbutter]

I think I am going to get off propecia. For a while I have been changing my lifestyle in general and thought that side effects were just mental and not real, but I truly believe I am experiencing side effects from propecia and I'm going to quit immediately. Is there an alternative I can replace it with, granted it might not be finasteride?

 

[breadnbutter]

I've heard things about dutasteride and stuff, I don't know. I've lost a lot of my drive and I don't think its the lifestyle change. I heard people say they had side effects for a while but they wore off, I've been on this for nearly 5 months now so I really need to know... Yes I've had some success, but I don't know what to do. I might have to start taking other meds just to counteract the side effects...

I'll stay on it a little longer because I do care about my hair, but if things don't really change, I don't think I'll have a choice.


edit: I am reconsidering dropping propecia. I realize that I have had too many things going on to know if propecia is the perpetrator, I need to test certain aspects to know for sure.

 

[breadnbutter]

Another update. Just after a shower with Nizoral. Still on propecia, trying to get rogaine in twice a day, but at least once a day. I will continue both treatments. I still see vellus hairs that aren't terminal, I don't know if its supposed to take this long but I wish they would darken up... Plus the front left right behind my hairline is kind of thinning in density, I think there are vellus hairs there, but its not looking as good as it used to, otherwise everything else seems to be improving.

 

[breadnbutter]

I hate the flash too, but I usually forget/don't have time to take daylight pics.


I would like to add that I've added biotin to my regimen about a week & 1/2 ago, 5000mcg per day. I used to take it in much much smaller quantities and stopped, but I'm going to put it into overdrive and see if it makes a difference. Many people have recorded faster hair growth, as well as thicker hair, I'm hoping this will boost the colorless hairs.

I was complimented yesterday on my progress, my mother said she couldn't see my scalp and I was standing under a light. That's the only compliment I take seriously from her, but I'm still worried about the back and its definitely not as dense as I want it (the front mid-left has been thinning considerably, with some blond hairs growing in). Also kind of shows in flash pictures, just reminds me I have a ways to go and can't stop now. I'll be posting more pics in a couple weeks.

 

[breadnbutter]

Another update... so soon I know. I think I might be having a shed, its not massive, but I'm noticing lots of thin, 1 - 1 1/2 inch hairs (some have faint color) coming out very easily. I'm hoping this will make room for larger hairs, but I guess the short run might get a little hectic, hopefully I can still report progress.

 

[FSHGLD]

That's a huge improvement. If I was a mod I'd put it in Success Stories. How are you doing now?