elguapo pics- what are my chances?

[elguapo]

I finally got around to posting my pics on a yahoo account. If the connection doesn't work, please let me know. This is my first time.

http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/imlosinhair/album?.dir=/elguapohairstatus

Here's my story, briefly: Had a thick thick head of brown hair (so yeah, maybe less dense than heads of black hair), and couldn't even see the scalp before. Went to Europe for 6 months in January 2003 to study abroad. Girlfriend broke up with me in May, crash dieted for 2 months and lost 20 lbs (trick- just don't eat!!=), and when I came home, noticed I was losing lots of hair, too. Got on propecia and nizoral and TGel Sept 1, and just started Rogaine this week. Was it a form of Telogen Effluv? Can't say at this point, though I sure did shock my body unnecessarily, and I paid the price.

When I'm not prying the hair apart, it doesn't look that bad. Truth is, nobody has noticed, but I certainly have. I am hoping that since the loss is recent, I can grow most of it back, without having to switch to dutasteride. I'm gonna wait 2 years to do that. Thankfully, I am not shedding like I was 2 months ago. I can even tug on my front hairs, and they won't come out easily. So maybe the propecia is working, or maybe the Telogen Effluvium stopped. I'll never know.=)

I know some pics are worse, some better. Not trying to compare. Mainly I'm asking for advice from those who were in a similar situation with comparable loss, and grew more back. I'm 28, btw, and my dad has the same male pattern baldness pattern- loss in the frontal area more than the back.

Best of luck to all. I personally want to share 3 month updates. Hopefully they will be positive. Since the shedding stopped, things are looking up.

 

[jblig]

I cant really tell if you are losing it that badly or you are just pulling your hair apart so you can see the scalp. I think with a different/shorter hairstyle it would be unnoticeable... But you know better than i do... Good luck young buck....later

 

[20something]

I'm sort of in the same boat. 27 - and just started losing so I went on the big 3 right away. I believe I had (have?) a mild case of Telogen Effluvium as well, but I went to a derm. who also diagnosed me with male pattern baldness.

So make sure you know it's definitely male pattern baldness and not solely Telogen Effluvium. No sense in taking meds for the rest of your life if you don't need to. Your hair thinning seems pretty diffuse to me from the photos. Do you have a more noticable loss on the frontal hairline or crown?

 

[elguapo]

Loss specifics

My loss is mostly in the frontal/anterior region. My "widows peak" is where the thinning is most evident. And though I am not certain whether this is Telogen Effluvium or not, I can say that my dad has the same pattern of balding: at 51, he is bald about 4-5 inches back from where his hiarline would have been without male pattern baldness. And he has black hair, which might mean that I would expect to go further(??). At least that is my way of thinking.

Also, the loss was rapid. I'd say I lost at least 50% of my hair in the anterior region within 3 months, and at least 30% all around on top within 6 months (while studying abroad in Europe, drinking, partying, etc.). That and due to the conditions, I want to think that it was Telogen Effluvium. But regardless, since it runs in the family through my dad's side, I want to take precautions, which is why I'm on the big three. It's not that bad, the regimen. I just want my old head of hair back, which I don't fully expect to get- at least I am maintaining for now.

Thanks. Here's for hoping, right? =)

 

[Anita]

Hi Elguapo-

I'm female, but your pictures looked a lot like mine. I also can see areas of the scalp in the front of my head. However, last night I found some loss in the back that I'd never noticed before, because it was buried under other layers of hair. My derm said it was Telogen Effluvium even though all my blooswork was normal. But I have sustained a lot of moderate stress for the last 1.5 years and I do believe stress for that long can cause hair loss. And, like you, the shedding has dramatically been reduced in the last month, without me doing anything. Now I have to find a way to grow the hair back, but I am very relieved that no more is falling out, at least for now!

 

[20something]

If your loss is mostly frontal and not diffuse throughout then it's almost certainly male pattern baldness. If you get good results on your regimen be careful about dropping it later and attributing it to Telogen Effluvium because you could go through a major shed and have to start over again.

 

[elguapo]

Thanks for your comments

Anita- sorry to hear about that. Though it sucks for anybody, it must be that much harder for a girl to experience hair loss. Have you done anything that might have triggered it, like dieting, travelling abroad, any medications or depressing or shocking events recently? My friend's sister went to Indonesia to study abroad, either for 6 months or a year, I'm not sure. But she lost a lot of hair, due to the change in diet. She got it all back within time, however, so it was definitely Telogen Effluvium. I wish I could give more details. She's a doctor now, and I've been asking her for advice myself, but she hasn't responded, dammit! =)

What is your regimen? How old are you? Saw you are a grad student, what do you study (out of curiousity)?

20something, thanks for the advice, but I wouldn't even consider dropping the regimen. I seem to be tolerating everything well, thankfully. Can't wait until the 6 month mark for minoxidil and the 10 month mark for the propecia to come. I'm hopeful!!

 

[Lizzad]

I can't really tell anything from those pics, you have your temples covered up! Looks very, very mild though. Perhaps it's Telogen Effluvium?

 

[VoRteX]

If you crash dieted and truly lost as much hair as you claimed in a short period of time- then it possibly could be a Telogen Effluvium.

This isnt to say that you arent in the beginning stages of male pattern baldness, but if your dad is only a nw4 in his 50's then you shouldnt have a really severe case.

I suggest staying on the treatments for now and eating a healthy diet with a multivitamin. see how things go. If it resolves very quickly, then you probably know its not strictly male pattern baldness

 

[Anita]

Hi Elguapo-

I'm 28 and right now I have no regimen, as I am gathering information and I just recently discovered this extremely helpful board.

Indeed, I was abroad for 12 months (2002). I was collecting data for my dissertation, in the Amazon (I study monkeys!) Although it was really stressful at first and I was homesick, it turned out to be the best experience of my life. And I had NO hair loss while I was there. I had a really healthy diet, rice, beans, eggs, fresh veggies, fruit, fish... Much better than my American diet... And lots of exercise, of course. But, as I said, it was very demanding, physically and mentally. As soon as I returned to the US, the hair loss began. At first I attributed it to the massive change in diet, weather, etc but it persisted (been 9 months now). When I came back there was different stress, planning my wedding, moving across the country... I suppose since it started since I returned to the US it could be a delayed response to something in Brazil. But I was really healthy there, so I have no clue. All my bloodwork is normal now. Anyway, that's it in a nutshell

 

[kiwi1973]

sounds like its hairloss from stress or illness
when i was traveling in thailand i got denugy fever and a month or so latter my hair started to thin out and fail out for the next 4 months then grew back by its self thicker then before, then a year latter i started losing hair from male pattern baldness
so you may not need any drugs at lest give it 4 months to see if it grows by its self

 

[bombscience]

Ummm no... this looks EXACTLY like my male pattern baldness.

I started like this and have gotten thinner and thinner.

You do have a good chance to maintain or regrow, but get started now and play the odds.