Hey everybody, I'm 20 years old and have only been losing hair for about 3 months although in that time I've gone from a full, healthy Norwood 1 to noticably thin at the temples, shedding about 60-70 hairs per day in the shower and rapidly circling the drain of an N-2. I've been on minoxidil for a month, and even though I'm well aware it's too early to gauge it's efficacy, I don't think it's working. I've only been shedding a lot in the past week or so, and I know minoxidil is supposed to cause a shed in the first month but the fact my hair seems to be thinning so quickly and on pace with what it had been before I started taking it leads me to believe I'm simply losing hair on pace with what I would have, minoxidil or not. I'm giving serious thought to taking finasteride (Despite doing my homework and reading it's supposed to be effective only up to the mid-scalp I've seen some hopeful testimonials on this site, especially actionpack's). I do have some reservations about it though, mostly the discerning things I've read lately about not only decreases in DHT but a consequent raise of Estrogen. If I were anyone else I would probably just spin the wheel, take my chances, and see what happens but the thing is I hit puberty pretty late and I'm kind of still developing. I'm not growing taller or anything, but still developing facial/body hair and filling out. I've read that DHT has few functions biologically, but that facial hair and certain developmental processes might depend on it. I'm probably worrying too much, but I'm pretty young and boyish looking to begin with, which is why hairloss for someone who's not only 20 but looks even younger has been so traumatic, and I'm afraid if I take this long term I might end up some weird, stunted, adrogenous mess. Can any of you guys help alay my fears? Thanks.
Finquiry.
- Thread starter Grandpa
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21gone
Established Member
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I am sort of in the same boat. Not quite as bad, but I started on finasteride when I was 20 but I think that they would not that being merck allow it to be marketed to 18 year olds then. I believe the youngest they say is ok is 18 and I am sure there are still 18 year old finishing up. If they would allow it to be marketed to 18 year olds then I am sure it will not do anything too major because if it would they may have a huge lawsuit on their hands. Also too soon to be seeing anything from minoxidil as far as results go. Give it time and be patient. I guess the only way to tell is try it for about 3 or 4 months and see if you get side effects. Every medication has different reactions to different people so you never really know until you try it yourself. I was real scared when I started and now if the middle of my 3rd month ( still very early in the process) I do not notice any side effects. The studies were done primarily on the vertex but many here claim it has helped there hairline as well. check out Diddy's post http://www.hairlosstalk.com/discussions ... ight=diddy
But like I said only you and your body will be able to tell how it reacts.
But like I said only you and your body will be able to tell how it reacts.
socks
Experienced Member
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FleshEatingRobot,
Where did you get the idea that minoxidil will save your hair? All minoxidil is, is a hair stimulant. It will induce more hair to grow, grow longer in the anagen stage, and become a little thicker.
It does **not** do a damn thing for the underlying condition that is causing your Androgenetic Alopecia: DHT.
The main known factor that causes hairloss is DHT. To form DHT your body's 5a-reductase enzyme converts free roaming testosterone into type 1 or type 2 DHT inside the hair cell follicle. The DHT then binds to the hair cell receptor and causes it to atrophy or shrink. Eventually your hair follicle stops producing hair and you loose that follicle.
What you must to to save your hair is inhibit DHT. It really is that simple so to speak. The choice you have is weather to go with a FDA PROVEN drug that halts hairloss in 80% of men, or to try some unproven topical DHT blocker like Revivogen or Crinagen.
Personally, I think you'll be good with the Finasteride. I started on it at 25yrs and am doing exceptionally well on it. As 21gone pointed out, Finasteride can be prescribed to men as young as 18yrs.
And what if it does affected your body hair (which I dont think it will)??? Would you rather be a bald dude with a hairy body or a guy with hair with no hair on his body???
Where did you get the idea that minoxidil will save your hair? All minoxidil is, is a hair stimulant. It will induce more hair to grow, grow longer in the anagen stage, and become a little thicker.
It does **not** do a damn thing for the underlying condition that is causing your Androgenetic Alopecia: DHT.
The main known factor that causes hairloss is DHT. To form DHT your body's 5a-reductase enzyme converts free roaming testosterone into type 1 or type 2 DHT inside the hair cell follicle. The DHT then binds to the hair cell receptor and causes it to atrophy or shrink. Eventually your hair follicle stops producing hair and you loose that follicle.
What you must to to save your hair is inhibit DHT. It really is that simple so to speak. The choice you have is weather to go with a FDA PROVEN drug that halts hairloss in 80% of men, or to try some unproven topical DHT blocker like Revivogen or Crinagen.
Personally, I think you'll be good with the Finasteride. I started on it at 25yrs and am doing exceptionally well on it. As 21gone pointed out, Finasteride can be prescribed to men as young as 18yrs.
And what if it does affected your body hair (which I dont think it will)??? Would you rather be a bald dude with a hairy body or a guy with hair with no hair on his body???
Socks, I think you got the names reversed and meant to chastize me. Anyway, it certainly isn't the body hair that bothers me. It's the fact DHT seems to play a role in normal male development. And as a developing male I'd like to make sure it occurs as normally as possible. Plus, if I do go bald anyway I'd like to have the cliche option open to grow a beard.
socks
Experienced Member
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Yup, I did indeed get your two names reversed. Sorry about that. The post was ment for FleshEatingRobot not 21gone.
Anyhow, it's up to you as far as the way you want to go FleshEatingRobot. If you think you got the right bone structure and skin to pull off a bald look with a beard then go for it
Just wanted to give you your options in blunt terms. Not trying to "chastise" you. It just is a little frustrating when people are more then willing to eat all kinds of garbage, drink and smoke, bla bla bla (speaking in generals of course) but when it comes to an FDA proven drug it must be poison that is going to turn you into a limp dick mutant.
Anyhow, it's up to you as far as the way you want to go FleshEatingRobot. If you think you got the right bone structure and skin to pull off a bald look with a beard then go for it
Just wanted to give you your options in blunt terms. Not trying to "chastise" you. It just is a little frustrating when people are more then willing to eat all kinds of garbage, drink and smoke, bla bla bla (speaking in generals of course) but when it comes to an FDA proven drug it must be poison that is going to turn you into a limp dick mutant.
Socks mentioned a "limp dick mutant" and I was just referencing the end of The Fly where Goldblum's horribly mutated and he pulls the barrel of Geena Davis' shotgun towards his head as a way of letting her know he wants to die. The joke's probably ruined now by over-explanation but I guess it wasn't even that good to begin with.