Going Bald In Less Than A Year, Need Advice

[DoctorHouse]

Thanks @DoctorHouse I have made some horrible mistakes trying to act fast. My hair changed when a I started minoxidil and has never been the same. I know I over react often and that I am very fortunate. I have been incredibly healthy until the thyroid and hair issues started at 40. Otherwise I looked and felt as good as I did at 25.

The risk and lead to trying Finasteride was a very tough choice for me and the sides where pretty hard to deny. I hoped topical was an answer to stop the sides, it simply is not. I’m getting iron IVs now and the doctors have me using HCG to try and recover (destroying hair). The length, hair color and waviness help to hide a lot but there’s a fraction of the density left. a short cut would show the thinning on crown vertex and not the hairline.

The crippling depression for even this early and very surprising hairloss has pretty much taken any joy from a once very healthy and happy life. BDD or not the depression this disease causes is the real killer. The sides without success have been unwarranted I feel like I’ve managed to lose everything trying to fight this sh*t. I have not been able to recover from the sides. Yeah it is superficial ego bullshit but it has been such a source of positive reinforcement and confidence throughout my life. I still get comments almost daily on my hair from women and now it only ads to panic and depression.

I’m about two years in on topical, definitely in a terrible loop with the hormones. My Testosterone is all over the place and DHT still low. Sides won’t go away and I’m still losing lot of hair daily. Oral minoxidil didn’t increase body hair and maybe helped maintain for year or so?

Realizing it is a combination of things I can’t deny the much thinner short hairs that I lose now or the diffuse thinning just about everywhere but the occipital area. The sensation and itch are constant in the Norwood region.

I’m not looking for a miracle or a return even to two years ago. I just want to be able to work out of swim or shower like a normal person without covering my hands and walls with hair that will never grow back.

If an hair transplant without Finasteride or Dutasteride was a possibility I’d stop everything and hope to reset. otherwise I’m just here to vent hopefully get ideas while I cover the country looking for doctors.

Going to see Wilma Berfeld at Cleveland Clinic on Monday. Undoubtedly another waste of time and effort.

Any thoughts on Zix?

I don't know much about Zix because I never used it. Some people swear by it. Personally, I have told you before I would go to Proctor and see what he has to say and try his Proxiphen. That is what I use and I feel it makes a huge difference since it addresses all types of hair loss. My hair has stabilized since I started using his liquid Proxiphen( its by prescriiption only) every day. I still shed but nothing like you. I would say I shed normal amounts of hair per day. That photo you just posted shows a full head of hair.

 

[Wolf Pack]

I really think you should stop all medications except your thyroid medication and just reset your body before you started taking all these medications. You seem to ignore what I have been telling you all along. You have a recessive balding gene that turned itself on later in life. Consider yourself lucky. I was just as lucky. I never had hair as thick or as black as yours. I was born with strawberry blonde hair with average density but fine hair. You were born with jet black hair with above average density and thick in caliber. Still not as top tier as what I see from the hispanics in my area but you are still up there. You must have some either italian, indian or hispanic blood in you. I don't have any of that in my blood. I wish I did as it seems to give great hair characteristics.

So here is what is happening to you. You are aging, very slowly going gray( you hit the jackpot on that gene) and have a thyroid condition. On top of that you have a Type A personality and are very much into your looks and physique. Most likely because you have either never been married or have not settled down and started a family. From what I can tell from your photos, I am sure you had many people tell you that you are very good looking as well as very young looking.

Unfortunately, when you hit your 40's it's much harder to maintain your good looks and youthful appearance but with good genetics like you have it's not as hard as it would be for the average guy of your peers. Even at 43, you are way above average compared to your peers. If that isn't a reason to live, then I don't know what to tell you but get therapy. You first need to admit the obvious which you won't admit. You have BDD and need help psychologically. How do I know all this? I was just like you the day I joined this forum.

You are obsessed with your hair which mostly everyone in this entire universe including this forum would say looks normal for your age. You take photos and post them on here for validation that something is wrong. A trained Norwood spotter can tell you do have some minor loss of density but that is all you have. It's minor. These young guys don't care about stories like yours and in their eyes you don't have a problem with your hair. They see you have a problem with mental health.

Due to your BDD specific hair obsession, you created a chronic telogen effluvium when you decided to mess with your hormones and hair cycles. Vanity comes with a price for some. And in your case, it is causing nothing but nonstop shedding and heartache for you. Secondly, you have Hashimoto's which can itself cause a chronic telogen effluvium and will not respond to Propecia. It will respond to minoxidil or growth stimulants or anti inflammatory treatments if you are lucky. So either stick to what your doing and hope your hair will remain somewhat stable until we get better treatments or just throw in the towel and stop everything but your thyroid medication because you need that to keep your thyroid from killing itself faster. And you will always need to take it when your body does kill your thyroid. I promise in 10 years from now your hair will be only slightly less dense than it is now and most likely you will have very little gray too. Most guys in their 50's don't have that luxury. Not even Brad Pitt escaped gray hair. He dyes it like the rest of the Hollywood crew. The only unicorns who tend to not go gray in the 50's are some lucky hispanics, italians, middle eastern, and Afro-Americans, and usually people with jet black hair like you have. Light colored hair seems to gray faster for some guys. Time to accept your doing better than you peers and enjoy your life.

Solid post D0C!

 

[bluecyclone]

Thanks @DoctorHouse i looked into this before. Doesn’t seem the doctor is still working and there are a few non-Rx options in amazon. I read the old threads and it didn’t seem very conclusive. The fact that it was composed of so many things seemed like a positive.

I know my situation is still much much better than most guys my age or in this. Fully recognize how lucky I’ve been. I’m going from GOAT hair at 40 to a frail thinning mess.

If I sad back and let it happen and this was the result that’s one thing. But to fight and spend like I have to only see things get exponentially worse is depressing, add the failure to repsond to Finasteride and oral minoxidil a combination that seems to be a near cure for a lot of people is insane. Add side effects to the failure and constant shed of long dark once healthy hair and it sucks. Nothing like being a young guy going through this but the dramatic change in a few short years is brutal.

my hairline is back .5 in since September and density in the front, that had held up best is gone. I’m that guy hiding sh*t with a bun as I pull hair out of my mouth or clothes constantly.

I don’t want sympathy I want ideas and I want to give back by sharing anything I learn along the way and as a result of the time and money I’m willing to put to this. This group is rather narrow, it’s the people failed by Finasteride and Dutasteride either because they didn’t work, gave sides, or both.

I’m looking to learn as much as possible about immune response, hormone balance. It’s clear the doctors just don’t understand or know how to manage androgen response. But there has to be some people out there tuned into it. The anti-aging guys that could figure out how to get the benefits without damaging hair would be invaluable to a population with resources to look and feel better.

 

[bluecyclone]

isn’t Finasteride supposed to be best for diffuse hairloss? I mean I have hair but it’s at about 30% of what it was in the Spring density wise and I’m getting a ton of new hairs everywhere that grow about an inch and fall out. The remaining long hairs just hide the truth.

any ideas ton help density? I mean three year from perfect hair 2 years oral Minoxidil and 1.5 years topcial Finasteride I should see some slow down of not better quality? not even begging for regrowing but the miniaturization seems like it’s hitting in a single hair cycle from healthy black 8 inch hair to light brown 1-2 inch that falls out to a death bed vellus.

many ideas? I can’t get a FUE when the thinning is on the entire top of my head and won’t stabilize.

 

[bluecyclone]

I really think you should stop all medications except your thyroid medication and just reset your body before you started taking all these medications. You seem to ignore what I have been telling you all along. You have a recessive balding gene that turned itself on later in life. Consider yourself lucky. I was just as lucky. I never had hair as thick or as black as yours. I was born with strawberry blonde hair with average density but fine hair. You were born with jet black hair with above average density and thick in caliber. Still not as top tier as what I see from the hispanics in my area but you are still up there. You must have some either italian, indian or hispanic blood in you. I don't have any of that in my blood. I wish I did as it seems to give great hair characteristics.

So here is what is happening to you. You are aging, very slowly going gray( you hit the jackpot on that gene) and have a thyroid condition. On top of that you have a Type A personality and are very much into your looks and physique. Most likely because you have either never been married or have not settled down and started a family. From what I can tell from your photos, I am sure you had many people tell you that you are very good looking as well as very young looking.

Unfortunately, when you hit your 40's it's much harder to maintain your good looks and youthful appearance but with good genetics like you have it's not as hard as it would be for the average guy of your peers. Even at 43, you are way above average compared to your peers. If that isn't a reason to live, then I don't know what to tell you but get therapy. You first need to admit the obvious which you won't admit. You have BDD and need help psychologically. How do I know all this? I was just like you the day I joined this forum.

You are obsessed with your hair which mostly everyone in this entire universe including this forum would say looks normal for your age. You take photos and post them on here for validation that something is wrong. A trained Norwood spotter can tell you do have some minor loss of density but that is all you have. It's minor. These young guys don't care about stories like yours and in their eyes you don't have a problem with your hair. They see you have a problem with mental health.

Due to your BDD specific hair obsession, you created a chronic telogen effluvium when you decided to mess with your hormones and hair cycles. Vanity comes with a price for some. And in your case, it is causing nothing but nonstop shedding and heartache for you. Secondly, you have Hashimoto's which can itself cause a chronic telogen effluvium and will not respond to Propecia. It will respond to minoxidil or growth stimulants or anti inflammatory treatments if you are lucky. So either stick to what your doing and hope your hair will remain somewhat stable until we get better treatments or just throw in the towel and stop everything but your thyroid medication because you need that to keep your thyroid from killing itself faster. And you will always need to take it when your body does kill your thyroid. I promise in 10 years from now your hair will be only slightly less dense than it is now and most likely you will have very little gray too. Most guys in their 50's don't have that luxury. Not even Brad Pitt escaped gray hair. He dyes it like the rest of the Hollywood crew. The only unicorns who tend to not go gray in the 50's are some lucky hispanics, italians, middle eastern, and Afro-Americans, and usually people with jet black hair like you have. Light colored hair seems to gray faster for some guys. Time to accept your doing better than you peers and enjoy your life.

Just a quick update. New test came back with no antibodies so the Hashimoto diagnosis is no longer in play. They are switching me to natural T4/T3 worries about the change. The change is very aggressive in terms of density despite the Finasteride. I’m trying to work up the courage to drop it or try topical Dutasteride with the HCG.

Tons regrowing hairs about an inch and much thinner at the hairline. Hair fall hasn’t changed but hairs are all garbage.

If you have any contact info for Proctor please PM me.

 

[DoctorHouse]

Just a quick update. New test came back with no antibodies so the Hashimoto diagnosis is no longer in play. They are switching me to natural T4/T3 worries about the change. The change is very aggressive in terms of density despite the Finasteride. I’m trying to work up the courage to drop it or try topical Dutasteride with the HCG.

Tons regrowing hairs about an inch and much thinner at the hairline. Hair fall hasn’t changed but hairs are all garbage.

If you have any contact info for Proctor please PM me.

You do realize if you no longer have antibodies your body might have killed the thyroid. Your thyroid is basically dead so now you will need to supplement with T4/T3. Or are you saying they misdiagnosed you from the start? Remember Hashimoto's thyroiditis is when your immune system attacks the thyroid and kills it.

 

[bluecyclone]

I think I was misdiagnosed and the synthesis for a year hurt/killed thyroid function. When I stopped the thyroid swelled and there was a nodule with high TSH.

switching for Tirosent to a natural T4/T3, worries about a shed but that’s the new Rx I was given. I can’t find labs where the antibodies where every present, it seems like that was an assumption from a bad PCP that noticed borderline hypo.

 

[bluecyclone]

Saw Konior again today. He’s privy the best hair guy in Chicago and has been a bit of mentor helping me with an objective perspective as I’m also concerned about BDD.

He did hair counts and showed me his magnified images from August. He’s guessing a few things are happening but estimate about a 10% loss of density. Said my follicles have 3-5 hairs per but now there’s maybe one somewhat healthy dominate and 2-3 miniaturized or significantly lower diameter hairs per.

not a huge medical guy, doesn’t love Finasteride, was the only honest person about PRP even though he could have probably hit me for $2000 over the last few years. Says it’s a strange case and he hasn’t never seen such speed. Said looking at back at sides age related might be 1% every 1-2 years until I die. That I could live with for sure.

I’m using HCG and low low dose testosterone gel now to get my dick back and the hair at the temples are an utter brush fire.

Goal is to maybe get back to normal physically (mood, ED, semen) and drop all hormone related meds including the topcial Finasteride stick with oral minoxidil and maybe try CB. Or lower dose of lipsomal. Or the Prox @DoctorHouse suggested.

I think 16 months on topical Finasteride is a fair enough run to know I’m not responding. Not sure I’m ever try topical Dutasteride. I’m happy for the people that do well on these drugs but they hit me hard with sides.

I have 30 grams of RU powder in the fridge.

Either way I’m fucked from a perfect baseline 2.5 years and have been making it worse one way or another from the start.

 

[DoctorHouse]

Proctor said we lose an average of 10% of density per decade which matches with what Konior told you. If you happen to have way above average density, thickness, and jet black hair, that 10% won't become noticeable for almost 50 years if you think about it. For me, it became noticeable because I never had way above average density, nor jet black hair and my hair is fine in caliber. At least, you don't have any major recession. I don't either but you got me beat. You and @Northface32 have the best hair of the forum. You both have that uber thick jet black hair with above average density. I think @Wolf Pack is up there too with you guys post transplant.

 

[bluecyclone]

Some new photos. Same caveat that I know Instill have hair. But Jesus if you look at my baseline and you calculate under three years, 2.5 full years in oral minoxidil and 15 months on topical Finasteride I am definitely fucked. Now I’m mixing in HCG to try and at least recover my health because nothing has slowed down this nightmare train. It Seems like the crown which was the first to thin is better than then forelock and hairline.

Would you same I’m a NW2 diffuse at this point? Worse? Are the hairline hairs already miniaturized? Would an expensive FUE even work for me in a few years if I gave up treatment now or will I need to be on Finasteride/Dutasteride even for that?

included 2 baseline pics from November 2016 and March 2017 for density reference.

 

[bluecyclone]

weird *** head shape too...

 

[Here For the Lulz]

Proctor said we lose an average of 10% of density per decade which matches with what Konior told you. If you happen to have way above average density, thickness, and jet black hair, that 10% won't become noticeable for almost 50 years if you think about it. For me, it became noticeable because I never had way above average density, nor jet black hair and my hair is fine in caliber. At least, you don't have any major recession. I don't either but you got me beat. You and @Northface32 have the best hair of the forum. You both have that uber thick jet black hair with above average density. I think @Wolf Pack is up there too with you guys post transplant.

That northface guy is textbook BDD, taking meds he doesn’t need for a non-existent issue; he gives that Alexander kid a run for his money with regards to who is more delusional. At least this OP has actual thinning.

 

[bluecyclone]

Can anyone give me a Norwood guess? This seems like an incredibly fast pattern of loss and nothing has really made a dent in the thinning.

looking into suggestions but am I too far gone to save this mess with loss at this pace? I mean if I’m losing 10% every 4 months on treatment. I’m doomed.

 

[CrownBalding]

I really think you should stop all medications except your thyroid medication and just reset your body before you started taking all these medications. You seem to ignore what I have been telling you all along. You have a recessive balding gene that turned itself on later in life. Consider yourself lucky. I was just as lucky. I never had hair as thick or as black as yours. I was born with strawberry blonde hair with average density but fine hair. You were born with jet black hair with above average density and thick in caliber. Still not as top tier as what I see from the hispanics in my area but you are still up there. You must have some either italian, indian or hispanic blood in you. I don't have any of that in my blood. I wish I did as it seems to give great hair characteristics.

So here is what is happening to you. You are aging, very slowly going gray( you hit the jackpot on that gene) and have a thyroid condition. On top of that you have a Type A personality and are very much into your looks and physique. Most likely because you have either never been married or have not settled down and started a family. From what I can tell from your photos, I am sure you had many people tell you that you are very good looking as well as very young looking.

Unfortunately, when you hit your 40's it's much harder to maintain your good looks and youthful appearance but with good genetics like you have it's not as hard as it would be for the average guy of your peers. Even at 43, you are way above average compared to your peers. If that isn't a reason to live, then I don't know what to tell you but get therapy. You first need to admit the obvious which you won't admit. You have BDD and need help psychologically. How do I know all this? I was just like you the day I joined this forum.

You are obsessed with your hair which mostly everyone in this entire universe including this forum would say looks normal for your age. You take photos and post them on here for validation that something is wrong. A trained Norwood spotter can tell you do have some minor loss of density but that is all you have. It's minor. These young guys don't care about stories like yours and in their eyes you don't have a problem with your hair. They see you have a problem with mental health.

Due to your BDD specific hair obsession, you created a chronic telogen effluvium when you decided to mess with your hormones and hair cycles. Vanity comes with a price for some. And in your case, it is causing nothing but nonstop shedding and heartache for you. Secondly, you have Hashimoto's which can itself cause a chronic telogen effluvium and will not respond to Propecia. It will respond to minoxidil or growth stimulants or anti inflammatory treatments if you are lucky. So either stick to what your doing and hope your hair will remain somewhat stable until we get better treatments or just throw in the towel and stop everything but your thyroid medication because you need that to keep your thyroid from killing itself faster. And you will always need to take it when your body does kill your thyroid. I promise in 10 years from now your hair will be only slightly less dense than it is now and most likely you will have very little gray too. Most guys in their 50's don't have that luxury. Not even Brad Pitt escaped gray hair. He dyes it like the rest of the Hollywood crew. The only unicorns who tend to not go gray in the 50's are some lucky hispanics, italians, middle eastern, and Afro-Americans, and usually people with jet black hair like you have. Light colored hair seems to gray faster for some guys. Time to accept your doing better than you peers and enjoy your life.

“So here is what is happening to you. You are aging, very slowly going gray( you hit the jackpot on that gene) and have a thyroid condition. On top of that you have a Type A personality and are very much into your looks and physique. Most likely because you have either never been married or have not settled down and started a family. From what I can tell from your photos, I am sure you had many people tell you that you are very good looking as well as very young looking.“

This is basically what I pm’d him. Being this age and never married is a bad combo mentally. I’ve never realized how traumatic it is until this forum, but now I think I understand.

Being exceptional looking you should have found someone by this age, but if you haven’t, where do you turn for blame? I guess you start blaming your looks and start to look for things that are beyond your control. But why not point out the obvious? The shitty personality.

I think I’ve figured it out. Being way above average looking during your youth, a lot of things may have been handed to you (women, promotions, social hierarchy). This way you don’t take responsibility for faults in your personality and you can get by solely on your looks. Looks alone won’t be enough to fulfill satisfying relationships. When this person who has been given so much for little effort realizes they’re “old” and still haven’t settled down what do they think? Maybe it’s because my hair has some gray in it, or maybe it’s because my hair isn’t as thick as it used to be? Since their whole value has been placed on their looks (for decades), this is the only conclusion they could come to.

All I can say is, I hope I never turn into this fkng guy.

I’ve been drinking and I haven’t proofread this before posting. I hope it’s clear and concise.

 

[DoctorHouse]

“So here is what is happening to you. You are aging, very slowly going gray( you hit the jackpot on that gene) and have a thyroid condition. On top of that you have a Type A personality and are very much into your looks and physique. Most likely because you have either never been married or have not settled down and started a family. From what I can tell from your photos, I am sure you had many people tell you that you are very good looking as well as very young looking.“

This is basically what I pm’d him. Being this age and never married is a bad combo mentally. I’ve never realized how traumatic it is until this forum, but now I think I understand.

Being exceptional looking you should have found someone by this age, but if you haven’t, where do you turn for blame? I guess you start blaming your looks and start to look for things that are beyond your control. But why not point out the obvious? The shitty personality.

I think I’ve figured it out. Being way above average looking during your youth, a lot of things may have been handed to you (women, promotions, social hierarchy). This way you don’t take responsibility for faults in your personality and you can get by solely on your looks. Looks alone won’t be enough to fulfill satisfying relationships. When this person who has been given so much for little effort realizes they’re “old” and still haven’t settled down what do they think? Maybe it’s because my hair has some gray in it, or maybe it’s because my hair isn’t as thick as it used to be? Since their whole value has been placed on their looks (for decades), this is the only conclusion they could come to.

All I can say is, I hope I never turn into this fkng guy.

I’ve been drinking and I haven’t proofread this before posting. I hope it’s clear and concise.

It's an obsessive personality not necessarily shitty. Although it's really shitty to have an obsessive personality. And sometimes an obsessive personality will try to look for perfection in their relationships which is totally impossible to find. Every relationship will have it's flaws including the two people who are involved. If you can't get past your own flaws let alone theirs, it will never work.

You can see the pattern here. No matter what I do, I don't understand why this is happening to me? Why me? I had perfect hair all my life. Now why all of sudden after all my efforts, I am losing something I have been privileged to all my life and yet some guys around me still get to keep that privilege with no effort. Yet, I don't no matter what I do. And if it's not the hair, then it will be something else. Aging is a real b**ch. And especially if it happens at a premature time in your life, it's the most devastating. That's why this case ignites so much negative energy from the ones who start balding in their teens. His case is totally normal at his age. Once he accepts this, he can move on...............
LOL To something else, he doesn't like about himself. Obsessive personalities lead to nothing but depression and anxiety.

Moral of the story: Focus on everyone or everything instead of yourself. Learn to focus on how to become financially independent so you can afford to do the things you enjoy in life. Or learn how to change the world into a better place.

 

[Mitko1]

It's an obsessive personality not necessarily shitty. Although it's really shitty to have an obsessive personality. And sometimes an obsessive personality will try to look for perfection in their relationships which is totally impossible to find. Every relationship will have it's flaws including the two people who are involved. If you can't get past your own flaws let alone theirs, it will never work.

You can see the pattern here. No matter what I do, I don't understand why this is happening to me? Why me? I had perfect hair all my life. Now why all of sudden after all my efforts, I am losing something I have been privileged to all my life and yet some guys around me still get to keep that privilege with no effort. Yet, I don't no matter what I do. And if it's not the hair, then it will be something else. Aging is a real b**ch. And especially if it happens at a premature time in your life, it's the most devastating. That's why this case ignites so much negative energy from the ones who start balding in their teens. His case is totally normal at his age. Once he accepts this, he can move on...............
LOL To something else, he doesn't like about himself. Obsessive personalities lead to nothing but depression and anxiety.

Moral of the story: Focus on everyone or everything instead of yourself. Learn to focus on how to become financially independent so you can afford to do the things you enjoy in life. Or learn how to change the world into a better place.

He is losing hair due to his thyroid condition. Not due to androgenetic alopecia.

 

[Derelict]

He is losing hair due to his thyroid condition. Not due to androgenetic alopecia.

Wouldn't his thyroid medication nip that in the bud though? his hair loss shouldn't be progressing and anything lost should have been helped grow back a little with the oral minoxidil he is taking.

 

[DoctorHouse]

He is losing hair due to his thyroid condition. Not due to androgenetic alopecia.

According to all the doctors he has visited he has a combination of age related hair loss, Androgenic alopecia, and maybe thyroid related hair loss. I have seen many men start to lose a lot of hair in their 40's all of a sudden. It can happen. He still has great density for his age. He is not going to lose 10 percent density every 4 months like he thinks. Eventually, in six months from now, he will probably recover some of this loss. He is going thru a chronic Telogen Effluvium. I have been in a similar situation when I started hair loss treatments. I have thyroid issues myself. I never shed the amount of hairs he did but I did go below baseline and never recovered but never went bald either. I have diffuse loss all over but it's minor enough I can get away with looking like a full head of hair just like him.

 

[Mitko1]

According to all the doctors he has visited he has a combination of age related hair loss, Androgenic alopecia, and maybe thyroid related hair loss. I have seen many men start to lose a lot of hair in their 40's all of a sudden. It can happen. He still has great density for his age. He is not going to lose 10 percent density every 4 months like he thinks. Eventually, in six months from now, he will probably recover some of this loss. He is going thru a chronic Telogen Effluvium. I have been in a similar situation when I started hair loss treatments. I have thyroid issues myself. I never shed the amount of hairs he did but I did go below baseline and never recovered but never went bald either. I have diffuse loss all over but it's minor enough I can get away with looking like a full head of hair just like him.

There is no way he has androgenetic alopecia. Finasteride is not working for him and he had juvenile hairline. Individuals with juvenile hairlines are NOT susceptible to androgenetic alopecia and never get this type of hair loss.

 

[DoctorHouse]

There is no way he has androgenetic alopecia. Finasteride is not working for him and he had juvenile hairline. Individuals with juvenile hairlines are NOT susceptible to androgenetic alopecia and never get this type of hair loss.

Please let me know the studies that prove that guys with juvenile hairlines are NOT susceptible to AA. Have you ever heard of vertex only balding patterns?