How Do You Cope? I need Suggestions!

[80sRevival]

It's all a matter of time folks. I'm trying to adjust and accept that fact that in the next 3-4 years I'll be bald. My current regimen is Revigoen shamppo and conditioner. I don't want to screw up my hormones by taking a drug. My older brother is a medical doctor and he has told me that if I go bald don't waste my money on propecia because it will screw you up and may be a waste of money. He told me to just shave my head and live on.

It's very difficult for me to accept my outcome as it slowly sets in. I was wondering how everyone copes with the impending doom. I used to tell myself, going bald is ok, its not cancer or anything terminal. But lemme tell you it sucks ***. To give you a little bit of background. I'm currently only 24 years old. I'm a diffuse thinner. My crown is the worst. My family has no history of balding. My older brother is 30 years old and has a full head of hair. My father is 56 and has a full head of hair. I'm asian as well so it makes it that much more difficult because we have lower occurences of male pattern baldness by the numbers. I am scared to see what I look like, my head is not the best shape or what have you. Whats worse is my skin is oily, so my head would look like a light bulb during the day. I am so scared. I have been working for a major telecommunications firm and I am suppsoed to be enjoying life but I am not because I just think about hair all day long. I am just about to purchase a brand new car as well (BMW 3 series). So that is supposed to cheer me up, but deep down I am balding and it sucks!! It steals the thunder right out of life.

I look around and there are drug dealers, rapists, murdurers, etc. who have great hair. It doesn't make sense to me. I have been a law abiding citizen and I have never committed a crime. I help old ladies cross the street, I hold doors open for people. I say thank you, please and you're welcome. I give money to buskers. I donate money to charities. I eat healthy and I play competitive hockey (which sucks because when I take off my helmet, i see hairs!) And I'm balding. This sucks so much.

I've though about killing myself before but I can't find the courage to do it. I'm caught in the limbo of a depressed life and trying to find an exit now.

I really need support right now. It has made me feel alot better to express myself on this website. Please post your thoughts and ideas on how to cope. I would appreciate it greatly.

 

[The Rock]

ya but why woudln't u use propecia for the fact u may not go badl if u take it.........i mean thats the chance is what everyone here is waiting for......and it won't screw up ur hormones...just alter them slightly in some and not even that mucdh in tohers........propecia/finasteride is wortht eh effort.....and minxo too........and later on u can get transplants if ucan afford that bemaer.......so i dont see how u can be so down and out when u have yet to tap into other trhings that can help overcome this

 

[80sRevival]

im a diffuse thinner with most loss on the crown vertex area, i cannot apply minoxidil that well.

What it comes down to is that I don't want to tied down to something. If I take propecia, I will take it for life. I don't want that dependancy on something. I might try propecia later on if it gets too bad. If I do minoxidil, I will take it for life. I don't have time to apply it twice a day. Give me a break here. I'm up and on the go.

 

[wastingpenguins]

I might try propecia later on if it gets too bad.

Bad idea. If you're going to try Propecia, get on it now. The longer you wait and the worse your hair gets, the less chance Propecia will help you. Trust me.

I'm sorry to say, and I'm sure 90% of the people here will agree-- I think your brother is misguiding you. Propecia is a very, very safe drug. Don't buy into the hype. The VAST majority of people on it do not suffer from side effects, and I am quite convinced that many of those who do are neurotic hypochrondriacs who are only imaging them.

I'm not saying that side effects are impossible-- they very well may occur in some people. What I am saying is that you are much, much more likely to have a positive or even neutral reaction to the drug than a negative one.

Plus, if you DO have a bad experience with the drug, you can quit at any time. Your body will adjust as if you had never taken it. I promise.

Think about it-- what would make you happier: the thought that your hormones are in their 'normal', natural balance, or the thought that you may be able to save your hair for years to come?

Your call.

I don't have time to apply it twice a day. Give me a break here. I'm up and on the go.

I don't understand this, either. How badly do you want to save your hair? You say you've contemplated suicide over this, for crying out loud.

Applying minoxidil is not that difficult nor time consuming. I have relatively short hair, and it takes me 2, maybe 3 minutes tops to apply.

After a while, it becomes strictly routine. I'm sure that next you'll be telling me that you don't have time to brush your teeth during the day. How is this any different? It's not, and it could help save your hair.

Whatever you do, good luck. I hope I have been helpful in some way.

 

[stevieb]

well...it seems like you are lookin for the "magic pill." aren't we all? When it comes to battling baldness, there is no overnight solution. Whatever you do decide to do will have to be something you are willing to commit to!! I am currently using 5% minoxidil and yeah, it is a b**ch when you have 2 apply it 2 times a day but the way i see it is, what is my alternative? GOING BALD :freaked2: We are all given a chance to fight the battle of the bald but its up to you to use the ammunition that is provided!!!

best of luck on you decisions!!!

 

[Nuno]

You are obviously very depressed over your hair loss and you're fussing over the couple minutes each day it will take to use the treatments? I don't get it. If messing with your hormones scares the crap out of you, then why not give topicals a shot to see what results you get. At least this way you are doing something about it right now and you can do more research on finasteride to really decide if you want to take it or not.

 

[Vinton Harper]

I know exactly how you feel, 80sRevival. I didn't want to accept baldness either, that is why I had a transplant. I do need some touch up work and more density as I only had about 500 grafts put in at the time(I'm not counting my worthless Bosley experience which didn't give me any more hair anyway), but I plan on having a megasession with my original hair transplant doctor when I get the money.
You seem to be a perfect candidate for a transplant, or at least a consultation with a hair transplant surgeon. And if you can afford a new BMW :freaked2: , you can surely afford a good transplant!
What I would do would be forget the BMW for now. Buy a cheaper car and get the transplant, or at least look into it. Personally I'd rather have hair than a car, but that's just me.

And whatever you decide to do, just remember that you are not alone. I'm sure just about everyone here has experienced the kind of depression and anxiety that you go through when you first find out you are losing your hair. Try to keep your chin up. You'll figure out something that is right for you.

 

[80sRevival]

I know exactly how you feel, 80sRevival. I didn't want to accept baldness either, that is why I had a transplant. I do need some touch up work and more density as I only had about 500 grafts put in at the time(I'm not counting my worthless Bosley experience which didn't give me any more hair anyway), but I plan on having a megasession with my original hair transplant doctor when I get the money.
You seem to be a perfect candidate for a transplant, or at least a consultation with a hair transplant surgeon. And if you can afford a new BMW :freaked2: , you can surely afford a good transplant!
What I would do would be forget the BMW for now. Buy a cheaper car and get the transplant, or at least look into it. Personally I'd rather have hair than a car, but that's just me.

And whatever you decide to do, just remember that you are not alone. I'm sure just about everyone here has experienced the kind of depression and anxiety that you go through when you first find out you are losing your hair. Try to keep your chin up. You'll figure out something that is right for you.

Thanks for you support. It's comforting to know that you're not alone. I am feeling that because no one in my family is bald so i have no one to talk to. I can barely even muster up the topic to my brother and have never spoken about it with my family. I will go see a dernatologist soon to get the information I need.

 

[Guest]

It's all a matter of time folks. I'm trying to adjust and accept that fact that in the next 3-4 years I'll be bald. My current regimen is Revigoen shamppo and conditioner. I don't want to screw up my hormones by taking a drug. My older brother is a medical doctor and he has told me that if I go bald don't waste my money on propecia because it will screw you up and may be a waste of money. He told me to just shave my head and live on.

Sounds like good advice.

It's very difficult for me to accept my outcome as it slowly sets in. I was wondering how everyone copes with the impending doom. I used to tell myself, going bald is ok, its not cancer or anything terminal. But lemme tell you it sucks ***.

I think we all agree that it does suck *** and it´s very difficult for most to accept.

To give you a little bit of background. I'm currently only 24 years old. I'm a diffuse thinner. My crown is the worst. My family has no history of balding. My older brother is 30 years old and has a full head of hair. My father is 56 and has a full head of hair. I'm asian as well so it makes it that much more difficult because we have lower occurences of male pattern baldness by the numbers. I am scared to see what I look like, my head is not the best shape or what have you.

It tends to skip a generation. Look at your grandparents. Still it sucks and it´s bad luck.

Whats worse is my skin is oily, so my head would look like a light bulb during the day.

That probably means your skin is gonna look young until you reach 70.

I am so scared. I have been working for a major telecommunications firm and I am suppsoed to be enjoying life but I am not because I just think about hair all day long. I am just about to purchase a brand new car as well (BMW 3 series). So that is supposed to cheer me up, but deep down I am balding and it sucks!! It steals the thunder right out of life.

Why are you scared? you have a great job (or so it seems) and that´s gonna be important once they perfect haircloning (or multiplication)

I look around and there are drug dealers, rapists, murdurers, etc. who have great hair. It doesn't make sense to me. I have been a law abiding citizen and I have never committed a crime. I help old ladies cross the street, I hold doors open for people. I say thank you, please and you're welcome. I give money to buskers. I donate money to charities..

Now this is just confusing. What does drugdealers etc have to do with your hairloss? Do you belive that all people with hairloss are any of the above mentioned.

I've though about killing myself before but I can't find the courage to do it. I'm caught in the limbo of a depressed life and trying to find an exit now.

Alot of people react this way - STOP IT! it´s nonsense and it´s below you. Your hair is not your life - ok?

And then on the whole procepia deal. It´s not something you develop an addiction to. It´s a pill that will reduce the amount of DHT in your serum making your hairloss slower and it works especially well for diffuse thinners. If you are among the 3 - 5% who do experience sideeffects then you just quite the drug and those effects will go away.

What you need to do is this.

1) Check your scalp. Is it itchy? does it hurt? is it oily? if yes then it´s inflammation caused by DHT attacking - You have to get rid of the inflammation. Currently the best way is nizoral shampoo 2% and you add it 3 times / week until your inflammation is gone or forever like alot of people on this forum.

2) And by 2) I mean done the same day as you check your scalp - get finasteride.

3) Evaluate. It will take a couple of weeks for finasteride to kick in. However my advice is discontinue weight lifting and overexcessive monkey spanking since it boosts your testosterone which forms DHT. I would also add scalp massage because the inflammation will cause lymphadenom and fluids don´t drain that well in the scalp. Massage will help remove fluids and making your overall scalp condition much better + the increased flow will help carry finasteride to the scalp.

Remember it´s a slow process and you´re gonna be sad more often then happy - but it works for alot of people.

 

[80sRevival]

It's all a matter of time folks. I'm trying to adjust and accept that fact that in the next 3-4 years I'll be bald. My current regimen is Revigoen shamppo and conditioner. I don't want to screw up my hormones by taking a drug. My older brother is a medical doctor and he has told me that if I go bald don't waste my money on propecia because it will screw you up and may be a waste of money. He told me to just shave my head and live on.

Sounds like good advice.

It's very difficult for me to accept my outcome as it slowly sets in. I was wondering how everyone copes with the impending doom. I used to tell myself, going bald is ok, its not cancer or anything terminal. But lemme tell you it sucks ***.

I think we all agree that it does suck *** and it´s very difficult for most to accept.

To give you a little bit of background. I'm currently only 24 years old. I'm a diffuse thinner. My crown is the worst. My family has no history of balding. My older brother is 30 years old and has a full head of hair. My father is 56 and has a full head of hair. I'm asian as well so it makes it that much more difficult because we have lower occurences of male pattern baldness by the numbers. I am scared to see what I look like, my head is not the best shape or what have you.

It tends to skip a generation. Look at your grandparents. Still it sucks and it´s bad luck.

Whats worse is my skin is oily, so my head would look like a light bulb during the day.

That probably means your skin is gonna look young until you reach 70.

I am so scared. I have been working for a major telecommunications firm and I am suppsoed to be enjoying life but I am not because I just think about hair all day long. I am just about to purchase a brand new car as well (BMW 3 series). So that is supposed to cheer me up, but deep down I am balding and it sucks!! It steals the thunder right out of life.

Why are you scared? you have a great job (or so it seems) and that´s gonna be important once they perfect haircloning (or multiplication)

I look around and there are drug dealers, rapists, murdurers, etc. who have great hair. It doesn't make sense to me. I have been a law abiding citizen and I have never committed a crime. I help old ladies cross the street, I hold doors open for people. I say thank you, please and you're welcome. I give money to buskers. I donate money to charities..

Now this is just confusing. What does drugdealers etc have to do with your hairloss? Do you belive that all people with hairloss are any of the above mentioned.

I've though about killing myself before but I can't find the courage to do it. I'm caught in the limbo of a depressed life and trying to find an exit now.

Alot of people react this way - STOP IT! it´s nonsense and it´s below you. Your hair is not your life - ok?

And then on the whole procepia deal. It´s not something you develop an addiction to. It´s a pill that will reduce the amount of DHT in your serum making your hairloss slower and it works especially well for diffuse thinners. If you are among the 3 - 5% who do experience sideeffects then you just quite the drug and those effects will go away.

What you need to do is this.

1) Check your scalp. Is it itchy? does it hurt? is it oily? if yes then it´s inflammation caused by DHT attacking - You have to get rid of the inflammation. Currently the best way is nizoral shampoo 2% and you add it 3 times / week until your inflammation is gone or forever like alot of people on this forum.

2) And by 2) I mean done the same day as you check your scalp - get finasteride.

3) Evaluate. It will take a couple of weeks for finasteride to kick in. However my advice is discontinue weight lifting and overexcessive monkey spanking since it boosts your testosterone which forms DHT. I would also add scalp massage because the inflammation will cause lymphadenom and fluids don´t drain that well in the scalp. Massage will help remove fluids and making your overall scalp condition much better + the increased flow will help carry finasteride to the scalp.

Remember it´s a slow process and you´re gonna be sad more often then happy - but it works for alot of people.

Nesta, sincerely much appreciated feedback. My reason for brining up the murderes and other people like that is that its not fair how people like that don't add to society and still have full heads of hair. I have tried Nizoral in the last week or so and it seems to have helped a little I guess. Its very hard to judge. I used to shed lots of hairs on my pillow but it has subisded in the past week.

As for lifting wwights, I think that when it gets to the point. I will lift weigts to offset my hairloss. When I do, I will mix in sessions of cardio to balance levels of DHT

 

[Guest]

Nesta, sincerely much appreciated feedback. My reason for brining up the murderes and other people like that is that its not fair how people like that don't add to society and still have full heads of hair. I have tried Nizoral in the last week or so and it seems to have helped a little I guess. Its very hard to judge. I used to shed lots of hairs on my pillow but it has subisded in the past week.

Dude using nizoral once or twice will do nothing. This is something you are stuck with until they come with a solution that blocks the effect of DHT in the scalp - it´s not gonna happen anytime soon myfriend.

 

[Hotlegs]

If I take propecia, I will take it for life. I don't want that dependancy on something. I might try propecia later on if it gets too bad.

Ok so it's not too bad at the moment ?

I've though (sic) about killing myself

I am confused ?

If I do minoxidil, I will take it for life. I don't have time to apply it twice a day. Give me a break here. I'm up and on the go.

OK so you want to save your hair so badly that it has led you to consider suicide, but you don't want the hassle of using minoxidil or taking propecia?

Without these your chances of sucessfully combating hair loss are minimal, I suggest you get in your new car a cruise while you have hair

best of luck

 

[WADA]

removed

 

[80sRevival]

I am in the exact same boat as you. 24 years old, asian, diffuse thinner, no family history of hair loss on both side of my family(including grandparents and great grandparents), and the only family member,out of like 50 relatives, with hair loss problem.

Hair loss actually hit me quite hard because I am a pretty good looking guy. So of course, I didn't want to give up without a fight. Unfortunately, my dermatologist misdiagnosed me. He didn't believed I have male pattern baldness simply because I have no family history of hair loss. I often wonder if I can sue him. He did gave me nizoral though, which slowed, but did not stopped, my hair loss.

I have been on propecia and rogaine for 3 weeks now. I haven't really experience much side-effect. My libido has dropped but I could still get it up anytime if I wanted to. The combo has completely stopped my hair loss except some vellus hair.

On top of propecia, I've also looked into Chinese medicine. A lot of what it says actually make sense. In chinese medicine, hair is affected by your blood and qi in your kidney. If you have a weak kidney, you will have less hair, more white hair, and thinner hair. Weak kidney cannot necessarily be detected by blood or urine test. You can detect a weak kidney in the following way
1) lower back pain or soreness around the kidney area
2) piss with a lot of bubbles(one that are not caused by water pressure) and with a heavy layers of oil
3) sperm leaking without strong ejaculation
4) sweating without much excercise and have trouble lifting heavy objects(especially if you are young).
..there are more but I forgot.

Generally people get weak kidney as they age since kidney deteriorates as time goes. It's the same for all organs. However, some people get weak kidney faster than others mostly due to life style. You can obtain a weak kidney faster by
1) not sleeping enough or sleep really late(Chinese medicine believe your kidney rest at 11pm) so its best to sleep at or before 11pm.
2) reduce sex/masterbation( the non-sperm liquid are thought to be from the kidney ).
3) eating too oily or salty which require kidney to do more work.
4) too fat.

While Chinese Medicine doesn't take DHT into consideration at all, I do agree with a lot of what they have to say. I am sure it won't stop DHT from eating hair follicles, I do believe it helps regrowth and thickening of your hair.

So below is my regime with both eastern and western medicine combined:
1) Propecia 1mg
2) Rogaine twice a day
3) nizoral 1 or twice a week
4) black sesame cream( a chinese dessert ) 5days/ week at work (sesame is believe the darken your hair and promote kidney health). I also take walnuts occasionally.
5) Chinese medicine with prescription from Chinese traditional medicine doctor ( not all CTM doctor are created equal, ask your chinese friend for referral)
6) sleep before midnight
7) execercise, weight lifting and yoga
8) don't eat any fried food.
9) less sex/masturbation (propecia helps on this one)

I am sure some people will regard my post as BS. I don't really care. But I am sure some of you have experience the symptom of weak kidney and have gone to internal medicine doctor but have every test returned normal.

Awesome post. I reall apprecite all this feedback folks. Its rare you can find someone who is in the same boat as you. Do you have MSN, if so PM me and we could talk more at length. I am glad that you've taken propecia and have not suffered that much interms of side effects. It gives me confidence to try the drug. BUt you've been on it for only 3 weeks so time will tell.

I've tried to reduce masturbation and increased cardio workouts. Also, I am taking a green tea supllement as well. I will try to sleep before 12. My parents always tell me to do that because its healthier. I am also a handsome asian guy but this hairloss is killing me.

 

[WADA]

removed

 

[Guest]

I love reading posts by guys who deem themselves "handsome" and "good looking" and think they are particularly affected by hairloss; as if everyone who isn't beautiful can just accept it as their genetic lot. It's like a rich person claiming more suffering from a stock-market crash because he had such a luxurient life style. I don't deem myself especially hideous, but when hairloss afflicts people like Jude Law and Ben Affleck, I see it as a kind of cosmic balancing act. Hopefully this beauty-inspired arrogance I see from a lot of guys on a lot of forums is checked a bit by male pattern baldness. I wouldn't wish this on anyone, but if I was going to, I'd wish it on them.

 

[WADA]

removed

 

[Axon]

AN hit the nail right on the head.

 

[Guest]

I never thought or intended to say it is okay to for ugly people to go bald or anything like it.

And I never intended to imply that I was ugly. Please re-read my post. However, I somehow suspect that "ugly" people would chafe at needing your permission to go bald in the first place.

Perhaps you are not very happy with your appearance.

Pardon me if I'm making assumptions, but it's my understanding that everyone on this forum is unhappy with their appearance; or, at the very least, fears for its well-being.

Don't assume you know what others are thinking.

Can I at least assume I know what others have written when they've written it?

If you can be less critical about others, you will be less critical about yourself. The same is true about balding. If you don't think balding is bad, you wouldn't care about yourself being bald.

Thanks, Dr. Phil. I'm sorry to bring this up again, but aren't we all on a hairloss website? Please dispense with the transcendent wisdom after you've achieved it, not before. If you don't think balding is bad, stop wasting your time here and go back to the finger-fetish forum.

dude, you have problem.

In fact, we all share one--though, even before my days of male pattern baldness, dudes like you were always my problem.

Axon
Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2005 1:00 am    Post subject:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
AN hit the nail right on the head.

Thanks. It just seems like we're all more or less in the same boat; I hate it when people try to build a hierarchy of who is more affected by this due to their inherent propensity toward beauty. We may not have all been born equal, but male pattern baldness does its damndest to get us there.

 

[Hotlegs]

Unfortunately, my dermatologist misdiagnosed me. He didn't believed I have male pattern baldness simply because I have no family history of hair loss. I often wonder if I can sue him.

Yeah f*****g sue the pig, this guy who has to deal with hundreds, maybe thousands of life threatening conditions during his career may have misdiagnosed a "pretty good looking" person's male pattern baldness.

I think for all the years he trained to practice medicine and the help he has given, all the good he has done he deserves to be dragged through the hell of a mal-practice trial for misdiagnosing something that is benign in it's threat to health and difficult if not impossible to diagnose.

Go get him handsome cowboy!