I'm not suppose to lose my hair!

[matt1372]

Hi, I have always been a guy with a lot of hair. I have a naturally low hairline and have recieved many comments from hairstylists over the years telling me how nice my hair is, both in texture and thickness. I have dark brown hair that is straight. My family history has full haired men on both sides and all of my cousins have full heads of hair (many older than me!) Only one Grandfather had a balding head (paternal) and my father has all of his hair and is 64. I am nearly 30 years old. Suddenly, over this summer, I began to notice thinning of my hair in the front area going back to the middle top of my head. My hairline has never changed. It is still not noticeable. It is significant though. I have been doing some online research and found that there are updates to hair transplant surgery to avoid the plug look. I don't know if thats right for me. I don't like the idea of years of rogaine and propecia (as they are the only two proven methods according to my research) It seems I want to be thinking about blocking the hormone attachment and also stimulating growth?? Has anyone seen benefits from using silica nutritional supplements? The bottom line is that I am the guy who is not supposed to be losing his hair and want to keep the hair that many people have remarked about over time. What should I do?

Also, I don't seem to fit into the Norwood scale anywhere, so don't ask me about that.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[Follically Challenged]

I've never heard of silica for male pattern baldness.

Get on finasteride.

 

[matt1372]

I've just hear that silica is supposed to help hair thickness and health. I am wondering how expensive hair restoration is. If they can add hair from my back to my front by removing a slit of hair and then dividing it into many folicular units it could be a good idea.. This procedure though will not help to stop hair loss.

Thanks

Matt

 

[Follically Challenged]

I got a FUSS procedure for 7700 Cdn.

Sounds like you don't have alot of hair loss. I'd look into FUE, where they don't removed a strip of hair, but rather punch out hairs and insert them up front. The scarring is hardly noticable and you won't have to deal with having a bunch of stamples in your head. The staples caused shock loss in the donor area and nearly 3 months later i still have a couple of bald patches at the back.

But FUE is more expensive.

 

[socks]

Matt,

I can relate as I probably was born with the same type of hair as you... In fact, I was literally born with a full head of hair and a low hair line. Like you my hair is thick, straight, and brown.

What I can tell you is hair transplant is not a viable option for men like you or I. I'm going to make this short as explaining everything would literally take a book. But hair transplant, despite the hype, does NOT give you thick full hair back. What it does is give you the ILLUSION of hair. In photos and in commercials hair transplant can look simply amazing. In person it doesnt look or feel like a super thick head of hair. At BEST it looks like a thinning head of hair. Worse, if you get a hair transplant in an area with hair still there you can experience 'shock loss' where the surrounding hair will fall out and sometimes wont grow back.

In other words, you cant expect to go into a clinic with a decent head of hair and walk out looking like you did 3 yrs ago. The way your hair looks now is probably better then any hair transplant could achieve.


Long term meds sounds bad but popping a pill a day is no big deal. Think of it as hair vitamins... And if you're just starting to thin you dont need minoxidil... Just stick with the Finasteride.

I've been on meds for like 3yrs now and my hair looks goddamn incredible. I mean no one would believe now my hair was EVER thin. It looks just like it did when I was in my early 20s. Meds do work and if you use them early they WILL give you better results then ANY hair transplant will give you.


I'm a hairloss vet on these boards of 2 or 3 yrs now and I know what the hell I'm talking about. There are way too many 'kids' here with limited intellects who cannot grasp the reality of hair transplant and its limitations... They see some pic online or a commercial and they misunderstand what a hair transplant really can and cannot achieve.

Again, I'm too tired and have no willpower to go into all the details. My advice: Take the meds now and do a LOT of research into your options. Talk to and meet people with hair transplant in real life... Dont rely on online/TV testimonials.

Good luck man!

 

[matt1372]

Thanks for the words of wisdom, I too believe in proactive not reactive action. My hairloss like you say is not noticable yet unless my hair is wet. What kind of doctor will write a prescription for finasteride? Good point on the hair transplant, I don't want bald spots in the back of my head. The procedure that the other guy talked about with only one hair at a time sounds interesting though.

 

[socks]

Usually it isnt hard to go to your family MD and get a script for Finasteride (Propecia/Proscar)... Though some doctors, being the egotistical dickheads they can be, may be hesitant to prescribe a hairloss treatment until THEY can perceive some hairloss. Problem with that is, it is a fact hairloss isnt noticeable until almost 50% of your original hair is lost. So, hopefully you will have a family MD who is knowledgeable about hairloss and respectful of your feelings and desire to halt it.

Worse case you can buy it off the Internet.

 

[JayB]

Usually it isnt hard to go to your family MD and get a script for Finasteride (Propecia/Proscar)... Though some doctors, being the egotistical dickheads they can be, may be hesitant to prescribe a hairloss treatment until THEY can perceive some hairloss. Problem with that is, it is a fact hairloss isnt noticeable until almost 50% of your original hair is lost. So, hopefully you will have a family MD who is knowledgeable about hairloss and respectful of your feelings and desire to halt it.

Worse case you can buy it off the Internet.

socks ur only on oral spironolactone these days?

 

[socks]

socks ur only on oral spironolactone these days?

Yes sir.

 

[Phillip]

socks ur only on oral spironolactone these days?

Yes sir.

Any feminzing effects so far?

It is apparently very strong when used orally and not topically

 

[socks]

Any feminzing effects so far?

It is apparently very strong when used orally and not topically

No long-term feminizing effects. I've been using oral spironolactone for a year now and my usual dosage is 200mg daily(100mg is in my sig). I did seem to have some initial side-effects such as a almost non-existent libido, chest pain, nipple sensitivity as well as some more desirable sides such as less oily skin and lower blood pressure (oral spironolactone is actually marketed as a blood pressure med not a hairloss one).

However, to date, the only thing I have to show for my spironolactone use is an incredible thick head of hair and good blood pressure. Now, I may be very untypical as far a male spironolactone users are concerned. Everyone's body is different and I am notorious for having a very resilient system (I rarely experience side-effects from meds).

 

[matt1372]

Okay, thanks again for all the info, I have been doing some more research and realize that a hair transplant is probably not right since I have lots of hair on my head and if i fill in the front area where hair already exists I will risk the shock fallout effect.

What I realize is that most of these hair doctors at least on the phone want me to come in and do all kinds of expensive exams and consultations and it could help but I think the only real options are to be in good nutritional habits and then take finasteride. I don't want to take anything else unless I have to for a while.

As to finasteride, I don't want to go over 1mg to start so that means I need propecia and not proscar right? I don't think I can cut pills into fifths.

Is generic propecia (finasteride) 1mg available generically over the internet safe and the same as the stuff you get from a prescription?
I have found some websites that sell it without a prescription. Anyone getting it this way and have good or bad stories to share?

Thanks

 

[socks]

What I realize is that most of these hair doctors at least on the phone want me to come in and do all kinds of expensive exams and consultations and it could help but I think the only real options are to be in good nutritional habits and then take finasteride.

Some might debate this but I dont think nutrition is going to have any impact on hairloss once it starts. I think nutrition might have some impact on the onset, but once it starts there really isnt any concensious in studies that it can help.

Expensive exams/consultations are a complete waste of money. Doctors cannot give you anything that isnt FDA approved... So their options are limited to Finasteride and Minoxidil. What some doctors will do is make proprietary 'blends' of minoxidil topicals which are nothing more then over-priced minoxidil with unproven ingredients included.

I don't want to take anything else unless I have to for a while.

I'm sorry about the off-topic conversation about my spironolactone use. spironolactone really isnt something most men should consider for hairloss... But that is another topic

As to finasteride, I don't want to go over 1mg to start so that means I need propecia and not proscar right? I don't think I can cut pills into fifths.

Your choice but Finasteride has a very flat dosing range. There is practically no difference between 1mg and 5mg let alone 1.25mg. It really doesnt matter but if it makes you feel better then you can try Propecia... Or you can look into a generic Propecia.

Is generic propecia (finasteride) 1mg available generically over the internet safe and the same as the stuff you get from a prescription? I have found some websites that sell it without a prescription. Anyone getting it this way and have good or bad stories to share?

I know the patent for Proscar (Finasteride) expired for Merck. I'm not sure if that applies to Proscar only or if it also applies to Propecia. Might want to call your local pharmacy and see!

Over seas stuff is always ify. I found http://www.inhousepharmacy.com to be a reputable one and that is where I order my spironolactone from.

 

[matt1372]

It seems to me the more I research this site, the more negative view I get about finasteride. Most people say it caused some sides and also caused hair to fall out. That is not good. Very few seem to say "oh, it worked for me" I find it odd, as it is an approved FDA drug, the FDA says 1% of people had side effects sexually. This site makes it seem like 75% had side effects.

 

[bubka]

It seems to me the more I research this site, the more negative view I get about finasteride. Most people say it caused some sides and also caused hair to fall out. That is not good. Very few seem to say "oh, it worked for me" I find it odd, as it is an approved FDA drug, the FDA says 1% of people had side effects sexually. This site makes it seem like 75% had side effects.

because this site if full of whining *** titty babies

 

[CCS]

matt,

even if you get a hair transplant, you will need propecia so you don't have to get another one a few years later. As a diffuse thinner, you probably will get shock loss from a hair transplant. Sounds like you are just starting to thin, so you probably should be able to regrow your hair, though I'd recommend dutas.

---------------------
Socks,

I'm glad to hear that the spironolactone from inhouse is real. You should tell holyhair. I'm sure he'd like to get some too, if he knew how cheap it is.

 

[socks]

It seems to me the more I research this site, the more negative view I get about finasteride. Most people say it caused some sides and also caused hair to fall out. That is not good. Very few seem to say "oh, it worked for me" I find it odd, as it is an approved FDA drug, the FDA says 1% of people had side effects sexually. This site makes it seem like 75% had side effects.

because this site if full of whining *** titty babies

LoL!!! :lol:


Too true man, too true!


Matt, keep in mind that most men who are successful in their treatments dont hang around on these boards. The majority of men here fall into two categories:

#1 Newbies who dont know sh*t (sometimes passing off their very limited and inaccurate 'wisdom' as fact to other newbies)

#2 The small % of men who treatments didnt work for them who now spend there time venting & b*tching (some of these men have serious mental issues as well).


Bottom line:

finasteride works for 80% of men. Only 2% of men get side-effects. However, millions of men take Finasteride so that 20% of men it doesnt work for (as well as the 2% who get sides) can become a somewhat sizable group. Add that to the crazies and newbies and you have a recipe for the average Internet hairloss board.

In the end you need to do what you feel comfortable doing. Just know the impression you're getting isnt an accurate one.

 

[socks]

Socks,

I'm glad to hear that the spironolactone from inhouse is real. You should tell holyhair. I'm sure he'd like to get some too, if he knew how cheap it is.

I have no idea who that dude is bud I hardly spend any time on these boards anymore.

 

[bubka]

exactly socks, well said!!