Im young balding and have questions

[almo181]

I didnt really know where else to put this so i kinda just posted it in here:
Ok I'm 17, started losing hair just as soon as i turned 16, well now im used to it and accept it. So in order to see a dermatoligist i had to wait 5 months and he said it was just due to stress, well after a few months of using cortisone medication on my scalp losing more hair day after day, i went to the other dermatolgist (we had two appointmetns for two dermatoligsts one was earlier the other later)he said without a doubt male pattern baldness, so when i found that out i read every site looked at everything. So now im on minoxdil 5% and retin-a and im gonna see how thats gonna work, i would like to go on propecia but i figure my age, ill wait dont wanna mes things up down there... But i have a few questions. One would it be better to use gloves when applying minoxidil for then ur fingers wouldnt absorb as much? 2) Is it suppose to tingle when u apply minoxidil? My scalp is a bit red is that normal as well? ( o ya im a month into this) Since i still goto highschool i found on the net Courve, which is coverup, paints ur head, this has down wonders for me, covers it up easily takes like 15 mins to do, but u cant notice a thing when its in there and i almost have complete baldspot on the back of my head. I even wrestle with this stuff in and it so great, i just have a question about it, does this sutff affect the rate of hairloss? Faster? slower? ANd does it affect the minoxdil at all? All i know is being in highschool still you cant really walk into class with a baldspot... so any help is appreciated

 

[The Gardener]

would it be better to use gloves when applying minoxidil for then ur fingers wouldnt absorb as much?

It's not necessary to do so. But I would make sure to wash your hands off with soap and water after application. You don't want to start growing premature hair on your fingers.

2) Is it suppose to tingle when u apply minoxidil? My scalp is a bit red is that normal as well? ( o ya im a month into this)

Yes, that is quite normal. You can expect some scalp irritation, and you might even get some flaking as well. Your scalp is not used to getting an alcohol-based substance put on it everyday, and this reaction you describe is normal, and goes away with time. I'd suggest picking up Nizoral shampoo and using it 2 to 3 times a week. It will help with the irritation, and on the longer term has some mild beneficial effects for maintaining your hair as well.

Courve ... does this sutff affect the rate of hairloss? Faster? slower? ANd does it affect the minoxdil at all?

No, it does not affect the rate of hairloss (male pattern baldness is determined by factors going on under the skin, and in your bloodstream and not by topical cosmetics, provided the couvre is allergenically tolerated by you.) As for your question about it's interaction with minoxidil, that is a good question and I hope someone knowledgeable here can answer. From my intiution, I highly doubt that it affects the minoxidil, but I would suggest putting the minoxidil on first, letting it dry and set a bit, and then applying the couvre.

All i know is being in highschool still you cant really walk into class with a baldspot... so any help is appreciated

You can walk anywhere you want to with a bald spot, and with your head held high. Don't get me wrong, hairloss is an unfortunate thing to happen, a form of "premature ageing" so to speak, and we are trying to fight it... but don't EVER let something cosmetic like hairloss make you ashamed to walk anywhere. You are not your hairloss, you are YOU... and you should never let male pattern baldness ever get you down. We are all born with challenges to face, and compared to many other forms of shortcomings that one can be born with, male pattern baldness is a minor one because it doesn't affect our ability to interact in the world and be as kickass a person as we want to be. People born with deformities, diseases, broken homes, etc all have far worse challenges than we face in male pattern baldness. The goal for us is to minimize it as much as we can, but in the broader scheme of things, the goal is for us to transcend male pattern baldness.

Good luck with your treatment!.. be religious about it, it works BEST when you really make a point of getting TWO applications on per day. And keep your head up!

 

[Boru]

Try not to get hooked on the drugs so young, as they may destroy your libido. I hope the Nizoral shampoo will help, I get this and other items on prescription, which is free in uk for people like me.

 

[almo181]

also i have been readin bout that saw palmetto stuff since im under 18, would that be better to try than Propecia...or even better to maybe get started on? or is that jsut a waste of time?

 

[MPBWarrior]

saw palmeto might help to a certain extent but finasteride is really what u want. of course, i would never recommend u going on finasteride if you're still developing, even after you're 18. so that's what u gotta think about before u start finasteride. have u stopped growing for a while now? do u look developed? do u think u think you've stopped 'growing up'? if yes to all these, then go for finasteride. good luck!

 

[haunted-ballroom]

saw palmeto might help to a certain extent but finasteride is really what u want. of course, i would never recommend u going on finasteride if you're still developing, even after you're 18. so that's what u gotta think about before u start finasteride. have u stopped growing for a while now? do u look developed? do u think u think you've stopped 'growing up'? if yes to all these, then go for finasteride. good luck!

Im a bit confused on this. Some people dont "fill out" untill mid-late 20's. Is that hormoan related though? or just a metabolism change or something. Im 23, extremly thin, and just about to start finasteride without perscription. Would this mess up chances of me "filling out"? Cant find a better term for that, you know, getting broader. lol