Iron Deficiency Hair Loss at 17 years old

[baldingbro]

Hey I have been losing hair for the past 1 and a half years, Im pretty sure it started back in fall of 2011, I didn't really think anything of it then but now looking back that is when my hair rapidly thinned out and would blow in light winds outside and by spring 2012 I was losing tons of hair in the shower and my hair was very thin. Now a year later I have found out that I have low iron and I am pretty sure I have diffuse thinning and my hair at the sides of my hairline is really thin.

Another alarming thing I have noticed for the past year is that when I get out of the shower I can see the entire top of my head and my hair on top is very thin. The doctor gave me a 5% Rogaine foam prescription, told me to use nizoral and take iron pills.

I am kind of worried about using rogaine because of the shedding and because I will lose all the hair I gained if I stop using it so what should I do?

Use rogaine, iron and nizoral? OR Just take iron and use nizoral?

Also how many times a week should I use nizoral?

 

[GingerSnapzBack]

Hey I have been losing hair for the past 1 and a half years, Im pretty sure it started back in fall of 2011, I didn't really think anything of it then but now looking back that is when my hair rapidly thinned out and would blow in light winds outside and by spring 2012 I was losing tons of hair in the shower and my hair was very thin. Now a year later I have found out that I have low iron and I am pretty sure I have diffuse thinning and my hair at the sides of my hairline is really thin.

Another alarming thing I have noticed for the past year is that when I get out of the shower I can see the entire top of my head and my hair on top is very thin. The doctor gave me a 5% Rogaine foam prescription, told me to use nizoral and take iron pills.

I am kind of worried about using rogaine because of the shedding and because I will lose all the hair I gained if I stop using it so what should I do?

Use rogaine, iron and nizoral? OR Just take iron and use nizoral?

Also how many times a week should I use nizoral?

I would say up your iron if he hasn't give you iron tablets, take a multi-vit that has iron in it and eat foods rich with iron then in a few months see if it's done anything with your hair, multi-vits are important for hair growth. Then if it's done nothing rogaine it is. Someone with more experience hopefully, will help.

 

[baldingbro]

Bump

 

[ChrisW1980uk]

Have you tried iron supplements/multi vits? Do you have any pictures?

 

[medilook]

How do u know its not male pattern baldness

 

[baldingbro]

Idk what it is to be honest, im hoping its the iron deficiency, my hair is very thin on top you can't tell im balding until i lift my hair up. Last year i used to lose a lot of hair in the shower, and a year later my hair is a lot worse im really getting scared that I will be bald in the next few years. My hairline isn't that bad. I seem to be a diffuse thinner.

Should I start rogaine, im just scared to start because the pharmacist told me im too young even though the doctor gave me a prescription.

 

[The_Mentalist]

Can you post pictures?

 

[baldingbro]

Ok so I took a couple pics, the lighting is horrible, I have no camera or phone so I had to use my laptop camera. I will upload another pic after I take a shower tomorrow.

 

[The_Mentalist]

Your first picture shows kinda frontal island forming, and you probably have temporal recession in a certain balanced pattern. Picture 3 shows extensive thinning but it is not directly Androgenetic Alopecia related. Therefore, it is inconclusive at this point if you have Androgenetic Alopecia. We need to see more detailed pictures showing hairline, temporal regions etc. Read few posts how other kids have taken their pictures and upload here.

 

[baldingbro]

Your first picture shows kinda frontal island forming, and you probably have temporal recession in a certain balanced pattern. Picture 3 shows extensive thinning but it is not directly Androgenetic Alopecia related. Therefore, it is inconclusive at this point if you have Androgenetic Alopecia. We need to see more detailed pictures showing hairline, temporal regions etc. Read few posts how other kids have taken their pictures and upload here.

I took pictures of only my left side it is a lot thinner then my right side for some reason, is this normal?

 

[Abercrombie]

That my friend, is most likely male pattern baldness and not iron deficiency. I'm so tired of people coming on the forums thinking their hairloss is because of iron deficiency, it never is. Maybe in one case out of a thousand and then the hair thins out all over, including the sides of the head. Not in a pattern....Get on finasteride/minoxidil.

Good luck!

 

[The_Mentalist]

Kid, just read this

I think we need to see more clear pictures giving the full frame of your head with respect to hair on top etc. But, I am afraid that the first picture shows a frontal horseshoe formed indicating Androgenetic Alopecia early signs. It looks like thick hair in the middle is covering it.

SInce your doctor also recommended minoxidil, so I am sure he figured it was Androgenetic Alopecia. You are only 17, and finasteride is not normally recommended for that young age, so it would be irresponsible for me to advise you on finasteride on the internet. You should talk to your derm and discuss finasteride. finasteride. is basically one hope that will put a brake on further hairloss, and possibly regrow some lost hair.

So your viable option at this point is to start minoxidil and know what you are getting into. You must commit yourself to it for a long haul. Hopefully, you pull it off until you are say, 19, and then use finasteride. if necessary.

Nizoral is a shampoo that takes care of inflammation, and your doctor recommended it, so use it. I would listen to doctors advise first as to how often and how I would use it. Generally, it is used twice a week, and if necessary, some use it every other day.

So, again; for your age, you should discuss with the doctor about the regimen such as iron pills, Nizoral use etc. Once you are over 18 or so, then you can gather more information on your situation and see what comes out of it.

Don't be distressed; too much worry is not going to buy hair. You will just have to keep hope. Let us know if you have any more questions.

 

[talmoode]

I took pictures of only my left side it is a lot thinner then my right side for some reason, is this normal?

Yes, that's quite normal. But the good (or bad) news is the other side will eventually catch up....But you are still very young and there is more chance of saving more hair when you start treatments early! Good luck, mate!

 

[baldingbro]

Kid, just read this

I think we need to see more clear pictures giving the full frame of your head with respect to hair on top etc. But, I am afraid that the first picture shows a frontal horseshoe formed indicating Androgenetic Alopecia early signs. It looks like thick hair in the middle is covering it.

SInce your doctor also recommended minoxidil, so I am sure he figured it was Androgenetic Alopecia. You are only 17, and finasteride is not normally recommended for that young age, so it would be irresponsible for me to advise you on finasteride on the internet. You should talk to your derm and discuss finasteride. finasteride. is basically one hope that will put a brake on further hairloss, and possibly regrow some lost hair.

So your viable option at this point is to start minoxidil and know what you are getting into. You must commit yourself to it for a long haul. Hopefully, you pull it off until you are say, 19, and then use finasteride. if necessary.

Nizoral is a shampoo that takes care of inflammation, and your doctor recommended it, so use it. I would listen to doctors advise first as to how often and how I would use it. Generally, it is used twice a week, and if necessary, some use it every other day.

So, again; for your age, you should discuss with the doctor about the regimen such as iron pills, Nizoral use etc. Once you are over 18 or so, then you can gather more information on your situation and see what comes out of it.

Don't be distressed; too much worry is not going to buy hair. You will just have to keep hope. Let us know if you have any more questions.

Thanks for all your help bro, ya I talked to my doctor and he told me to take rogaine foam 5% (he gave a prescription) once a day at night, and use nizoral 5 times a week. I am worried about taking the nizoral 5 times a week because like you said and everywhere else I have searched everyone seems to use it twice a week. He also talked to me about propecia and wasn't worried about it having sexual side effects, but he said that I should start using it after im 18 or 19.

- - - Updated - - -

Took some new pics, about 10 minutes after I got out of the shower, did not dry my hair with a towel or anything before taking them.