Is my hair receding ????

[namps114]

Im 17 now and in the past few months me and my mom have been shedding like crazy. It started since May and shows no sign of stopping
-My family balding History:
+My grandfather from my dad's side is 75 and is almost completely bald but everyone else on mom's or dad's side is full head of hair
-Symptoms
+Whenever i wash my hair i begin to lose 30-40 per day (this had never happened before) and sometimes when i style it
+It mainly sheds at the front and the temples area but sometimes at the sides or back of the head as well
+I suddenly have a widow's peak (Dont have this before)
+I vague memories that my temples was quite this but not receded to this extent
+My hair is also greasier and much more oily than usual
Is it male pattern baldness ,just normal shedding or maybe something different plz help!! I dont know what to do right now all i can think of nowadays is my hairline.

 

[Captain Hook]

Looks like Androgenetic Alopecia to me, NW2 to be exact. Contrary to popular belief, a widow's peak is a genetic trait, it has nothing to do with Androgenetic Alopecia. You either have one or you don't, you can't develop one. Many people falsely mistake the M shaped hair line consistent with Androgenetic Alopecia to be a widow's peak for reasons I cannot begin to understand.

That being said since you're only 17 I'm not sure if it would be a wise decision to start finasteride, perhaps other members who have started it at a young age can chime in and give their feedback on this matter.

I'd definitely start Nizoral 2% ketoconazole shampoo. I understand that in Japan, just like in HK and most of the world, it is sold OTC unlike in the states where you need a prescription for it. Shampoo with it at least twice weekly in the shower leaving it on for 5 minutes, it will help inhibit DHT activity in the scalp and address the inflammation associated with Androgenetic Alopecia. Think about perhaps adding another antiandrogen such as topical spironolactone or alfatradiol as Nizoral alone isn't usually enough to halt the progression of Androgenetic Alopecia.

If your hair loss has shocked you and you're keen on regrowth, 5% minoxidil would be a welcome addition as well. Best of luck and welcome to the forum.

 

[namps114]

Thank you for answering , its help a lot and im happy to be here )

 

[Captain Hook]

No worries mate, happy to help!

Oh one thing I forgot, try to look around for topical adenosine, it's been shown to only be slightly less effective than 5% minoxidil in clinical studies. Shiseido's Adenogen is a brand that comes to mind, it's a bit expensive online but you may be able to get it cheaper locally since it is a Japanese product. Adenosine is also contained in S5 Bedtime Cream. You could always try using both adenosine and minoxidil if you're really serious about regrowth!

(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24183218)

 

[namps114]

Ohh I forgot to ask is it possible to be born with receded temples like that ?? Because i have memories that i had that before

 

[Captain Hook]

Ohh I forgot to ask is it possible to be born with receded temples like that ?? Because i have memories that i had that before

It's certainly possible but I think only to a certain extent, since you don't have any photos of you pulling back your hair when you were younger so we could see your hair line it would be difficult to ascertain the difference. That being said I think you should still see a dermatologist to confirm you do in fact have Androgenetic Alopecia and then go from there when it comes to deciding on treatment. Keep us posted!

 

[Captain Hook]

My dermatologist did a hair pull test as well and saw no problems but being the wise doctor that she is she didn't want to make a 100% definitive diagnosis because I'm quite young, she only said it was unlikely I had Androgenetic Alopecia but she was unable to confirm this because of my young age.

Puberty alone shouldn't be causing hair loss however it is the time when many see the onset of Androgenetic Alopecia or they may recede a little and get what's called a 'mature hairline' which really only is Androgenetic Alopecia that starts, stops and then may start again much later in life.

If you wish to hold off starting treatment, that is a personal choice, however I suggest in about 3-6 months from now you should take pictures and see if your hairline changes at all.

 

[GoldenMane]

I don't think it's due to stress. Do you have a picture from the last two years? Often babies have very high hairlines and thin hair... The front of the hairline looks to be thinning too, and the pattern certainly looks like male pattern baldness. If it was stress then you would be thinning all over your scalp, not just your hairline.

You should book an appointment with a hair transplant surgeon, dermatologists and doctors usually don't know anything about male pattern baldness. If it was me, I would start taking finasteride...

 

[namps114]

Yeah ,I dont think stress is a issue as well when i was 14 i used to be an late owl and i was still fine .I asked all my friends about this problem they seem to have some kind of hairloss but i'll try to monitor my hair until the end of the year and see how that goes. Certainly will update this again thank you all for responding guys .