Need help and advice! Pics inside...

[Subliminal]

Ok agreed,
I just wanted to emphasize that it is not the ideal treatment for a receding hairline at the temples.
If anyone experience a slow receding hairline only at the temples, I think that there are better treatments to treat this problem ,like Azelaic Acid, spironolactone ,xandrox, crinagen etc.

IMHO aggressive treatment is the most effective for temple-only loss. My only hairloss is 2-3mm in the temple area, creating a "V" frontal hairline. Best I've been able to do with topicals is regrow short, pigmented hairs that never seem to lengthen. minoxidil also grew peach fuzz all over my face (including between my eye brows) and opened my pores, giving me oily skin.

 

[Axon]

don't listen to idioasis.

i've had decent regrowth on my temples on propecia. you may or may not experience the same, but it should at least stop the recession.

.

The effectiveness of PROPECIA was demonstrated in studies of men, aged 18 to 41, with mild to moderate hair loss at the top and middle front of the head. There is no evidence that PROPECIA works for receding hairlines at the temples :!:
http://www.propecia.com/finasteride/pro ... ?mtc=3BODY

I have used propecia over a year with no results at the temples (beside a receding hairline).

Currently I use dutasteride with other topicals and experienced a regrow at the temples.
At his stage and considering the fact that he has only a receding in the temple area,
My advise would be to start with topicals , no need at this point to use finasteride/dutasteride.

Dutasteride isn't even approved for treating hair loss, if you want to play semantics.

 

[swishbish33]

I think I'm going to try the Minoxidil to begin. The people closest to me say that my hair is not thinning all over, but rather just what they consider (and what people here have said to be) mild recession in the temples. So I don't think that, at age 23, finasteride is right for me at this point. But maybe I'm wrong. It doesn't seem like my hairline is going to go further in at the temples, as the hair is not thin in that area at all. And frankly, the side effects of the Propecia make me nervous. I'm curious about using Azelaic Acid, spironolactone, xandrox, crinagen, etc in addition to Minoxidil. Any info on it? Thanks again guys.

 

[blue]

Try spironolactone if your scared of side effects ..but beware of the smell...the smell is nasty and potent.Although you could try the lotion(not liquid)which doesnt smell as much and is easier to apply.

Right now man..i would try to stick with what you have..you dont have massive hairlose yea your temples are thinning but if you keep the hair you have..youll be fine man..plus it looks like you have more then an ample amount to play with(different styles could be applied).Save minoxidil for after you have stopped the thinning.minoxidil effectiveness wears out much quicker then fins,propecia,or spironolactone.Use it as a last defense.

 

[swishbish33]

Save minoxidil for after you have stopped the thinning.minoxidil effectiveness wears out much quicker then fins,propecia,or spironolactone.Use it as a last defense.

But won't minoxidil stop the thinning? Or is Propecia the only thing that will do that? That's what I am worried about, stopping the thinning. I can see in the picture that there are still hairs in the area that is thinning on the left side, which seems to be thinning independently of the right side right now. I also don't want the right side to suddenly start going inward like the left side. So maybe Propecia is the better option?

 

[blue]

I have heard storys on here of people actually growing some i repeat some hairs with minoxidil but yea propecia is what your looking for right now at your stage

 

[swishbish33]

Ok. So maybe the Propecia is more the way to go. Is the breast tenderness a common side effect? I think that's the one that makes me the most nervous...

 

[Britannia]

don't listen to idioasis.

i've had decent regrowth on my temples on propecia. you may or may not experience the same, but it should at least stop the recession.

.

The effectiveness of PROPECIA was demonstrated in studies of men, aged 18 to 41, with mild to moderate hair loss at the top and middle front of the head. There is no evidence that PROPECIA works for receding hairlines at the temples :!:
http://www.propecia.com/finasteride/pro ... ?mtc=3BODY

I have used propecia over a year with no results at the temples (beside a receding hairline).

Currently I use dutasteride with other topicals and experienced a regrow at the temples.
At his stage and considering the fact that he has only a receding in the temple area,
My advise would be to start with topicals , no need at this point to use finasteride/dutasteride.

What Merck meant was there is no FDA approved evidence that 1mg Finasteride works on the temples or frontal areas. There is however lots of other independant studies proving that in fact 1mg Finasteride is effective in frontal hairloss including a very interesting piece of research undertaken by Cipla. I posted the results on this forum not so long ago. I personally have vellus regrowth on both temples.

 

[swishbish33]

Ok, so I'm really lost on what to do.

I'm very scared of taking Propecia due to its side effects. Also, I'm taking an anti-depressent which causes side effects for me already, so I'm not sure I could do more side effects, not to mention the drug interactions...

I'm also nervous about using minoxidil. Would Xandrox be better? How common are the heart palpitations, etc.

THANKS.

 

[Siberian]

Ok, so I'm really lost on what to do.

I'm very scared of taking Propecia due to its side effects. Also, I'm taking an anti-depressent which causes side effects for me already, so I'm not sure I could do more side effects, not to mention the drug interactions...

I'm also nervous about using minoxidil. Would Xandrox be better? How common are the heart palpitations, etc.

THANKS.

Go by the official data, not the biased subset of opinions posted on the forum. The forum is a fantastic resource, but keep in mind most people sign up here *because* they have had problems, or a treatment isn't working.

http://www.propecia.com/finasteride/pro ... ffects.jsp

What are the possible side effects of PROPECIA?
Like all prescription products, PROPECIA may cause side effects. In clinical studies, side effects from PROPECIA were uncommon and did not affect most men. A small number of men experienced certain sexual side effects. These men reported one or more of the following: less desire for sex; difficulty in achieving an erection; and, a decrease in the amount of semen. Each of these side effects occurred in less than 2% of men. These side effects went away in men who stopped taking PROPECIA. They also disappeared in most men who continued taking PROPECIA.

In general use, the following have been reported: allergic reactions including rash, itching, hives and swelling of the lips and face; problems with ejaculation; breast tenderness and enlargement; and testicular pain. You should promptly report to your doctor any changes in your breasts such as lumps, pain or nipple discharge. Tell your doctor promptly about these or any other unusual side effects.

If you take it, you have a 2% chance of a side-effect (which usually go away with continued use). If you don't take it, you have a 100% chance of losing more hair.

 

[Johnny24601]

re:

I have had some sides and some results. I also have spent a lot of time researching male pattern baldness (like many others on this site) and I can say that side effects should not be an issue when deciding whether to try this drug. I have posted my opinion on sides in another discussion if you are interested. Effectiveness and dedication is far more of an important question. Do you want to take a pill for the rest of your life? Will you fall into the minority that see no results?
Remember, you can always start with the 0.5 mg dose as this may reduce side effect risks but should still give you results.
If you do nothing then you will lose hair. How fast? No one can predict, but I would guess you would have a decent amount of hair at 30 but certainly less then you do now (this is just a guess). My point is that that you certainly appear to be a very mild case of male pattern baldness so it is up u as an individual to determine how important hair is to u. This is not a case where a hairloss regimen must be started ASAP or the person will be bald in a few years.
minoxidil and spironolactone may help but finasteride is not only more effective, but it is far easier to just take a pill then apply that sloppy lotion everyday. I guess finasteride is more intrucive because it is not a topical, so it may carry with it more risk but again the reward is higher in my mind. I guess I sort of think minoxidil and spironolactone are sort of glorified snake oil in some sort of way and finasteride is legit science. Good lcuk.

 

[Siberian]

Hmm, in re-reading that Merck text, I'm not sure if the "general use" symptoms of:

"allergic reactions including rash, itching, hives and swelling of the lips and face; problems with ejaculation; breast tenderness and enlargement; and testicular pain"

are included in that 2% range of side effects. Maybe these particular problems do occur more often than 2%?

 

[swishbish33]

Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of. Also, seeing as I'm only 23, I'm not sure I want to mess with my hormones right now. Also, I had a breast growth when was about 16, so I may be more susceptible to hormonal imbalance, not to mention that I am on an anti-depressant. Yikes. Maybe I should just say screw it, try the topicals, and if it doesn't work, then I wasn't meant to have hair in those areas or at all. I mean, it's not like I am bald or thinning on top, and I guess I should be happy with that fact. But my damn forehead grows by the month, it seems, as evidenced by the pictures. I just don't want a damn landing strip for a frontal hairline...

OH, and what am I on the Norwood scale based on the pictures from the first page?

THANKS GUYS. I can't tell you how much this place has helped me deal...

 

[Siberian]

not to mention that I am on an anti-depressant...

Keep in mind that many anti-depressants apparently can cause hair loss.

Kind of a cruel catch-22 there...

 

[swishbish33]

Is hair-loss caused by anti-depressants reversible?

 

[swishbish33]

UPDATED PICS

Here are some updated pics. Hopefully these can give someone a better idea of the course of action I should take?

I know I've posted a lot about this, but I have no idea what to do. Hopefully these pictures can help those more educated than I.

Left temple


Right temple



THANKS.

 

[Guest]

are you sure you have male pattern baldness???

you have a full head of hair according to those pics, and the hairlline could be a slow natural recesion. not everyone has a ultra low hairline like george clooney. (he had to shave his temples for Syriana)

and there is no signal of thinning hair in your pics.

if i had your hair, i would not go under any drugs, but that's your decision.

good luck.

 

[swishbish33]

That is what I am debating.

Is it male pattern baldness? Minor male pattern baldness? Worth it to take drugs?

I do have thick hair on top, according to a couple hairdressers. My temples have just receded in the past couple of years, and I just noticed it over the last couple of months.

But maybe you are right. Maybe I should just accept the hairline that I have and learn to live with it? Maybe it is just a natural recession for me?

The only thing that scares me is whether it will continue inward even further, to the point of the little "island" of hair in the front. I guess that's why I'm looking at hair loss options.