New here, looking for advice

[DanHLT]

Hi,
I've been reading this board for the past couple of months and finally decided to sign up! I've been considering going on some sort of hair loss treatment since last summer, so I hope I can get some advice as to what I should do.

I'm 29 and I've been thinning at the temples for quite some time now -- since I was 17 I guess -- but I never worried about it. I guess it got worse since about the year 2000, but it doesn't really bother me. However, since last summer my friends and relatives have been commenting on my hair, because they say the frontal region is now thinning. I never even looked at that region, but recently I've noticed I have much less hair than I had about 3 years ago (comparing pictures). :freaked: The hair at the top of my forehead is thinning, and whenever I'm i a brightly lit area, I can see the light shine through that area and reveal a somewhat bare scalp! It really freaks me out. It's not that noticeable, though, but there is a difference in the growth of hair I had between when I was 26 and now at 29. It has not gone to the Matthew McConaughey "Smoking Gun mugshot" stage, but I believe it will be exactly like that in a few years. Right now it is maybe, or close to, a Norwood 2.

I really want to do something about it, as I love my hair, my wife loves my hair and I want to maintain my good-looking, youthful look.

What sort of treatment would be good for me? Propecia sounds like something I could consider. Rogaine does not seem ideal as I heard it does not always help with a receding hairline, and plus it seems like a lot of work to apply it and to keep the scalp healthy. The other treatment options do not seem to be as reliable and are not widely appropved.

In addition, if I go to my family doctor, is there any chance he would say something like, "No I will not prescribe Propecia or anything else for you, I think they are harmful etc. etc. etc." ??? I do not want to leave my hair untreated and have it continue falling out!

Looking forward to your help, thanks!

 

[jeffsss]

propecia is the most effective FDA approved drug for hair loss.

your hair must not be bad at all if somone else had to point it out to you.

if your doctor wont give you propecia.. then go to another. or a dermatologist.

if you can't find a Doctor then order it online. there are tons of websites where you dont' need a perscription.

 

[DanHLT]

Thanks for the reply... it's been a while since I got back to this message board, hence the lateness my reply.

I can conclude that I have had a significant recession of the temples for a few years now, as well as diffuse hair loss at the hairline for the past couple of years. If a couple of people close to me had noticed the thinning (and they hadn't seen me in months), then I guess it must be noticeable. Hmm.. maybe I didn't really notice becase I see my hair every day and didn't pay attention to the gradual thinning.

So my question now is, do you guys think I should seek treatment at this stage, or shall I wait maybe a couple of years when it gets worse? From the pics that people post on here, it looks like most people start when they have nothing left on their head! Is it harmful if I start during the early stages when there is minimal loss?? In other words, is it too much strength in medication when not much strength is required?

 

[Aplunk1]

No, it's not harmful.

Better to start earlier than later. Everyone on this forum knows this.

Stick to the proven (FDA) medications: Propecia, Rogaine (Minoxidil)

Also, there are plenty of good anti-inflammatory shampoos that will make your scalp feel great, and contribute to a thickening of your hair: Nizoral 1% OTC, Neautrogena T/Gel-T/Sal, Nioxin Cleansing Shampoo.

I hope that this helps. I guarantee you that you'd be much happier starting treatment earlier than later.

Best of luck,

 

[Felk]

I'm not convinced of the "earlier rather than later theory" in my case...

I am 18, and i'm barely a norwood one. However it's thinning on top i think, but definately round the temples, and receded a very small amount.

However, i figure that I should wait until im at least a norwood 1 before i begin Propecia, because I heard that propecia has a limited amount of time that it works for, and im only 18 so ill be lost later in my twenties....
Also, Propecia doesnt always work on the hairline i'm told.

My only worry is that since propecia takes 6 months to a year to work, i might have receded more than i intend to before it starts kicking in...

...advice?

 

[Aplunk1]

Get medical council from a dermatologist. If you're diagnosed with male pattern baldness, then you should definitely start sooner than later. If Propecia is working for you, it should work well over 5 years, and possibly a decade (if not longer).

By then, better treatments should be out.

Sooner than later is a better idea. I started when I was 19. I'm glad I did.

 

[Felk]

I see the point of sooner rather than later, but Propecia's site states "there is not sufficient evidence that Propecia works on the hairline" and Rogaine doesn't work on the temples/hairline does it?

....and that's the only place where i'm certain im losing hair...

Anyway, ill definately see a dermatologist anyway and ask them. Thanks for the reply

EDIT: I read in a post you stopped Propecia, Aplunk. Didn't it work for you, or were there side effects you didnt like?

 

[Britannia]

There is certainely evidence that Propecia works on the frontal and temple areas. Maybe not FDA approved trials, but many studies have shown its effectiveness in frontal and tempal areas. In fact the evidence stares me in the face when I look in the mirror at my temples.

 

[DanHLT]

Interesting responses guys. Yeah I'm aware of the fact that Propecia only works for a few years for some people.

Anyways, for now I think I'll be taking Nizoral for a few months and see how it works (it's over-the-counter here). I know itt's a longshot for it to do anything to my hair, but I want to exhaust all other options before I start messing with my hormones. I want to start a family (babies!) this year too, so I don't want to get weird stuff happening to me while using Propecia

 

[The Gardener]

I suggest the Nizoral, as you already have prescribed for yourself, and perhaps you should also add in a quality copper peptide spray.

Re-evaluate for a potential Propecia addition AFTER you have kids, as at that point, a baby will probably have you pulling your own hair out!

Just kidding. But, I do suggest you keep it simple for now.

 

[Felk]

Since im attempting to "keep it simple" until i see a dermatologist (which could be a while...) what does a copper peptide spray do?

At the moment im just using nizoral, so any other simple additions would be welcome. I've heard of emu oil too, what does that do?