Paranoid Teenager

[logistics92]

I posted a similar post to this a month or so ago, so sorry if you consider this as spam or whatever, but this has been bothering me for too long now and i would appreciate feedback very much so! Im 18 years old, i noticed i was rapidly loosing my hair in November, however i always remember myself as a child getting out the bath and dodging hairs, meaning i must have always lost fair amounts. At this point i ignored it, as my most my family have full heads of hair, except for the exceptional few who started loosing hair late thirties+.

My hair sheds pretty much everyday, and when it does it doesnt just effect the top of my scalp, i loose just as much from the sides and back. This drags me away from thinking its male pattern baldness and makes me begin to think that its iron related as i have slightly high iron levels. However what keeps me thinking that it is male pattern baldness is my receding hairline and the miniaturized hairs over my head (only really noticeable at the hairline).

After several doctor appointments back in january - march, most doctors said i just have male pattern baldness, after simply taking a rough look at my receding hairline then leaving it at that, except for a trichologist i visited who was convinced i didnt have male pattern baldness, however she also couldnt come to a conclusion. I settled with the fact i have male pattern baldness and took up treatment mid-way through May (only using finasteride). I've been cutting the proscar tablets into six giving me a daily dose of just over 0.8mg. Its been about 10weeks since i started the treatment and as i know i wouldnt have seen any results yet which i havent. But what concerns me is, are these tablets going to effect my growth in any way? This paranoids me as i look about 16, especially since im still un sure if i actually need to be on this treatment.

I have two friends i met at college who are also balding, however they dont loose hairs from the back and sides, and they dont shed nearly as many hairs as me a day. This made me think again. There i was back on the endless research on google, in this time i found threads which suggest doctors not knowing much about the relation between high iron levels and hairloss, although ofcourse the research never gets me to a finish line. I have naturally pale skin, and i have always had very faint eyebrows (doesnt even look like i have any lol) I always try and put stupid factors like these together to find a conclusion.

The main questions throughout this stupidly long thread is,
Do you guys shed hair from the back and sides?
Do high iron levels have a heavy effect on hairloss?
Does finasteride effect growth?

Sorry for the long post! I will greatly appreciate feedback.

 

[Dorasz]

I dont have many answers for you but felt compelled to reply because of the similarity between us,i first noticed hair loss last November/December when i was eighteen.It was very suprising because I have such a strong family history with regards to keeping their hair-mpg is almost nonexistant.temples are well receeded and I have been losing hair all over(i think) with hair falling out in places which should not be affected by mpg.Like you i went to the doctor and he said it probably was mpg and i should just accept it-hardly the responce i want seeing as im only young.An anusual thing that has happen is my pubic hair has thinned the fastest of all.Anyways im headin to the trichologist in a few days

 

[logistics92]

Well as you know only hair on the top of your head thins with male pattern baldness, maybe the trichologist will have some positive news for you. Good luck though man.

 

[Lloyd Braun]

Hi there. It is normal, of corse, to shed from all regions of the scalp. I remember reading somewhere that the sides and back are usually slightly less dense than the top (not in guys with advanced Androgenetic Alopecia of course).

I don't know how much iron levels affect hair loss but I know low iron is bad for your hair. You could have a secondary hair loss cause but my sense is that you probably have male pattern baldness. Can you provide pictures of your hair for us to look at?

Finasteride inhibits an enzyme repsonsible for converting testosterone (T) into the much more potent dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is the hormone that is most potent when it comes to killing your hair follicles. finasteride blocks the vast majority of DHT from being formed thereby greatly reducing the detrimental androgenic stimulus to the hair follicle. This will slow or sometimes basically stop hairloss. In some cases, it can cause marginal regrowth, but this is usually confined to the crown area. Hairlines are tricky though and it seems that good old T can be enough to deal a huge blow to your hairline. This is probably why finasteride does not really do as much to help frontal baldness.