Please Help - 21 Year Old Balding , Advice

[Ibii]

Hi

I am a 21 year old university student and since over 5 years I have been having hair loss. Over the course of these years hair fall has been brutal while recently it has slowed a bit. I have started using castor oil and it has helped my hair fall a bit.

But I along with my friends have started to notice that I am developing bald spots on my head. This is very worrying for me. I showed it to a doctor but she wasn’t very helpful. She just told me to eat good food and recommended Regaine.

I have decided to start using minoxidil. I will be getting one soon. But I am very worried because I have heard that it is not quite useful. I have also heard that once you start using it you have to use it forever. I am just a 21 year old university student. Balding has lowered my self confidence very much. I am extremely worried. Please look at the picture attached with this post and suggest me with what to do next. I shall be extremely grateful.

 

[Ikarus]

You should use dutasteride!

 

[Ibii]

Hey!

Thanks for that! What is it? Never heard about it before?

Is it good idea to use Minoxidil?

 

[Michael1986]

Based upon the photo and the fact you say your friends have noticed you have "bald spots on your head", you might have a different form of hair loss than male pattern baldness. It might be Alopecia Areata or something different. On the other hand, it might just be plain old male pattern baldness. You need to make an appointment with a dermatologist to get a professional diagnosis. GPs are useless when it comes to hair loss. It needs to be a dermatologist. If male pattern baldness is what you have, you will need to use finasteride or its stronger alternative dutasteride if you want to treat it efficiently. Nothing else (minoxidil included) comes anywhere close to the effectiveness of finasteride/dutasteride.

 

[Ikarus]

Based upon the photo and the fact you say your friends have noticed you have "bald spots on your head", you might have a different form of hair loss than male pattern baldness. It might be Alopecia Areata or something different. On the other hand, it might just be plain old male pattern baldness. You need to make an appointment with a dermatologist to get a professional diagnosis. GPs are useless when it comes to hair loss. It needs to be a dermatologist. If male pattern baldness is what you have, you will need to use finasteride or its stronger alternative dutasteride if you want to treat it efficiently. Nothing else (minoxidil included) comes anywhere close to the effectiveness of finasteride/dutasteride.

Estrogen is more effective

 

[Michael1986]

Estrogen is more effective

I personally would question that, but in any case, estrogen is not a viable treatment option for most hair loss sufferers due to its severe side-effects.

 

[Ikarus]

I personally would question that, but in any case, estrogen is not a viable treatment option for most hair loss sufferers due to its severe side-effects.

The only reason why finasteride/dutasteride work is due to estrogen

 

[Michael1986]

The only reason why finasteride/dutasteride work is due to estrogen

Well, I'm not going to challenge that claim but in any case, estrogen's feminising effects and other side-effects are too severe for it to be a viable treatment option for most men with male pattern baldness. As far as the OP of this thread is concerned, he should look into using finasteride or dutasteride to treat his male pattern baldness, if male pattern baldness is what he has rather than a different form of hair loss.

 

[Ikarus]

Well, I'm not going to challenge that claim but in any case, estrogen's feminising effects and other side-effects are too severe for it to be a viable treatment option for most men with male pattern baldness. As far as the OP of this thread is concerned, he should look into using finasteride or dutasteride to treat his male pattern baldness, if male pattern baldness is what he has rather than a different form of hair loss.

I agree with that. I don't believe most men should take estrogen since it poses multiple risks such as infertility and severe gynecomastia. I do think dutasteride will be the best option for him.