Rapidly Thinning Hair

[J_94]

Hi guys, I hope you are all well.

I am a 20 year old male from England and I am experiencing serious amounts of shedding. It all started around 2 months ago when I spotted a small thinning area on the top of my head it was nothing to worry about and it was really small. Unfortunately since that day I have religiously stared at my hair.

At first I started counting the hairs when washing my hair in hope of it giving me a sign that I might be losing it. It started with around 30 hairs which was quite scary at first then week by week went by till I got to where I am now which is around 150-200 hairs every time I wash my hair and combing through my hair lose about 10 per area. Also I get a lot of dandruff, spots, sore patches and an incredible amount of itching which is driving me insane. I went to see my doctor about it and its all nature and there is nothing he can do to stop, wasn't even interested in examining it. I used different shampoo for the last 6 weeks such as nizoral to get rid of the dandruff with no success.

I have got so worried to the point two weeks ago I had to start propecia because I couldn't take it anymore. I was hoping that it would help stop the itching and the hair loss but unfortunately its still around 150 a day from washing and who knows how many I can't see throughout the day. male pattern baldness doesn't really run in my family apart from my uncle who went bald at 28 and my brother who has really thinning hair. My brother is on medicine that can cause hair loss because he has cerebral palsy.


Unfortunately I have no way to post pictures because I have no access to a camera, the best way I can describe it, is thinning around the crown and through the middle my scalp. My hair line is exactly the same and I'm sure it has been for many years but I had longish hair for 8 years so I didn't see much of it. I have miniaturised areas all thought my head even on the sides and the back which is even more scary.


Sorry for the long message

Thanks

 

[smyth01]

Can you upload picture? Rapid male pattern baldness in uncommon, but not heard of. Ive seen people go from perfect hair, to NW3 in about 5 months.

Go see a diff Doctor, thats a must. You need tests done to rule out anything serious.

If it is male pattern baldness, finasteride will takes a couple of months to start slowing the hair loss.

 

[J_94]

Thanks for replying.

Unfortunately I can't upload a picture because I have no camera and the one I have is bad quality. I'll try to see a new doctor, I had 3 blood tests by request but that was before it got bad and they came back normal.

I have a feeling it might be DPA or the biggest fear DUPA. Does finasteride work for DPA? I know its extremely rare for DUPA

 

[Aneik]

Check your T3,T4,TSH levels (for hypothyroidism) & Hb,Serum fe levels(for anemia)....I dont think its male pattern baldness....

 

[J_94]

Thanks for the reply.

I think I had a few of those tests and they all came back normal, that's why my doctor is not interested

 

[Aneik]

Then it can be male pattern baldness,alopecia aerata/totalis/universalis....Tell me, have you developed any bald patch or receding hairline?....Are you experiencing hair loss from all over your body?....does your scalp itch?...Have you noticed any flakes in your scalp?....
BTW male pattern baldness comes from your mother's genetics not from your father's.....

 

[J_94]

No bald patch or receding hairline, its just gone really thin over the past month. As far as I know I haven't lost any hair from anywhere on my body but its nearly impossible to tell because its all really light coloured. I have got lots of flaking recently and the itching is almost every minute of the day. The skin on my forehead as become very dry above my eyebrows


Yeah my mothers brother went bald at 27/28 but the rest of the family have no baldness at all

 

[Aneik]

Then it can be a fungal infection...contact a dermatologist immediately....And try Nizral 2% shampoo two times a week,its very effective against fungus....For how much time are you experiencing this hair loss?...
Actually keep the shampoo in scalp for 5-10 mins & massage for 2 mins,this is very necessary...

- - - Updated - - -

Have you thinned on the sides & back of the head also?...

 

[J_94]

I have used the shampoo Nizoral twice a week for the past 6 weeks and it isn't working. Started about 2 months ago and got big amounts about 3 or 4 weeks ago.

It is quite thin on the sides but not the same as the top. When I comb the sides and back when wet I lose at least 20 to 30 and I find quite a bit of hair on the back and sides of my shirt.

 

[Aneik]

Then consult a dermatologist/trichologist....

 

[J_94]

I wish it could be that simple over here. If this is male pattern baldness or DPA, will finasteride grow back all the hairs I am shedding at the moment?

 

[Aneik]

I hope so,if the follicles are not completely destroyed....Actually the follicles remain in dormant stage for a year or two after completely stopping hair production....So,your best bet is to revive them within this period....
But dont hope extraordinary results,& wait for at least 1yr(6 months at least) to see results of finasteride & minox5%.....Start minoxidil 5%,it can regenerate the dormant follicles....

 

[J_94]

Alright, thanks. I hope so as well but I'm not very lucky.

I started finasteride two weeks ago now, so I started quite early into losing my hair. I was hoping the hair loss would slow down already,there is no sign yet.

Unfortunately I can't start minoxidil as well, I'm paying a lot for the finasteride

 

[smyth01]

Alright, thanks. I hope so as well but I'm not very lucky.

I started finasteride two weeks ago now, so I started quite early into losing my hair. I was hoping the hair loss would slow down already,there is no sign yet.

Unfortunately I can't start minoxidil as well, I'm paying a lot for the finasteride

Did your hair loss/itching progress after you started Nizoral? Could be an allergic reaction.

finasteride will be saving your hair now, don't worry. Its just the hairs that were already damaged are falling out still, they can takes months to drop.

 

[J_94]

Yeah I think the Nizoral progressed the itching and made my forehead and scalp really dry. Also I fell into the Alpecin trap and after using that my hair loss tripled and hasn't stopped since. I think that started the itching originally and my hair was still quite thick then. I'm using t gel every three days for two weeks and it is having no success either

I really hope it stops soon because it is getting quite worrying

Also I forgot to ask is Minoxidil a must or can finasteride work well on its own?

 

[Aneik]

Yeah I think the Nizoral progressed the itching and made my forehead and scalp really dry. Also I fell into the Alpecin trap and after using that my hair loss tripled and hasn't stopped since. I think that started the itching originally and my hair was still quite thick then. I'm using t gel every three days for two weeks and it is having no success either

I really hope it stops soon because it is getting quite worrying

Also I forgot to ask is Minoxidil a must or can finasteride work well on its own?

minoxidil will regrow hairs & finasteride will hold these hairs for long time....So,both are must or I must say complementary....

 

[J_94]

Okay thanks, I can't buy both at the minute so I am hoping finasteride will do the job and regrow what's been lost (hopefully)

I keep seeing people saying that their hair is worse after 6 or 7 months on finasteride and its not doing my anxiety levels any good

 

[FHassan]

Nizoral well and truly f*cked my hair and thinned it out before I even had a thinning problem (used it for dry scalp), but thats because I used it for about 6 months - so make sure you're not overusing it as I'm fairly certain hair loss can be a side effect (for the 2% at least)

 

[J_94]

Same for me, I think I might be allergic to it. It made my scalp really dry at first then it would get really greasy in a few hours, then it felt sticky with lots of dandruff and flakes. My hair started to feel and look dead and thin and the itching after is really annoying

 

[FHassan]

Same for me, I think I might be allergic to it. It made my scalp really dry at first then it would get really greasy in a few hours, then it felt sticky with lots of dandruff and flakes. My hair started to feel and look dead and thin and the itching after is really annoying

Exactly the same, at first the dandruff cleared, but as I went on I'd get this huge lumps that didn't even look like dandruff anymore, and would take off hairs every time they'd come off after massaging them out as I tried not to itch them. One month off Nizoral and my hair looks considerably better, so it could be we weren't so lucky with it. To be completely honest I have no idea why its in the 'Big 3' to begin