Scalp Biopsy Results PLEASE HELP [23M]

[hairlossman11122]

Hey guys,

Last week I went in for a scalp biopsy due to scalp pain and inflammation. My scalp will literally feel bruised and tender in random areas; IE. it is almost never consistent where it will be painful. This happens after not washing for a few days or styling my hair or just physically moving my hair around. The dermatologist said there is inflammation all over my scalp. She did a pull test and concluded no balding. My hairline is around a NW1-1.5 (so very slight recession, if at all) and there is no hair loss in my crown.

A biopsy was done last week in the top left region of my scalp. I received my biopsy results today over the phone from the dermatologist's assistant and they came back as MILD Androgenetic Alopecia with slight dandruff. Nothing noting inflammation. No scarring alopecias were found. Nothing autoimmune related.

I have no direct family history of baldness. My Mom, Dad, grandparents, aunts, and uncles all had thick hair. I have thick hair. If it wasn't for this pain I'm experiencing I wouldn't even think about balding or hair loss as I have a full head of hair and good hair genes.

Should I be concerned with this diagnosis? Would most men with no noticeable balding have a diagnosis of MILD Androgenetic Alopecia with a scalp biopsy since most men recede a bit after puberty? I have no noticeable balding imo and in many other's opinions. Dermatologist last week said no balding.

I have a follow up appointment this week.

http://imgur.com/Gi8elJ6,n3649jR,fh8WpvF,5ffYcOr

First picture is sopping wet. Very harsh flash used. Told before that that is just my swirl/crown.

Any opinions?

Should I get on finasteride? The big three? Saw Palmetto?

 

[Sailing123]

Get on finasteride. Watch inflammation disappear. Forget about hair loss for a few years. I had a scalp biopsy and revealed basically the same. Apparently a bulk hair or miniaturization study is more informative.

 

[hairlossman11122]

Get on finasteride. Watch inflammation disappear. Forget about hair loss for a few years. I had a scalp biopsy and revealed basically the same. Apparently a bulk hair or miniaturization study is more informative.

But I was told inflammation has nothing to do with Androgenetic Alopecia? Also I don't have itchy scalp, just pain that is usually caused by moving my hair around.

 

[Sailing123]

Itching or pain are not in the medical literature as symptoms of Androgenetic Alopecia. However there is much anecdotal info on this site that both are somehow associated with Androgenetic Alopecia.

 

[hairlossman11122]

Itching or pain are not in the medical literature as symptoms of Androgenetic Alopecia. However there is much anecdotal info on this site that both are somehow associated with Androgenetic Alopecia.

Well, there is no itchyness at all. Pain occurs after not washing hair for about a day and then styling it and moving it around a lot. Pain is relieved only by washing it and that's usually instant.

Could it be hair oils? Sebum? But would that result in inflammation?

 

[kuca]

inflamition is a sign of male pattern baldness in my opinione, I had a relly bad scalp inflamition,my scalp used to hurt like hell and after a 15 months on finasteride my inflamition is gone, thare are still some days when I fell some discomfort in my scalp, but those days are relly rare

 

[stump]

inflamition is a sign of male pattern baldness in my opinione, I had a relly bad scalp inflamition,my scalp used to hurt like hell and after a 15 months on finasteride my inflamition is gone, thare are still some days when I fell some discomfort in my scalp, but those days are relly rare

Would it hurt randomly or was there a trend where it only hurt after not washing and moving the hair around?

 

[kuca]

Well more or less it hurted all the time, but it hurted the most if I had some styling product in my hair

 

[Dench57]

It's Androgenetic Alopecia. My scalp hurts all the time. Get on finasteride.

 

[hairlossman11122]

Hey so I just got back from the derm and she said that my scalp is still pink. She took a look at my hair care products and told me to use a shampoo called free and clear since there might be something I'm allergic to, like a fragrance or dye or something like that. It's a shampoo for sensitive scalps.

She said that mild Androgenetic Alopecia doesn't mean that I'm gonna go bald necessarily, and to keep an eye on it. Mild means that in the sample they took they found a few hairs that were a bit miniaturized. She said I could use Rogaine once my inflammation goes down if I wanted to but she feels that whatever loss I have is very minimal. She said that finasteride would not be necessary at this point because I'm still relatively young (23) and my hairloss is minimal if at all. She went over the rare side effects with me and I will go on it if things worsen. I just don't wanna wait too long before I wake up and think what the hell happened... On the otherhand the thought of taking a pill everyday for the rest of my life is scary to me just in general, especially one that directly messes with your hormones. I probably won't try rogaine unless I start seriously receding.

I was looking at family photos and I think my dad was a NW2-3 (hard to tell because of bangs) at 60 and his dad was about the same at 90 years old. Both had absolutely no thinning in the crown, just larger temples. Plus my dad had a much bigger forehead than me. My other grandpa was a strong NW1 in his 80's. Should I be concerned about the NW3 genes? I guess I just never thought of that as balding and I haven't looked at photos in a few years.