Starting to thin

[yadayada029]

I'm 36, and just noticed thinning. Met with my gp, and dermatologist (I have an endocrin appt later this month for an enlarged thyroid). My derm believes it is male pattern baldness causing my thinning and prescribed propecia (I have not taken it yet). I have been researching on here first before doing anything. (My camera skills stink)







What regimen would be right? I read lots of talk about certain brands of minoxidil (some general dislike of rogaine?). What is the most preferred brand? Regarding texture change in hair with use, could some elaborate on that? I also see recommendations for nizoral, and saw palmetto. Are there specific recommendation for dosage of the saw palmetto.

 

[yadayada029]

Started finasteride 3 weeks ago, after seeing the dermatologist. Nizoral is on the way, no one seems to sell it locally. I haven't gone to minoxidil yet, as I want to see how finasteride does first. I don't notice significant shedding. Not before or since starting finasteride. I can grab hair with my thumb and fore finger, yank hard and no hairs will come out. I find that odd based on what I've read. I have also got an endocrinologist appointment, as I do have an enlarged thyroid.

 

[yadayada029]

Here is my hair dry for whatever that is worth

 

[jabbathehair]

I think your hairline looks ok. I don't know much about the crown but I think it's just a a little thinning from age maybe. Either way with dry hair it looks normal... but then I dont know much tbh. Other are much more in the know here.

 

[yadayada029]

Found these old pics from a doctors visit, not for hair loss, something entirely different. Never the less they are helpful.

Age 31



Age 34




After four months on propecia I haven't noticed much of a difference, debating whether to add rogaine.

 

[yadayada029]

to add minoxidil or not to add minoxidil

I just added nizoral. I've been on finasteride for six months. Do I add minoxidil, or stay the course finasteride/nizoral? What would you do?

 

[Hairgoro]

Ur hair looks good nizoral should help.use it daily it seem to give me morr benefits. Read my.posts about it.

 

[talmoode]

your hairline looks very good! Good on you!

 

[yadayada029]

Depends on the light. Under very harsh light, and/or in a bright room (white walls), you can easily see past the hair right to the scalp. Especially in the corners above my temples, but generally all over the front part of my scalp behind the hairline.

 

[SuprisedGuy]

Hair looks awesome for 36. Avoid rogaine for as long as possible, it sucks to get dependent on the stuff since you have to apply it for life. Stick to finasteride, I expect you'll respond well since your male pattern baldness started relatively late and you caught it early.

 

[yadayada029]

I'm still on the fence about using minoxidil. My fear is based on the horror stories about it thinning the hair and not recovering what was lost in shedding (defined in my world as reducing hair count aka density "fewer trees in the forest" as opposed to thinning of the individual hair follicles). I'm currently using nizoral 1% Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and have been for two months, and of course I've been on finasteride 1mg for 8 months.

Here are the latest pics.

Crown



Mid Scalp and Front

 

[yadayada029]

I'm cutting back on the nizoral. I noticed conspicuous, and precipitous, increase in hair loss on the left temple, where it had been previously stable, since going to nizoral 1% three times a week.

 

[yadayada029]

I'm at month number 10 on propecia (finasteride). I have to say I'm disappointed with the results. It does seems to have stopped additional hair from falling out, however I paid a price.

Most of the success stories, it seems, come from guys under 30. By success I mean maintaining what you started with as the minimum. I would say this if you're over 30, especially over 35, and you shed on finasteride, expect anything you shed not to come back. Your mileage may vary, but go in with low expectations, I mean real low.

Before jumping in with rationalizations like, yah but "if you hadn't started you'd be worse at some point", let that statement above stand on it's own merit. I'm not suggesting people shouldn't use finasteride, just measure the expectations accordingly. If you happen to get great results you're in a very thin minority it seems, that strongly favors the "yutes".

 

[medilook]

What kind of price did u pay ?

 

[yadayada029]

What kind of price did u pay ?

Temples, frontal, and anterior mid-scalp are thinner than base. I would say vertex/mid-scalp vertex are about baseline. I see the derm in October for a follow up, and new photo to validate any progress.

 

[yadayada029]

I saw the dermatologist for my 1 year follow up. He compared the photos and the loss has stopped, and in a side by side comparison he believes the mid scalp has shown mild regrowth.

Took the right hand picture in sunlight, not a perfect comparison, but wanted the harshest light

 

[swingline747]

Temples, frontal, and anterior mid-scalp are thinner than base. I would say vertex/mid-scalp vertex are about baseline. I see the derm in October for a follow up, and new photo to validate any progress.

be glad the price you paid was on the big head. To many guys pay with the little one, but it sucks.
I had great regrowth and thickening on finasteride but couldnt take the sides.

I am now rapidly watching everything come out and its like watching yorusefl slowly die. Honestly at least inevitable death gives you the gratifacation of living like a complete *** for about 6 months just doing what you want with no recourse, man that would be sweet compared to hair loss lol.

 

[yadayada029]

be glad the price you paid was on the big head. To many guys pay with the little one, but it sucks.
I had great regrowth and thickening on finasteride but couldnt take the sides.

I am now rapidly watching everything come out and its like watching yorusefl slowly die. Honestly at least inevitable death gives you the gratifacation of living like a complete *** for about 6 months just doing what you want with no recourse, man that would be sweet compared to hair loss lol.

Death is inevitable, life is a terminal illness, make yourself as comfortable as possible. I haven't had any sides from finasteride, not one, on the other hand, I didn't gain additional density, not that I had real high hope any way.

 

[JaySizzle]

from your pics at 31 and 34 years, I didn't see much if all, any difference... Maybe you aren't losing hair and are now just paying more attention to it and noticing things that you never knew was already there.. you seem to have naturally thin hair (comparing the top to your sides). the way you style your crown (vertically) will show more scalp and make you look thinner and as if you are losing hair, when you really aren't

 

[yadayada029]

from your pics at 31 and 34 years, I didn't see much if all, any difference... Maybe you aren't losing hair and are now just paying more attention to it and noticing things that you never knew was already there.. you seem to have naturally thin hair (comparing the top to your sides). the way you style your crown (vertically) will show more scalp and make you look thinner and as if you are losing hair, when you really aren't

Went to see a hair transplant specialist also, and he looked over my hair and noted that it was in pretty decent shape. My hairline hasn't move much if it all over the years. Comparing a pic of me at 27, a pretty clear pic at that, and a pic at 37 and my hair line is in the same spot. The hair transplant doctor said my thinning resembles a female pattern in that it's generalized. His opinion is that I should stick to propecia, and maybe add minoxidil.