To Hairloss Veterans ... Help!

[pkpkpk!]

I am 21 yrs old diffuse thinner but with a nw2 receding hairline.]

Now my question is that 95% of the hairs that fall out are very very thin (almost colourless) and are 0.5 inches long. It's amazing how consistent they are in length and diameter. I would take pics if i could afford a camera.
But all of my hairs on my head are 2 inches long. I know this because I shaved my head 2 months ago.

So what's going on? What are these hairs?

 

[ShedMaster]

I am no expert in the stages and lenths of hair and hair follicles, however, I do know that as the hair follicles die, they get smaller and smaller and result in a shorter length for the growing period. Basically the hairs get will grow shorter during the growing period before they are exfolliated. As the hair follicle shrinks, the hair becomes vellous, which is very short and no color to it. This is a sign of male pattern baldness. Unfortunetly these hairs probably will not be replaced without a little persuation (minoxidil/propecia)

I HIGHLY recommend that you drop the saw palmetto. You do not need it at all and probably are shedding exessively because of it.

 

[Healthy Nick]

get on minoxidil. it's your only chance of reversing that sh*t.

 

[pkpkpk!]

Yups, I am already on propecia and minoxidil since Aug 2003. Forgot to update sig ... but ya, I dropped Saw Palmeto long time ago already.

I guess that 0.5 inch is the maximum length these dying hairs can get.

Hopeful to see resutls from propecia soon. I would be satisfied just to maintain.

 

[The Gardener]

The scenario you describe is not all that unusual for me to comprehend. Basically you are shedding thin hairs, that is, less pigmented hairs, because your genetic makeup is telling your body to shed them. In the meantime, you genetic makeup is telling your body to hold onto the rest of your hair, but make them grow thinner.

When you are a sufferer of male pattern baldness, any baldness pattern is possible. The 'messages' between your genetic makeup and your hair follicles are communicated via a combination of hormones and a pre-programmed map of your hairline that your genes have determined that you will have for yourself at certain stages of your life.

Everyone thins at different rates and in different places. If you want to fight it, you can either combat the hormones that transmit this signal to the follicles (propecia/finasteride) and/or take medication that tells the follicles to ignore the hormonal signals and just keep growing (minoxidil).... or both.

 

[pkpkpk!]

Great explanation Gardener!

I have come to believe that genetics is the major factor in everything. I used to have bad acne, and it would never go away even with prescribed acne medication (except Accutane). Then after 5 yrs, most of my acne just went away. Almost overnight.

Therefore I guess that there will never be a cure for hairloss, unless we tamper with genetics. We can only delay the inevitable.

Hopefully the BIG 3 will help me out.

 

[The Gardener]

Therefore I guess that there will never be a cure for hairloss, unless we tamper with genetics.

That is a 95% true statement. It is true that the only real way to avoid male pattern baldness is to be able to change the genetic makeup of the victim. That is, either genetically changing the creation of hormones that drive male pattern baldness (which would have devastating side effects as testosterone is needed for other crucial bodily functions), or genetically changing the body process that converts testosterone into DHT (which has not been done genetically, but can be done chemically using medicine such as finasteride), or genetically changing the follicle's receptivity to DHT (which would be a breakthrough!... but so far has not been done... but this receptivity can be temporarily counteracted with regular use of minoxidil).

However, as with other genetically-caused diseases I would not say that the genetic nature of it makes it uncurable... there are many genetically-caused diseases are managed and/or neutralized with medicine and treatment.