Tooyoung's Story [21]- finasteride SIDES after 1.5 years

[tooyoungforthiscrap]

March 2011 update: I'm worried about finasteride sexual side effects that have recently made themselves apparent to me. I've lost a great deal of libido/ drive and am experiencing some erectile problems. Update continued in this reply: viewtopic.php?p=608340#p608340

Feb 2011 update: hair line is receding fast! pg 8
viewtopic.php?p=599917#p599917

Near baseline vs 6 months minoxidil 1x a day.

UPDATE: 6 months minoxidil 1x/ day
14 months finasteride
[attachment=1:152qy1zg]crown.jpg[/attachment:152qy1zg]
[attachment=0:152qy1zg]side.jpg[/attachment:152qy1zg]
More pics from this update: viewtopic.php?p=580776#p580776



ONE YEAR UPDATE:
So It was about a year ago when I decided to do something about my hair loss.

finasteride for 12 months and minoxidil for 4, this is where I'm at: (sorry about pics, took them with my iphone)

My temples seem to have receded a bit.

Overall thickness is still decent when the hair is dry and clean.

I'm starting to think about a buzz cut but I don't think I'd like to see my hair line that much.

3-4th month in on 1x/day minoxidil foam and it seems like my hair is shedding a big, before when I was only on finasteride I didn't see any hair around the bathroom or shower etc but now there's always a few strands. Hopefully that mean's its working.


Update: I just turned 20, and started using minoxidil foam once a day at night.

I found it quite difficult to apply to my scalp as my hair is not very short and its still quite thick. Anyone with hair like mine have a better way to apply the foam? It seemed like most of it was just getting in the hair rather than on the scalp and I don't want to waste it.

I'll consider trying out the liquid since I'm going to only be using it at night, but does anyone have foam tips for medium length hair?

Update April 2010: The long haircut I was wearing turned out to be hiding most of my thinning, after cutting it short it seems like I am in the same place I was 8 months ago, which is a good thing for only using finasteride I guess. I wasn't keeping up with my nizoral very often.


I'm now ordering minoxidil foam to use once a day at night. I'm worried about shedding, but my current situation is pretty bad when lighting is involved already anyway.

Sorry about crap pics, I don't have a good camera anymore lol. It's worth noting that these pics were taken ~3-4 hours after a shower, late in the day my hair accumulates oils and the thinning really stands out more.
[attachment=6:152qy1zg]hairline_1.jpg[/attachment:152qy1zg]

[attachment=5:152qy1zg]hairline_2.jpg[/attachment:152qy1zg]

[attachment=4:152qy1zg]top1.jpg[/attachment:152qy1zg]

[attachment=3:152qy1zg]crown.jpg[/attachment:152qy1zg]

[attachment=2:152qy1zg]crown2.jpg[/attachment:152qy1zg]
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Update: Almost 6 months in, finasteride has seemed to thickened my hair up a little! I used nizoral 1% once or twice a week, some weeks none at all though. 1.25mg finasteride a day. I also was eating 5mg of biotin for a few weeks, not sure if that did anything though.

Month 6 - Month 3 - Month 0

Month 6 - Month 3

Month 6 - Month 4

----------------------------
Hey, great community here... I figured I'd start posting because well, it's falling out...

Right to the point then, I'm 19 years old and I've got hair loss. My crown started thinning at 17 if I remember correctly but I didn't really worry about it then. Six months ago, I still had a little balding spot on my crown but it wasn't very bad or noticeable, you couldn't see my scalp anywhere else on my head even under direct light when it was clean though.

I wore my hair medium-longish, and noticed thinning and bits of scalp showing about 6 months ago and I got a short haircut. That's when I noticed I was going bald. I also have a little recession on my temples.

My dad and his father have full heads of hair, my mom's father was a NW6 or 7 when he died. I don't have any pictures of him before he was an old man, so I don't know when his hair loss started. I presume this is where I got my genes from.

I was prescribed proscar 2 weeks ago by my doctor, label said take 1/2 a pill 6 times a week, but my doctor told me to take one pill 3 times a week, so that's what I've been doing. The pills are 5mg.

I seem to have diffusely thinning hair, when I pop out of the shower and dry it off it looks good aside from the crown area but by the end of the day it's oily, greasy and separated... I often have to take 2 showers a day just to go out at night.

Here is a picture of my hair maybe about 12 hours after a shower, high light + flash on:

Had a bit of a comb over going on in that pic though, its about that thin all over when hair is combed over it. I've also always had comments about my scalp looking red or pink, if that makes any difference...

This is my hair in a lower light shot after a shower. I've used pert shampoo for a long time, I'm going to start using nizoral soon though.

It's been 2 weeks since I started taking finasteride, and I have noticed no side effects, so that's a plus. I don't really want to start using minoxidil until I give proscar a few months... I have a dermatologist referral for a consulation about alopecia, but I'm sure it's just going to tell me it's hereditary and try to sell me on a hair transplant. I also have orders for a blood test and will be getting that taken care of next week.


Any words of advice? Since the thinning is all over the top of my head I predict I'll be a nw6 or 7... Being so young I'm obviously turned off to hair transplants, but if I can afford it later in life I'd probably do it. I guess I'm just looking for people to consult my situation with... I'll post better pictures later. Thanks!



Edit: Update on page 3, here's a preview.

 

[LosingTouch]

Re: Balding at 19 looking for support

Looks like it's thinned out quite nicely all the way back, sorry for you bud. Good to hear your on the finasteride, give it a while. I'd take a look into concealers, I think toppik would work best for you..

 

[tooyoungforthiscrap]

Re: Balding at 19 looking for support

7 months ago my hair was thick enough to not notice balding except a little bit on the crown, here's a picture I found from my first test recording with a new camcorder.

It just seems so weird that it would happen so fast at such a young age.

I've lived a pretty shitty lifestyle since graduating high school in 2008, being out of shape and smoking too much weed... I'm sure it's not helping...

 

[Ian Curtis]

Re: Balding at 19 looking for support

Yeah, if it starts at a young age like both of us, it falls faster. I have also been of opinion that men with more amounts of body hair are more likely to lose sooner and/or faster.

 

[BodyDysmorphic]

Re: Tooyoungforthiscrap's Story - (age 19)

your scalp looks inflamed "red" does it itch?

nizoral should help out with that

as far as your dosage of finasteride
it's a little weird your taking 2.5mg
or even 5mg 3 times a week

"I was prescribed proscar 2 weeks ago by my doctor, label said take 1/2 a pill 6 times a week, but my doctor told me to take one pill 3 times a week, so that's what I've been doing. The pills are 5mg."


IMO those are weird doses of and they may not be as effective as the standard 1-1.25 mg dose almost everyone on this site does

finasteride does not stay in your system long enough for day on day off doses

but hey im no DR. i just know what ive been told by my derm and practically every other hair loss savant on this site

 

[tooyoungforthiscrap]

Re: Tooyoungforthiscrap's Story - (age 19)

No, it's never really itched... I did think the dosage was weird, I'll switch to daily like everyone else this week.

 

[tooyoungforthiscrap]

Re: Tooyoungforthiscrap's Story - (age 19)

I'm now about a month into treatment, but I feel like my hair loss is still getting worse. Going back to school for my 2nd year in college and seeing everyone else's hair really made me feel a lot worse about my situation. I'm OK with going bald if I'm like 30s-40s, but I kinda hoped to keep it through my 20s, and im going bald at 19! wtf! At least I think I caught this in time, I probably would have had it a LOT worse if I didn't do something about it for another few years. I'd appreciate any comments.

My mom's dad lost his hair all over young, but I don't know how young. His son has hair, my dads side all have hair, and I fear my hair will be all gone within a couple of years.

It's been almost a month of using 1.25mg finasteride daily, and I started 1% nizoral this week, it doesn't make my dry, oily and stringy situation any better. I didn't expect my hair to get better this last month but it feels like it may have gotten a bit worse. Maybe it's a shed? Maybe I just caught my hairloss too late. In high school, when a friend made a comment about a bald spot starting on the back of my hair I thought as most do, like going bald could never happen to me and my awesome hair....

I had blood work done with my dermatologist for an alopecia screen, and everything came back normal.
FML

Here are some decent pics under lighting to show my hair loss. Some of them look like I have a good amount of hair left, but the lights above them aren't very bright. I need a haircut badly but I just don't know how short to cut it..


Also, my hair/ scalp has become really greasy and my scalp turns red, but it doesn't ever itch often. The oil separates the hairs and makes me look SUPER bald, which is why I'm going to get a shorter haircut this weekend. Has anyone had experience with this sort of thing with medium hair? Is there any shampoo anyone can recommend for hair that wont stay clean long?


When my hair is cut short it's a lot more noticeable especially under light, I don't really want to buzz it either...


I envy the day when I can post in the success stories forum with pics where you cant see scalp, but I don't want to try minoxidil just yet. I'm prepared to go bald eventually, it's really shitty but I doubt I'll care as much when I'm a lot older, and maybe in 10-20 years a better solution will be here. 19 is just fucked up.

 

[h82bebald]

Re: Tooyoungforthiscrap's Story, New pics! - (age 19)

I would kill to even have what you have. at least you caught it before you waited any longer.

 

[tooyoungforthiscrap]

Re: Tooyoungforthiscrap's Story, New pics! - (age 19)

I would kill to even have what you have. at least you caught it before you waited any longer.

I am thankful that I caught this somewhat early, but at the same time the grim future of being nw5-6 before I hit 30 looms in my mind... I haven't heard of anyone maintaining for more than 10 years on finasteride, and I'm still so young.... I hope something better comes along by the time my proscar looses its effectiveness, I don't think future me will make a good hair transplant candidate.

 

[h82bebald]

Re: Tooyoungforthiscrap's Story, New pics! - (age 19)

I wouldn't think like that. Just keep at it on your regimen and enjoy whatever you can keep or regrow. I was at about your stage of thinning at your age. I wish I would have caught it as early as you. My dads buddy(who is bald btw) told me like 5 years ago to get on meds cause I had noticeable balding. At the time I shrugged it off cause it wasn't that bad but I wish I would have listened to him. I didn't think meds worked back then but after finding this site, I think they can work even if they don't work for all of us.

 

[tooyoungforthiscrap]

Re: Tooyoungforthiscrap's Story, New pics! - (age 19)

As far as wishful thinking goes I don't want to try to lie to myself either lol, everything I've read about my pattern of hair loss suggests full horseshoe baldness eventually. If only I could delay it from starting until I was 40+, it's shitty but I'd much rather develop my dome later in life than while in college.



Best case realistic goal for me right now is some thickening up to where you cant see my scalp in front, and then holding onto it for like 10 years or so, maybe by then a better solution for male pattern baldness will hit. I'm sure my son's baldness will be curable by the time he's 20, if he gets it from me that is. unk:

I have a pretty acceptable attitude about going bald in the future... It's GOING to happen eventually and as much as I hate to think about it, but I'd much rather it start after my "wild years", and not being the only kid I know my age in this situation!

 

[Trebor]

Re: Tooyoungforthiscrap's Story, New pics! - (age 19)

What sort of lifestyle diet do you normally go by.

Diet is everything, and it should be at the top of what to look at when dealing with hair loss.

Sure it is most likely genetic, but diet can speed up hair loss or cause sheds.

It has been proven that the lack of certain vitamins in your diet, such as Biotin, can increase hair loss.

Am I right, or am I right?

 

[tooyoungforthiscrap]

Re: Tooyoungforthiscrap's Story, New pics! - (age 19)

My diet is pretty shitty tbh, after high school my lifestyle became a lot more sedentary and aside from making sure I don't take in too many calories a day I don't really watch what I eat.

I also don't take any vitamins, I'll look into biotin though! Anyone have other suggestions?

 

[tooyoungforthiscrap]

Re: Tooyoungforthiscrap's Story, New pics! - (age 19)

It wont do any harm if I stop finasteride for about 3 - 4 days will it? My doctor took an early vacation and my pharmacy hasn't been able to contact him for a refill :thumbdown2:

 

[h82bebald]

Re: Tooyoungforthiscrap's Story, New pics! - (age 19)

didn't your Doctor put down how many refills you were eligible for on the prescription? My Doctor put me down for 3 refills of 100 pills on the prescription. Its on file at the pharmacy.

 

[tooyoungforthiscrap]

Re: Tooyoungforthiscrap's Story, New pics! - (age 19)

He only gave me 1 refill, suggested that I give it a try for a month to see if I get any side effects before having a larger prescription.

I'm glad to say that I have experienced no side effects at all, if anything my libido went up!

 

[astros148]

Re: Tooyoungforthiscrap's Story, New pics! - (age 19)

your hair looks like my, its pretty good. hows the shed been on finasteride so far?

 

[tooyoungforthiscrap]

Re: Tooyoungforthiscrap's Story, New pics! - (age 19)

I haven't started any sheds yet, but I know they're going to come (and suck).

It's weird, when I was younger hair would come out when I combed it but for a long time now nothings really come out on my pillow, in the shower or otherwise more than the usual amount of hairs that fail out of a normal persons head each day.

My derm pinched some crown hair where its the thinnest to see if he could pull it out and said he "got one hair"

I definitely never noticed any hardcore shedding or hair loss, it just seems to have thinned under my nose for the last year :dunno:

The good news is that I've noticed even less hair around my desk/ sink since I started on finasteride. If I could get some regrowth results I'd be happier than a pig in sh*t and nobody would even be able to tell im balding (cept from the crown, but I'd rather it be a little thin up there than all over the top like it is now!)

Im lucky enough to work in a low light restaurant, when its dim it looks like I'm 17 again! (is it bad that I'm feeling/ talking like im an old man already?) :shakehead:

 

[astros148]

Re: Tooyoungforthiscrap's Story, New pics! - (age 19)

so the way you're talking its obviously working, just be patient. it seems like you're losing less hair so just be patient.

 

[tooyoungforthiscrap]

Re: Tooyoungforthiscrap's Story, New pics! - (age 19)

I'd like to add how AWESOME nizoral has been for me!


My hair no longer gets greasy and nasty, sebum is down and it looks great! Obviously, you can still see scalp but it looks a lot healthier and hopefully I'll get some nice regrowth.

Fuckin miracle cream that nizoral is, didn't think a shampoo could be that awesome.

I'm also using vive pro for men daily thickening shampoo, which doesn't really make my hair look "thicker" per say, but it certainly makes it heavier and healthier looking.

I've been a lot less stressed out about my male pattern baldness lately, I hope my treatment saves my hair for a long, long time!