When to start taking Propecia?

[viceroy]

So my hair seems to be thinning. I'm 26. Many days I will find 10 or more hairs on my pillow, and some days in the shower when I run my hands over my wet head, many hairs come out, over and over...

I went to see my doctor. He examined my head, and said I should not take Propecia until I 'need it.' He also said I may be 'hyperaware' of my hair because I'm freaked out by hair loss, and I could just be experiencing seasonal shedding.

But it DOES seem to be thinning, and I've never before experienced shedding like this. The question is - do I start taking Propecia at this uncertain stage, and be stuck forever taking it thereafter? Or is there sense in waiting for lots more hair to come out and see if it becomes plainly obvious that I am losing my hair...

Both options have problems. I'm afraid if it IS male pattern baldness, the longer I wait the worse my prospects will be. But on the other hand if it turns out to be mellow male pattern baldness, or even the offchance that it's not male pattern baldness at all, I will be 'hooked' on Propecia and will never know if it's the Propecia that's keeping my hair in...

Any advice/suggestions would be appreciated...
Thanks!

 

[1by1]

DON'T WAIT

Don't wait, catch in the bud. I wish I did :-( The sooner you start doing something about it the better. I am taking propecia, it seams to of stoped my hair from falling out. I just wish I had taken this sooner.

 

[WRX_STi_Driver]

Right Away!

 

[HairlossTalk]

This is a really good post. Very good question. How do you know whether or not to jump onto the treatments, since its a lifelong commitment? You're in that in between stage where you think you're losing hair, but everyone around you says you are not.

Take it from me and the guys above - you know when you're losing hair. And you know much sooner than anyone else will. There is a long period of time where your density can DECREASE and to the other people around you, it wont look noticeable. Only you know how thick the hair originally was. They don't.

I strongly suggest taking several photographs of your hair right now. Get it wet, make it look as bad as it possibly can. Take some of it dry. Take some of it completely styled. Take some of your hairline with the hair held back. Take as many high quality ones as you can, and make sure the focus is right on. These photos will be incredibly important to you in the months to come, to help you keep perspective.

As for the "Lifelong commitment" thing... look at it this way. Its really not so bad. Every day for the rest of your life you will brush your teeth to avoid tooth decay and your teeth falling out. Every day for the rest of your life you will take a shower, to avoid skin conditions, diseases, and infections that could ultimately kill you. If you look at those things in the negative light, you could say "Im a slave to toothpaste for the rest of my life!" ... but you don't. Its just brushing your teeth. Same with Propecia. You're just popping a pill, like a multivitamin, to help keep your hair healthy and keep it from falling out.

As we age we have to do new things that will help maintain our health. Everyone on the planet has to. You've just got your things, and one of them happens to be preventing hair loss. Hell ... you are actually lucky. Most guys dont believe anything works, and wont ever try it, and will instead suffer the pain of losing all their hair. You wont. You've got one up on them.

Get Nizoral shampoo and use it once every 3 days with the Propecia. Odds are, you wont even need minoxidil. You may shed excessively during the first 4 months on Propecia. Ride it out. Read the article top left of this page on SHEDDING. It will explain some things.

Consider yourself lucky that you're starting this soon, and will have all your hair for another 10 years minimum. You're not unlucky at all.

HairLossTalk.com

 

[WRX_STi_Driver]

HairLossTalk.com...I am inspired EVERY time I read one of your posts. I guess I was one of the lucky ones too...my brother waited way too long before he started Rogaine...but still eventually thinned so much he quit. I knew it was coming so I jumped on when I was 24. Still holding strong (brother is jealous and proud...I knew better and earlier!) on just:

Propecia
Nizoral/T-Gel/T-Sal

Below not directly related...more indirectly
Thicker Fuller Hair shampoo on off days
Green Tea - I just love it! not sure what it is doing for my hair.
Multivitamins
Less Caffeine and NO Nicotine
Better Foods
Work out to lower stress

My only complaint is the weight gain and I am now starting to thin at the hairline (just a little). That's why I am considering Folligen for the scalp...to help maybe regrow more hairline hairs. I don't think I am ready for minoxidil...not yet...

 

[HairlossTalk]

Thats really cool that your brother isnt just jealous, but is also proud on your behalf. You've got a good brother there.

HairLossTalk.com

 

[WRX_STi_Driver]

Yeah, he's not only my brother, but my best friend. That's why it was easy for him to say,

"Hey, are you thinning? I can see your scalp a little easier these days. You should go see your Dermatologist and ask her about male pattern baldness"

...and so on.



Anyway, HairLossTalk.com, since I can tell I am thinning at the front hairline, do you think I should go straight to minoxidil or should I try something like Revivogen or Folligen first?

 

[viceroy]

Thanks to all who posted... very helpful.

I guess it boils down to this: how can one be SURE it's early male pattern baldness? Can a derm examine the situation and make a fairly definitive diagnosis? As I said above, the general practicioner who examined me (and whom I feel is totally competent and trustworthy) said it would be premature to start thinking about Rogaine and Propecia. Yet damn, the running my hands over my head in the shower thing is really buggin me out...

but I won't be comfortable jumping into treatment until/unless I have more solid evidence. grrrrargh!

 

[HairyN]

hey vice...did you decide to get on the finasteride?

im in a similar situation