Hair Loss Help

LegacyUser

Ok,
I'm 19 years old, and I have long hair.
I recently noticed that at the front of my hair line (in the centre), the hair seems thinner than before (my hair is generally quite thick). Also, along the sides (where hairlines tend to start their backward crawl) seems to be moving back a bit.

While It's not really noticable unless I point it out, and while I accept that I'm bound to go bald (its in my family), I was hoping to hold it off for a while more, not at bloody 19!!

Can anyone help me out in reccommending a decent way to keep my hair going for as long as possible? I have a healthy skepticism for all those miracle hair growth tablets/sprays/shampoos/laser brushes.
I hope that this is just a slow thing, but the fact that I only noticed it now makes me worry it will be blatently a problem by next year... all advice appreciated.

LegacyUser

The answer:

http://www.hairlosshelp.com/

This website is very good, with a lot of information on your options. It has helped me alot. Especially the forums, where there is a LOT of unbiased information on the truth about hairloss.

After being on those forums for some time, I can tell you basically - there is no magical solution to "cure" hairloss. Everyone posting there will tell you the same after years of potions and tablets. You can, however, slow it down and in some rare cases regrow lost hair. Of course it all depends on your genes, and your range of hairloss.

Bottomline though - if it's string in the genes, it's very hard to totally prevent it.

But there is a great thing now called a hair system. These things are so good, you can hardly tell when someone is wearing one. E.g. did you know that Ben Affleck has one, and used it in many films including "Pearl Harbour"? And also, William Shatner has one, as does little Richard in the Sopranos.

Best places to get a hair system:
www.toplace.com
www.coolpiece.com

Basically, nobody needs to be a baldy if they don't wanna be anymore

Terminator

I've heard that long hair generally exacerbates a receding hairline - might be an idea to chop those locks and keep it short.

Penfolds

Apparently if you have long hair and tie it back it can actually pull out the hair at the front of the scalp over time.

Think about it, you pulling your hair back tight and then tying it up so it's gonna pull at the hair which is stretched the most which is the hair coming from the front of your head.

OfflerCrocGod

Shorten it that way when you go bald it wont be so much of a shock. Long hair and baldness go together like chocolate and red spicy pepers i.e. you will look like an old geezer.

Deadwing

Not trying to rain on your parade here, but i had the same problem. At around 19 i started to notice the same recession (i had long hair too). If i were you, what id do is try a pre-emptive strike with regaine or something, before it gets too bad, also id get a BLOODY HAIRCUT, HIPPY!!! lol..kidding. A haircut wouldnt go amiss tho, i believe the longer you let it grow the weaker itll get, regular haircuts tend to make the hair thicker (i think, i remember hearing this before) Seriously tho, im 24 now and almost entirely bald, i just shave my head maybe once a week, cause as OCG said, you dont want to look like a sad git with a 'fading glory' hairstyle. Sure its a pain in the arse but theres alot worse that could be wrong with you, and the missus doesnt seem to mind

dent

Just turned 25 pretty getting there too. I noticed mine at 17. Guess I've had a lot of time to get use to the idea. Just except it. Wait untill it noticleable and shave it tight. Girlfriend loves it. or at least she tells me she does

LegacyUser

I started going bald at 16! Was really depressed for a few years...im 20 now and its stopped getting worse, but it still consider myself as bald. It really converted me and my life. I wore a hat a lot, don't anymore. Just buzz your hair short and accept it...It is a horrible thing to happen tho....horrible horrible horrible. Especially when you're young and confident. But seriously, after i stopped wearing my hat, the ladies we're a lot more attracted.

Stay clear from medication and hair peaces...really. They're a waste of money, and have some side-affects. Regaine may save like 5% of hair...when you see 'before' and 'after' pictures...they're just pathetic. before: pretty bald...after: slightly less bald.

ApeXaviour

I'm 21 and it started for me about that time too.
Unless you're comfortable with going bald or you actually look good with a shaved head (many do, I dont) then I suggest you do something NOW. You can't really grow back hair once it's gone but you can stop it in it's tracks with a good regimen..

I suggest:
-Minoxidil 5% (brand names are Regaine and Rogaine etc)
-Proscar/propecia (finasteride) [probably the most effective treatment out there, do some research on it, it's a dht inhibitor]
-Nizoral dandruff shampoo (even if you don't have dandruff. A condition of MPB is that the scalp inflames slightly which results in hairs degrading, nizoral can lessen this)

You're 19 so I take it you don't have much money.
You can get generic rogaine (trust me it's exactly the same) from:
http://www.minoxidilshop.com/gen5min4mons.html
For 4months worth it's only 40eur incl P&P.

For the finasteride you need a prescription, just go to the doc, say "i'm losing my hair, male pattern baldness etc" and he should give you one. I recommend asking for proscar as opposed to propecia. They are both finasteride but one is 5mg and the other is 1mg but they are both the SAME PRICE! So to save money you should get the proscar and cut it into 4 pieces, one piece a day.. Dinna worry, this is the done thing, just check:
http://www.hairlosstalk.com/discussions/

Now where to get it? You can get it in your local pharmacy but that is too expensive. I recommend ordering from abroad:
http://www.canadadrugstore.com
or
http://www.qhi.co.uk
Both are reputable and cheap..

And remember to read through this site if you can:
http://www.hairlosstalk.com/discussions/
It's not sponsored by any companies like hairlosshelp is. Totally independant.

Naos

Dude face facts your going bald. Im gonna go bald too *shakes fist at dad* but f*ck it it will happen. Dont bother waste your money on regain or any of that crap. And why get a wig or 'hair system' as they are being called now. its a rug on ur head.

Shave ur head and take pride(do not quote as Nazi worship etc.) that you've a higher testosterone level than others

brian

ApeXaviour

Listen people, you are so uninformed.. Balding is not necessarily a "must face the inevitable". If you catch it in time you can sort it out...

guest1 wrote:

Stay clear from medication and hair peaces...really. They're a waste of money, and have some side-affects. Regaine may save like 5% of hair...when you see 'before' and 'after' pictures...they're just pathetic. before: pretty bald...after: slightly less bald.

That's because it mostly doesn't regrow hair, it prevents hair loss. Same with finasteride (side effects are rare btw) but the latter is more effective. These products are for the most part considered "maintainers". They'd be perfect for our original poster who has only just started thinning. I only wish I started at 19 (poxy denial!). I'd still have a full head of hair.. That'd be no waste of money, far from it....

Mear wrote:

Dude face facts your going bald. Im gonna go bald too *shakes fist at dad* but f*ck it it will happen. Dont bother waste your money on regain or any of that crap.

It's not that expensive, seriously! When you know where to look. The links I posted above is where I get mine, best prices around.. talkin 10yoyos a month for the minoxidil. Another 10 a month if you wanna add finasteride to that. Would that hurt your pocket that much? I mean for both you're talking ONE pint of lagar in Zanzibar/Reds/coyote a week. Hardly frickin noticeable!!!! Nor is it money down the drain considering what you're keeping in return..
I'm a student, I earn about 30 euro a week giving grinds. If I can afford it so can you.

Mear wrote:

Shave ur head and take pride(do not quote as Nazi worship etc.) that you've a higher testosterone level than others

That's the first thing I'd recommend, shave your head and see how you look with it.. For some people (like me) who look like a cross between moby and a lumpy hard-boiled egg this just isn't an option. We have been arse-fcuked by nature... [Enter heroic affordable medical science] Not any more...

Also I'd agree with these lads in as far as hair-pieces are concerned. Big no-no, very much a social faux-pas..

LegacyUser

Dude, when I was slightly thinning(at 17) I used regaine religiously, and went to a stupid 'Why go bald?' clinic in Dublin, once a week. It didn't stop me going bald. If you use 'finasteride' you can grow tits for feck sake, believe it or not. You can be impotent and lack desire in sex. Theres probably lots of other side-effects I can't remember. Altering your hormones like that is going too far if you ask me.

Also, if you're going to go bald, you will, even if you slow it up a few years. Worrying *that* much about your hair will cause it to fall out quicker.

'Listen people, you are so uninformed.. '.
...I spent a year researching this sh*te...I had too much hope, because people would say 'just get regaine'. It's useless.

LegacyUser

guest1 wrote:

Dude, when I was slightly thinning(at 17) I used regaine religiously, and went to a stupid 'Why go bald?' clinic in Dublin, once a week. It didn't stop me going bald.

Regaine and other minoxidil products tend to have their greatest effect on the crown of the head and at that it only works for 80% of people. Rarely does it work for the front or temples. To shove it off as a just a con is naive, it is a recognised and proven treatment.

guest1 wrote:

If you use 'finasteride' you can grow tits for feck sake, believe it or not. You can be impotent and lack desire in sex. Theres probably lots of other side-effects I can't remember. Altering your hormones like that is going too far if you ask me.

In a study taken over a number of years, slight breast enlargement only occured in 1.8% people taking it. Compare with 1.1% on a placebo.*

Decrease in libido (the impotence is only a side effect of this) is rare. In the majority of cases it corrects itself anyway when your body get's used to the drug.

guest1 wrote:

Also, if you're going to go bald, you will, even if you slow it up a few years.

True to an extent, the most you can hope for is maybe 10 years with a maintained full head of hair with fin. Going bald at a young age is a terrible thing. I personally wouldn't mind too much being bald at 50. In my teens though and 20's I feel this treatment is well worth it. It's either proscar or prozac..

If aggressive hairloss is in your family, with a maintained regimen of finasteride and minox, the best you can hope for is by age 50 you will look like kelsey grammer. He has a "peach-fuzz" of hair on the top of his head..

guest1 wrote:

'Listen people, you are so uninformed.. '.
...I spent a year researching this sh*te...I had too much hope, because people would say 'just get regaine'. It's useless.

Seems to me you're being a bit over critical, especially with finasteride.
My experience:
I had a reaction with minoxidil which gave me a severely irritated scalp, happens with some shampoos aswell. So I had to stop that. With proscar though I have experienced no side effects. I'm as virile as ever. I have lost no hair since I started taking it (about 3-4 months ago). Infact I've noticed that where my hair was thin it has become thicker. It's made me a happier person.


* ref = http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/finas_ad.htm

mjn

if you've noticed your hair thinning, then there's a good chance you've lost 50% of it already.......according to the experts...

[Preacher]

I'm having similar problems myself, will be going to the doctor about it soon. I'll pass on any info the doctor gives me.

embee

In fairness, there is just a certain "something" about bald men that is really quite attractive.....

Bald men are (allegedly) very virile.

Deadwing

A/s/l embee? wanna cyber? lol
Ask my gf if she thinks bald men are more virile..hehe..i think youll get a resounding 'yes' answer. Or maybe im just naturally a horndog