Losing My Hair

LegacyUser

Based on what some people post on here, this is not a major problem.

I'm approaching forty and my hairline is starting to recede quite a lot and I'm taking it badly. It is probably amplified by the fact that I am single and things are not going well on the relationships side of things.

I feel desperate that my hair is falling out before I've had the chance to live my life and have relationships. It isn't right that I'll be bald before I lose my virginity.

I've tried propecia and whilst it has worked for a while (as much as can be told without repeating the time with placebo) it does not counteract a receding hairline. Then there are some small side effects, which don't bother me greatly at the minute.

I can see from the loss so far that I don't/won't suit a shaved hair look. It's a really lazy comment to tell everyone with receding hair just to shave it off just because Vin Diesel and Jason Stratham do it. You need the right shape for it to work.

I just don't really know how to overcome this. I'd love to get a transplant but they are too expensive and I'm scared of it being botched. I've read up on future treatments, but gene theraphy is a long way off and after the debacle with propecia and its side effects I'm sue the FDA will not allow it to be rushed out onto the market.

How do I cope with this? My hair is part of my identity and it defines who I am. I like have a good hair cut and take pride in my appearance, but losing my hair is making me deflated and feeling like I have come to that age where I decide whether to continue going to the gym or to go down an opposite route and let myself go.

It's a life changing event and I'm strugglling to cope with it. I hate looking in the mirror and when I wash my hair I see shed hair in the sink which confounds my anxiety.

What do I do here?

LegacyUser

I wouldn't worry about the hair in the sink, that has nothing to do with your receding hairline. We all have loose hairs that come out in the wash. When you lose hair, the actual hair doesn't fall out, it just grows back weaker and weaker until it disappears. People with a full head of hair also have lots of shedding in the sink.

Its possible your hair does not look good, but if its only started to recede then its possibly not that noticeable to anyone else but you. And if its only your hairline (and not a bald patch at the back), and its receding backwards from the edges of your fringe, and staying strong in the centre of your fringe, then you'll probably look fine until its gone back at least 2 inches.

You don't have to shave your head unless you look really awful (which I doubt). The best haircut in my opinion for those that a shaved head doesn't suit is very short and neat, blade 3 back and sides, scissor cut quite short on top.

I'm not going to tell you you're imagining the whole thing, but 70% of guys I've encountered who are panicking over their hairline have little noticeable loss to anyone but themselves.

Lovely Bloke

Shave it off, just get rid of it. If it's causing you this much stress, remove it from your life.

Keep your new slaphead in good nick though. And all this about "not suiting" it, how do you know? Until you do it, you won't know.

A totally shaved bald head is a popular look and doesn't have any bad connotations for someone in a professional work environment.

There are loads and loads of balding men, have been since we came down out of the trees - and it doesn't matter a bit. Some women like men with perfectly coiffed locks, some women think men like that are too into themselves. Some women like a man with a hairless bonce, maybe you'll have better luck on the relationship side of things if you stopped taking yourself and your hair so seriously, got rid of this stress from your life and embrace who you really are.

Penny Tration

If you're in your forties, it's natural that your hair will start to thin, and it's only a big deal if you make it one.

The sentence about your hair defining you - really? You base your self worth on a hairstyle?

It sounds (based on your comment about going bald before losing your virginity) as though you feel you need your hair to be attractive to the opposite sex, and are very insecure about losing it.

Unfortunately, we all age. You can't stop yourself from ageing.

It's just up to you whether you deal with your insecurities and embrace it, or avoid ever being seen in public again, all because of hair.

Shrap

Baldy Conscience wrote: »

Shave it off, just get rid of it. If it's causing you this much stress, remove it from your life.

Keep your new slaphead in good nick though. And all this about "not suiting" it, how do you know? Until you do it, you won't know.

A totally shaved bald head is a popular look and doesn't have any bad connotations for someone in a professional work environment.

There are loads and loads of balding men, have been since we came down out of the trees - and it doesn't matter a bit. Some women like men with perfectly coiffed locks, some women think men like that are too into themselves. Some women like a man with a hairless bonce, maybe you'll have better luck on the relationship side of things if you stopped taking yourself and your hair so seriously, got rid of this stress from your life and embrace who you really are.

GO BALDIES!! I like baldy men, me. No matter what shaped head, it shows they have the nerve to just go "ah feck it, get rid of it" and not be afraid to make a change. I do prefer a bit of hair (as in a blade 0 or 1) instead of the shiny look, but that's just me.

LegacyUser

Kojaks Lolly wrote: »

My hair is part of my identity and it defines who I am. I like have a good hair cut and take pride in my appearance, but losing my hair is making me deflated and feeling like I have come to that age where I decide whether to continue going to the gym or to go down an opposite route and let myself go.

It's a life changing event and I'm strugglling to cope with it.

While hair and appearance in general is obviously important to most people, to varying degrees, if you feel you are defined by them then you have bigger issues and it seems likely that those issues are the reasons for your relationship problems. If this is a life changing event for you, perhaps use it as a positive oppertunity to assess how you see yourself and how you see what you potentially bring to relationships. It can't have escaped your notice that there is no general pattern whereby people are prevented from getting into happy relationships by a lack of hair. Becoming defined and despondant because of baldness, on the other hand, will hold you back.

ManOfMystery

I'm going to side with the OP in that not ALL men suit the bald look. If you have a good built and a tan and a bit of stubble then yes you can pass for a Jason Statham wannabe. In reality, many men 'rocking' the bald look are cosmetically more like Phil Mitchell from Eastenders.

Your hair is part of your appearance and part of your identity. I understand totally why losing it is affecting your confidence. However please bear in mind that losing your hair is not changing the characteristics that fundamentally define you as a person. You may look slightly different, but what's underneath is still the same, and that's what will appeal to a long-term partner.

With that said ......... you still have options, albeit limited. Until such time as they invent a perfect anti-baldness pill, there's only a few things you can do. Shaving your head is ultimately the cheapest and quickest approach. Low maintenance, you can even do it yourself at home, no side effects asides from maybe feeling a bit chillier up top. But you've already said you're not really interested in doing that.

So, there's medication - Minoidil, Propecia, etc. Most of these are preventative rather than restorative. They will (for the majority of users) stop or greatly reduce the rate of hairloss, but you're essentially just pressing the Pause button. You have to keep taking the medication until the day you die; if you stop, the hairloss starts again after a few weeks and in some cases makes up for lost time by shedding most of the hair you would have lost anyway in the intervening period. There are side effects as you noted, and it's also quite expensive, and can cost many, many thousands over the course of a lifetime.

So the next stage would be restorative hair treatment. The most popular are Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), which differ quite a lot in technique but to most people are just known as a hair transplant. And you've noted that these are very expensive and there's no guarantee that it will be a success. They are expensive alright - in the UK and Ireland. There are clinics in the USA and in European cities such as Prague where they cost half or less of what they are here. There are also numerous hair loss forums with members who have used these clinics and can give genuine testimonials as to their success (or failure). The key is research, research, research. There are success stories out there, with certain clinics and certain hair consultants/doctors - anyone interested in a hair transplant needs to read these and make notes about the ones with high success rates.

A hair transplant is nothing to be embarrassed about - they are quite common nowadays, and when done successfully they can work wonders with your hairline. I see them as no different to people having dental work, or a nose job, or milder forms of plastic surgery.

Another option of course is a wig or toupee. These don't appeal to everyone. And they don't work for everyone. But it's less invasive than a transplant, it lets you change your hairstyle easily, and it's cheaper than a transplant. The downsides are obvious : they can look ridiculous on some people, and they are restrictive - e.g. going swimming, etc.

I know 2 guys who have had hair transplants. Both are much happier afterwards. It's easy to say 'work on your confidence', but that's very hard to do when their confidence was being regularly eroded away by a receding hairline. Some people just can't regain that confidence until they have done something to physically improve the situation - like I said above, it's no different to telling someone with crooked teeth to just keep smiling and 'work on your confidence!' - sometimes getting dental work is the best way to actually restore that confidence.

Good luck with whatever you choose to do.

LegacyUser

OP, I do know someone who went to a hair clinic (Google hair clinics in Ireland and you'll probably find a few) and it has worked but it did take time. It has taken about two years of taking a quarter of a tablet each day and putting a gel thing on the balding pieces and receding bits at the front every night but it has brought their hair back much stronger. They have mostly stopped with the treatment now because it's back.
I do feel clothes and hair can affect how confident you feel - if you're not happy with a particular haircut it can be annoying and it can get you down. I have experienced that. You hear of more and more men these days getting their hair done so it's nothing to be self-conscious about. If it was me I probably wouldn't divulge purely because it's nobody's business. Now I know you said that certain treatments would be too expensive and that's understandable so why not try a hair clinic and at least discuss options with them first (will be like the price of a doctor's appointment which is expensive but this is obviously bothering you), they'll likely try out what i described above and if that doesn't work maybe give other options a go even if it's expensive. If it is something that is really going to bother you then do something about it.
Weigh up what your options are. Go and talk to a professional about it or shave it. Your choice. (Don't mean that to sound harsh but be pragmatic is my advice).
Having said all that I don't mind whether a man has hair or not but I do often think men can look a bit older than they are when they don't have any hair.
I wish you all the very best. I really didn't appreciate how upsetting this issue can be for men until I knew someone who it was happening to. He is the nicest guy and quite shy and he felt he would've been even more shy if he lost his hair. He didn't believe the shaved look would suit him etc. I'm so happy he went and did something about it because it's back and he's happy again. So do what you feel but that's my advice. Very, very best of luck :-)

Clark2014

I would avoid Propecia (finasteride) like the plague to treat hair loss.

One of Ireland's leading Doctor's Andrew Rynne has warned that the hair loss drug Propecia (finasteride) can cause "chemical castration".

http://medicaladviceforyou.com/finasteride/

Saralee4

you are approaching 40. Some men loose all their hair in their 20's.

I know men who have started loosing their hair in their 40s but never really lost an amount that they would have to shave their head. it just kind of thinned out overall and they had slightly receding hairline (which some women also find attractive in a man). This happens slowly and can take many many years till they get to a stage where they have to shave without it looking ridiculous.

I would just keep getting it cut tight and keep getting it cut tighter until you get used to it then eventually you wont be so shocked when you have it totally shaved. So I would say do it gradually.

Its just a part of aging.

Women are not really that concerned about those things on a man so it should not effect any possible relationships. Unless you let it effect your confidence and self esteem.

Also remember that women approaching their 40s also have aging insecurities that they are dealing with too. We all do at most times in life.

Be confident with who you are and within yourself and the right woman and relationship will come along.

Mr. Loverman

Get some muscle.

The shaved head, stubble and fit/muscular look is a good one.

Glock Lesnar

Don't shave it, take it down to a blade 1 or 2

ronano

I've a head like a cinder block turned on its side, tbh i do think just shaving it is the way or blade 2. You learn to accept it and actually like the new look, would it be nice to have a full head of hair? at this point probably not the trimmer shave is too convenient but otherwise probly yes but you get on with it.

Rubberchikken

Do you realise a bald head can be very sexy.
I know its easy to say not to worry. I realise peole place a lot ofportance to their hair. But women are attracted to the person.

tenifan

I started thinning in my early 20s and had to keep it short to stop it looking bad. Finally bit the bullet and shaved it at 24. I just use a clippers without a plastic blade rather than a mach 3.
When you say the right "shape", if you're a bit overweight you should be more worried about that than hair loss in terms of health. One you can change, the other you can't.

LegacyUser

I do take propecia. I do have minor side effects with it but i'm ascared of how much more hair I'll lose if I come off it.
In regards you the castration, well I don't have much luck with the opposite sex so it doesn't really matter, plus everything still is operational.
Shaving is not some thing I want to do. I like having hair and taking pride in my appearance.
In regards to surgery i'm too scared as I can remember all the poor results the early transplants gave. Plus on the websites I still see many people going for corrective work due too botched surgery.
I do keep fit and I go to the gym regularly.

Taltos

OP please go and talk to your doctor about this.
Not to see what he can do - but how your fear is affecting you.

Let's face it, many men suffer hair loss as they age, at the same time hair starts to sprout from the most awkward of places. It's natural. It might not be what you see on TV or the movies or in magazines but it's what happens.
Just think back to some of the older generation
> peaked caps
> comb overs
> grecian 2000 (spelling is off).

It's just what happens as we get older. The trick is to learn not only to accept it but to love it.
In my case I have gone from having hair to my shoulders, where my siblings used to give out for the amount of time I spent preening and posing in front of mirrors as a teenager to now shaving with a blade maybe 2 times a week. I too was told by a hairdresser years ago that I don't have the head shape to be bald, but you know what - my wife who met me while I had the long hair (it's one of the things that attracted her) absolutely adores the bald look.

For me - I love it too, no fuss in the morning, no odd bits sticking out (except those I miss with the razor), the only downside is I feel the cold more and my ears are more exposed. On the positive side, and this I am putting down to how I am presenting myself due to how much I like it - even more people than normal chat to me now - I am one of those that random folk talk to about anything, guess I have one of those faces despite my perpetual frown.

Not kidding, I really think you need to learn how to accept this, I am only a year or two older but you have to learn there are somethings you can't change and some you shouldn't. There are always options - spend a fortune having surgery, live with the scares or just learn to love yourself no matter how you look and to hell with what the media tells you the perfect man should look like.

Clark2014

kojacks lolly wrote: »

I do take propecia. I do have minor side effects with it but i'm ascared of how much more hair I'll lose if I come off it.
In regards you the castration, well I don't have much luck with the opposite sex so it doesn't really matter, plus everything still is operational.

According to Dr Andrew Rynne you may only get the side effects AFTER you come off the drug. He also says that Propecia is a "dangerous toxic medication".

<mod snip - video clips not permitted here. Please read the charter>

Clark2014

Dr Andew Rynne also wrote this great article about hair loss and the dangers or using Propecia to treat it.

http://medicaladviceforyou.com/baldness-cure/

The global statistics for male pattern baldness or hair loss are quite staggering and of course speak for themselves:

• 40% of men will have noticeable hair loss by age 35.
• 60% of men will have noticeable hair loss by age 60.
• 70% of men will have noticeable hair loss by age 80.
• The hair transplant business in America is worth $ 1.3 billion annually.
• In 2010 worldwide 279,381 men had surgical hair transplants.

So what does all this tell you? It should tell you quite simply that male pattern baldness is a normal age related phenomena. It should tell you that it is not a disease or a condition that requires medical treatment. That said, it also shows that there are an awful lot of men out there who simply do not accept this testosterone and age related natural phenomena. And equally, there are plenty of doctors out there who are all too ready to exploit this weakness in men’s self-image and confidence.


An inability to accept yourself as you are reflects a lack of self confidence or self esteem. It comes from within not from without. As Eleanor Roosevelt so wisely pointed out: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” When I see a bald man walk into a room I see self confidence and someone to be admired. When I see a man walk into a room wearing an ill-fitting toupee I see weakness and I feel sorry for him. I have always counselled patients that if they are having self esteem issues as a result of baldness then the first point of remedy should be a psychotherapist rather than a doctor.


Baldness cure – Propecia, Proscar or Finasteride


This drug group was designed and licensed to treat Benign Prostate Hyperplasia and to slow down the progress of metastatic prostate cancer. Its action is to block the conversion of Testosterone into Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which is the potent active form of this androgen or sex hormone. In a word, Finasteride renders testosterone useless. Once the testosterone can’t act on the hair follicles it slows down the balding process. It does have side effects though.

The sexual side-effects of Finasteride


The sexual side-effects of Finasteride may appear while the man is taking it or, more usually, when he stops taking it. To say that these side-effects go away when the man stops taking Finasteride is a lie peddled by those making a fortune in prescribing it. The sexual side-effects of Finasteride remain on indefinitely and there is, as yet, no cure or proper understanding of them. Symptoms of Post Propecia Syndrome vary a lot from victim to victim but the chief ones would be:

• Total loss of libido or sex drive.
• Loss of nocturnal or spontaneous erections.
• Penile numbness.
• Testicular atrophy.
• Erectile dysfunction.
• Sexual Adhedonia or the inability to experience any pleasure from sexual stimulation or ejaculation.
• Insomnia, anxiety, brain fog and depression leading to suicide.
• Urinary frequency disturbing night’s sleep.

What percent of men taking Finasteride develop Post Propecia Syndrome? As yet we do not have accurate figures for this question. It could be as high as 2% but does that matter? If only one man in a thousand developed this horrible, hideous life sapping disease then that, in my opinion would be one too many. I would not recommend taking Finasteride as a treatment for male pattern baldness but rather consult with your doctor on alternative treatment options.

LegacyUser

OP again.

I've already spoken to my GP and also been referred to hospital for a consultation. They said everything was fine with me.

I'm already seeing a counsellor for isolation related issues. I'm not depressed though.

When I was younger I had braces and that did improve my condifence at the time, but this is something I'm finding it hard to take and if I stop the propecia I'll lose whatever hair it is maintaining once it leaves my body.

I will mention it again to my GP, but I have/had no symptoms other than reduced viscosity of ejaculate.

kylith

Glock Lesnar wrote: »

Don't shave it, take it down to a blade 1 or 2

Gotta agree with this^^

I know some guys who tried the medication and the only thing it made a difference to was their wallet. When it comes to transplants people will notice a transplant much more than they notice that you're balding.

LegacyUser

Please don't go for the implants. Speaking as a woman I have noticed implants far far more than I notice baldness.

In fact, baldness in young guys these days is so commonplace that you don't really register it at all. Most young guys when they start to recede just shave it, so when you walk into a pub about 20% of guys in their thirties seem to have shaved or very close trimmed heads. You just don't notice much.

However I have noticed implants. Its the odd "rows of corn" effect. And I know an older guy, in his sixties who obviously got them 10/15 years ago when he was just thinning on top. Unfortunately since then the rest of nis hair has thinned so now he looks quite unusual - sparse rows of corn on the top of his head and then bald elsewhere.

My husband went bald around 27, but just at the back. He calls it his "baboons arse". He shaved it. You can still see that circle at the back though. I met him after he had shaved it. His head is completely spherical - definately more Charlie Brown than Jean-Luc Picard. Do it stop me jumping his bones that first night? Nope!

Stavro Mueller

Seeing as you're still a virgin heading towards 40 years of age, I'm thinking your hair's the least of your worries. That's what jumped out at me actually. What happened? Have you never had a girlfriend or the opportunity to have sex?

To be honest, your thinning hair sounds like an expression of your general insecurity. I just worry that you'll end up spending an absolute fortune on something that may not work and leave you no better off at the end of it all. Unfortunately thinning hair is a fact of life for a lot of men. You'll not be standing out from the crowd in that respect. I'd not suggest you go down the road of shaving the lot off because that doesn't suit every man. Instead, get yourself a nice tight haircut which will be more forgiving.

LegacyUser

Seeing as you're still a virgin heading towards 40 years of age, I'm thinking your hair's the least of your worries. That's what jumped out at me actually. What happened? Have you never had a girlfriend or the opportunity to have sex?

Nope, never had any confience to approach a girl in that respect. Just clam up and have nothing to talk about.

I posted this on another thred here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=92679964&postcount=31

I don't have any social circle now and am attending counselling to try to help me out.

To be honest, your thinning hair sounds like an expression of your general insecurity. I just worry that you'll end up spending an absolute fortune on something that may not work and leave you no better off at the end of it all. Unfortunately thinning hair is a fact of life for a lot of men. You'll not be standing out from the crowd in that respect. I'd not suggest you go down the road of shaving the lot off because that doesn't suit every man. Instead, get yourself a nice tight haircut which will be more forgiving.

I'm waiting for a better treatment to come out rather than a transplant. As per above I'm already on propecia and feeling some slight sides. If I opted for a HT I'd be forced to continue usage of propecia to maintain the original hair as otherwise it would continue receding and leve the new hair up front on its own. There is progress in this area, but it looks like I'll be one of the last generation who has to suffer this.

Stavro Mueller

Women aren't going to be fazed by your thinning hair. Most men of your age have thinning hair so there's nothing unusual in that. It's certainly not going to be a dealbreaker for most women. If you're clamming up and have nothing to say for yourself, no nice hair or gym body will help you.

Your real problem is your social anxiety or whatever label has been put on it. Keep going to the therapy and take steps to resolve the issues in your life that are achievable. Are you fixating on your hair to mask the other shortcomings in your life? You might not be depressed but you're in a rut and it's good that you're looking for help to change things.

tenifan

Kojacks Lolly wrote: »

There is progress in this area, but it looks like I'll be one of the last generation who has to suffer this.

So better luck next reincarnation? Sorry but that's not much use to you. Live your life and stop worrying about things you can't change or waiting for things to get better.

LegacyUser

Stavro Mueller wrote: »

Your real problem is your social anxiety or whatever label has been put on it. Keep going to the therapy and take steps to resolve the issues in your life that are achievable. Are you fixating on your hair to mask the other shortcomings in your life? You might not be depressed but you're in a rut and it's good that you're looking for help to change things.

I've had numerous attempts at theraphy and for some reason or another it never seems to work out for me. Maybe this is just the person I am. I'm not happy with it, but I'm very frustrated about how things are turning out for me.

Yes, the hair is a side issue - it reminds me that I'm getting old and with that I've not lived a life worth living.

RDM_83 again

Yes, the hair is a side issue - it reminds me that I'm getting old and with that I've not lived a life worth living

If you genuinely have that attitude consistently either go seek psychological help or try and solve this problem first, everybody has regrets in life, some are big some are small but you shouldn't let them define how you view yourself.
Edit: sorry your already seeing a councilor, I would presume your worries about this issue have already been mentioned.

In relation to the hair loss issue, I'm a guy that went from shoulder length hair in my early 20's to a blade 1 to 0 by 28-29.
I won't lie if I could have kept my hair without risk of side effects I would have, people that haven't been affected by it often don't realize that its not simply a vanity or attractiveness thing it effect other peoples superficial judgment of you, as an example I would no longer wear the army surplus jackets I used to like as a it portrays a complete different image if your long haired to your skin head, your still the same person but the image you portray is very different.

This being said, loosing your hair isn't the end of the world, its cr@p but its life and to be honest I envy you only being worried about it at the age 40. The woman you talk to are probably equally worried about the appearance of crows feet, varicose veins or cellulite, we all build things up to mean more than they are.

In practical terms either loose some weigh or bulk up in a lean manner and consider growing a beard, I;ve been attached for a long time but I have got more attention from woman and compliments from gay guys with the shaved head than I did with long unkempt hair and I am a guy with a big head and big ears.

Paulownia

I always look at people. It never ceases to amaze me the partners people choose. It certainly does not depend on looks, if it did most of us would be virgins!
I haven't read all the thread but have yourself a nice haircut and get out there and have fun!
Join some organisations or clubs and you will meet lots of people who want to know you better and make you feel good about yourself, you sound like a nice guy, good luck, and forget about receding hair, it's not an issue

LegacyUser

Paulownia wrote: »

I always look at people. It never ceases to amaze me the partners people choose. It certainly does not depend on looks, if it did most of us would be virgins!

I am

I haven't read all the thread but have yourself a nice haircut and get out there and have fun!
Join some organisations or clubs and you will meet lots of people who want to know you better and make you feel good about yourself, you sound like a nice guy, good luck, and forget about receding hair, it's not an issue

I can't. That is why I'm attending counselling. I have no social life and am struggling to make myself get up and go out.

If I had my hair, it would be one less thing to worry about and it would incerase my confidence. I had braces and it really helped - I am now not scared of smiling, even though it is not perfect. The only problem would be having to take propecia for ever...

LLMMML

Propecia is fine. The links posted elsewhere in this thread were scaremongering nonsense. Like all drugs it had POTENTIAL side effects. And these seem more common if you google them because nobody goes onljne to say they had no side effects. People only complain online when something goes wrong. I know 3 people on it and none have side effects. It's not a miracle cure though.

marykitty47

Hi op although I am female I am going through something similar. .I was also losing my hair. after 100s of tests, doctors appointment the conslusion was that my hair loss was down tk stress. I no myself j stress over everything and losing my hair didn't help..worrying at night amd unable to sleep.

I decided to visit the universal scalp clinic in Dublin and attended my consultation and had a treatment last week. The treatment was formula they use and a machine to increase circulation on your scalp. I then apply the formula at home and use their shampoo etc. I've noticed less shedding over the last week so I am hoping it will improve eventually. There would be no harm in giving them a ring to discuss your options. if not Rogaine is great as my brother uses it but I didn't want to go down that root as it causes facial hair.

I understand how this is really getting you down. I was going through the same thing.

Clark2014

LLMMML wrote: »

Propecia is fine. The links posted elsewhere in this thread were scaremongering nonsense. Like all drugs it had POTENTIAL side effects. And these seem more common if you google them because nobody goes onljne to say they had no side effects. People only complain online when something goes wrong. I know 3 people on it and none have side effects. It's not a miracle cure though.

There are in noway scaremongering.

One of the UK's leading hair loss clinics the Belgravia clinic admit the drug can cause "permanent impotence".

<modsnip - per the charter no vids>

sadie06

OP, focusing on your hair loss - which it seems to me is inevitable even if you manage to push it a little further down the line - is a complete waste of time and energy and is trapping you in a negative thought cycle, adding to your already significant levels of anxiety.

It simply is not important! You are not going to suddenly look like you don't care about your appearance just because you lose your hair! The fact that you look after yourself and put effort in will always be apparent.

Re: head shapes. I can think of several famous bald men that I consider to be very attractive, and they all have different head shapes. The late James Gandalfini, Jason Statham, Patrick Stewart, Billy Zane to name but a few. What I see is their faces.

All of the time and energy you are putting into this needs to be refocused into dealing with your general unhappiness and anxieties. It saddens me that you seem to have given up. Yes, it matters whether your man gear is in working order! Seek new avenues to deal with your confidence issues, and new ways to meet people. If therapy really isn't for you, maybe try the confidence building approach. You need somebody to pull you out of this inertia. Google Confidence Building Ireland and a range of services come up.

Forget about your hair. What will be will be. Trust me, women in the age bracket you are in don't care!

Best of luck.

Paulownia

I think men are losing their hair earlier now than in the past, i wonder if it has to do with the fact that most men wash their hair daily and in the past it would have been washed once a week.
Don't think it will make the difference with the women, it adds a bit of gravitas!

LLMMML

Clark2014 wrote: »

There are in noway scaremongering.

One of the UK's leading hair loss clinics the Belgravia clinic admit the drug can cause "permanent impotence".

<modsnip - per the charter no vids>

Yes it is scaremongering to take a side effect that practically nobody experiences and say "well this might happen". You can do that with any drug. For example aspirin can cause a rupture in your stomach lining. Would you advise everyone to stop taking aspirin?

Clark2014

LLMMML wrote: »

Yes it is scaremongering to take a side effect that practically nobody experiences and say "well this might happen". You can do that with any drug. For example aspirin can cause a rupture in your stomach lining. Would you advise everyone to stop taking aspirin?

Merck's(the maker of the drug) own statistics show that 2% of users will continue to experience sexual side affects AFTER they stop the medication.

2% is not "practically nobody" it is quite a lot of people. Many believe people the real figure is much higher.

Your comparison with aspirin is not valid.

Number 1 Propecia is a lifestyle drug there is no health benefit to be gained from takin this drug there are however many down sides including suicidal ideation also some of the side effects can "last a lifetime" (Dr Andrew Rynne's words not mine).

Number 2 There is no non profit organization to set up to help people who who had their lives destroyed by aspirin. Victims of Propecia do have such an organization its called the Post-Finasteride Syndrome Foundation. Why would such an organization exist if Propecia is really "safe" ?
Also there is a forum for Propecia victims with over 3000 members www.propeciahelp.com/forum why not have a read of some of members stories there.

Number 3 Propecia has been linked to countrless suicides. Recently a young Doctor in Amercia by the name of Daniel Stewart took his own life due to the severe side effects of the drug. http://www.pfsfoundation.org/news/daniel-m-stewart-1976-2014/


Number 4 The only Doctors who say Propecia is "safe" are involved with the hair loss industry. One of Irelands most respected Doctors Andrew Rynne called Propecia a "dangerous toxic medication".

Anyone thinking of taking Propecia should read what Dr Andrew Rynne has to say about it.

http://doctorrynne.blogspot.ie/2011/02/male-pattern-baldness-and-propecia.html


Male Pattern Baldness and Propecia.
by Dr. Andrew Rynne

Proscar and Male Pattern Baldness.

I want to shout this from the rooftops. However, I will shout it into cyberspace instead. I want the ear of every young man on this planet who may be experiencing testosterone driven male pattern balding. Please listen to me. Do NOT under any circumstances even for one minute consider taking the testosterone-suppressing drug Proscar or Propecia or Finasteride to give it its chemical name. The consequences of using this drug for male pattern balding can be life shattering.

Here’s what the manufacturers Merck say on their Patient’s Product Information leaflet about Propecia:

“ In clinical studies for Propecia, a small number of men experienced certain sexual side effects, such as less desire for sex, difficulty in achieving an erection, decrease in the amount semen produced. Each of these side effects occurred in less than 2% of men and went away in men who stopped taking Propecia because of them.”

What jumps out at you here is that figure 2%. However, even if you accept this figure as true, and personally I do not accept it, but even if you do, to the uninitiated it might seem like a low figure. But for 2% of men on Proscar to experience serious side effects like erectile dysfunction, loss of libido and reduced volume of semen this is actually a very high and significant figure.

Remember you are dealing here with a naturally occurring normal male phenomenon called ‘Male Pattern Baldness’. This is not an illness or a disease. This is a healthy normal occurrence. If in an attempt to “cure” it, you are getting a 2% rate of serious side effects, then that quite frankly is unacceptable.

But here is the real lie that Merck is giving you in its Patient’s Leaflet. Do you see that bit there about “went away in men who stopped taking Propecia – ” That is simply not true and Merck know full well that it is not true. They know it is not true because I and hundreds of other doctors and thousands of patients have told them that these side effects do not always go away when you stop taking Propecia. We continue to be ignored of course. Merck in a multi-billion multinational company. In some cases men who have taken Proscar, even for a few months, have unwittingly condemned themselves to a lifetime of Sexual Anhedonia, the most horrible and cruel or all sexual dysfunctions.

I have spoken to several young men in my clinic in Kildare who continue to suffer from sexual anaesthesia and for whom all sexual pleasure and feelings have been obliterated for all time. I have felt their suffering and shared their devastation. If you would like to learn more about this subject then visit them on www.propeciahelp.com Please spread the word around. Taking Propecia for balding can have utterly disastrous consequences. If you have suffered in any way as a consequence of having used Propecia or Proscar them please use the comment box below to share your story with us. We would love to hear from you.

About Dr. Andrew Rynne
With over thirty years experience in treating men and women with sexual dysfunction and Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome Dr Andrew Rynne is a highly skilled professional in this field. Dr. Rynne can provide you with a Personal Consultation that will diagnose the root of your problem and provide you with a course of action and treatment that will help you work towards a personalised solution.

This entry was posted in Sexual Dysfunction and tagged balding, finasteride, hair loss, male pattern baldness, propecia, proscar, sexual anhedonia. Bookmark the permalink.


Doctor Andrew Rynne

Tokyo

Ok, after a month of advice, the thread is delving well into the area of discussion. OP, I hope you got the answer that you were looking for. Thread closed.