17 years old, all help appreciated

[TheEscapist]

I'm 17 years old, with a visibly thin recessed hairline, probably Norwood 2.7534321. My hair is overall pretty thinned, but to the unfocused eye who isn't looking directly at my frontal hair pulled back, my hair looks perfectly fine. Unfortunately, if my 2 years older brother and/or my father is any indication, I'll be much further thinned and recessed in due time. Probably by the time I'm in college, it'll be very noticeable.

View attachment 19070Hairline (Not the most illuminated picture) View attachment 19071Normal looking, hairline corners covered

I've been on Rogaine for almost a year now, and I sometimes wonder if there's a point in using it. I feel like it dries out my hair more so than anything else.
I've been on Finpecia finasteride for 3 months with no side affects whatsoever, yet I'm now feeling like I'm going to discontinue use for now. I feel like it will put me at risk for halted development (I'm 5'11.5, but I sure wouldn't mind growing more), and possibly at risk for other issues. I just don't want to screw with my hormones right now.

So here and now, I'm basically surrendering to hairloss (Rogaine won't halt any loss really). Maybe its in vain, maybe finasteride wouldn't have harmed me in anyway at all. But I just don't want to alter my body chemistry right now.

All of this means that if I want to have hair, it will probably have to be a hair transplant. There's the hard place. Everyone says I'm too young, and yet I'm old enough to be receding and thinning.
Beyond age, its also hugely expensive, money that I can't hope to make, especially whilst in college.
Beyond that, I have no idea how I could ensure that I get a good hair transplant, and not one that leaves a big scar and bad results...

I guess I'm here looking for help and advice from people. I know none of you can grow my hair back, or halt the loss, or do much more than suggest things. But, hopefully someone can suggest something or clarify the hair transplant options in a way that might give me some idea or hope for what to do.

 

[ldk13]

Just hang in there. I know this totally sucks. But were here for a reason and we are all in this together.

I would keep up with the rogaine. You may not see the results, but at the very least it is probably keeping more hair from falling out.

As for the finasteride, 3 months is not long enough to determine if it is working for you or not. When trying out a new hair loss treatment I say you should atleast give it 6 months before determining if it works or not for you. Most people will say one year, and they are probably right. But 3 months on one hair loss treatment is not even close to enough time to determine if the treatment will work or not.

Lots of people have tried out lasers in attempt to regrow hair. They have no known side effects but at the very most you can expect is to maintain what you already got. Many forum users here and on other hairloss forums have condemed using laser combs.

Another thing you can add to your treatments if you wish to continue them is nizoral. Nizoral main ingredient is ketoconazole, which can block dht at the scalp. It is unsure of how well it works but some say it is as good as using 2% minoxidil. There is a nizoral with 1% ketoconazole, and a 2%. I would recommend the 2%. If you choose 2% you will only need to use it 2 mabe 3 times per week and leave in for approx. 5 min. The 1% is easier to come by and I would use it 3-4 times per week. Nizoral alone wont help you, but adding it to you current treatments, can make them more effective.

I hope this helps you out a little. You came here for a reason to beat male pattern baldness. I wish you the best of luck

 

[TheEscapist]

It does help, thank you idk. I just want to clarify that I recognize I need to be on finasteride for longer than I have been, and that my issue with it is whether or not its the right thing healthwise to do. I'm just concerned that I'm going to be stunting my growth or development in some way. I don't want that for the price of hair..

Where could I find Nizoral 2%? I found 1% at my CVS, but that was all they had.

 

[pets123]

Im 19 years old and I had a very similar hairline like you have when I was 17. I jumped on the big 3(finas,minoxidil,keto) and now almost 2 years later I still have hair left, much like the same when I started. The receeding hairline didn't change much but the overall thickness of the hair did.

My point is, dont jump off the finasteride. I might just have the 10 worste male pattern baldness genes of all time and I'm still maintaining so.. (all brothers NW6 at 19-20years). Hopefully you will maintain and perhaps thicken up and maybe(dont count on this) restore a little bit of that hairline if you're lucky

Good luck

 

[TheEscapist]

Im 19 years old and I had a very similar hairline like you have when I was 17. I jumped on the big 3(finas,minoxidil,keto) and now almost 2 years later I still have hair left, much like the same when I started. The receeding hairline didn't change much but the overall thickness of the hair did.

My point is, dont jump off the finasteride. I might just have the 10 worste male pattern baldness genes of all time and I'm still maintaining so.. (all brothers NW6 at 19-20years). Hopefully you will maintain and perhaps thicken up and maybe(dont count on this) restore a little bit of that hairline if you're lucky

Good luck

I don't doubt that finasteride would save what I have left. I just don't know if I can feel okay taking something that may be hurting me or altering my body chemistry in a one day regrettable way... Pets, and anyone else reading, do you feel any sort of reluctance to continue taking finasteride?
I feel like at 17, I could be ending or retarding any future growth or development by reducing my body's supposedly most important androgen.. If anyone thinks this is a poorly based fear, please, don't hesitate to tell me if I'm mistaken or if you've reconciled this fear in some way.

- - - Updated - - -

I'm just really in a ****ty situation. I have no idea what I should do. Its started so ****ing early on that there's no real chance for me to keep my hair without harming myself with finasteride. It feels like I'm just slowly being screwed over, and there's nothing I can do. Even this new thing, Histogen or whatever? Apparently the hair it regrows will last only as long as your balding hair lasted. So, 16 years and it'll be going again.

I'm so goddamn tired of it.

 

[ldk13]

I don't think they sell 2% keto in the United States. I got mine from the UK off of amazon. It only cost me $8 with no shipping cost. It only took a week for it to arrive.
But that was a year ago, and back then I even had a hard time finding it. But at the very least get the 1% it is better than nothing. It will also be a good idea to get a good moisturizing conditioner, because nizoral may dry out you hair.

 

[Thadcastle]

It will most likely stunt your growth, since DHT is needed during your body's developement.. I am 19 and i recently grew 2 inches in height and at the same time my hairline receded like crazy...

 

[michael.douglas18]

im 17

 

[TheEscapist]

It will most likely stunt your growth, since DHT is needed during your body's developement.. I am 19 and i recently grew 2 inches in height and at the same time my hairline receded like crazy...

You grew two inches after already having had your growth spurt? Or was this a delayed growth spurt? I've already had my growth spurt.

I mean, I'd be stupid to say I don't think I've hit puberty/growth spurt yet. I've pretty much definitely hit all the check marks for what my body is supposed to be doing. I just think that maybe there's more to growing than just getting by puberty..

Today will be my second day off finasteride (after having taken it for 3 months). If anyone can think of a reason that this is stupid, tell me please. I'm not going to reach for it, but a reasonable argument as to why I should keep my hair instead of essentially giving up (Rogaine won't keep my hair), please fire away..

 

[shadow]

17 as well. Are you facing any side effect from finasteride? Like loss of morning erection?

DHT is only needed for secondly sex organs like body hair, prostate etc. I don't know where you heard that DHT sturd growth in height

 

[TheEscapist]

17 as well. Are you facing any side effect from finasteride? Like loss of morning erection?

DHT is only needed for secondly sex organs like body hair, prostate etc. I don't know where you heard that DHT sturd growth in height

Several articles/posts suggest that its theoretically possible that suppressing DHT could stunt growth. Especially the excess testosterone it would introduce as a result of blocking the testosterone's conversion to DHT, which could fuse your growth plates earlier.

 

[shadow]

DAT armpit hair unk:

so did get feel any side effect from finasteride? also how many months until you are 18?

 

[TheEscapist]

No side effects, except possibly brain fog. I'll be 18 in April.

 

[Flagyldi]

Don't let it drive u crazy bud. 17 is too young to be on finasteride though. Stick with keto and minoxidil for now. And get some more sun!

 

[TheEscapist]

I think I'm pretty much screwed, right? No finasteride means I'll just keep losing faster and faster. I'm fairly confident I'll be upwards of norwood 4 within half a year or so. Should I give up now? Hope that time will grant more and better options?

 

[shadow]

So you still taking finasteride?

 

[TheEscapist]

No, I'm not.

 

[The_Mentalist]

Ok, I think you wanna know the side effects of continuing to use finasteride at this age etc.

I can sadly confirm to you that you do have Androgenetic Alopecia and your frontal "wall to wall" horizontal hairline is gone extensively and it is taking a form of frontal round island with back recession creeping in or will follow. In other words, you are probably not a diffuser but receder-In receder cases, your temples keep receding while you may still have illusion of kinda normal hair on very top, but the back crown will soon take the shape of a moon joining the frontal recession. Everyone has different time frame how quickly they progress. Your father and brother are good indicators that you are in the same time frame pipeline, unfortunately.

If you were over 21, I would have advised on finasteride immediately if you really wanted to keep hair. But, I am unsure given your age. There are conflicting accounts on the internet if you should start finasteride at this young age. I would consult a medical professional to see what they say about starting finasteride at this age and if it retards any growth spurt. In general, finasteride will reduce your body hair growth and should help your scalp hair a lot. But, you will have to keep taking it for life.

But, you might be going too fast. I dont know what to tell you except that one other scenario might be to hold on to your hair with minoxidil and start finasteride in few years to keep the still alive hair/follicle you would have then. finasteride. seems to help a lot with top and deep temple corners, but it has limited success in growing the frontal hairline well.

As far as hair transplant is concerned, forget about it. Most prestigious hair transplant centers wont perform until the hairloss is almost complete; and they would start you on finasteride anyway to stop further recession. That is because, hair transplant is NOT a cure but few hair fibers covering your naked skin and thats all.

In conclusion, see specialist first and find out if finasteride would have any detrimental effects at this age. If not, then dive into it.

finasteride can be had dirt cheap at online pharmcies. We will tell you more once you decide upon it. It will cost you hardly pennies a day.

 

[LooseItAll]

Finasteride raises Estrogen levels. Estrogen = fusion of the growth plates = no more vertical growth. Plus hapering DHT = not fully developed penis. Not worth it.

 

[michael.douglas18]

on rogaine twice a day and topical spriro, better phucking work at least for a year