advice for 22year old - sudden loss

[razorwest7]

I have decided to actually take steps to address the problems with my hair, but I am not quite sure about how to go about it. My friends, family and I have noticed my hair change dramatically over the past year and ½ . From hair, that I was being complemented on, to what it is now.

Back in 2004 I went through a extremely traumatic period, and about 1 month and half in to this period i saw a patch 1cm by 2cm developing on the right hand side of the front of my head about 4cm in from the hair line. I went to the doctor who put the patch down to stress and that the patch will soon disappear. It hasn't in fact i think that patch has widened.

The worrying aspect for me was the initial speed the I started developing the patch. I was being complimented on my hair in December 2003 and by February 2004 people noticed the problem with my hair.

I have got over the traumatic period that i feel has contributed to the problems to my hair. A year and a half on ,I still have the patch, I can also tell that my hair is visibly thinner from the hairline to about 7cm from the hairline , I would say that i am a Norwood 2.5 , the temples have also moved back. I have decided to stop shaving of my hair as i want assess the true situation of my hair now and the necessary steps. I am quite desperate to get my hair thicker, and reclaim the patch. and prepared to try most things apart from propecia.

I am open to suggestions and would really appreciate any advice

 

[silkeysmooth]

The traumatic period you went through could have been a trigger for Telogen Effluvium (Telogen Effluvium), or hairloss due to a stressful event. I would do a google search for this, and it might explain why your hair underwent a random pattern of hairloss. Hairloss due to Telogen Effluvium should grow back on its own when the person experiencing Telogen Effluvium is no longer suffering from the initial stress levels that caused the Telogen Effluvium.

Unfortunately, it is believed that Telogen Effluvium can in some cases trigger Male Pattern Baldness (male pattern baldness), though I myself have no idea how or why. In any case, that might be one explanation that has happened, (though I know that wasn't your question) and if you're pretty sure your hair is thinning due to male pattern baldness, then the most accepted way to treat it would in fact include propecia, but there might be alternatives.

On this site, there are three products known as "The Big 3" that are accepted as the most benefical, and scientifically backed, products on the market. They are Minoxidil, Finasteride (the main drug in propecia), and an anti-dandruff shampoo brand-named Nizoral.

minoxidil is the active ingredient in Rogaine, and Nizoral contains a chemical called ketoconazole which is, according to some studies, supposed to have some benefical effect in treating male pattern baldness, though nobody is really certain by what mechanism, whether it's due to its anti-fungal or anti-androgenic effects.

There are other treatments people use that may be helpful, but many of them are theoretical, and to my knowledge have been proven to work only in lab experiments. That's not to say they don't work in humans, just that they lack any real data to prove they do.

some of these treatments include Zix (a topical combination of Zinc and B-6, you could search this site for more information), Revivogen (a mixture of many different vitamins/chemicals that have been proven in a lab to inhibit DHT production), and any of the many fomulas of Copper Peptides, which have studies showing that they are useful in skin repair, and possibly hair growth.

There are some helpful products by doctors such as Dr. Richard Lee (creates various topicals involving Minoxidil and other potentially effective compounds), Dr. Proctor (has a wide range of topicals for hair regrowth, though they are rather expensive) , and Dr. Loren Pickart (mainly sells products that contain Copper Peptides).

Sorry for the long post, hope this helps.

Oh, and someone please correct me if I gave any incorrect information.

 

[razorwest7]

I really appreciate your post , it handled exactly some of the questions i had lingering in mind for ages but was a bit embarassed to ask until now.
Many Thanks

 

[jeffsss]

Unfortunately, it is believed that Telogen Effluvium can in some cases trigger Male Pattern Baldness (male pattern baldness)

.

I thought this also, but when i asked in the forum i got an overwhelming NO!!!!!!

I had pnemonia where i was hospitalized overnight for a temp of 105

this was back in june.. i started noticing serious hair loss in august..

coincidence or not.. i started propecia which hasnt done shyt to slow it down.

s

 

[Britannia]

I had pnemonia where i was hospitalized overnight for a temp of 105

Your hairloss could have been cause by the excess sebum on your scalp as a result of the sweating involved with a temp of 105!

 

[jeffsss]

I had pnemonia where i was hospitalized overnight for a temp of 105

Your hairloss could have been cause by the excess sebum on your scalp as a result of the sweating involved with a temp of 105!

well it's not Telogen Effluvium because it's still male pattern baldness shaped hair loss..

not only that.. but you'd think by now.. my hair loss would slow own.. or come back.. hasnt yet.. unless propecia is giving me Telogen Effluvium.

I'm not allowed to talk about that though gourmetstylewellness.com will get mad.

 

[jeffsss]

I had pnemonia where i was hospitalized overnight for a temp of 105

Your hairloss could have been cause by the excess sebum on your scalp as a result of the sweating involved with a temp of 105!

what could you suggest if indeed my high temp back in late june truely triggered my male pattern baldness??

 

[SE-freak]

JEFF:

Tell me where the arrow below is pointing at, how many months you have been on finasteride and then tell me when merck says that propecia usually starts to slow shedding.

 

[jeffsss]

JEFF:

Tell me where the arrow below is pointing at, how many months you have been on finasteride and then tell me when merck says that propecia usually starts to slow shedding.

lol.

3 months.

my hair is really thin though!!!!! honestly i think propecia has accelerated my frontal hair loss. no bs.. and this post is NOT intended to scare any new guys thinking of trying propeica.. in most people propeica works great!!!!! awesome FDA approved hair loss drug

 

[ronaldkia]

why dont you tell us what your traumatic period is..maybe some of us can relate...its good to share you know?

 

[SE-freak]

why dont you tell us what your traumatic period is..maybe some of us can relate...its good to share you know?

ronaldkia please revert to your original avatar. I am getting nostalgic...

 

[pilogenic101]

Razorwest7: hairloss is sometimes caused to environmental factors (rather than strictly genes and hormones), possibly triggered by stress, poor diet, or prescription drugs. You may want to try some therapeutic measures, like a zinc pyrithione shampoo, emu oil, essential oils, even an apple cider vinegar with cayenne powder hair rinse may be helpful.

 

[silkeysmooth]

I really appreciate your post , it handled exactly some of the questions i had lingering in mind for ages but was a bit embarassed to ask until now.
Many Thanks

No problem man. Feel free to ask about anymore questions you might have.

 

[silkeysmooth]

Jeffsss, have you read this article on gourmetstylewellness.com?

http://www.gourmetstylewellness.com/research/al ... luvium.htm

Check out this paragraph:

"Since Telogen Effluvium is a term that can be coined for many types of hair loss, to label ones-self as having "Telogen effluvium" can be a rather vague statement. Indeed, many hair loss conditions result in an increase in Telogen hairs, and it can be logically stated that each of these people is experiencing Telogen effluvium. Some men on Propecia or Rogaine report a period during the first three months where they lose more hair, at a more rapid rate than normal. These men are experiencing Telogen Effluvium."

You say you've been on propecia for 3 months and have lost ground at the front? That is very odd, and I wish I could be of more help, but I did a google search and this is really the only thing I could find.

I really don't understand how Propecia is supposed to cause a shed, since it's sole purpose (from what I understand) is to reduce the amount of AR type 2 produce in the body. But, some people will attest that it did cause a temporary shed, and I lack any real knowlege to argue or question.

So, IMO there are at least two possibilities: You are going through an apparently common Propecia shed, in which the hairs should grow back stronger, or the propecia itself is causing a Telogen Effluvium in a similar manner as to how a stressful incident/event would. I don't know enough about the human body to comment on the likelihood of such an event, but weird sh*t happens all the time in our bodies.

Please don't take my word for it. Have you asked a dermatologist or a hairloss specialist about this?

 

[razorwest7]

why dont you tell us what your traumatic period is..maybe some of us can relate...its good to share you know?

i'm gonna keep that period in my life private. Im over it now though, just trying to get my life on track now

 

[jeffsss]

Jeffsss, have you read this article on gourmetstylewellness.com?

http://www.gourmetstylewellness.com/research/al ... luvium.htm

Check out this paragraph:

"Since Telogen Effluvium is a term that can be coined for many types of hair loss, to label ones-self as having "Telogen effluvium" can be a rather vague statement. Indeed, many hair loss conditions result in an increase in Telogen hairs, and it can be logically stated that each of these people is experiencing Telogen effluvium. Some men on Propecia or Rogaine report a period during the first three months where they lose more hair, at a more rapid rate than normal. These men are experiencing Telogen Effluvium."

You say you've been on propecia for 3 months and have lost ground at the front? That is very odd, and I wish I could be of more help, but I did a google search and this is really the only thing I could find.

I really don't understand how Propecia is supposed to cause a shed, since it's sole purpose (from what I understand) is to reduce the amount of AR type 2 produce in the body. But, some people will attest that it did cause a temporary shed, and I lack any real knowlege to argue or question.

So, IMO there are at least two possibilities: You are going through an apparently common Propecia shed, in which the hairs should grow back stronger, or the propecia itself is causing a Telogen Effluvium in a similar manner as to how a stressful incident/event would. I don't know enough about the human body to comment on the likelihood of such an event, but weird $#iT happens all the time in our bodies.

Please don't take my word for it. Have you asked a dermatologist or a hairloss specialist about this?

I've asked 1 general Doctor and 3 dermatologist if it's possible that propeica is having a negative effect on me.

all 4 of these doctors had a full head of hair, so it's not like they'd truely understand what i was going though.. but they all gave the answer 'no'

I beg to differ, but I'm not a doctor and the only specimin i have is me. I have pics and proof that my hairloss has really accelerated in 3 months time.

I havent seen any sprouts of anysort, just more scalp.

I see that propecia doesnt work for a lot of people according to the poll in the propecia section.

I don't know how there could be a shed from propecia either.

I've come up with my own theory:
propecia blocks test from turning into enzyme 1. now the body has more test in it. with the abundance of test there is more to turn to DHT by enzyme 2.

obvioulsy there are a lot of other things that could contribute.. but sfhit.. that's all i got.