Son Losing Hair Since 13...now 16. Dr Says It's Male Pattern Baldness!

[Tinks69]

Hi.

At 13 my son had acne on his face and in his hair which lasted a year or so. By the time he was 14, he had a full beard...and I mean full so not sure if hormones come into play?
Within that year I noticed that his hair was thinning. He also had the most horrible smell emanating from his head. Even after washing it would smell. By the age of 15 his hair had receded both sides at the crown and the front of his hair started growing very dry and wiry...his hair is usually straight. I took him to the Dr at 13 and they said it was male pattern baldness (!!) and refused any other ideas. Fast forward to now, his hair is getting very thin on the top.
I do not believe it's male pattern baldness. After washing his hair, my son has lots of little 'balls' left in his hair which I believe is sebum. His follicles look enlarged on the top of his head, he has small pink circular patches on his scalp and his scalp is often very pink all over. I have also noticed small flat circular scales around the follicles.
He has autism and has a very poor dietary intake due to this. He was found to be deficient in vit D a couple of years ago and low on iron. After supplements his hair started growing back slightly either side but very wispy. His hair still has that really horrible smell but the other night we used nizoral along with peppermint conditioner and his hair does not smell today at all - which is a first! His scalp is not pink anymore either.

We have previously tried watermans shampoo regime (no sulphates etc) with no joy. More recently we tried roots shampoo and spray (no sulphate etc) which made his hair really dry and seem thinner (would this be shedding I keep reading about?). The hairs on top of his scalp are growing through really fine and wispy unlike his thick hair at the sides. Tonight I massaged emu oil into his hair and was left with tons of hairs on my hands.

We are in the UK and I am wondering where I can go from here as the GP is no help whatsoever and insisting it's male pattern baldness due to his father losing hair young.

I'm desperate for ideas here. I can't believe a boy could be told he has male pattern baldness at 13! I want to get help now just in case it's not that but don't know where to go. You need a Drs referral to see specialists in the UK I believe.

Thanks. Tinks

 

[Tommybommy1363]

This is not medical advice but in my opinion:
1. It is male pattern baldness and seb derm. Try nizoral tgel or head and shoulders for the seb derm... for his hair loss the options are limited really to just rogaine at this point which likely isn’t feasible for someone with autism. All of these things are over the counter
2. The constellation of symptoms you describe would make a screening total testosterone a reasonable screening test. Could also consider dhea and 17 ohp, but all of these would be low yield and your doctor may not think they are worth sending

 

[Tinks69]

Thanks Tommy. Is it possible for a child to start losing hair at 13 due to male pattern baldness? I've looked up Rogaine and don't think he could take it due to side effects.

I did wonder if he had seb derm but if he has, it's very very mild in comparison to the photos I've seen online. I wasn't sure if he had some type of fungal infection seeing as the pinkness/red blotches, smell and small scales around follicles went after using nizoral or Telogen Effluvium. Something definitely damaged the follicles as the clump of his hair right at the front turned from straight to very wiry...a barber said it was a bad sign (of what I do not know).
As for the tests, the gp isn't interested now. Maybe if he refers on to a term, they could do something like this?

Could anyone also enlighten me on what shedding after using a new product is please? I've seen it mentioned a few times on here. The roots product made new hair growth but seemed to also thin it out at the same time. But I don't want to give up using it if this is classed as shedding before new regrowth. Thanks

 

[oklol]

I started losing 100 hairs in the shower at 13-14 and dad bought me minoxidil and nizoral shampoo but I didn't use any because I didn't care. I'm 20 now and my entire scalp is thin. I don't believe male pattern baldness at 13 is as impossible as you might think.

 

[Armando Jose]

His hair still has that really horrible smell but the other night we used nizoral along with peppermint conditioner and his hair does not smell today at all - which is a first! His scalp is not pink anymore either.

This is the way, ..., avoid the enrancied sebum, pure jojoba oil as a lotion during the night and wash hair next morning is advisable
A lot of luck

 

[Mandar kumthekar]

Would mind posting his photos? Just head photos so that we can tell you accurately that it is male pattern baldness or not.
But if he is loosing that fast and have whispy hairs then it is most likely male pattern baldness.

 

[Michael1986]

Male pattern baldness has been known to begin as early as age 12. It is entirely possible that your son has male pattern baldness at 16. Could you post some photos of his hair on here for us to see if we think he has male pattern baldness. It is difficult for us to give our opinions without photos.
The best treatment available for male pattern baldness is finasteride, which your son is too young to take. Until he is old enough to take this, he'll have to make do with Rogaine and Nizoral shampoo. These should help his hair if he actually has male pattern baldness.

 

[Tinks69]

Thanks for all your replies. Here's a couple of photos...

 

[Tinks69]

In the photo in the last post you can see the wiry hair at the front. It used to be straight. I've added another pic as in the other pics he had oil in his hair.

 

[Tinks69]

The best treatment available for male pattern baldness is finasteride, which your son is too young to take. Until he is old enough to take this, he'll have to make do with Rogaine and Nizoral shampoo. These should help his hair if he actually has male pattern baldness.

Thanks. What regime do you use with nizoral as in how many times a week?

 

[Tinks69]

This is the way, ..., avoid the enrancied sebum, pure jojoba oil as a lotion during the night and wash hair next morning is advisable
A lot of luck

Is there a specific type to use ie. Organic/cold pressed etc and does this help with hair growth or nourish scalp etc? Would it be the sebum causing the smell...its a very strange smell! Thanks

 

[Tinks69]

Could this be tellugium effluvium (sp?) rather than male pattern baldness?

 

[Tinks69]

Here's some photos from 4/2/1 yrs ago. What would make a clump of hairs at the front change from being fluffy & straight to dry & wiry?

 

[Mandar kumthekar]

It is probably severe case of male pattern baldness I have seen so far. He has been thinned over the top which is classic style of male pattern baldness. His sides looks better so he doesn't have talogen effluvium.

 

[Mandar kumthekar]

Assure the kid that there will be cure in coming 5 to 10 years. It must be psychologically debilitating for him,be with him.

 

[Tinks69]

It is probably severe case of male pattern baldness I have seen so far. He has been thinned over the top which is classic style of male pattern baldness. His sides looks better so he doesn't have talogen effluvium.

Seriously? That makes me feel real sad. I was hoping it was some thing else that products could improve. I'm with him all the way Mandar.
We put emu oil with rosemary and the condition of the front has improved...its more soft and relaxed which is better to style. I've also ordered peppermint oil and as another poster above mentioned, jojoba, but I'm not sure what one to buy. Rogaine is a no as he has heart problems.

 

[Tinks69]

This is the back of his head. Does this look Ok?

 

[itchymadscalp]

OMG ... poor guy.

He could try Dutasteride ...

How does he feel about that hairloss? If it's hard for him to deal with this hairloss he could try hardcore regimen ... it will cost the price of his manhood.
He won't regrow his hair back with "light" drugs.
Finasteride + Minoxidil are needed at least.

 

[Tinks69]

OMG ... poor guy.

He could try Dutasteride ...

How does he feel about that hairloss? If it's hard for him to deal with this hairloss he could try hardcore regimen ... it will cost the price of his manhood.
He won't regrow his hair back with "light" drugs.
Finasteride + Minoxidil are needed at least.

What do you mean by costing his manhood IMS? If you mean sterility then that's a no no for sure.
He's actually said he will shave it all off. He's happy as he has a huge beard so he says he'd look like a Viking but I know he was shocked by the photo. I'm just telling him the products are moisturizing for his hair at the moment.
From the age of 5 he was prescribed melatonin as he would not sleep. I wondered a few years ago if that had an affect on his hair growth as he had a full beard, hairy chest etc very young. The past 2 years he slowed down the usage and has taken none for a couple of months now. Does long term melatonin use affect hormones/hair growth as I know it's produced by pineal gland?

 

[itchymadscalp]

What do you mean by costing his manhood IMS? If you mean sterility then that's a no no for sure.
He's actually said he will shave it all off. He's happy as he has a huge beard so he says he'd look like a Viking but I know he was shocked by the photo. I'm just telling him the products are moisturizing for his hair at the moment.
From the age of 5 he was prescribed melatonin as he would not sleep. I wondered a few years ago if that had an affect on his hair growth as he had a full beard, hairy chest etc very young. The past 2 years he slowed down the usage and has taken none for a couple of months now. Does long term melatonin use affect hormones/hair growth as I know it's produced by pineal gland?

Yeah hardcore drugs would make him sterile, at least the risk is high.

You should encourage him to shave his hair then. Let him be an amazing Viking. They are needed in Europe...

I really don’t think something could help regrow his hair back. Except a strong regimen (Dutasteride, Cyproterone, oral minoxidil). But if hes Ok with being bald, that’s cool.