What do you guys think about these pics? How bad?

[Ridgerunner_7]

Noticed thinning around April. Took some pictures and started growing my hair out to cover it. It looks much better but my thinning continues. I've been using Nioxin's 3 part system and don't think it's really doing much but it is a nice shampoo. What do you guys recommend?I'm kind of thinking I don't want to go the finasteride route, but I'm not sure. Going to see a dr. today. My hairline is good and I don't want to lose it. Don't want anyother effects either (gyno, libido decrease, ed). Plus I don't want to experience some huge shed and have to quit because of side effects than I'm left with worse hair than I have now. So what else is there that might help me? The top of my head is thinning the fastest. Now I know my hair isn't horrible yet, but it's on its way I think. What would you do? Thanks for the help guys.

The middle pic is from April...the other are from June.

Dry you can barely notice I'm thinning, but wet it's obvious.




[attachment=1:2nwglp7f]2.JPG[/attachment:2nwglp7f][attachment=0:2nwglp7f]3.JPG[/attachment:2nwglp7f]

 

[barcafan]

How old are you?

 

[bubka]

I can't see the front obviously some thinning on the crown, but nothing too bad, I would say it's possible to get some good results from a descent regime

 

[Ridgerunner_7]

I'm 30. No thinning in the front yet. I just got back from the doctor and he wasn't much help. He said he's never heard of anyone having any side effects from finasteride. He suggested Rogaine and finasteride. He's never heard of gyno, brain fog, ed, any other side effect. He never even heard of spironolactone or Nizoral shampoo being helpful. I'm really lost in what to do.

 

[Thickandthin]

You look like a perfect responder for Propecia/Rogaine combo.

Minor thinning in the crown=fairly easy to reverse.

 

[Ridgerunner_7]

Dry you can't really tell I'm thinning. Is there anything out there proven effective to maintain (not regrow) your hair besides finasteride and minoxidil. I really don't want to go through some massive shed.

PS. Would it be less noticeable or more noticable if I shaved my head with no guard?

 

[Avery]

Is there anything out there proven effective to maintain (not regrow) your hair besides finasteride and minoxidil.

No.

Would it be less noticeable or more noticable if I shaved my head with no guard?

Less, but your hair loss is so minimal you don't need to shave it all off to hide it. As you say, it's not noticable when dry.

 

[Fanjeera]

I don't think you even need Propecia. Just start putting some Regaine on your bald spot and it will completely disappear with a year or so. If it gets really progressive, get on Propecia. And when you start losing your hairline, get on Regaine and Propecia combo. Don't know anything about Nizoral.

 

[Ridgerunner_7]

My hairline is good right now...should I be worried about finasteride destroying my hairline? How long do I have before it is really noticable? 1 year? What about Dr. Proctor's products? Do they cause a shed too?

 

[cmudave]

finasteride will not destroy your hair line. The majority of the time finasteride only works on the crown..its harder to maintain in the front...more than likely people's hairloss continues to take affect on the front as the finasteride may not be affective in that area, and they blame the finasteride for their loss.

My advice to you would be to try rogaine, that should thicken it up id say within about 6 months, you could possibly even notice a decent thickening by month 3. See how that works out for you. If your hairloss begins to get worse or it there is thinning anywhere else, then you should think about getting on finasteride. I wouldn't worry too much, you caught the hairloss at an early stage and you have a very good chance of filling in that thin spot and maintaining your hair for a pretty long time if you keep a regimen.

You can try the stuff by doctor proctor, but i would recommend using stuff that is proven.

minoxidil and nizoral would probably be your best bet right now. If you go with a generic brand of minoxidil you can get it for as cheap as 60 dollars a year.

 

[ITNEVERRAINS]

finasteride and minoxidil will work for your type of hair in most cases. But you look like you keep in shape, and for the few weeks I took finasteride, had no strength and no energy, also made my boobs tender. You are 30 and you have the cash, I'd go hair transplant.

 

[Ridgerunner_7]

Well yeah, that brings up another point...i love to work out and being in shape is at least one thing I'd like to keep even if my hair goes. I really don't want gyno or belly fat from the finasteride that I've been hearing. Here's a question: If I take finasteride and notice side effects say within the first month should I be able to stop and reverse the side effects while keeping my hair that i had. Or will more fall out when I stop?

 

[DoctorHouse]

finasteride and minoxidil work best in the crown but hopefully your hairline won't be affected by finasteride. Either finasteride or minoxidil killed my hairline. My crown was fine. And finasteride and minoxidil did help keep my crown fine but unfortunately they killed my thick hairline and the area down the middle at the front of my scalp. And with finasteride, I got mild gyno and swelling of the nipples( which never started until 2 years on it) and sometimes painful nipples( areolas). You have to make a choice, your hair or your body. I wish I could have a second chance again, and I would never have taken Propecia if I have that second chance but my hair situation was much better than yours. If my situation was like yours, I would at least start the Propecia and work out hard and eat well to maintain that physique. Good luck. The hair transplant is not a bad option either.

 

[barcafan]

finasteride is your best bet, if you dont get any sides then just go on using it. In my case, i had pubertal gyno 5 years back, so i started getting gyno symptoms of finasteride, but if you're not too sensitive to a raise in Estrogens, you should be okay. My estradiol/Prolactin increased ~20% on finasteride.

 

[bubka]

I don't think you even need Propecia. Just start putting some Regaine on your bald spot and it will completely disappear with a year or so. If it gets really progressive, get on Propecia. And when you start losing your hairline, get on Regaine and Propecia combo. Don't know anything about Nizoral.

I love this guy, five days ago he didn't know what propecia was, not he is giving advice for it :jackit:

 

[Axl_Rose]

I don't think you even need Propecia. Just start putting some Regaine on your bald spot and it will completely disappear with a year or so.

... :roll:

 

[Def]

Ridge-Runner

Mate - I am 31 and my hair looks almost exactly the same as yours - perfect hairline with some crown thinning. Unlike you, however, I started losing my hair from the crown at 22 and started meds around 24. My looks pretty much the same now as it did back then. The reason - I used the only clinically proven treatments:

1. Finasteride - prevents the enzyme 5 alpha reductase II from converting your body's testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is suspected to be one of the prime causes of male pattern baldness. In most cases Finasteride can help male pattern baldness sufferers maintain their hair.

2. Minoxidil - no one knows exactly how it works, but it can help to regrow hair that has gradually become less terminal (thinner). Whilst it does not treat the prime underlying cause of male pattern baldness (DHT) it can give anything from maintenance to spectacular regrowth.

3. Nizoral Shampoo - again, no one knows exactly how it works, but the 2% ketaconazole in Nizoral shampoo not only prevents fungal infections and dandruff, but is also suspected to have an anti-inflammatory effect. It has been shown in clinical study(ies) to be as effective as 2% minoxidil.

There is way too much misinformation on this board. You have to realise that the majority of people who regularly post here are either in the (a) "OMFG my hair is falling out... HELP!!!!"; or (b) "I get side effects from medications and OMFG my hair is still falling out" categories. This is entirely unrepresentative.

The reality is that for most people suffering male pattern baldness, if you jump on finasteride, minoxidil and nizoral (twice a week) - you will probably maintain and may regrow some hair. The percentage of people that get side effects is less than 2% (and even then, the majority subside after a few months) - check the propecia website for what the actual listed side effects may be. IMO all these "brain fog, belly fat" side effects are a load of bollox.

My advice? Get on finasteride and nizoral for now. Carry on life as normal - work hard, play hard, get to the gym, bone hot chicks and see how you're placed in 12 months. You would have to be unlucky to be a complete non-responder. If after 12 months or so, you haven't got the results you'd hoped for, use 5% minoxidil twice a day for 12 months and see how you're placed after that.

Worst case scenario? You keep losing your hair, but then at the end of 2 years you will be in great shape, with a great job, and probably a great chick - and if you still care, knowing that you've done all you can without surgery, you'll have probably saved up enough cash for an hair transplant.

Good luck.

Def

 

[Shawnab]

Your hair looks awsome, nothing to lose any sleep over, however, you are thinning slightly.. something ONLY you notice, trust me, your hair looks good.

Your options are Minoxidil, Propecia and Nizoral..

With the condition of your hair being so mildly thinning, I would start with Nizoral.. stick with that for 3 months, then evaluate your progress and decide weather or not you need to go on to anything else. This is the least risky way and I think the best option for your right now..

The working out bullshit is just some retarded myth, don't pay attention to that, you lose hair from the stress of deciding over if you should or should not work out..

 

[Shawnab]

I don't think you even need Propecia. Just start putting some Regaine on your bald spot and it will completely disappear with a year or so. If it gets really progressive, get on Propecia. And when you start losing your hairline, get on Regaine and Propecia combo. Don't know anything about Nizoral.

I love this guy, five days ago he didn't know what propecia was, not he is giving advice for it :jackit:

Does not change the fact that his opinion is right and you're just flaming. :bravo:

Someone who has been wasteing their lives on these forums for 5 years and someone who has been on these forums for 5 days pretty much know the exact same information on each pill and drug.. because it's all individual speculation and bullshit backed up with no real evidence.

Propecia is not a good option for him.. he has very mild thinning, propecia would force him into a daily pill for the rest of his life that has possible side effects and good chance of shed.

Rogain foam or Nizoral 2% are the best options for someone with such mild thinning. NOT both and NOT the Big 3.

 

[Axl_Rose]

propecia would force him into a daily pill for the rest of his life that has possible side effects

You could say the same thing about rogaine, once you start it you just can't stop when you're hair gets better, you think the hair that rogaine helped will still stay there without it?

and good chance of shed.

Again, same can be said with rogaine.