17 year old

[ronaldo51]

Hi guys,

I started noticing hair loss when I was 16, and for a couple of months I was in deep denial. I showed my parents and they just dismissed me as being paranoid. Anyway, I went to see a dermatologist and he diagnosed me with pattern hair loss, and put me on Propecia. Since then, I have added Regaine 5% and Revivogen to my regime. I've been on Propecia for about a year now. Sadly however, my response for this drug has been poor. Perhaps it has slowed my hair loss down slightly, but my hair has continued to thin. Although it may still be in early stages (the untrained eye may not notice), I am certainly aware of it myself.

I feel as if staying on Propecia is pointless and would be bad both financially and perhaps my health. I was reading about dutasteride/avodart, and although it is not FDA approved for hair loss yet, perhaps i'll respond better to it.

I live in Australia, and avodart is not even available here yet, I don't think. But I can easily purchase it off the internet and have it shipped.

Anyone with some thoughts?

Thanks

[Lain]

Hey man and welcome

For my part, I am very satisfied with propecia and I have no side effects at all. So I am not the conspiracy guy who claims that taking one pill of finasteride took all his libido for his eternal life. (I actually heard that once) However dutasteride is something I would not use even when it was approved. I work in a beauty clinic as a secretary and sometimes I hear the doctor talk about certain things. He said that chomping this type of drug for years will have an impact on your body, especially in your age.

If you want a professional comment however you can look up the balding blog posts where Dr Rassman speaks about it. I think he even prescribed it to some of his patients but urges that this drug should be once last resort. (sorry if that is wrong but I think I read it on balding blog)

Staying on Propecia is very expensive, I would recommend taking Proscar. You save a lot of money there.

There are other medicines that are even recommended by some doctors I know. But I always have a hard time pointing out to them due to lack of scientific evidence. Best thing to do is to wait for Mark to answer your post and to make things clearer, escpecially regarding the dutasteride option.

[ronaldo51]

thanks for reply.

Yeah I don't have in depth knowledge about the possible side effects, but would be interested to see how FDA reports about it.

It is just terrible to wake up each morning knowing there is less hair on my head, and one day, possibly before I turn 20 I will have a bald patch.

After my last haircut, the difference in my hair density was enormous. The way it thins is all over the head, it seems almost diffuse...but my hairline is receding gradually. I am a little suspicious that it could be something else causing this sudden thinning, perhaps the regaine? I apply it to the front of my hair, around the hairline and at the crown.

What do you think?
Thanks!

[Mark]

thanks for reply.

Yeah I don't have in depth knowledge about the possible side effects, but would be interested to see how FDA reports about it.

It is just terrible to wake up each morning knowing there is less hair on my head, and one day, possibly before I turn 20 I will have a bald patch.

After my last haircut, the difference in my hair density was enormous. The way it thins is all over the head, it seems almost diffuse...but my hairline is receding gradually. I am a little suspicious that it could be something else causing this sudden thinning, perhaps the regaine? I apply it to the front of my hair, around the hairline and at the crown.

What do you think?
Thanks!

This is one of the reasons we here at NHI advise patients to start their hair loss prevention one step at a time. When people start taking multiple drugs all at once and then something doesn't work the way you expect it will, it's hard to say what exactly is causing the problem. Are you having a bad reaction to the finasteride? The Minoxidil? The Revivogen?

In some people, these drugs can cause what's called "Shedding" (http://www.hairlosstalk.com/hair-loss-news/article223.php), which is not unusual. Do you think that might be what you're experiencing?

-Mark

[ronaldo51]

Yes it could be the regaine, however I am doubtful.

I've been taking Propecia everyday for about a year, and haven't felt any notice-able results. It feels like my hair has just continued to thin; especially the front and top.

I'm scared staying on Propecia would be pointless, and so am contemplating the idea of dutasteride.

It's hard for me to discuss these things with my dermatologist as first of all I have to wait almost 6 months for an appointment. Secondly, it does not seem he is most knowledgeable in the hair loss area.

[Lain]

6 months for an apointment! Jesus! A busy doctor indeed!

Dr Rassman has pointed recently out that Propecia more or less always works:

"I believe Propecia always works, but it could be a matter of degree. It should slow down the balding process, but the balding process could be aggressive."

(sorry if interpreteted wrong)

Also dont forget that one easily gets paranoid in terms of losing his hair. I am sure that there must be a specialist in your area that can do a miniaturization test...because THIS gives you 100 % bullet proof of your hair status within a certain time range.

[Mark]

Yes it could be the regaine, however I am doubtful.

I've been taking Propecia everyday for about a year, and haven't felt any notice-able results. It feels like my hair has just continued to thin; especially the front and top.

I'm scared staying on Propecia would be pointless, and so am contemplating the idea of dutasteride.

It's hard for me to discuss these things with my dermatologist as first of all I have to wait almost 6 months for an appointment. Secondly, it does not seem he is most knowledgeable in the hair loss area.

You really should start doing miniaturization tests of your hair. Check the links at the top of the page.

We see an incredible number of people who think that their hair is thinning when it's simply transitioning to your natural mature hairline. Add in the fact that you're saying it's hardly noticeable and that kind of stuff and I wonder if you're just being paranoid about it.

You're at the perfect age where you can actually start getting objective numbers on how your hair is doing.

[domaintalk]

Propecia is very harmful for the body as far as i am aware of. I will suggest you to use something which is herbal and doesnt has any side effects.