Losing Hair

Oh yeah forgot to mention the side effects of propecia. My friend said the doctor told him it makes your soldiers green or something like that. But that it goes away when you stop using propecia.

 

Yea...it's pretty cool. They actually glow in the dark.

I've heard the effects range from discoloration of discharge, unable to get it up, less of a discharge, and a more liquid discharge. Of course, you have to be one of those 1 - 2 % of the people who experience side effects.

The research has shown that, while side effects may occur, that they will usually go away with continued use or if you stop. There are no long lasting effects once you stop.

I've also read that Propecia actually caused people to lose more hair instead of re-growing/keeping the hair you have. The thing with Propecia is you have to take it for at least 9 - 12 months before you really see if it is helping you. You won't see anything before that. They say if you see no results in a year...to stop. My gauge was....am I continuing to lose my hair in the sink, the tub drain, on the vanity, etc. . I have seen much less of that and I've been on it for about 18 months. I may even have some new hair but I'm not actively checking for that. I do know I was losing hair before at a higher rate and I don't seem to be now.

Many people have said there is a period where you go through a shedding phase where you seem to be losing more hair(on Propecia). They then say this is normal and, after this, the hair starts growing in. I did not see a shedding period but apparently it is common but may or may not occur. The 30% stat thrown out is low. It actually helps 2/3 of the people keep the remaining hair they have and/or grow more hair. The 30% is people who had excellent results where they grew in significant more hair and kept the hair they had. In hair follicle count, this number is around 100 strands of hair. Propecia is not supposed to work on receding hair lines but, rather, on the top back of your head where most men see hair loss. Plenty of people do the one-two punch of Rogaine/Propecia and this is supposed to get the best results. Rogaine actually made my scalp itch horribly when I tried it so I had to stop because I was scratching my head and I was actually losing hair on Rogaine. Plus, that stuff is a pain in the arse IMHO and, like was said before, it makes your scalp and hair appear oily and shiny.

 

They used to have a chart on Propecia's site that indicated the 2 year mark was the peak mark. After that, you supposedly stopped growing new hair and only kept the hair you have at that point forward. If new hair hasn't come in within 2 years, then your not going to see any new hair growth with continued usage. After that, it is all about keeping the hair you have. Actually, I think the chart indicated a slight decline in the drug's effectiveness as the years progressed but it still worked...just not as effective as those first 2 years of treatment.

If your only 19, then you should start now. The longer you wait and the more hair you lose, then the worse off you will be.

Oh, and if you don't fit the male pattern baldness profile, then Propecia isn't right for you.

 

Man, I never knew this was such a big issue for young to mid 20's guys. I can't relate, but anyone who sees how many are in the same boat should realize that it is not that big of a deal.

Don't build up a complex over something so trivial in the grand scheme of life.

 

I too have hair problems, Samar. Sometimes my luscious fro gets too thick, and in the summer when it's hot I shed hair & have the barber cut it short just to stay cool. But don't worry, it all grows back in the winter to keep my noggin warm.

And it gets annoying with the girls always wanting to run their hands through the curls. Trust me, it's hell.

I feel your pain, Samar.

Seriously though...listen to SJC & Manny. My housemate tries to fight it, refuses to shave it against all advice given by friends (male & female), and he just looks utterly ridiculous.

 

I can't stand it when people say that. It may be trivial to you but this guy is 19 years old. And, I don't believe he is fixating on anything. He is trying to figure out what his options are. If his hair loss is slight, then he can do things now to keep his hair in good shape. If he doesn't want to try and just lose his hair going through life as a bald man, then fine...that will happen. But, if you can catch it early and do something about it, then why wouldn't you try? If it's a money issue, then that is a valid reason. If it's just...dude don't worry about it...just shave your head. Then, that's more of a personal preference. You either want hair or you don't want hair. At some point, I agree that it can become ridiculous to try and save your hair if you have a glaring hole on your head. But, a lot of people are trying to stave that off and are just thinning some like this person.

I'm sure many of you consider going through the rest of your life as a bald man appealing. But, if your not actually doing it, then you have no place to speak on the issue. Some people don't look good with bald heads, either, regardless of how your friend looks.

 

Male pattern baldness is when you have thinning of the hair or a bald spot forming on the top back of your head. You see these people every day. This is different then...say...a receding hairline in the front or thinning on the top front...for example.

 

Not sure about your profile, but Propecia works for many. Surfguy has good info. My brother-in-law stopped losing his hair entirely. I have a receding hairline and used propecia until my wife got pregnant, then I tossed'm (pregnant women should not even TOUCH propecia). I thinked porpecia slowed down my hair loss substantially also.

Also, wouldn't hurt to talk nutrtional supplements that benefit hair. Silica, protein, lecithin, etc. Won't stop loss, but may help the existing hair thicken.

Won't work for all, but if it's important, don't go down w/o a fight. I would try both Rogaine and Propecia at the same time. Expect loss early on; be sure to stick with it for at least a year.

 

If money isn't an issue for you Samar, then you should go for it.

On the other hand, the money I saved by not spending on Propecia and Rogaine helped me get my new car, a Nissan 350Z.

Such tough decisions....try to save my hair or own a great sports car.

Obviously I am exaggerating for effect, but you got to ask yourself if this cost is worth it to you.

 

Just let nature take her course. Look at Donald Trump, you think if there's a fix-it ANYWHERE in this world, he'd have found it by now.

Bottom line, there is no anti-balding cure. Shave your head, embrace it, and don't EVER feel bad about it.

 

To my recollection, you have a full head of hair so you've never actually had to make this decision. So, I'll say your exaggerating. Indeed.

 

Your recollection is wrong or you haven't been reading my posts in this thread carefully.

I started losing my hair when I was 27 (four years ago). Yes, I am not completely bald if I let my hair grow out, but I do NOT have a full head of hair. So direct your rant that you did to rimmy to someone else - one that actually has a full head of hair and shaves it, not me.

 

Sorry, Manny, and it wasn't a rant. Don't make it any more than what it is. So, you have some hair loss but have chosen not shave it all off then?

I'm trying to weed out the folk who talk out of their arse but never had to make the decision. There is nothing like a bunch of full heads telling us partial heads we should be bald heads.

 

Well, looking back at my first post in this thread, I thought I had mentioned I was losing my hair but I see that I did not - LOL.

So disregard my previous post in this thread, Surf.

But I understand where you are coming from - I would get annoyed too at people giving me advice about this when they only shaved it because they thought it "looked good" instead of doing it because they were already going bald.

No way am I going to shave it every day - that just kills too many blades! What I do is shave it with clippers as close as possible and then use a razor for the rest. But I then let it grow out for 2 weeks before shaving it again.