19 and balding!

[Stazy]

I'm not happy about this

I'm pretty sure I'm too young to be losing hair. Does anyone know of possible causes for premature hairloss?

 

[skalogre]

This thread may give you some ideas...
http://www.styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=2940

On the other hand, THIS forum may speed up the process

 

[fatherseanfan]

Sorry to hear this, but its natural. I know someone who is 16 and almost totally bald. It's all in the genes ...

Try Propecia or Rogaine.

 

[mack11211]

If you have a good looking head, just let it go.

I started noticing my hair loss at 21. Once I started the baldie thing five years later, I felt much better.

 

[sonick]

Shave it and do the Bruce Willis, Jason Statham look.

 

[tiecollector]

No, no no, there is no reason to let your hair go that young. My hair started to recede when I was 14 and I am convinced it was from a poor diet. I'm also convinced that baldness does not have to happen, and pre-mature baldness before age 40 is a cruel side-effect of other things going on in your body. I was starting to get a bald spot visibly at age 24 and now at age 25 I'm back to the hair I had when I was 21. I'm still trying to get my hair to regrow at the temples but other than that, I have a full head of hair. I don't mind a little bit of recession but I will get my temple hair back one day. Here is what I posted on the eczema thread, that a purported doctor told me was "nonsense". ------------------------------------------------- To get rid of it I would try balancing your omega 3:6 levels. The western diet is heavily weighted towards bad omega 6s, which will totally jack up your system and cause inflammation. Without going out and paying $200 for an essential ***** acid test, I would suggest swallowing at least 3g of a potent fish oil (2g breakfast, 1g dinner), as well as 1g of blackcurrant oil (1g breakfast). For fish oil, the most affordable brand I have found is at Costco. You can either get the Kirkland signature brand or Natures Way (which I take). Whatever you take, make sure that the EPA and DHA content add up to at least half the weight of the pill. Beware of brands that contain PCB and mercury too. -------------------------------------------------- Do you have dandruff? Is your hair oilier than when you were a little kid? Is your scalp greasy? Does your scalp itch like crazy? Any thyroid problems? I'm convinced that there are several different reasons for hairloss. For me, it was the micro-inflammation in my scalp and body. Basically, the widely regarded theory is that DHT binds to androgen receptors in the follicle and causes the hair to miniaturize, that is, grow smaller and smaller each hair cycle until it barely even breaks the skin. This is only half of it though, I believe hairloss is caused by an inflammatory response triggered by DHT. Once DHT binds to the receptor, the immune system flags the cells for deletion and your immune system starts throwing everything it has at your hair, which eventually kills it. However, there are different kinds of immune system cells and you want to minimize the pro-inflammatory ones, which can all be done through diet. So don't worry, you won't turn into an AIDS patient with no immune system.

Also, there are hairloss forums that would be a much better source of information, most people will try to push propecia and rogaine down your throat though, so be cautious. I was on propecia and started to get ***** **** and some serious brain fog. I stopped immediately and the side effects went away. Propecia (finasteride) is some mean stuff that messes with your hormones, I wouldn't take it if I were you. ********* for the first week taking it wasn't fun. Also, finasterid has been used for a while in prostate medication. In fact, all propecia is, is diluted Proscar which is much cheaper. Rogaine (minoxidil) I haven't tried but keep in mind that minoxidil is a heart medication and some people get irregular heartbeats even from applying it topically. I think rogaine is much safer than propecia though. With both these drugs, they are costly and only really work to slow down your hairloss. Waste of money IMO, and toxic. If you have bad dandruff or oily hair then I would definitely try the fish oil and blackcurrant oil and a multi-vitamin of choice. You will notice your dandruff go away completely in about a week or two. I'd take these anyways though just because they are good for you regardless. After that, I would add in some potent grape seed extract and any other anti-oxidant you can think of. Green Tea Extract and GliSODin are really good anti-oxidants. You could then also add in some MSM to make your hair grow faster only. Prevention is the cure though, much easier to keep your hair than grow it back.

 

[ts4them]

See a good Dermatologist and go on Propecia ASAP.

 

[Aus_MD]

Originally Posted by tiecollector

Here is what I posted on the eczema thread, that a purported doctor told me was "nonsense".

I am the "purported", and my comment is equally true here.

 

[Homme]

I know a guy who started balding at 19. I think it was as a result of all the pressure his parents put on him to do well at uni.

 

[tiecollector]

Originally Posted by Aus_MD

I am the "purported", and my comment is equally true here.

Just coincidence doc? Please tell me you aren't a general practitioner, then we can agree to disagree.

 

[Tck13]

Rogaine and Propecia work differently and Propecia has been proven to be more effective with only about 4% of all people using it having any side effects at all.

Propecia is about $40 per month and Rogaine is about $12.

I also agree that lifestyle contributes to health of hair (and overall health).

 

[tiecollector]

Originally Posted by Tck13

Rogaine and Propecia work differently and Propecia has been proven to be more effective with only about 4% of all people using it having any side effects at all.

Propecia is about $40 per month and Rogaine is about $12.

I also agree that lifestyle contributes to health of hair (and overall health).

4% is what Merck says, I seem to remember them saying 2% at one point. Either way, I don't trust their statistics, my guess would be at least 10x that. All I know is that I got side-effects and got one which I don't even think is listed as a possible side effect. Basically, unless the side-effect is severe and quantifiable, then you are just crazy and must be making stuff up according to most doctors.

Propecia is about $40/month but the patent just ran out so you should be able to find it cheaper soon in this country. If you really want to try the drug at the recommended dosage (1 gram) then just get some Proscar for $65 a month (i think) and cut each tab (5 g) into 1/5. Much cheaper and the same exact stuff.

Actually rogaine used in conjunction with propecia is supposed to yield the best results according to so called studies.

 

[life_interrupts]

Before you buy anything, go see a dematologist. If you have male pattern baldness in your family, there is very little that you can do. However, if you suffer from alopecia, which is a disease that causes hair loss in men and women, the key is catching it early. If it's stress, it's reversible, but figure out what's causing. If you have no hair on your head but it's sprouting out of your knuckles and shoulders, you have scurvy -- just kidding.

Usually, alopecia (as explained to me by my dermatologist) causes loss in specific patterns and places, rarely does it cause complete hair loss. You're young enough that Propecia or Rogaine may be helpful to you, but talk to the doctor first. They'll be able to tell you off the break what the deal is.

 

[Stazy]

Thanks the comments. I'm planning on going to see a doctor but have been putting it off because I'm currently living in Finland and don't speak the language.

tiecollector, I would say my hair is oilier than average, but I don't have any other scalp/hair problems that I can see.

 

[tiecollector]

Originally Posted by Stazy

Thanks the comments. I'm planning on going to see a doctor but have been putting it off because I'm currently living in Finland and don't speak the language. tiecollector, I would say my hair is oilier than average, but I don't have any other scalp/hair problems that I can see.
My hair was very oily as well. A few hours after washing it would look like I hadn't bathed in days. Now I go 3 days (on occasion) without washing and my hair still looks better than it did. My hair is really shiny now, people actually comment on how shiny it is. My vote would be to try the all natural regimen for 3 months and if you see no progress and are anxious to see a doctor, then go have them write you a prescription for finasteride. Some dermatologists probably haven't even heard of Propecia somehow though, so don't be surprised. vitacost.com ships worldwide I think. Whatever you do, take pictures once a month. Same camera, same lighting, same angles. So that you can judge your progress. Remember maintenance is a cure for hairloss. Regrowth is a whole nother ball of wax. See if you can even find this stuff in Finland. I *think* they just approved rogaine this summer. Maybe it was another country. Otherwise, there are places online you can order from. Or take a trip to the Netherlands.