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[BuddyC]

haha.

Just looking at my family history, what I know of it, that it, I long ago accepted that I'll most likely one day have cancer. I've also accepted that I have some horrible, horrible joints that will more than likely require replacement one day.

I was not, however, prepared to realize I'm going bald at 21.

The receeding hairline is where it's all at, my friends. Are you in?

 

[Gek54]

You cant have brains and hair.

 

[demi]

That's what you get for having luscious hair.

Even Jesus had issues, you know.

 

[Kuroyume]

That's why god invented wigs...

 

[PartlyCloudlike]

Propecia: Stop hair loss before it starts!

 

[DMczaf]

Once I start to see even a hint of baldness, im shaving my head

I call it The Bruce Willis Rule.

 

[Matrix]

Once I start to see even a hint of baldness, im shaving my head

I call it The Bruce Willis Rule.

Dont lie,you just want to be that much closer to MJ.

 

[DMczaf]

Dont lie,you just want to be that much closer to MJ.

MICHAEL JORDAN IS NOT BALD!

He shaves his head as a fashion statement!

 

[Brian Fellows]

I can tell just by looking at your avatar.

 

[drohne]

slight hair loss in your early 20s is apparently normal, and not necessarily an indication that you're going bald. it was enough to alarm, me, though. so i started taking propecia. which seems to have worked.

 

[BuddyC]

i can already see the beginnings of the horseshoe. propecia it is.

 

[Matrix]

MICHAEL JORDAN IS NOT BALD!

He shaves his head as a fashion statement!

Jordan preys on the weak minded....you fail Dm.

 

[OpinionatedCyborg]

Propecia: Stop hair loss before it starts!

Stop hair loss around the crown before it starts! If it's gonna fall out around the temples, it's gonna fall out around the temples...that is, unless you go 17th century neutered choir boy style to prevent that nasty dihydrotestosterone from ever rearing its ugly head lolz.

And Buddy, all is not lost since hair loss doesn't progress linearly: most guys lose some hair through puberty and a small amount through their twenties and thirties before it all falls apart around middle age, while the exception, still in their twenties, blind passersby instantly. With a little luck, you'll make it through your twenties OK before the genes kick in and Hunter S. Thompson: Jesus Edition becomes reality.

+

=

The world isn't ready for this combination yet.

 

[Jonnyram]

Hey Buddy! Join the club
I heard some friends talking about my bald patch behind my back once and that was it - since then I've shaved my head, although I don't do it as much as I should because it's a pain in the ass.

 

[xabre]

i can already see the beginnings of the horseshoe. propecia it is.

Typical reaction, just don't be suprised when you end of with limp dick and bitch tits.

 

[john tv]

Hey Buddy! Join the club
I heard some friends talking about my bald patch behind my back once and that was it - since then I've shaved my head, although I don't do it as much as I should because it's a pain in the ass.

F that man, who cares what other people think? Get yourself a barcode like a real Japaneezy!

 

[Suerte]

Grow a fringe while there's still time!

 

[Belfast]

Haha! I have luscious full hair that goes a quarter of the way down my back! Take that, baldies!

 

[john tv]

Haha! I have luscious full hair that goes a quarter of the way down my back! Take that, baldies!

You sure you're not talking about your back hair?

 

[mrklaw]

MICHAEL JORDAN IS NOT BALD!

He shaves his head as a fashion statement!

How do you know he's not bald unless he stops for a while to check it still grows?

I heard some friends talking about my bald patch behind my back once and that was it - since then I've shaved my head, although I don't do it as much as I should because it's a pain in the ass.

obligatory "you're doing it wrong" post.

 

[Belfast]

You sure you're not talking about your back hair?

Strangely enough I have NO back hair. I mean, that's a good thing and all, but at least I don't have to worry about trying to shave it or something.

 

[Scrow]

yeah, i think i'm going bald too.

 

[Zaptruder]

If I started to go bald, I'd just let it. Wear the hair naturally regardless of how much there is... just because I'd be too lazy to get it shaved all the time.

 

[ZombieSupaStar]

i get my hair from my mothers side thick but finer


and looking at my uncles in their mid 40s with full heads of hair id say im fine


ive been taking saw palmetto for years tho also.


ah here it is a really

....interesting hair style I had a year or so ago

 

[iapetus]

If I started to go bald, I'd just let it. Wear the hair naturally regardless of how much there is...

Amen. A receding hairline was one of the best things that ever happened to me, if only because it persuaded me to get a beard and a Dreamcast. I feel I'm a better person for that...

 

[Ghost]

Im in the same boat, 21 horseshoe appearing, i first noticed in the hairdressers i saw the side of some guys head in a reflection and thought "wow that guy's going bald" then moved a bit and realised it was me :'(

 

[Ryudo]

Its better than getting fat and bald.

 

[Scrow]

Im in the same boat, 21 horseshoe appearing, i first noticed in the hairdressers i saw the side of some guys head in a reflection and though "wow that guy's going bald" then moved a bit and realised it was me :'(

self-owned :lol

 

[shantyman]

I've had gray hair since high school, so I can relate. It's best to deal.

Buddy C, no matter what you do, accepty reality. Men who are going bald need to shave that shit down. DO NOT DO THE TERRY BRADSHAW:

DO NOT DO THE HULK HOGAN:

Go for the refined bald look:

 

[Rabid Wolverine]

Go for the Mackey look.

Then eventually when you stop losing your hair go for the transplant where they take your hair from the back of your head to the front.

Propacia will only slow it down. Eventually it will fall out.

 

[goodcow]

Go for the Mackey look.

 

[shantyman]

That's 3 votes in a row for Vic Mackey. Your path has been chosen for you. Don't deny your destiny BuddyC!

 

[Tedesco!]

Mackey is how I went, and it's how you should go as well.

 

[OpinionatedCyborg]

Typical reaction, just don't be suprised when you end of with limp dick and bitch tits.

Limp dick - maybe. Bitch tits - no. Unless he's one of the rare cases that experiences decreased libido as a result of taking propecia/finasteride, BuddyC will be free to drive his IROC-Z down the highway, with the top down, as the wind gentle rustles his feathered mullet, knowing all is well.

 

[happyfunball]

Propecia should be a HUGE NO!

I took it for a couple years with no real side effects and it did stop my hair loss but this shit can be mighty dangerous since you have to take it for the rest of your life.

The drug was initially intended for men with enlarged prostates and it was thought that it may reduce the occurrence of prostate cancer. It did, slightly, BUT if you do get prostate cancer after taking finasteride, YOU'RE FUCKED. The cancer is more aggressive and harder to treat. So, go Rogaine or go KOJAK!

 

[OpinionatedCyborg]

Propecia should be a HUGE NO!

I took it for a couple years with no real side effects and it did stop my hair loss but this shit can be mighty dangerous since you have to take it for the rest of your life.

The drug was initially intended for men with enlarged prostates and it was thought that it may reduce the occurrence of prostate cancer. It did, slightly, BUT if you do get prostate cancer after taking finasteride, YOU'RE FUCKED. The cancer is more aggressive and harder to treat. So, go Rogaine or go KOJAK!

You aren't fucked, but it is tougher to treat, which is why PSA levels are routinely checked for those on propecia to determine whether there's cancer or not. As you mentioned, some prostate cancers are less likely to occur while taking propecia, but others are more likely to occur. What you didn't mention was the difference between the two -- and how small it is. We're talking a 1% increase in high grade cancers among those who get prostate cancer. If you're gonna get prostate cancer, you're gonna get prostate cancer. But if you're on propecia, you have a 1% greater chance of contracting high grade cancer rather than the other variety. If I recall correctly, the study I'm referencing showed the placebo group to contract high grade cancer 5% of the time and propecia takers to contract it 6% of the time.

In many ways, rogaine's worse since it could potentially lower your blood pressure (if you have high blood pressure then yay for you), cause skin irritation, and most of all -- not work.

 

[Bluecondor]

Going bald is one thing, but males in my family have the "dreaded male trifecta":

- They tend to go bald in their twenties
- They tend to go gray in their twenties
- They tend to grow back hair by their thirties

In my case, I am 34, and haven't gone bald yet, but I am starting to get some noticeable grays. And - I hate to admit it - but the back hair curse did not skip my DNA configuration....

 

[BlackSalad]

let nature take its course

why would you want to take a pill for the rest of your life?

 

[sprsk]

let nature take its course

why would you want to take a pill for the rest of your life?

everybodys doin it

 

[Escape Goat]

Picard made it OK to be bald

 

[Matlock]

Haha, you're going to look like a thin Triumph.

 

[OpinionatedCyborg]

let nature take its course

why would you want to take a pill for the rest of your life?

It would be reasonable for him to take it until his late 20's so he could lose his hair at a more socially acceptable time. However, it doesn't sound like this really bothers buddy, so yeah -- go with the flow. Most guys eventually go bald ; nature knows what it's doing, trust it

 

[xabre]

Limp dick - maybe. Bitch tits - no. Unless he's one of the rare cases that experiences decreased libido as a result of taking propecia/finasteride

Honestly, the amount of people that experience either loss of libido or more serious side effects like impotence (in some cases long term and possibly permanent) and gyno is most certainly not as trivial as you would seem to indicate or Merck would claim. Saying loss of libedo is rare is ridiculous, even people that suffer no long term effects from finasteride use often state a loss of libido during usage, and other sexual dysfunction is also commonly cited. Then there are the more serious cases of long term side effects that persist after discontinuing usage, I've read multiple cases of individuals taking the drug for only a couple of months and still being impotent two and three years later, and these are by no means isolated cases either; Merck themselves document over of 1,000 cases of side effects persisting in users after 12 months of discontinuing usage and this is just on the reported cases. Gyno is probably more rare for sure, but you better believe it does happen, not only have I read about many cases of Gyno through finasteride usage but I also ended up with Gyno after only one week of finasteride use, and $4000 and two surgeries later here I am today nervously hoping that shit is gone for good.

What annoys me is that it was the irresponsibility of people on forums like this that convinced me two years ago to take this shit. The fact is propecia will do jack shit for frontal hair loss, so thinking it's going to stop a receding hairline is a fantasy. Much worse though than simply wasting your money on taking a drug for years before noticing any tangible benefits by not losing hair on the crown (and that is by no means certain either) are the nasty risks of side effects outlined above. I'm not saying don't take the drug (although I wouldn't recommend it, it is a drug originally designed to treat enlarged prostates in older men, re-packaged and marketed as a hair loss drug), what I say is that this is something that should be thoroughly discussed with a doctor before making such a decision; not something where you run off, pop a few pills and think you'll be growing back hair in no time. The potential problems that shit like finasteride can cause far overshadow any trivial hair loss you may have now.

 

[xabre]

In many ways, rogaine's worse since it could potentially lower your blood pressure (if you have high blood pressure then yay for you), cause skin irritation, and most of all -- not work.

Rogaine/Minoxidil worse than propecia? You must be kidding. Minoxidil is only dangerous when taken orally, as a topical treatment it is very tollerable with only minor issues such as skin irritation on occassion.

 

[OpinionatedCyborg]

What annoys me is that it was the irresponsibility of people on forums like this that convinced me two years ago to take this shit. The fact is propecia will do jack shit for frontal hair loss, so thinking it's going to stop a receding hairline is a fantasy.

Who's thinking that? I'm pretty sure my first post in this thread mentioned that it only works for the crown of one's head (not saying you're accusing me of saying it'll help stop thinning at the temples).

Much worse though than simply wasting your money on taking a drug for years before noticing any tangible benefits by not losing hair on the crown (and that is by no means certain either) are the nasty risks of side effects outlined above. I'm not saying don't take the drug (although I wouldn't recommend it, it is a drug originally designed to treat enlarged prostates in older men, re-packaged and marketed as a hair loss drug), what I say is that this is something that should be thoroughly discussed with a doctor before making such a decision; not something where you run off, pop a few pills and think you'll be growing back hair in no time. The potential problems that shit like finasteride can cause far overshadow any trivial hair loss you may have now.

Dude, it's a prescription drug so I would hope you guys discuss this shit with your doctors, and you're right about hair loss being trivial. In the grand scheme of things, how much hair you have on your head makes little difference, and outside of a hair transplant, there's nothing you can effectively do to stop hair loss. Coming to terms with who you are makes you a stronger person--either cover up a problem or go face to face with it and emerge for the better. If you're anxious about losing hair, you're probably anxious about other things. Psychological help might be worth more to you than drugs.

Would you be able to provide a bit more detail regarding your statistics? Practically everything I've heard (admittedly, not a whole lot) about propecia has been relatively good. You mentioned that decreased libido is somewhat uncommon, and usually returns to normal when off the drug - which I knew - but the extreme side effects occuring in great frequency are news to me. All I'd heard is that around 2% of those on propecia experienced decreased libido, a complain around 1% of the placebo group had as well.

Rogaine/Minoxidil worse than propecia? You must be kidding. Minoxidil is only dangerous when taken orally, as a topical treatment it is very tollerable with only minor issues such as skin irritation on occassion.

Worse in the results it produces and the annoyance in applying it.

although I wouldn't recommend it, it is a drug originally designed to treat enlarged prostates in older men, re-packaged and marketed as a hair loss drug)

To be fair, finasteride makes up 1% of the propecia formula for balding as opposed to the 5% for enlarged prostate treatment, and minoxidil was original used to treat high blood pressure (although orally as opposed to locally) , so they both have alterior applications.

 

[Litigation Manuel]

A receding hairline is a text book effect of puberty. Maybe you're just a late bloomer. You may also begin to notice hair where you once had no hair, which is some sort of terrible irony as you lose your hairline. Also, you'll notice girls your age are done with puberty, as are all of the boys. This goes to show that you are a FREAK.

 

[CosmicGroinPull]

Not funny, mate.

 

[OpinionatedCyborg]

I've got to admit that it is a bit frightening to see every result for "propecia danger" etc taken up by websites trying to hock the drug. Nevertheless, my quick search eventually yielded gold of the Reader's Digest Drama in Real Life circa 1986 variety: http://www.propeciasideeffects.com/ and then a few sites dealing with hypoganidsm. Cause for concern - definitely, but given the statistics, these instances are in the minority. Reminds me of laser eye surgery and the debate surrounding it years ago. All you need is one person to have a shitty experience and BAM! you've got a website devoted to exposing the surgery for the malpractice that it is.

Interesting, if disturbing, stuff though. One quick observation -- nearly every disaster story starts with the victim not consulting their doctor properly. xabre's wise to point out the importance of discussion with your doctor. If you don't feel comfortable with your doctor's assessment of the situation, go elsewhere. If you aren't willing to accept the consequences of taking a risk, then don't take it.

 

[Pellham]

i'm in my middle 20s and my hairline is starting to recede, but slowly. When I had longer hair, I noticed that I would lose some chunks in the shower, but it didn't seem anything out of the ordinary. Now I'm scared though especially since my ethnic group is the one ethnic group that looks stupid bald.

 

[OpinionatedCyborg]

Here's a great site with a lot of in depth detail about propecia, both the 1 mg and 5 mg variety:
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic3/propecia_ad.htm

MedlinePlus is also a good starting point when doing quick drug research:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/202649.html