I am 18 and have been experiencing Balding since I was 15.
and am wondering if can grow it back without using minoxidil and are there a alternative way?
I’ve been using rosemary oil and a 0.5mm derma roller but I dont know how to use them properly
first of all I want to say that my forehead is naturally big ( picture of me at age 12)
it’s tough to regrow hair in AGA without using min or fin. rosemary oil and dermarolling might help a bit, but they work best with other treatments like min or fin. dermarolling can be used once a week, but it’s crucial to follow a proper technique to avoid irritation. consider using fin to address DHT if you’re avoiding min. check out The Beginner’s Guide for more on available treatments.
I went to a dermatologist but he only asked me questions about my hair and gave me some prescription and some medicine like Ketoconazole, seloxy AA, some multivitamin, and topical minoxidil.
HOWEVER, i am really scared on using minoxidil I don’t know if it will work on me, since I have heard of one of my friend that tried it and it didn’t work, and if it will mess with my hair any further. Right now am treating the inflammation, dandruff and itchy ness
how old are you, without finasteride fighting against the bastard norwood reaper is like fighting a two frontal war: minoxidil not has to only grow hair but also has to battle against DHT. minoxidil especially in topical form without tretinoin is not potent to begin with for 1/2 of people, as its response rate is 1/2 of people, you would need finasteride or dutasteride, dutasteride like I do use. but consult a derm/doctor, choose a proper one if possible, above all.
Am 17, but 18 this July. And I can’t really buy oral finasteride but I could buy topical finasteride + minoxidil
Topical finasteride at 0.01% to 0.005%. Consult a dermatologist on using topical finasteride at these doses. You can either prepare the topical solution yourself or compound it, if you are very good at practical chemistry, have the exact setup at your head on the preparation steps and have the relevant equipment preparing it yourself is better for personal use HOWEVER, for most people including you (even if you think you are good) getting it compounded is better. If finasteride raw powder is not available, tell the relevant pharmacist that propecia pills can be dissolved to my knowledge in EtOH.
While this is NOT 100% true, I also had heard that on the permissions of a licensed doctor, one can indeed get finasteride before 18 though this is not something I know for sure.
Topical finasteride at 0.3% or say 0.5% goes significantly systemic, whereas low dose topical finasteride usually speaking does NOT if my understanding of relevant scientific studies on the matter are correct.Topical finasteride at low doses MAY (not definitive) be an effective treatment of androgenetic alopecia without a compromise in efficacy in comparison to oral finasteride (standard 1mg).
Tell your doctor to read this article and discuss whether topical finasteride could be suitable or not if oral finasteride is deemed no-no, if your age is cited as the reason. Do NOT just hop on the topical finasteride, even if your doctor tells it to do but have a good discussion. Weigh risks (although less compared to say what would have been if you were 13-14) and then proceed on the relevant decision. Good luck
The dermatologist that I went to just consulted me, I went in, describe it to the doctor and he didn’t even look closer at my hair and then boom he told me to buy this one which contain minoxidil and finasteride.
and why can’t I take finasteride, why is it dangerous for my age and on top of that what if I only want to use minoxidil will that be bad?
To add on: So today am going to use minoxidil for the very first time, what would happen if I just use it once and never again will my hair start to fall out?
Because you MAY not be endocrinologically mature for finasteride at that age, even though at 17. I would like you to refer to an endocrinologist if possible. Remember, DHT is not 100% a trash hormone, it causes acne, BPH and balding but during puberty it stimulates the growth of genitalia significantly. Prenatal androgens seems to be correlated for the development of male genitalia in primary but DHT matters too. Facial, body hair and genital development is the reason DHT is needed for, T (testosterone) cannot make up for hair and genital development alone. If you are done with puberty, then DHT is mostly trash (it still has uses but benefits of inhibition typically far outweigh the risks so to state.).
Trichoscopy is not needed per doctors’ opinions but my advice would be to get it. There is a huge chance you are losing your hair due to AGA but it could be say CTE or TE, trichoscopy or perhaps a scalp biopsy could rule that out into oblivion. Understandable he did not want to go further to investigate, though it would have been better had he done it.
Yeah he did mention that the outcome is AGA at first he gave me 5% minoxidil but told me or really suggest me to buy a topical finasteride + minoxidil.
So this mean I should use minoxidil rn right?
Wait, did he not officially prescribe you finasteride? That means he probably knows what is up with you, he cannot legally prescribe it but tells you “look finasteride topical spray is good if you can get it” Because for topical finasteride you need prescription too.
NO. 1)Minoxidil is not approved for <18 individuals. 2)Minoxidil does NOT prevent the progression of AGA but it regrows what you had lost. Here is what you have to do:
1- Go see a proper endocrinologist to have your development (endocrinological maturation) assessed. Check your body, facial and genital hair too and assess your tanner stage yourself and tell your relevant tanner stage to endocrinologist. This can be useful if you want to hop on oral finasteride.
1.5-See a dermatologist again on discussing topical finasteride.
2-For minoxidil, topical minoxidil is technically not approved for age<18 people. So you cannot legally use it but it probably works. This is a gray zone. It will work if you are a responder to topical minoxidil but please keep in mind that I won’t recommend it due to legal reasons.
3- Without finasteride/dutasteride, if you have androgenetic alopecia, you are cooked. Period.
4-If in your budget, please also see a cardiologist to assess any danger that topical minoxidil may possess for someone at your age although that risk is probably low and that “minimum 18” requirement likely is one of legal than of medical. Though still if possible see a cardiologist.
5-Hurry up, diffuse thinning is no fucking joke. Get EVERYTHING sorted if possible in at most a time period of 1 month. What path to take, what medicines to use or not to use etc.
Read these studies and then you would understand why DHT is absolute of a hell to scalp hair in all regions except the horseshoe area (where little thinning occurs at most, but other regions are “cooked”)
Below is a one on perifollicular fibrosis, this one is especially nasty. T induced, but prob. DHT plays the main role here and T is used colloquially as DHT is derived from T.
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/bpb/29/6/29_6_1246/_pdf
ps: Legal disclaimer; I do NOT advise, endorse or condone the use of any medicines without a doctor’s advice. Use at your own risk.
But your kinda right though, because if i would to extend my family tree
Mom side: Both Father and mother not Bald
My mother herself: show some signs of thinning
Dad side: Both Father and mother not Bald
My father himself: is not bald
Bro that does not matter. Are you balding or not, this is what matters. Some people in my family have full head of hair and not bald at all. This is not a definitive measurement, if you are balding then you are balding. But balding can be almost definitively confirmed with a trichoscopy+scalp biopsy. Though if you are losing your hair for some time, unrelated to stress and in a non-patchy way, it is likely (unfortunately) AGA.
