Hair Loss - my advice and experiences, plus a request for advice!

Hi,

I'm a 25 yo male, my hair has been falling out massively over the last six months! My hairline is receding and it's concerning me. I want to do what I can to stop it, I'm willing to pay, but I don't want to waste my money.

For those not familiar with the science of Hair Loss, basically your body converts Testosterone to Dihydrogen Testosterone (DHT). This happens to everyone, but some people (like me) have DHT receptors on their hair follicles, and when DHT comes into contact with the follicles, it reduces blood supply and then shrinks it until the hair stops growing. I have a science degree so I feel I can speak with some certainty about this.

I went to Ashley and Martin (you've probably seen their ads), but their treatment was very expensive. I noticed they only offered four things for about $3000+ if I remember correctly for a year's supply of the following

1: Finasteride 1mg tables
2: Minoxidil topical serum (5%)
3: Pau d'arco Herb
4: Laser Treatment

I figured I could do it myself and save cash and time. I managed to do so for only ~$400 per year.

Here are my thoughts on each of the Ashley and Martin components:

4: Laser Treatment: is probably useful, but I'd suspect it would only delay MPB (male pattern baldness). It's also expensive and you can buy lasers online to use at home which may do a similar job. But given that is this also time consuming, although my intentions would be good, I think I would forget to use it (you have to use it for like 15 mins a day) so I decided not to buy a laser. My friend actually bought the Ashley and Martin treatment package, had good results, but only got the laser treatment a few times because he was too busy to get the others, so I suspect the laser's impact is minimal.

3: Pau d'arco Herb: My research suggests it seems to be a placebo at best. I have not bought any.

2: Minoxidil: Useful, but only delays MBP, it increases blood flow, which increases hair regrow. I like that it is topical (less side effects), I've used it, I cannot comment on how successful it, but I feel like it works, I notice my skin goes red which means vasodilation has occurred. You can get a 6 month supply for around $60 on eBay.

1: Finasteride: This really worked for me, after about 3 months my hair loss effectively stopped. I got a prescription at my local GP. Tablets are about $25 a month if you get a genetic brand. If effectively gets rid of DHT by blocking the enzyme which converts testosterone to DHT.

However DHT is actually a useful hormone in the body for other things (though this is not fully understood), so it has side effects. Most importantly, some people report a permanent sexual dysfunction (which never recovers, even after taking the drug!). When I noticed my that sex drive was a little reduced and that my erections didn't seem to be as strong as normal, I stopped taking Finasteriade as a precaution. But about 3 weeks later… the hair loss started again!!!!

So now I'm faced with choice… to risk loosing my libido… or to lose my hair.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? Has anyone experienced success with another treatment? Please share!

Edit: The herb was Saw Palmetto! My bad! Not Pau D'Arco. Some have suggested giving it a try after all. I will do so :)

Thanks so much for all the compassion and advice! Wasn't expecting it :)

Comments

    • When Nioxin used to be made in the USA its formula contained ingredients (which claimed) to block DHT and help hair regrowth. But since, it has been bought over by some other company (possibly heads and shoulders) and is made in Thailand and does not make any claims and does not do anything (read lots of reviews about this on the net). Be careful and check it out.

  • +10

    I know how hard it can be, I started losing hair when I was 18. My parents helped me and we spent thousands trying to prolong me keeping my hair. It didn't help my wellbeing when my girlfriend at the time was so desperate for me to keep it as well. When I was 20 I realised that their was no point anymore, eventually it would all be gone anyway and it wasn't worth the money so I gave up and just shaved it all off. I did it during the World's Greatest Shave to help raise some money for a good cause but to also hide the real reason for getting rid of it. I was worried what other people would think but it turns out that people get used to you having a shaved head in months and within a year most people couldn't even imagine me with hair anymore. I'm 26 now, just got engaged to an amazing girl who cringes whenever she sees an old photo of me with hair, and am completely happy with my look.

    It is a big jump but once you make it the relief you feel is incredible and if anything it made me more confident in myself as opposed to trying to hide my hair loss and having to deflect comments about it. There are a bunch of forums available for people experiencing hair loss, whether they've decide to go with the option I did or if they're fighting against it.

    Best of luck with the decision you make.

  • +34

    I took a job with Ashley and Martin and on the third day of training, I went to lunch and never returned.
    What they do is sell the laser treatment and tablets etc and they know that it won't work and what you are told to say is that you must be on of the 1% that this treatment does not work on and that a hair piece is your only option and then you need their hairdressers and their special glue to keep the piece on.
    The entire thing is a scam!!!
    Just live with it and cut it short and save on shampoo like a true Ozbargainer

    • +5

      Future me thanks you!

    • This should be made public if true. Anyone can sell wigs.

      • Every time I see Ashley and Martin reported or Advanced hair then there seems to be another report about it again. Most of the time I can only find blog posts about the scam now.

        http://www.complaintboard.in/complaints-reviews/advanced-haiā€¦

        http://hair4me.tripod.com/aus.txt

        Ashley & Martin and Advanced hair spend a large amount on lawyers and time combing through blogs to shut people up.

        You understand it is a scam once you go for your first hairdresser appointment and there is almost a small warehouse with rows and rows of small boxed with names on them that contain clients "donor hair" for the hair pieces.

        Checking my posts now for any phone numbers or contact info to delete….

    • Yeah. It's actually funny how many people have non-ironically suggested Ashley&Martin etc to me over the years (my hair noticeably thinned in my 20s).

      My response (once I got confident enough to not feel humiliated by people commenting on my (lack of) hair) was to ask why it was that there were any number of incredibly wealthy men who were bald/balding… if any of these therapies actually worked, I doubt you would see too many wealthy men (particularly younger ones) with hair loss.

      If people with access to the best therapies, the most expensive pills and whatever science and money making companies were prepared to offer end up going bald or wearing a hairpiece, I think it's fair to say there wasn't much of a solution for me.

      • Interesting you say this cos I was always surprised that Prince William never had his baldness fixed. If anyone has the money to do it it would be him. I thought maybe he just accepted it cos he was married and it didnt matter anymore. Maybe it is what youre saying they just dont work.

  • +8

    Big warning for Finasteride, it is a hell of a drug which has ruined many lives. It can totally destroy your energy, ambition and sex drive. Please do your research before (profanity) with anything hormonal.

  • google blue peaflower

  • -6

    stop drinking from tap water, filter and boil it

    • +9

      Your advice would make sense if men with a full head of hair drank bottled water and those that lost theirs drank tap water. But that is not the case.

    • Have seen a lot of new migrants losing their hair fast.. has it anything to do with Australian water (drinking/bathing) at all?

      • +2

        No.

      • if it is due to anything it might be dietary change….different and more processed foods. Nutrition does seem to play a role in hair loss

    • +3

      Holy bullshit, Batman. Doesn't it hurt when you spout such nonsense?

  • +2

    Ive been using minoxidil for years and it has really helped. My main issue now is with grey hair, Ive always had alot for my age, starting in my early twenties. Now im in my late twenties and its out of hand!

  • +3

    Diminished libido vs hair loss… this should be a no brainer choice for red blooded male. Accept the hair loss. You'll still pull the ladies. No wig or comb over bs. A mate's brother had significant hair loss in his late teens and I can only imagine how much this would have damaged his confidence.

    I have a work mate that went from MPB hair don't to studly chrome dome. He owns the look now. If/when I am faced with terminal hair loss, I'd be going a numero uno head shave.

  • +2

    I have hardly seen a beggar guy who is bald. On the contrary you will see all the rich bastards around you are all bald or semi. Pick your team!!

    http://previews.123rf.com/images/awrangler/awrangler0902/awrā€¦
    https://pmcdeadline2.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/bruce_williā€¦

    • +1

      Amazing observation! It's also to do with so many chemicals (read shampoos, soaps, conditioners, gels, etc) that people use on head which beggars do not. Natural is always the best.

  • I started going bald at a very young age (genetics) and I have to say its had a strong impact on me. Really saps confidence. I've been using minoxidil for a very long time, and initially you'll notice a few extra hairs appearing and some existing ones getting thicker, but the effect for me was minimal. Eventually it wears off and nature takes its course.

    Minoxidil is very cheap. You can bulk buy it from the Costco USA via eBay. Saw Palmetto is very cheap. Finasteride is off patent. Yet Ashley & Martin and related treatment is still incredibly expensive. Why? Someone has to pay for all those expensive prime time TV ads. There is not a football or soccer broadcast in this country without one of their ads popping up every time.

    I have never tried Finasteride as when it appeared on the market in the late 1990s there was already concern about reduced libido in some users, with reported effects that it could be permanent. Playing with hormones in your body to treat a cosmetic condition doesn't seem worth the risk to me.

    • Do you have a link for the cheap minixidil? I bought up a heap of the Kirkland stuff when the Aussie dollar was up…just about out.

      As for the hormones, I guess balding is ultimately an internal hormone manipulation at the genetic level. However, I haven't been game enough to try finastride either.

  • +1

    DCO90, I would like to reply to you but I am a little busy at the moment. I'll come back here tonight and share my experiences. I am in almost exactly the same situation as you and have explored several options. I've read reddit, random stuff online, and posted something within the last few months here too.

    • Thank you! I'm looking forward to hearing what you have to say :)

      • +4

        Hello,

        Sorry I'm about a day late.

        Warning: Will be a bit lengthy.

        Background: Same age as you, people started commenting and asking "have you been losing hair?!" over the last few years. I didn't care at first, shrugged it off and thought, "you guys are silly!!"… but then many people asked. You can ignore one or two people, but if 15 different people ask, there's probably something there.

        Like you, I went to A&M (earlier this year). I found them on Google. I searched for something like "hair loss treatment sydney". Was semi-sold by what they had to sell, but was extremely put off by the price. I thought, there's gotta be somewhere where this is cheaper.

        Went back to Google, enquired at another place that appeared. Hair Health Australia (HHA). Was even more sold by this, and much more satisfied with the price. Whilst A&M were charging, what was it, $3k for the first year and $1.8k thereafter? HHA were charging ~$500 for the first few months, then ~$200 for every 3 months after that. I found that reasonable. The reason why I was more convinced by HHA compared to A&M is because I felt they were exactly the same, except HHA seemed even more comprehensive. The guy (Brendan? I'll just call him that) there had a machine that was able to "zoom in" to my head and I was there looking at my head on a screen magnified while he was explaining. A&M and HHA explained similar things, except HHA I felt took it a step further with this machine + Brendan was very anti A&M.. "they're just a marketing company. They don't even use the latest treatment. And they charge much higher than they need to"

        Brendan also said HHA have "the latest treatment" and also can almost guarantee that it will work because the treatment is sort of catered to your specific needs. Brendan stressed that "the drug is completely natural and has no side effects". Because I was going away shortly after that free consultation, I was open and honest with him and told him I wanted to have a look at what other options might be available whilst overseas too. He said, "sure, our treatment is no secret and is probably available in other parts of the world. Feel free to have a look and come back if you want us to help you".

        In the end, I didn't go with them. I showed my pharmacist friend the brochure from HHA which details what they give, and he said "I can just source this for you from my pharmacy. Don't use the drug yet. You're still young. Try only the topical thing first and if it doesn't work and you really want to try, then use the drug."

        So, what am I using?

        With that being said, part of the HHA treatment also involves a "derma roller". This derma roller was not mentioned at A&M, and is not often mentioned online. For example, it has not received one mention here yet at all. I have not started using this yet, but I intend to. You are supposed to use this with the minoxidil. There are some articles online that mention the benefits of this, but the benefits seem to be a bit 50-50 from what I read.

        I've read that Nizoral is better than Alpecin and "Alpecin doesn't do much". I have read reddit r/tressless extensively, and most people there definitely seem to be a big fan of Finasteride and Nizoral. I didn't read many horror stories about side effects over there. Personally, I also haven't decided what I will go with.

        I've been using them for about 2 months and I am not expecting to see results yet. I intend to give it at least 4-6 months before actually deciding whether it works.

        Other things I've done:

        • Stopped shampooing everyday (1-3x per week now)
        • Stopped using conditioner completely
        • Avoid using hair product (I didn't use it often to begin with)

        Personally, I'm happy to stick to my current routine without Finasteride, and happy to try the dermaroller, even if it means I'm just maintaining my hair, not allowing it to deplete further and simply delaying the loss. Yes, the risks of Finasteride may be small, but I am not completely against the idea of losing my hair either. I guess this is part of the reason why I don't want to try too hard to do it, especially if it will have such negative effects.

        As for you, I don't have a particular or specific recommendation, but I just wanted to share with you my experience over the last few months with A&M, HHA and using these pharmacy products. Thank you for sharing what you've found though - it's nice to see a scientific perspective.

        Sorry. I know this has been long but as I said I actually felt a deep connection when I read this post.

        TLDR:

        • Went to A&M. Sounded ok, but $3k first year, $1.8k ongoing? GTFO. Too expensive.
        • Went to HHA. They sounded good, genuine, reasonably priced. Almost joined. They said use a drug (they call it Natural DHT Blocker), "Practitioner Strength Solution", special shampoo, and a derma roller.
        • Showed pharmacist friend. Pharmacist friend said, "Wtf, let me supply you that stuff for cheaper. But don't use the drug (yet) unless you really get desperate if the topical stuff doesn't work for you."
        • Pharmacist friend supplied me with Minoxidil and Alpecin Double Effect Shampoo. Have been using since.
        • I've stopped shampooing everyday, and stopped using Conditioner completely.
        • Have been using it for 2 months. Happy to continue this routine. Intend to add derma roller to the routine further down the track.
        • No intention to use finasteride/drug. If this routine doesn't help, bye bye hair.
        • Thank you for your scientific insight. I enjoyed it. Hope this comment helps you!
        • Thanks so much for taking the time to write this :) Definitly a massive help for me and other guys like us going though this experience!

          Let me know how your treatment goes :)

          Also, do you know the active ingredient in the 'natural DHT blocker' from HHA?

        • @DCO90:

          Sure. Don't have it on me but I'll let you know later. I've got it at home. I know where it is too so no need to waste time faffing around looking for it. Will report back later tonight!

        • +1

          @DCO90: Hello again.. sorry, again about a day late.

          Natural DHT Blocker ingredients are as follows: Saw Palmetto Extract (Serenoa), Pumpkin Seed Powder, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin B6, Biotin, Magnesium Oxide, Nettle Leaf Powder, Eleuthera Root, Uva Uris Leaf Powder, Muira Puama Leaf.
          "All these elements are sourced direct in their pure form" - they say. Haha.

          .. and I notice a few people here have actually mentioned Saw Palmetto Extract! Interesting,

        • @illumination: I'm 25. My current regime is 1.25mg of Fin and 1ml of (2x daily Minox 5% with derma roller) and Nizoral 2% twice a week. Am also taking Saw Palmetto and Swisse Hair nails and skin. It's working quite well and my patch is filling in. (however have since run out of saw palmetto and not sure i'm going to get more just yet). I also was told to brush my hair with a soft comb every night to stimulate blood flow (have been quite lazy doing this tho).

          I have a twin brother and he started losing a lot more possibly a year earlier. He did minox for a bit, but not fin and his hair is now a lot thinner.
          We have MPB in our entire family.

          I started losing around 20 very slowly. Then suddenly the past 6 months it picked up a lot of speed. I was trying minox alone and although it made the hair appear thicker it was stilling falling out and patch was getting bigger. I was also taking Swisse Hair Skin Nails+ capsules and Maxi-Hair Plus vitamins (didn't work for me but did for a female friend). Went to doctors and he prescribed me with Fin and within 1-2 weeks my hair began filling in. Even he said that was very quick.

          I have experienced no loss of libido, my doctor asks me every time and says it can occur in some patients. Also I read online about taking Saw Palmetto and Fin, to consult doctor as they are both DHT blockers. Doctor said it's ok and that they block different parts.

  • +8

    SHAVE YOUR HEAD
    GET TATS
    TAKE STEROIDS
    PUNCH RANDOMLY

    Hot chicks will love you !

    • +12

      The police probably will too!

    • Upvoted by "tren". Ā¬_Ā¬

  • Do you have a family history of early balding? If yes then not much you can do more than what you are doing.

    If not see a dermatologist to see if your hair loss is secondary to another condition.

    Some vitamin deficiencies and autoimmune conditions can cause hair loss. (Despite this the most common cause is just male age related balding)

  • I've got used to it. Shave my own head, haven't paid for a haircut in over 15 years. Wind and rain no longer concern me!

    • +1

      Wind and rain no longer concern me!

      What about frost, mosquitoes, bird strikes, etc?

      • The invention of hats was a great day. The mozzies love me but its usually arms and around the ankles they go for. Aerogard does the job well.

    • +1

      It sucks though when you bump your head somewhere…

      • +1

        Nah, being bold is actually better if you smack your head properly. When you go to the doctor to have it looked at there is no hair in the way. They can usually fix it with an alcohol wipe and a few steri-strips.

        What does suck is that all the scars from being clumsy are very visible. Mind you, you can always turn them into a good campfire / drinking session story. ;-)

    • What about sunburn? Do you have to put sunscreen on your scalp year round? I've thought about a close clipping, but don't think a full shave would suit me, but think that sunscreen on my head would be needed, but would end up with greasy, clumpy short hair.

      • +1

        Hat when its sunny, or if playing sport then yes the scalp gets a layer of sunscreen. Sucks when you get a sweat up and it runs into your eyes though!

  • +2

    So when I'm told that my bald head is a solar panel for a sex maniac, there may be some truth in it.
    A couple of others you might get to use in the future:
    "Grass doesn't grow on a busy street'
    "God only made a few perfect heads, he put hair on the rest of them".

    • Hmm I'm not sure how confident I am with what you have to say though. It seems you have the head of a ram.. ;)

  • One word for OP, Caffeine.

    • I can't remember where I read this, but apparently you need something like 200 cups of coffee to get the equivalent dose of "caffeine" as you would from a specialised shampoo like Alpecin.

      • 200 cups of coffee

        O_O

      • Yeah rub/massage coffee grinds on your head, non of this blend43 crp.. No more combovers

  • +3

    My two cents…
    I am 33 and had started to lose hair when I was about 25. Since then I have tried Bioxin and later advanced hair with the laser treatment which was a total waste of money and time.

    A few of my friends who are also going through the same situation have had hair replacement surgery. In short: They take single pieces of hair from parts with decent growth (back/sides) and replant about 3000 strands on areas of hair loss. After about 6 months some hair do fall out but then new hair actually grow back. This procedure is very popular in Turkey as many celebrities have also had the same procedure (Wayne Rooney comes to mind). The treatment generally costs about .50 cents per strand. So, about $1500. This includes pickup from hotel + Surgery + drop off and any post op consultation (cleaning/shampoo).

    http://www.transmedclinic.com/ is one of the companies that provide this type of service.

    Whoever i have spoken to who have had this done are extremely happy with the result. One guy I know was about 50 something when he had it done and it turned out pretty good, as he was completely bald on the top.

    On a side note, I will be looking at getting it done also the next time I visit Europe. Apparently you need about a week for recovery after the procedure.

    Good luck anyways

  • Go to a dermatologist. You will need a referral from your GP.
    They are the experts.

    • +13

      My dermatologist is also bald…that must tell you something!

      • Treatment works in thirds.
        One third will grow all or most of their hair back
        One third the balding will be stopped in its tracks.
        One third treatment will have no effect.
        I guess that your dermatologist is unlucky.
        Mine is in the top one third and grew all his hair back in about 6 months.

    • -2

      That'd be a huge waste of the dermatologist's time.

      • -1

        That's what they do, silly boy.

  • +9

    go for a walk in a childrens cancer ward during visiting hours. good thing is that at the end of the walk you will not be looking down the barrel of death, only baldness. Baldness is a problem, just like choosing which colour ferrari to buy is also a problem but in the grand scheme of things you're probably still a good bloke. Don't sweat the small stuff, just be the bald and the beautful. good luck

    • +2

      This advice reminds me of a scene from the Fight Club. :)

      • +2

        "I'll tell you: we'll split up the week, okay? You take lymphoma, and tuberculosis…"

  • My best mate tried it all over the last 13 years.

    He now keeps a shaved head (or short hair) and it is the best thing he's done.

    Get muscle, grow a beard and go bald!

    Invest in beanies, fedoras, hats and own the bald look whenever possible.

    Don't fight nature. Embrace it.

    • +18

      fedoras

      never go full fedora

  • Just cut it short, the rest is a total waste of time and money. You would be surprised how quickly you get used to it, I started losing hair at a pretty young age. Its really not as big deal as people make it to be

  • +1

    All the best OP. Looking forward to your follow up thread

  • +2

    Once you hit 30, you will look back and think what a waste of time it was to worry about your hairline. I started noticing mine receding in my late teens, and worried about it all through my early and mid 20's. It kind of slowed down a lot around 30, but I'd already been keeping a short cut for years by then, no point hiding it. I've put up with many of comments over the years, which I know first hand can make you feel small. But lifes too short basically.

  • This is probably insensitive and I apologise in advance…but I've always wondered : when a bald man/woman wash their face, how far up do they go? o.O

    • +2

      I realise you are trying to funny, but you've failed dismally. OP and previous posters have been quite sincere talking about a real issue for some people, and you just come out looking silly with your comment.

      I'm sure I'm going to get the "why so serious?" comments on this one, but seriously… pick your timing better mate.

      • Not trying to be funny. Genuine question and I've apologised if the question came across as insensitive.

        • +4

          You don't know the difference between your face and your skull? Really?

          See, now I'm actually smiling at your last comment… I don't know if I'm dealing with a comedic genius or something else!

          Just in case you are being legit and honestly have some difficulty in determining how far to go… put both your hands over your face- chin at edge of palms, fingers together. The area your hands cover is your face, everything else is your head :).
          If you wash that area, or even just a little more, you are doing it right.

          Oh boy.

        • Yes I often have trouble determining where my forehead ends and scalp begins…

        • +1

          @sirlothie:

          When you are bald (or have a severely receding hairline) you can still see where your natural hairline was / would be if the hair still grew. All you need to do is raise your eyebrows to cause the skin on your forehead to bunch up a little and you will see the change in skin texture and discolouration of the skin due to different blood supply.

        • @peteru:

          I was being sarcastic

    • when a bald man/woman wash their face, how far up do they go? o.O

      I'd go all the way to the sack before I hit fur again, and that's only in winter.

  • Nothing you can do. Look - Bruce Willis is hot too. Shave your head and suck it up…

    • +1

      Not everyone had a perfect head. Some people look like peanuts

      • Maybe it's nature's way to prevent spreading their genes?!?

      • +1

        Some people look like peanuts

        Andre Agassi?

  • My hair started receding and thinning noticeably when I was about 21 (now 26). It was a real confidence hit at first, and I had a look around at the various treatments available but came to the conclusion that most weren't particularly effective, or the potential side effects of the ones that were were too risky.

    As others here have done, I bought a pair of clippers, cut it short and grew a beard. I don't worry about it anymore.

  • Start dating Liz Hurley and do ads for advanced hair ;-)

    Pubic hair is hair too, right?

    • Actually if you go bald, do you go bald down there too?

      • +1

        Yes. Your hair stops growing everywhere else and starts growing out of your ears. ;-)

        • +2

          and nose

      • The hair on the rest of your body pulls the hair on your head downwards.

        Bald up top. Hairy every else.

    • +1

      That didn't last long, haven't they split up?

      No more "yeah yeah'!!

      • Kinda matches the hair implants.

        • :)

  • +1

    Dimoxinil

  • +2

    You don't know what you have until its gone. I'm referring to libido here. Don't take Finasteride. Minoxidil doesn't do anything, it just makes your hair look really oily even an itchy scalp.

    As much as people will tell you their experiences, you seem to be pushing it aside. Bodybuilders inject testosterone for quick results and don't think about the future because who cares about the future? When your 40 years old and your body feels like a 70 year old, its too late to turn back time.. The damage is already done.

    Everything you take will only a temporary resolution and you will need to keep taking it for as long as you live. Perhaps look at going overseas and doing hair transplants on your next Asia holiday. Hair transplant effectively replaces your crap DHT hair with good hair follicles that will last a life time.

    Whatever you do. Choose wisely.

  • +7

    Take a photo of you now, then take another photo when you're totally bald
    Under the first photo type after, under the second photo type before
    Now sell the photos to a marketing firm and retire

  • +1
    1. Stop using all those drugs
    2. Clip it short or shave your head
    3. Please don't comb over
    4. If you can't live without hair - try transplant but success is not guaranteed.

    Important if you plan to shave!!!!
    1. You will learn the art of shaving your head
    1a. People including girls will be keen to know how you do it.
    2. it will take a while for you to adapt but you will enjoy the new found identity
    3. After sometime people will not be able to imagine you WITH hair.
    4. A massage on a shaved head is awesome
    5. There are many girls who like shaved heads or short stubble like hair
    6. You might be the next Bruce Willis/ Nicholas Cage / Jason Statham etc etc etc
    7. You will save a lot of money by not going to a hairdresser; not buying hair products.
    8. There will be some additional costs but not so much. There are special blades available if you want to try- try headblade!
    9. The list can go on

    Don't let this affect you. Don't let your self esteem take a blow. Walk with confidence!

    • +1
      1. You might be the next Bruce Willis/ Nicholas Cage / Jason Statham etc etc etc

      Wut? o_0

      • Haha thanks for pointing out. His hair fall stopped after a while I guess. Maybe he has the answer to OP

  • +8

    Ozbargainers need to realise that some people look pretty ugly bald (ie me).

    I've been an on and off again user of Finasteride for 20 years.

    Side effects zero.

    When my wife and I decided to have kids (twice) I stopped taking it about 6 months beforehand just as a precaution (fear of the unknown / what if psychology).

    I tried my best to research the product a few times online and my conclusion after researching for many hours was.

    1. The guys with limpus dickus probably either had it before starting treatment or would have got it anyway.
    2. The placebo group has more problems than the group that were taking the drug.

    After I have taken it for around 12 months my head returns to near broom status, I then usually convince myself "I'm cured" - only to find that I can see my reflection in my scalp again after about 6 months.

    Anyway - in summary, I'm an advocate.

    • This. I shaved my head once thinking I would look cool like Tupac or Bruce Willis only to find my head shape quite peculiar and unappealing.. Even with a number 3 all over I look terrible. If I had to go bald I would wear a cap always as it would kill my self esteem.

    • Thanks for sharing this.

      What is interesting is that when I talk to people who've actually used it for extended time, they report no side effects. The only horror stories seem to be 'I read online' or 'a friend of a friends friend'

      • EDIT: Actually I take this back - a few people have told their personal stories here. It seems to be more of a 'Russian Roulette' when it comes to libido….

  • I haven't gone through the entire thread, will do that later. However suggest you take a look at this reddit sub's pinned posts.

    https://m.reddit.com/r/tressless/

  • Just do what I did…same age 25 when I started losing my hair…
    Just shaved my head & had nothing, completely bald…copped some ribbing from my mates for a few weeks but been many years since & people don't even bat an eyelid these days at bald people…
    Hope this helps & good luck on whatever decision you make

  • Just try to be like hitman bald and make it cool. Problem solved

  • +4

    So many Hollywood superstars have millions of bucks yet can't save their hair. What chance do we have?

    Shave it.

    Put your money into a gym membership instead. The opposite sex won't give a shit about your shaved head if you show them two tickets to the gun show

    • Bradley cooper and Matthew Mcconaughey openly admit to using Propecia (finasteride), hence saving their hair, many get hair transplants, use toppik concealers (John cryer from two and a half men, brendan fraser etc..)

  • +5

    I'm a medical practitioner and I suffer from hair loss since I was younger than you. I'm now 37 and have a pretty good full(ish) head of hair. All the other males in my family were bald earlier than my current age.

    Only 3 things will help you:

    1) Finasteride - buy generic 5mg tablets and cut them into quaters. Take 1/4 daily (that's 1.25mg). This will cost you about $10/month or less. Talk to your doctor, some possible side effects to consider such as a small chance of decreased libido.
    2) Minoxidil - buy generic 5% foam. It's quite cheap
    3) Hair transplantation - avoid at your age. Do steps 1 and 2 religiously.

    Avoid Ashely and Martin. I can't see any value at those prices - you will simply be supporting their expensive advertising campaigns.

    • Maraco, is body hair influenced by the above? For example, will hair everywhere else but on your head also increase with monixidil? Increase or decrease with finasteride?

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