Going Bald... anyone using treatments for it? - Page 5 - Other Topics Forum - Discuss Pop Culture, Arts and Entertainment

**MicroBob** · 02-05-2008, 03:22 AM

mephisto - side effects for you at all?
side effects you've heard others having with this?

I've heard some rumors about the side-effects on propecia and it kind of creeps me out.

Fast Food Knight · 02-05-2008, 07:55 AM

Something like 1% of people have the side-effects. I have seen them in action (years ago). Not fun.

DirtyDiggs · 02-05-2008, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by supafrey

About genetics: It's your mom's dad that gives you evidence as to your future, but even that's not 100%. Your dad has 0 effect.

Almost categorically false

ActionJeff · 02-05-2008, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mephisto

Propecia, Propecia, Propecia.

What a life saver. A little over a year ago I was shedding to the point where it was hard to conceil parts of my scalp anymore and it was getting awkward. Not super awkward, I'm by far not a lost case but I saw the signs. Decided to check out the treatments and basically went with Propecia since it's the only FDA approved drug dealing with hairloss. Took it for the first 3 months, no noticeable improvement, but after 5-6 months it REALLY showed. I had a lot of hair come back, especially on the top and on the front sides, amazing. Basically Propecia is sorta priceless for me because I think image counts in this world and I want to keep on looking good/feeling good.

It's a costly procedure but I consider it as a very good long term investment for me.

Edit: One tip about propecia, think of it more as a preventative measure because if you are too far gone, it ain't all coming back. But if you noticed the signs like I did and knew where the tide was going then I highly suggest trying it out and giving it 6 months for it to do its thing

so I guess for a younger person you would especially recommend trying propecia instead of continuing with rogaine?

I wish my doctor wasn't so retarded so I had someone knowledgeable to ask these questions, I really ought to look into getting a better guy.

supafrey · 02-05-2008, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DirtyDiggs

Almost categorically false

oh snap you're right.

although from the 5-10 journal articles I found briefly it doesn't seem to be definitive. Telling someone on a forum that it's autosomal dominant with an unknown frequency wouldn't help. ^_^

DarkEnergy · 02-05-2008, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fast Food Knight

Something like 1% of people have the side-effects. I have seen them in action (years ago). Not fun.

FYI i'm probably in the 1 %. I took it like two or three yrs ago, i pill in the morning, but i started getting constant pain in my testicles throughout the day, i took it b4 going to bed then and it was a bit better, but it also generally made me feel bad, kinda unenergetic, dizzy, all the time so i quit after about a month.

Generally i dont really care so much anymore. I believe the notion that you are so much more successful with women having full hair is HUGELY overrated. Things like personality, athletic stature (and money

) are so much more important, and this is getting even more so, the older you and your (potential) partner are are. Hell, there are even a lot of women who have some kinda bald fetish. Sure if i had to choose ill rather have full hair, and maybe ill do a transplant when i have little enough to make it reasonable and can afford it, and if theres some miracle treatment coming out i might try it out, but ill almost certainly never take steroids again

...

GinaSD · 02-05-2008, 01:40 PM

I think there are plenty of women like me who find men who shave their heads (whether or not they have hair loss) very attractive.

edit to add- when there IS hair loss, IMO, it's much much more attractive than comb-overs, or other attempts to disguise hair loss.

jdock99 · 02-05-2008, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ActionJeff

so I guess for a younger person you would especially recommend trying propecia instead of continuing with rogaine?

I wish my doctor wasn't so retarded so I had someone knowledgeable to ask these questions, I really ought to look into getting a better guy.

Before jumping on the Propecia bandwagon you should know a little bit about what it is and how it works. Basically, testosterone (actually a derivative of it called DHT) is what causes male pattern hair loss. Propecia works by blocking the conversion of Testosterone to DHT. In addition to the unfortunate side effect of causing male pattern hair loss at the top of the head, DHT is very important in making men men: including such things as muscle growth, sex drive, deep voice, body hair, etc.

Maybe when I am 60 years old and dealing with prostate issues I might think about taking Propecia/Proscar/Avodart (DHT also stimulates the prostate which is important in sperm solution production but often causes enlarged prostate or prostate cancer in older men).

But all else being equal as a healthy young man I would much rather go bald (which I am, meh) than try to reverse it by feminizing myself.

That is all.

skunkworks · 02-05-2008, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdock99

Before jumping on the Propecia bandwagon you should know a little bit about what it is and how it works. Basically, testosterone (actually a derivative of it called DHT) is what causes male pattern hair loss. Propecia works by blocking the conversion of Testosterone to DHT. In addition to the unfortunate side effect of causing male pattern hair loss at the top of the head, DHT is very important in making men men: including such things as muscle growth, sex drive, deep voice, body hair, etc.

Maybe when I am 60 years old and dealing with prostate issues I might think about taking Propecia/Proscar/Avodart (DHT also stimulates the prostate which is important in sperm solution production but often causes enlarged prostate or prostate cancer in older men).

But all else being equal as a healthy young man I would much rather go bald (which I am, meh) than try to reverse it by feminizing myself.

That is all.

http://www.enotalone.com/article/5710.html

Fast Food Knight · 02-05-2008, 03:11 PM

skunk, good article. You should pull out some quotes for the lazy people. This is an important topic to be misinformed about.

mephisto · 02-05-2008, 03:37 PM

Okay, side effects.... There is one, I noticed a bit more chest growth than before. But it is very slight. I personally have large shoulders and a decent build so it's not noticeable. Do not compare me to Chad Brown, I am soooooooooooooooo far away from that look and do not have bitch tits.

As for stuff stated about effects on voice, muscle, sex drive, deep voice, body hair...No change at all.

I'd recommend starting/continuing a regular workout while on propecia as a preventative measure to remove any negative consequences it might have on muscle growth. But again, my muscles are perfectly fine and have been recently growing due to a recent enhanced workout I've been trying out (Which is sparked by overall health and not because I take propecia).

My overall health is great and I feel great. I used to look in the mirror for long periods of time tracing where some weaknesses were and plotting out how to comb over some lighter spots. No more, the lighter spots have grown back and I now barely spend any time on my hair.

Fast Food Knight · 02-05-2008, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fast Food Knight

Something like 1% of people have the side-effects. I have seen them in action (years ago). Not fun.

I guess I should have been more specific in that the side effects I encountered were of the erectile dysfunction variety.

**MicroBob** · 02-05-2008, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fast Food Knight

I guess I should have been more specific in that the side effects I encountered were of the erectile dysfunction variety.

This is one that is particularly important to me.
My hunch is that there are also some who don't get the ED so severely but still have a reduced sex-drive....for some maybe even so subtle that they don't even fully realize it and just think it's part of growing older.

F that!! I'd rather be bald and horny.

I'll have to look at that article when I have a chance. But this whole bit about muscle growth, etc etc and even the slightest risk of any of that stuff..****ch less the dizzyness and headaches...kind of leads me to the conclusion that I'll just stick with the occasional rogaine usage for now.

Propecia just sounds freaking scary from some of the horror reports.

suzzer99 · 02-05-2008, 08:56 PM

Yeah I looked into propecia and read something about bitch-tit. Don't need any more of that than I already have to fight.

I have 4 uncles on my Mom's side who all have a spot on the back-top of their heads. My Dad still has a full head of wavy silver hair, but I believe this is supposed to come from your Mom's side. Also my hairline is receding a little but nothing terrible.

I read that Rogaine helps mainly with "the spot", so I've been using it for 5 years or so, once a day (unless I don't shower that day). Even though you're supposed to do it twice a day, I'll never be able to add a whole new hygeine routine at night. Seems to be helping though. I think my hair is thicker than it used to be back there. Definitely no more spot developing.

I also use a half a squirt on my hairline in the front, even though Rogaine is supposedly only effective in front on 5% of men. Might be helping. My hairline doesn't seem like it's receded too much more in the last 5 years.

ActionJeff · 02-05-2008, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skunkworks

http://www.enotalone.com/article/5710.html

so, uh, for the lazy peoples, what is the deal here exactly? lol

because all of said masculine things with the muscles and the erections and low-pitched angry grunts are all pretty important to me these are just a rare adverse side effects and above poster is misinformed re: testosterone blockage etc?

good thread btw