Son using hair loss products

[SonHairLoss]

Hi,
I'm a bit worried.
Accidentally opened nearly 19 year old son's package but glad I did.
He has received- from an online pharmacy- shampoo/conditioner minoxidil (I presume- too packaged for me to see properly!!)
But the thing that's worried me most is the pack of tablets in the package- dutasteride/minoxidil/biotin combo.
I know it's for hair loss, I also assume that dutasteride is some sort of diuretic which I don't like the idea of for a physically healthy youth!
I've done a bit of googling and found that dutasteride can lessen DHT (testosterone derivative) production and also found evidence that it can therefore inhibit sex drive- thanks reddit!
I admit I haven't looked into it loads before posting on here- but just wondered if anyone had experience of this.
What worries me is that he's 18, a late bloomer and I really don't think he should be taking something that inhibits any form of testosterone, especially as I don't think he's fully through puberty.
Even if he was fully developed I wouldn't like it!!
When does a "patient" stop taking it?- the thought of him taking it long term is very worrying
There's also stuff about raised cholesterol and general buggering up of basic bloods.
I can't say I've noticed his hair loss but I guess I don't much examine his hairline.
His dad's bald- no getting away from it- I'd say it became more noticeable for him in his mid-30s which isn't so terrible (not to undermine male pattern baldness but I feel it's so early for my son to be worrying and taking stuff which could be so much worse for him).
I guess some aspect of this is prevention and no doubt that's pushed by the drug companies- get 'em in early!
So, I'm worried from a medical damage point of view and I'm also sad that it's something that's on his mind- my poor boy!!
I have read that finasteride is probably less potent than dutasteride but it's still an inhibitor of DHT.
The men in my own family have excellent heads of hair!!- I wonder how that would impact my son's chances of not going bald? problem is you just don't know, I guess, and the drug companies will push not leaving it to chance.
I've posted on AIBU for traffic- hope that's ok.

@steff13 I get what you're saying but he is a healthy, asymptomatic (of vit d deficiency) 18 year old who will spend the summer playing a lot of sport outside- I really don't want him getting unnecessary blood tests as would only feed into his current health vigilance- and that's not healthy!

What’s wrong with taking high dose vitamin d?

I don't actually think you inherit baldness from your dad, I believe it comes from your mother's side

Low IQ grammar? I dont spend my time perfecting my grammar on an online forum but I can assure you I dont have any issues in that department. And low grammar doesn't equate to bad advice! You're just being rude because you dont like my answer. You sound like a helicopter parent and dont seem to understand that your DS doesn't need your advice, and he obviously doesn't want it either since he didn't come to you in the first place. Maybe think about why he didn't want to talk to you about this? Because you sound judgmental and overbearing.

@SonHairLoss ED and depression/very low mood amongst others. It definitely contributed to the failure of his marriage as he was a lot younger then and didn’t deal with the side effects well. He is okay now but it took years and he still has to self medicate for the ED on occasion

You ‘accidentally’ opened the package. Okay.

it can be both

My dad is outside everyday walking and in the garden, his vit D levels were very low and was prescribed them, so even if he is outside lots doesn’t mean his levels are correct

what's right with taking a high dose of a vitamin when you don't know that you need it?
at the very least it's a waste of money.
And it's something the body will have to work at to be rid of- kidney function etc
I have read that vit D (supplemented, not via sun) is stored by the body and can therefore become excessive which is not good news

BUT the most important thing of all is that I don't want to normalise pill popping/orthorexia in my otherwise healthy 18 year old

There's the suggestion that for every ill there's a pill to fix it
Maybe this is how some are raising their kids these days

I also stated that he didn't even know what dose he'd ordered, which demonstrates the cavalier way that he's treating supplement taking in general

god that's interesting- and galling that we can't look into the future!

Thank you so much for getting back to me.
I will definitely use this as a cautionary tale for my son.
I'm so glad your partner's over the worst.
Interesting that he was younger when he embarked on the finasteride.
This is my issue- I know (from bitter experience!!) that when you're younger you want a miracle cure/quick fix and you don't care how you get there.

My advice would be to encourage him to brave the shave if he's thinking. One of the most liberating things I ever did. Lost most of my hair by 22, have been a skinhead ever since and get no end of compliments.

Style it out, it's the best way to avoid a life of misery, anxiety, putting chemicals in your body that cause erectile distinction and low self confidence.

Yeah some people don't find it attractive but a heck of a lot of women do.

This is tosh, the androgen receptor gene is carried on the X Chromosome, both parents have X chromosomes, it is typically recessive meaning the person who inherits it needs two copies ergo one from mum and one from dad.

My son was prescribed this by our dermatologist last year, he's mid 20's.
Everything was seemingly fine for the first 8 weeks but suddenly his mood plummeted.
He was so low in himself, wouldn't get out of bed and was working from home full-time.
He lives in a house share and wasn't interested in us visiting.
I started looking at Finesteride and read of sudden severe anxiety and depression.
We were terrified and I told him that he had to come off it as I would inform both his GP and the dermatologist that we were worried.
Thank god he heard us and didn't renew the prescription.
For many it is fine, but definitely keep an eye out.

I wouldn't have believed the difference in him, in a matter of weeks.

quelle surprise- another poster without kids sticking it to a mother

Does it make you feel good?

thanks so much for this- I couldn't agree more
As I say, my partner's bald and he carries it really well
I so wish this finasteride wasn't available!!

Crikey @Stilllifes I really appreciate that. Your poor son!
And so much harder when they're that bit older and you've no idea what they're up to- though good job he told you
Hope he's back to himself
He's lucky to have good parents :)

oh that's interesting.
kind of suggests that he not absolutely destined for the bald life. I will tell him all this.
need to bite the bullet and have "the conversation"!
I'm hoping if I can at least persuade him to wait until mid twenties- when he's done all his developing, muscles filled out etc- and reassess then.
Maybe his hairline will still be ok then-
Maybe it won't but he'll be that bit more mature and decide not to risk it.
Not that 25 yr olds are especially sensible but better than 18

yay! Had the chat.
Went really well
Told him much of what posters have told me: side effects, genetics, even that trans ID men (ie mtf) take it, thus proving it messes with male hormones
Went into broader convo about vitamins and supplements
He absolutely doesn't want to bugger up DHT at this point in his life- I mean I was frank- talked about ED, even possibility he's not done growing "in that department"!
He said he wants to get to mid 20s then reassess- said he might still take it then- but at least he's being honest with me.
We have a bit of a Ray Reardon (showing my age) hairline in my family and I think he'd misread that as possible hair loss.
Showed me his hairline and it's unremarkable.
I told him I can't promise he won't be affected but at least he'll leave it for now.
Of his own volition he's given me his shampoo and asked me to look into it.
Thank you so much to everyone who helped and was kind.
I feel a lot lighter today.

So is my son and he has tons of curly thick hair 🤪. It's a tik Tok thing I think. That and men’s scents.

Jeez, this is what we're up against, bloody tik tok. Is your son still taking it?
And don't get me started on scents/deodorants. Had to ask him to spray with bedroom door firmly shut!

Not to piss on your cornflakes but if he's receding at 18 the chances are he'll go bald pretty soon (next five years). My hair started to recede at 17, by 22 it was almost gone on top. Generally you keep it around the back and sides and just lose it on top.

Most of my friends are now bald at 31/32, if not we'll on the way, not many keep their natural hair.

Also no one fucks with you when you're bald, it's a great side effect, since shaving my head I've never had any problems on a night out from anyone.

Thanks @Sundaymorningcalla
well, I guess it's in the lap of the gods
He's adamant that he won't do anything until mid-twenties and I hope he's as at peace with it by then as you are
My partner also started receding around 18 and his hair loss trajectory prob similar to yours- he went the shaved head route and looks pretty good with it :)
One thing I will say is that my partner's 6 ft 2 whereas my son...is not! Son's maybe just over 5 ft 9.
Anyway, he won't jeopardise potential height gain/muscle gain even for extra hair for the next few years so we're ok for a bit.

@Jacobs4 can I pick your brains. When you say, "topical", do you mean minoxidil shampoo? Turns out my son's shampoo contains caffeine and biotin- no minoxidil. Though I don't know what biotin is. I know I can look this up- in fact son's asked me to look into it- but thought I'd ask on here first.

DH was put on it for a year. He grew better tits than mine.