I’ve Got a Phobia of Going Bald!

if i know for a fact that i am going to go through male pattern baldness can i just start taking propecia to completely prevent it before it even starts and if i do will i keep my juvenile hairline?

p.s. i have a phobia of going bald

You’re not alone in having a fear of going bald (not to be confused with peladophobia, the fear of bald people). I see that fear every day in the eyes of my patients and I certainly read it every day in the emails I receive through this site. There are a couple problems I see with going the route you want to take:

1. How do you know 100% for a fact that you will lose hair? Do you have a deep family history of hair loss? I’ll assume a family history is what you’re basing your hypothesis on. Nothing is guaranteed and the genetic markers have been known to skip generations. I’ve seen families with a completely bald father, balding son #1, and hairy son #2. I’m not a geneticist, so I couldn’t tell you why it skips the way it does, but ultimately, you don’t want to take medication that is unnecessary.
2. Propecia is not a cure for hair loss. There’s simply no cure at this time, so hair loss can’t be completely prevented. The medication might delay the process for years, but with that being said, Propecia likely wouldn’t even keep your juvenile hairline. If your hairline matured and you saw the progression of further hair loss starting, then would be the ideal time to take the medication.

As I’ve said time and time again, the best way to track if you are going to bald is to use a video magnifier to map your scalp. Watch your hair for the appearance of miniaturization, which is the first signs of balding. When and if this happens, you should see a doctor and then start Propecia.