18 and struggling, oh and hello!

[Braden92]

Hello SBG,

I am currently a senior in high school and struggling with thin hair. I have always known there is a very good chance I would be doomed when it comes to hair but I thought I would have a little more time, maybe at least graduate college with a full head of hair before this set in but it seems like my genetics have other plans for me. For the last month or so I have been rocking hats and such because the sides are not as bad as the top but i think its time i make the jump soon. I am sort of in a last ditch effort phase trying to grow my hair back out to see if it will work but its not going great. I think im having the hardest time parting with my hair because I think this time onces its gone, its pretty much going to be gone forever. I saw something about the 30 day rule and might try that out soon but im just having a hard time parting. Does anyone have some words of wisdom/advice they could give about my last days with with my hair? I know in the end everything will be alright its just a bit hard right now, especially being the only person in my age group I know with this hair issue. 

PS: did i mention i am having a hard time parting with my hair?

-Hopefully soon Sly Bald Guy, Braden

[zed]

Hi. I understand what you are going through. I started realizing I was seriously losing my hair when I was 17. I was in a bank and saw the back of my head on cctv and had a shock at how much hair I had lost. I came home and shaved everything off and have been sly ever since. It wasn't easy, some guys would ridicule me or say I looked like a convict. But on one level it set me apart in a good way, sometimes being an outsider gives you a unique perspective and also being sly gives you an built bs detector so you easily weed out superficial friends, etc. All I can say is try it, maybe keep a written or video diary to make you feel like you own your experience. I don't know your orientation but I found a lot of girls wanted to touch my head or ask why I shaved it and it could be a good ice breaker. It is a bold move but fortune favours the bold so go for it. After a while your look will just be you.

[BaldnBearded]

Hey man, I know exactaly what your going through as well.First time my bald spot in my crown was mentioned was my senior year of high school.Of course I was oblivious and in denial at the time,but here I'am 6 years later,not even 25 yet, with super aggressive male pattern baldness.Parting with your hair is EXTREAMLY difficult, and it's taken me about two years of shaving my head on and off to accept it.I honestly thought I'd never accept it.You can hang onto your hair for a few years like I did,constantly worrying about it and getting depressed over it,or you take the leap and just shave it.Will it be hard to accept at first,probably,and it will take you some time to adjsut and accept being bald,but honestly man,once you do accept it,being totally bald is amazing.I haven't been able to appreciate it till recently, but not havign to see your hair receede and thin out on top and finding tons of hair on your pillow is worth it alone.Honestly,shave your head man and try it out and stick with it.People will adjsut to it quickly and you'll gain a whole new confidence about yourself.Keep in touch man

[Noodles]

Braden - Read the above post again! Let the message of the message sink in!  

                            Makes sense, doesn't it?!  Got it? Good!... Now continue....

"...PS: did i mention i am having a hard time parting with my hair?..."
-Hopefully soon Sly Bald Guy, Braden

Give SLY a TRY, Braden. SLY is IN. Check out the posts from other SBG members in your age group.

Once they experienced the "30-Day Rule" - they were HOOKED on SLY!!

Many of them were doing EVERYTHING UNER THE SUN, (just as you) to avoid (and prolong) losing their hair at a young age...

Fact of the matter is rugs, plugs and drugs is the wrong approach to take...for all the obvious reasons!!

So what's a guy to do?... EMBRACE the INEVITABLE!!

SLY is FREEDOM!! GET YOURSELF FREE!

 - Cap'n Noodles -

[Rev. Cleanhead]

Hey Braden -- welcome to the group!
I was 17 when I got my first REAL wake-up call; I remember walking into a Walgreen's and seeing my reflection in the overhead mirror -- I seriously didn't think it was my own head at first.  My senior year I tried sporting a high and tight cut, keeping the sides and back cut real short and letting the top grow out, hoping this would give the illusion I had more hair on top.  Since baldness does not run in my family, I seriously struggled with the realization I was already a horseshoe in the making at 17.  My grandma knew I was upset about it and even offered to help pay for hair restoration treatments.  My freshman year in college I decided that if I was to be bald, I would do it on my terms and I tried shaving my head (my mom hated it at first). I absolutely LOVED it (and so did my female classmates).  Before I graduated I tried letting it grow back in just to see if it would -- that's when I realized I would be sly for life. 
I worked in law enforcement for a couple years while in college and had the support of a lot of colleagues (a lot of cops shave their heads).  Also, a lot of my college buddies thought it was pretty cool.  Even now at the gym, guys will say things like, "I've always wanted to try shaving my head just to see if I'd like it."  Bottom line, a clean, shaved head is cool -- much better than a horseshoe or combover.  And at our young age (I'm 27), as long as you shave it frequently enough to avoid a horshoe stubble-pattern, people will assume we're bald by shoice (bbc) and not male-pattern baldness (mpb).  Either way, shaved heads are definitely a trendy style and have a LOT of advantages over having to deal with hair.
Good luck and welcome to the group!

[Rev. Cleanhead]

Oh, and I almost forgot, it's seriously a LOT of fun to walk down the hair-care aisle at any store and say to any random stranger, "That shampoo you've got there... I wouldn't use it if I were you," while pointing to your shaved head.   

[Jack21]

Loss is painful for all of us - whether the loss of a loved one or the loss of an element of ourselves by which we define ourselves. Hair loss affects everyone differently (on an emotional level I mean). I fought tooth and nail against the inevitable and regret what I did terribly. You are fortunate to have stumbled upon this site b/c you will get EXCELLENT advice. This site is all about "no plugs, drugs, or rugs". I did all three. The drugs and rugs didn't leave a scar that will never go away but the "plugs" (Hair Transplant) did. The best path that you can take is to keep it very, very short and ultimately shave it all off. Everything else will be a huge waste of money and/or will scar you visibly for life.

[Noodles]

Oh, and I almost forgot, it's seriously a LOT of fun to walk down the hair-care aisle at any store and say to any random stranger, "That shampoo you've got there... I wouldn't use it if I were you," while pointing to your shaved head.   

Good one, Rev!!

 - Cap'n Noodles -

[ozzie]

Welcome to the forum, Braden. The guys have given you some GREAT advice here! 

[Braden92]

Thanks for all the support guys. I am going to go ahead and shave my hair down to a 1 or 2 to see how i feel about it for a couple days then see what my next move is. Some days my hair looks okay but the amount of work it takes to put every hair in the right place is getting out of hand. also if anything more than a slight breeze hits my hair my scalp stands out like crazy. Ill keep you guys updated for the next few weeks and thank you so much for the warm welcome.

[Noodles]

".....Some days my hair looks okay but the amount of work it takes to put every hair in the right place is getting out of hand. 

...All the more reason to give SLY a TRY, Braden!!

 - Cap'n Noodles -

[Arnie]

Welcome to SBGs!!!

[Mikekoz13]

Welcome Braden!

[wpruitt]

Welcome Braden

[Razor X]

Getting your hair cut to a #1 or #2 is a good idea. Go as short as you feel comfortable with.  That's probably as far as you need to go at this stage, unless you really want to take it all off, in which case I say, "Go for it!"  As your hair starts to get thinner, start buzzing it a little shorter.  I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by the reactions -- or lack of reactions -- of those around you.