New here, seeking advice

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New here, seeking advice by johnnybravo on 18 Jul, 2013 21:03
Good evening,

I hope I am posting this in the right place...So, I am new here and would like some advice if anyone is kind enough to offer it.

So, I began getting a receding hairline in my mid twenties, when I was about 24. I am now 29 and it has progressed a lot. I have shaved it before and I dont really like the shaved look because I have a small round head but it doesnt look bad shaved to be honest.

When I was about 27 I went to a nutrition clinic because of anxiety problems I was having (I was taking antiaxiety drugs and they really fucked me up long term). The clinic gave me a nutrient formula based on some nutrient tests they did and after some time of being on that nutrient formula, my hair receding stopped and I actually saw some thicker, fuller hair. Since then, I have been on and off the formula and within a month of stopping it, the receding begins. So, does anyone have any experience with nutrients and hairloss? Any theories as to what is going on there?

To be honest, i am a bit embarrassed about my receding hair, especially now that I met a girl who I really like. I dont mean to sound like a little turd over hear bitching and crap, but in all honesty my receding hairline lowers my self esteem and so I do not pursue the girl or others.

Thanks for reading and I hope I can get some feedback from the community.
#1 by nuts on 19 Jul, 2013 00:31
You've said it all. The hair piece charlatans are trying to get their hooks into you (forget them) and you have a girl who wants to pursue the relationship.

Tell her you are concerned about your hair loss and want to shave and I would be sure she sees that as positive.

The itch is there - do what you want to do. Shave it off snd feel the confidence grow.

I'll bet you say 'why didn't I do this sooner'.

Post a pic when you have shaved the noggin.
#2 by geeman on 19 Jul, 2013 06:41
well said....these hair systems. ..or WIGS! are sold buy conmen praying on your anxiety and paranoia. ..avoid at all costs or become a slave....having to worry about sweating. ...swimming....wind....wearing a hat....oh just about most things a normal bloke would do! buzz it...shave it or leave it to its own devices....but don't let it ruin your life....read through the posts on here...all positive. ..and all so happy to be free of the worry! do it and start enjoying your life again. ...or do nothing and carry on being unhappy.....the best decision I have ever made was to shave....I look sooooo good!!
#3 by reddog on 19 Jul, 2013 07:38
I recently shaved a full head of silver/grey hair. I made a couple of hints to my girlfriend about shaving it, and she said "oh noooo". I said come on, just once, to which she said OK. So when I shave it off, she was really surprises, she thought I was kidding. Within a few hours, she kept staring at me and said she liked it. Now she just says for me to do whatever makes me happy. Being sly gives me a whole new attitude, and I don't care what anyone thinks about my style!

#4 by johnnybravo on 19 Jul, 2013 07:53
To be more clear, the nutrition clinic I went to was a clinic for the treatment of various nutrient related problems that may manifest as anxiety, depression, parkinsons, etc. In other words, it is a specialty clinic that offers nutrition and testing if you are experiencing such issues. In my case, I went there because I was having panic attacks and was generally anxious. It had nothing to do with hairloss. When they gave me a nutrient formula for the panic attacks/anxiety, my hair loss stopped. That was almost three years ago and while taking this formula, I never experienced more receding. It wasnt until that I stopped it, that the receding happened again. I did this three times and each time I stopped the formula my hair would recede/thin within a month or so. So, there appears to be something, or a combination, in this formula that is affecting me somehow to where my hair loss stops. I can post the ingredients if you all want. Basically a lot of things you would find in a multi but not as many and in different doses. This formula was given based on nutrient blood test.

I am not too concerned about the natural hairloss that occurs in men. What I am concerned about is if this is unnatural. I mean, 24 years old and going bald? Where does hormone disruption, nutrient deficiencies, toxicity, etc all play into this? I often thing, "if the nutrient formula I was taking stopped my hair loss, could that mean that I have some type of biochemistry abnormality?" I mean, I have read a lot about causes of hair loss and it seems that there are a number of plausible theories. So, where do I stand?

I cant say for certain if the girl feels the same way for me as I feel for her. I was just throwing that out there that the hair loss does affect my self esteem and especially right now while I do like someone.
#5 by Beachtuna on 19 Jul, 2013 08:32
There are several conditions that can cause hairloss in men. Alopecia, Diabetes, Thyroid Disease, Anemia or even Lupus to name a few. If you have a genuine concern about any kind of "imbalance" then you should consult with an Internal Medicine doctor not your family physician.
#6 by trauts on 19 Jul, 2013 08:53
johnnybravo,
I cannot speak to the natural vs. unnatural hair loss and their relationship to nutrition and other issues. In reality, I'm sure that stress & anxiety probably contributed to my hair loss at an earlier age. (I started losing hair on the back of my head, monk-style, when I was in my mid- to late-twenties.)

What I can speak to is how going bald by choice (BBC as some folks here call it) can impact you and your relationships. First, I've found that hair and the amount of hair a guy has surprisingly does not have an impact on most women. Thank heavens, they apparently do not focus as much on looks. I married up - my wife was and still remains more beautiful than average, and we have now been married for over 17 years. Other guys will probably confirm, there are some women who find a bald head sexy and even a turn-on.

Even if you're not sure that this girl you like feels the same way about you, if you are thinking about shaving your hair off, just tell her you're thinking about it, and see how she reacts.

Secondly, once you make the decision to shave it off (if you are considering that), I think you'll probably go through a short stage of doubt and questioning it, maybe a week or two, before you start becoming more confident. And I think many people have respect for someone who decides to shave it off, as if it takes courage to do something bold like this. I believe that the key factor is that you might go from being very self-conscious of your hair loss, to suddenly realizing that you can make a decision like this.

I will agree with the other guys here - if you are concerned about hormone or biochemistry anomalies, your first stop should be to an Internal Medicine MD for a full physical with blood workup. Tell that doctor your concerns, and see if anything shows up on the panel.

But this is just my two cents worth here.
#7 by reddog on 19 Jul, 2013 09:09
Well said Trauts!
#8 by Cave Dweller on 19 Jul, 2013 10:08
Welcome, sir.

Have you ever noticed how many hair products proclaim loudly how much vitamin and nutrient content they have? Did you know there are vitamins designed just to make fingernails thicker and stronger? Your hair is made of the same stuff as your fingernails. Better nutrition means healthier hair. Poor nutrition actually can cause your hair to fall out.

If you are balding due to genetics, however, all the nutrition therapy in the world is not going to stop it. Slow it down a little, perhaps, but not stop or reverse it.

You are not the first man to start balding in his twenties. Statistically, most men who are going bald started sometime in their twenties or early thirties. I started at seventeen. Some of the guys here started even earlier. It happens. You also are not the first man to be anxious about losing his hair. Just don't allow it to get the best of you.

I was sporting only the horseshoe and had a completely bald dome when I met the woman who now is my wife. Most women are not going to care about your hairline if they are interested in YOU. If you are confident in yourself and treat your hair as just another characteristic like the size of your feet, then she is going to see you for the man you are.

If you are considering shaving it off, there are a lot of guys here (some of whom you already have met) who will tell you it is a great way to take control and get past the anxiety.
#9 by bud on 19 Jul, 2013 11:26
welcome johnnybravo
#10 by johnnybravo on 19 Jul, 2013 11:43
Quote from: Beachtuna on 19 Jul, 2013 08:32
There are several conditions that can cause hairloss in men. Alopecia, Diabetes, Thyroid Disease, Anemia or even Lupus to name a few. If you have a genuine concern about any kind of "imbalance" then you should consult with an Internal Medicine doctor not your family physician.

I have no known medical conditions such as the ones you mentioned. I think I am talking more about other possible conditions often overlooked by conventional doctors. For example, a complete hormone check, various nutrient tests, toxicity, etc. Obviously hormones play a role in all this and the predominant theory is that male pattern balding has to do with DHT, however, where do other hormones come into play? What about the daily exposure, not to mention the exposure we experience in the womb, to estroge-type chemicals from the plastics and hormones from the animal products? Couldnt those things play a role?

I think my main things is just accepting the hairloss and going about my life but I first would like to explore various possibilities as to why I may be experiencing it. I know there is a genetic link but out of my whole family, I am the only one who has balding. My dad and two older brothers have full heads of hair. Same with both of my grandpas.

Has anyone here come across others like me in search of a possible reason to hair loss? I mean, I dont care too much about going bald, but as long as I have energy, feel well, and am all around healthy, I dont care. The prob is, in my mind, I tend to equate balding with being unhealthy even though this may not be the case
#11 by Cave Dweller on 19 Jul, 2013 15:03
In all seriousness, if what you fear is that your hair loss may be a symptom of something other than your genetics, you need to consult a doctor as Beachtuna suggested. If for nothing else than your own peace of mind.