I dont know what to do... (pics)

[RHobbs]

Hey guys,

I've recently discovered this forum and thought i'd post on it as I really don't know what to do right now, ever since I was a boy i've loved my hair, i've always had it long and loved it long as I love metal music and love headbanging.

Recently people have been saying its thinned out a bit, a few close friends, but I really dont get it, I have thick hair, especially when I run my hands through the sides, but my dad is bald himself so I thought maybe its a possibility its thinned a bit, but how can some one go bald at 21 its impossible, i'm thinking of shaving it just to see what it'll look like when I may eventually go bald in my 40's/50's, but i'm worried it'll look bad, i've always been known for my hair and the girls love it, always run their hands through my hair and tell me I look like Thor, and i'm worried I wont be attractive if I shave  it off?

Here are some pictures, sorry about the blurring but i'm quite embarrassed about doing this...
1 - http://i.imgur.com/9eBuLQQ.jpg
2 - http://i.imgur.com/liPbpY6.jpg
3 - http://i.imgur.com/jmnZEjr.jpg
4 - http://i.imgur.com/FTqkFJD.jpg


Please advice me and thanks for your time.

[schro]

Well, your long hair looks good on the sides! Sorry, couldn't resist.

It's a personal choice. In all honesty, you really don't know how you'll look until you do it (even harder to tell with long hair, IMO). Here's a question that you don't seem to address...do you feel as if you lack confidence as a result of your thinning hair? Don't mean to psycho-analyze (not a trained shrink ), but if you're comfortable with your scalp and love your long hair, I'd say keep it. I get the impression the thinning doesn't bother you.

By the way, I like metal as well and sport the bald look (obviously).

[Cave Dweller]

Glad you found us, RHobbs.

Yes, it is very possible and not at all unusual for a man to be losing his hair at 21.  Mine started at 17, and I had visible male pattern baldness by the time I was your age. Please trust me on this, though. Your hair is not the measure of who you are or how popular/happy/successful you will be. You actually have the advantage that shaved heads are very mainstream right now, should you decide to shave.

Just about everyone of us who shaved his head worried about how we would look. You are not alone. It really is amazing, though, how many of us got huge compliments on the new look once we took off the hair. The only true way to know is to do it and commit to staying that way for thirty days to give yourself and everyone else the opportunity to adjust to the look.

From what I can tell of your photos, your thick, long side hair is making the thinning hair on the top more noticeable by contrast. If you shave it now before it thins more, it will have more of the "wow" factor and will not look like you did it just because it was falling out.

And Welcome to the board, sir!

[Razor X]

From what I can tell of your photos, your thick, long side hair is making the thinning hair on the top more noticeable by contrast. If you shave it now before it thins more, it will have more of the "wow" factor and will not look like you did it just because it was falling out.

I agree.  Getting rid of the long hair will de-emphasize the thinning on top.  It's hard to get a good idea with the blurring but it does look very thin on top in some of those shots.  At the very least, I would get it all buzzed down to a #2 (1/4").

[Bilko1]

Hi, RHobbs!

Unfortunately, it does look like that you are beginning to recede & go thin on top, although you do have some thick & long healthy looking hair at the sides. Not sure what you look like at the back as no pics to view.

My advice would be the same as Razor X & Cave Dweller & Schro - to have your hair buzzed to a #2 or just shaved bald. It would be a huge change for you, but I can pretty much say that it will be a good one for you.

[Titus13]

Even if you shave it off and you do not like what you see it will grow back

[DanO]

Welcome, always nice to see another headbanger!  To be honest it does look a bit thinner on top, but photos (especially flash photos) do sometimes make it look worse than it is.

If it was me (and about 20 years ago it was) then I'd try and enjoy the flowing locks for a bit longer before shaving it down.  When the time comes you can go for the Scott Ian / Rob Halford look and still be just as Metal.

That said, you can still give it a shot and (hopefully) grow it back to where you are now - just remember to try and keep it buzzed down / shaved for 30 days to give yourself a chance to get used to the look.

[bud]

Welcome RHobbs!
I agree with the guys. Only if you've tried, you'll see if you like a bald head. In my view you should remove the hair. Let's be realistic, they will not be thicker anymore. Judging by the pictures, you're someone who has the courage to wear a bald head. Give it a try and go for it.

[isleepinthebuff]

Firstly welcome to the forum but I'm going to be honest. Your post does not match your pictures...

You seem unaware that your hair has "thinned out a bit"but I'm looking at pictures of someone that's has quite advanced  MPB on top?.  Sorry if I offend but one thing I will say is that in the main it's more common for the person affected by the hair loss to see the receeding before the friends.  I would expect you to be more aware of the loss than comes across in your post?

If these are actually pics of you, the long hair is not disguising the MPB and MPB affects the quality of longer hair and it looks quite fine in the pics. You need to be aware that with the level of hair loss that you have anything  above a buzz is going to accentuate the hair loss. So if you love having long hair as much as you say then you might want to keep it. Short hair is going to show the balding areas much more.

However there's nothing wrong with embracing your hair loss at 21

[EarlBald]

There are two issues here.  I had long hair in college, and I parted my hair in the middle to cover up a receding hairline.  This was before noticeable thinning at the crown began, but still, the long hair didn't cover my beginning baldness, it accentuated it.  Long hair, because of gravity, tends to pull down and away from the roots.  So, if anything is missing, the remaining long hair emphasizes this.  For the same reason (but less drastic), many beauticians encourage women (and men, if they still have a full head of hair) over 35 not wear long, hanging hair--either pull it back in a bun or cut it short, to get it away from the face.  Shorter hair tends to stay more towards the scalp and help cover up thinning, a little bit.  Also, the contrast is less, so that helps.

So, for the first issue, you may want to cut your hair short to make the thinning less noticeable (and, I have to say, since you mentioned, that the other guys are right that the thinning is much more noticeable than you claim).  Try shorter hair and see how it works out.

The second issue is dealing with baldness.  You know the routine.  When you are ready, you should shave your head to see if you like the look.  You can always grow your hair back.  Only you can decide when to go chrome dome.  I suspect that you are more ready for it than you think!

[Sir Harry]

Welcome! I respect your wish to remain anonymous, but please do not feel embarrassed. MPB happens to people at varying ages, and in your case, it just happened to hit you at 21. A short buzz is good, and "headbangers" look good in any hairstyle, including sly! Don't be offended, but whatever you do, DO NOt put it into a ponytail, it will make you look-and probably feel-even worse. Good luck to you and keep us posted!

[Ming the Merciless]

A time comes when matters become incontestable.  That time has come.

Less is more; none is best.

[slymyke]

A time comes when matters become incontestable.  That time has come.

Less is more; none is best.

I think Ming has outdone himself, if that is possible. 

[geeman]

I'm a metal head too, and if there is one rule for being a metal fan, its that your hair should be long.... Or you must have a shaved head....or anything in between....yes you are going bald, yes its noticeable, yes it would look better buzzed short, or you could ignore it and have a ponytail flowing from the horseshoe in a few years...never a good look in my opinion, age ain't nothing but a number, and mpb respects no man, but you can give it the finger :-D

[LOKI1978]

This is a great site. You might want to read the posts of other members, as it is fairly common to lose your hair in your early 20s. I started loosing my hair around 15. By the time I was 21, I had a comb over.  You might want to try just cutting it shorter and then re-evaluate.