Early vs. Late-Onset MPB

[don]

Adam,you make so much sense.I started losing my hair in my early 20s and it was very traumatic.Guys my own age and older would tease me about it and it would hurt. Others would just stare at my head and I felt very self concious.I was wearing hairpieces all those years up until a couple of years ago.I'm 50 now and I for the most part have gone natural and keep my hair close cropped like yours.It's easier to accept now because I'm older and it's more common.When your young people react differently either by poking fun or by saying,"Oh my God,he's losing his hair so young" People don't make as big a fuss when you're older. Now that I have the age I actually look hot this way with my short hair and facial hair but when I was 22 I looked like a balding baby. My vote is that it's easier to accept when you're older. Adam,you look good the way you wear your hair. Older is better.

[joergHH]

Hello!
Thinning is one, whitening is the other. You can translate all posts from thinning into whitening and it's a similar story.
When I was 45 my hair was as white as my grandma's who was 100 years old.
I made a biking tour with our then 7 years old daughter. On a narrow path some people waiting fo our passage said: how nice, grandpa on tour with his granddaughter!
The waiter in the restaurant said to my daughter: I give grandpa first his drink....
This problem has got its solution - and I feel very good!

J

[Razor X]

You can translate all posts from thinning into whitening and it's a similar story.

You make an excellent point, Joerg.  You can further substitute any term you like for "thinning" or "whitening" and it's still the same story.  We all have things that we don't like about our own appearances.   Those of us with MPB tend to get fixated with hair loss and think those who don't have MPB have it made.  But I guarantee you those people are struggling with some other issue -- which to them is a huge deal, but the rest of the world is probably oblivious to it.

[ugabulldog]

You can translate all posts from thinning into whitening and it's a similar story.

You make an excellent point, Joerg.  You can further substitute any term you like for "thinning" or "whitening" and it's still the same story.  We all have things that we don't like about our own appearances.   Those of us with MPB tend to get fixated with hair loss and think those who don't have MPB have it made.  But I guarantee you those people are struggling with some other issue -- which to them is a huge deal, but the rest of the world is probably oblivious to it.

BINGO..... I am 5'-5" and 99% of the time the shortest guy in the room. And people don't shrink as they get older to be closer to my height. (my wife makes me look taller because she is 4'-11")

[yep_yep]

Adam,you make so much sense.I started losing my hair in my early 20s and it was very traumatic.Guys my own age and older would tease me about it and it would hurt. Others would just stare at my head and I felt very self concious.I was wearing hairpieces all those years up until a couple of years ago.I'm 50 now and I for the most part have gone natural and keep my hair close cropped like yours.It's easier to accept now because I'm older and it's more common.When your young people react differently either by poking fun or by saying,"Oh my God,he's losing his hair so young" People don't make as big a fuss when you're older. Now that I have the age I actually look hot this way with my short hair and facial hair but when I was 22 I looked like a balding baby. My vote is that it's easier to accept when you're older. Adam,you look good the way you wear your hair. Older is better.

Yeah, this really reflects my sentiments. I mean, I'm 25 but hardly look even that old... balding baby is exactly what I look like.

[Vin]

hey yeppers, you're a good lookin "kid" with a low hairline, get your self a cute girl (if you haven't already) that doesn't care about how much hair is on your head or how much $$ is in your wallet and you'll be alright. (Sorry to hijack thread)

Finding a woman like that, that you yourself are physically attracted to can a times be a challenge.  In all honesty, a lot of us will sit and say, hair and money don't matter, why are women so superficial - but how many of us would date a woman that is say 50-100 lbs overweight?  If a woman is not physically attracted to me because of my hairloss, I don't fault her on it, because there are some women that I am not physically attracted to either.  I just move on to the next.

In regards to baldness, I can agree that it is worse losing your hair young.  I started at 22 and I can relate to the others as being the "only one" in the room with visible hairloss.  It's disheartening and plays a number with your emotions.  Now at 30, I am a lot more comfortable with it, it still bothers me, but now that there are men my age with the same issue and in the same position, it is reassuring as you are becoming once again the, "average" as opposed to a minority.

When you are 22 years old and are walking through a shopping mall with visible thinning you will get quite a few glances up at your hair.  People see a young face with thinning hair and take notice as it is abnormal.  Where as a man in his 30's or 40's with the same amount of thinning will blend into a crowd and no one will really look or take any notice. 

It will always bother me, but I would have loved to have an extra 10 years with a full head of hair.  If I just began losing now, it would be great (not really but you know what I mean)...as I would be 40 by the time I'm close to being bald.  I will agree though that it is not an experience I would ever enjoy or like to repeat regardless of age, but I do think it would be a lot easier to accept as you get a little older and have many others around you the same age dealing with the same problem.

I don't know, it's sort of like the old saying, "better to have love and lost then not loved at all", only, it would be better to have a full head of hair in your 20's and lose it then to not have hair at all.

[Tyler]

Finding a woman like that, that you yourself are physically attracted to can a times be a challenge.  In all honesty, a lot of us will sit and say, hair and money don't matter, why are women so superficial - but how many of us would date a woman that is say 50-100 lbs overweight?  If a woman is not physically attracted to me because of my hairloss, I don't fault her on it, because there are some women that I am not physically attracted to either.  I just move on to the next.

It's hard to compare what men would do versus women.  I think on average men tend to be a lot more looks oriented than women when it comes down to them actually getting together.  I'm not saying that it doesn't help in the initial attraction stage, but it can be overcome.

[PBurke]

i think for most guys it depends on how late in the night it gets.   or even how many drinks we've had.

[nomad]

i think for most guys it depends on how late in the night it gets.   or even how many drinks we've had.

 

sometimes brother.

[Marz]

I started loosing my hair in my early 20s and it went fast. I had to deal with many many social situations where I felt humiliated inside, had people say pretty terrible things to me or even worse... hear them talking behind my back. Loosing your hair pre-30 is really tough. I know it seems petty as you get older but dont even try to play it down... it is f-ing HARSH... especially with women. Going bald paired with all the other things you are trying to accomplish in those years I am sure has broken many people.

In the defense of loosing it when your young, I did become tough as nails and really turned my already thick skin to an armadillo like shell. It made me learn a lot about myself and about those around me. I had a time where my frustration fuled aggressive behavior, I figured I would not allow myself to be viewed as "weak" or timid" and it led me to some bad decisions, etc...  Nothing worth its weight is easy and this whole thing made me a better man at a younger age and I am grateful for that.

Nowadays I see a lot of people my age going through MPB... I feel pity for them and I have no sympathy for someone that isn't going to man up and face it... Plugs, drugs and rugs are for sissy's if you ask me. If I did it at 23, you should be able to do it at 33.

God never gives you more than you can handle... although his timing could be better.

[Razor X]

It's hard to compare what men would do versus women.  I think on average men tend to be a lot more looks oriented than women when it comes down to them actually getting together.  I'm not saying that it doesn't help in the initial attraction stage, but it can be overcome.

I agree.  Think about how many times you've been out in public and saw a drop-dead gorgeous woman who was with a guy who was just butt-ugly.  You hardly ever see the opposite scenario.

[Vin]

Finding a woman like that, that you yourself are physically attracted to can a times be a challenge.  In all honesty, a lot of us will sit and say, hair and money don't matter, why are women so superficial - but how many of us would date a woman that is say 50-100 lbs overweight?  If a woman is not physically attracted to me because of my hairloss, I don't fault her on it, because there are some women that I am not physically attracted to either.  I just move on to the next.

It's hard to compare what men would do versus women.  I think on average men tend to be a lot more looks oriented than women when it comes down to them actually getting together.  I'm not saying that it doesn't help in the initial attraction stage, but it can be overcome.

true - good point Tyler.

[Josh_ua]

Well said Marz.

[kojakJR]

God never gives you more than you can handle... although his timing could be better.

Marz so true bro

[D.A.L.U.I.]

"Hey, getting old sucks monkey balls. Just my two cents.
[/quote]

But as Mark Twain wisely observed on being asked what it was like to be, I think it was, 93, "Not bad, considering the alternative!"