Early vs. Late-Onset MPB

[dog20]

I'm young and bald, it sucks feeling like an outcast... I don't know many young bald guys but its also cool knowing that hair loss isn't a concern of mine now.

[Razor X]

I'm young and bald, it sucks feeling like an outcast... I don't know many young bald guys but its also cool knowing that hair loss isn't a concern of mine now.

These days you don't have to feel like an outcast.  15 or 20 years ago it was a different story.  But today, I think it would be kind of cool to be college age and be one of the few completely bald guys on campus.

[Tor]

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)

    

[blondeguy]

I'm young and bald, it sucks feeling like an outcast... I don't know many young bald guys but its also cool knowing that hair loss isn't a concern of mine now.

I like being an outcast, even if I'm really not...the bald look is popular today.

[marty22]

To Blondeguy: Its great to be an outcast at your age. 30 years ago it was long hair.

[Northernlion]

people who say they'd rather have late onset MPB have the spirit of the forum completely backwards

saying it that way with the sentiment being that you wish you had it longer because it gave you a better life or more enjoyment or something is totally wrong.

[time2shine]

people who say they'd rather have late onset MPB have the spirit of the forum completely backwards

saying it that way with the sentiment being that you wish you had it longer because it gave you a better life or more enjoyment or something is totally wrong.

amen.

[slyinglide]

I think it all boils down to a persons vanity and what he thinks.  When I was in my late teens, early 20's, I was going bald very fast, but I did not care.  I was more concerned with other things going on in my life. My hair was not then, and is not now important to me.

People need to know now, that unless you are a movie star, or a super model, looks only go so far.

As the comedian Ron White would say "You can't fix stupid"

[Phil Man]

I now think its for the best that it happened to me during my twenties. Its best to get it out of the way sooner rather than later.

I do sympathize with those that deal with it during their teens. There are a lot of things during that time that you're anxious about and having mpb in addition to those could not have been easy. It always helps to talk openly about it with someone though even though that person is not going through the same thing. Its just nice to get it off your chest.

[Dome of Steele]

About it being "in style":  I think that might be true in Europe. I visited Sweden last summer and it seems like a ton of guys were sporting either the buzzed or the sly look in various cities. 

About old vs young, I would say it's definitely worse to go through with it when you're young.  I thought I was superman, then I saw signs of MPB and my eyes started going bad in the same few months.  I realized I was no longer a perfect invincible human being. 

You older guys seeing it from a mature older man's perspective might make you forget what it's like to be in the vain social world of the 25 and below world; when you need all the confidence you can get to get the courage to do well with the ladies and excel in your career. 

Nevertheless, going sly helps you deal with it and move on to conquer the rest of life.  It lets you take the situation into your own hands instead of buying some rip-off snake oil. 

Steele
IU

[marty22]

extremely difficult to deal with in my 20's; however, I prefer zero to any hair at all nowadays.

[jh099]

I'd much rather be losing it later than sooner. I started losing my hair about a year ago when I was 20, and I'm usually the only guy my age in the room with hair that's visibly thinning. Sometimes that's very hard for me to deal with, especially since when I was in my teens I kept my hair a little on the long side and it was so thick I could hardly deal with it sometimes. I liked my hair a lot, and I think that's why MPB hitting me so early hurt me as much as it did.

On the positive side, I'm blessed with good friends who have the decency not to make fun of me for it or even mention it, but there was a period of time when I hated going out in public except at night because I felt humiliated that I was losing my hair so young, and nobody my age that I knew was going through the same thing. Since then I've gotten better about dealing with it by adopting the attitude that anyone who doesn't like it or wants to make a remark about it can piss off. It feels good to have gotten back some of my confidence, and I hope to keep building it up until I'm comfortable with going sly.

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

When I started law school at gthe age of 21, we had two guys who were already "profoundly" bald, I mean not a shred, wisp or shadow just skin from forehead to the back of the head.  They had been losing it all through college.  There were several others with wispy combovers, and I had the fine start to a "hole" in my head.  When my daughter was in college she had a real crush on a guy who wouldn't take off his hat, he was almost entirely bald by his second year of college.  There are lots of guys who go profoundly bald at an early age, but fortunately now it's entirely acceptable and even an "in" look to sport a shaved head.  So you're fortunate to live now, to have a socially acceptable, even fashionable option to deal with nature's gift. 
We all are. And I, for one, wish I had had the conviction to do it, at least buzz it, 10 years earlier before it became so patchy I had to move straight on, shocking my friends and family.  But, they've accepted it. I'm happy looking good--it does wonders for hiding grey hair . and I save lots of money on barber fees, shampoo, brushes, hair dryers, hair spray.  Good deal, I think, but I do wish I'd done this a lot earlier.

[Razor X]

I'd much rather be losing it later than sooner. I started losing my hair about a year ago when I was 20, and I'm usually the only guy my age in the room with hair that's visibly thinning. Sometimes that's very hard for me to deal with, especially since when I was in my teens I kept my hair a little on the long side and it was so thick I could hardly deal with it sometimes. I liked my hair a lot, and I think that's why MPB hitting me so early hurt me as much as it did.

I hate to break it to you, but 20 years from now you're still going to be outnumbered by the hairy guys.  There will be some more of them by then, to be sure, but I still quite often find that I'm the only bald/shaved guy in a room.  That was really my original point; that it's kind of a blessing to have the opportunity to get over that early in life.

[DuffRyder17]

people who say they'd rather have late onset MPB have the spirit of the forum completely backwards

saying it that way with the sentiment being that you wish you had it longer because it gave you a better life or more enjoyment or something is totally wrong.

amen.

The Point is... atleast what I am experiencing is... I'm learning to love myself for who I am now. I am letting go of superficial ideals at a young age, and finding real purpose and happiness now. I am finding out now who my real friends are and who is a real prospective mate now... rather than finding out later that I am shallow person who cares about all the wrong things, and being married to someone would have "loved" me for the wrong reasons.
that is the "consolation"... in my opinion that kind of closure is more of a divine gift than a consolation