Sly Bald Guys Forum
Discussions About Being Bald => To be or not be...Bald => Topic started by: Ryukil on October 18, 2013, 01:40:19 AM
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Well, I wasn't really sure where to post this. I just want some advice. I don't really want to shave my head, at least not yet. Maybe in a few years, or if treatment works not until I'm around 30. Maybe then I'll even keep the crown. But I just want to show some pics:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/208/bq16.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/833/mt6y.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/41/su1i.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/802/wijc.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/546/vyhm.jpg/
Here's an older pic for comparison:
http://imageshack.us/f/28/bwit.jpg/
I seriously just had no idea it was even going. My dad always told me I would have until around 30. I have chronic anxiety problems, and think it's possible that they could have contributed. Maybe it wouldn't have looked like it does now until I was 23 or 24 otherwise. Like I have been keyed up for the past 10 years pretty much due to generalized anxiety disorder. I never knew that stress could contribute though, until I started researching it recently...
I'm going to get an appointment with a dermatologist and try to get some finasteride. Maybe I will try Rogaine as well.
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And yes, I have always had a higher hairline, but not as high as it is now. Plus it's receded in the temples...
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Yes, chronic stress will cause this to happen to you. The kind of thinning you have is classic for that. You are not alone in that. I'd not do the finasteride, but the minoxidil may help.
Are you seeing someone about the GADCSS? You may need to take an SSRI or even a benzodiazipine like Xanax. That will be key in treatment program.
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Yes, chronic stress will cause this to happen to you. The kind of thinning you have is classic for that. You are not alone in that. I'd not do the finasteride, but the minoxidil may help.
Are you seeing someone about the GADCSS? You may need to take an SSRI or even a benzodiazipine like Xanax. That will be key in treatment program.
I have been on a bunch of sh*t over the years, mostly SSRIs and have tried Xanax (didn't really help). I have an appointment with a psychiatrist in about a month, and am thinking of trying another benzo and maybe a MAOI (since I have OCD too which factors into my other issues).
I'm still working on self-therapy, like I have been for years, and trying to get into breathing exercises, meditation, and that stuff.
So I'm thinking my constant, high levels of anxiety may have caused me to recede earlier. Obviously my hairline can't grow back, but do you think if I get my anxiety under control some of the gaps in there could grow back? I have no doubt I will go completely bald at some point in my life, but I just wish it were like ten years from now...I'm only 20, I have yet to live.
I don't think the recession is terribly bad (am I in denial?), since I have always had a high hairline, and I can see by the miniaturized hairs that it wasn't that much further forward than it is now, so I'm hoping that Rogaine will help.
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If your stress goes down and you aren't pulling (some OCD patients do when stressed) it should all regrow including the receded part if that was not due to MPB. There is no damage to those follicles they just went dormant due to stress hormone levels. You don't need to expend energy growing hair that could be used to fend off danger, which your body thinks you are in due to your constantly high stress levels.
You need to find medication that works and a way to reduce the constant anxiety. Bio feedback, relaxation exercises, a support group, group therapy, individual therapy. Joining a church, synagogue, temple, mosque, philosophical agnostics meeting, etc.
I know these people here will be support too, but people with your condition need real, live, breathing, people, not just computer screens with words. I know it's not easy, but it is worth it.
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Well, it's not as if my hairline just receded in a period of a few months. If I look at photos, this is something that has been occurring for at least two years. I just didn't realize it until a few months ago. Like I said, I wasn't expecting to go bald until my late 20s. I read on Wikipedia that "emotional stress can accelerate the MPB process in genetically susceptible individuals." So obviously I have had a lot of stress for years, and obviously I'm genetically susceptible... So I'm just thinking that MPB maybe started earlier in me due to my anxiety. Maybe it would have started at 21, instead of around 18, and I would be where I am now at 23 or 24. I doubt that the anxiety could have accelerated it all by 10 years.
But yeah...
So obviously getting my anxiety under control won't move my hairline back up...I'm just thinking that maybe the miniaturized hairs will grow back and my hair might thicken. But honestly, I haven't been able to stop my anxiety for years, doesn't seem like I'll be able to stop it anytime soon (but that's negative thinking...).
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Don't take what you read on Wikipedia as the Gospel truth.
Your hair is receding but you are far from bald. It may seem to you like it's going rapidly but it is a gradual process. My hairline started creeping back when I was about your age. I thought it was going quickly but it took about 15 years to get to the point where it was noticeable enough that I had to do something about it (i.e., shave it).
Find a good barber and get him to cut your hair in a style that is flattering -- even if that means exposing a little forehead. Get it cut regularly to keep it looking tidy and forget the drugs. Mother Nature will win out as she always does but remember that you have a long way to go before your hair loss becomes apparent to the world at large. When it does, you hopefully will have found a way to get your anxiety under control. There is more to you than just your hair; it isn't worth stressing over.
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I don't know. It looks pretty bad to me.
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You need to ease up on yourself. You still have plenty of hair. If you're not running you hands through it trying to point out what you see as being 'wrong' with it, no one will even notice. You are making your stress levels even worse worrying about something that is truly not as bad as what you think it is...
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But all those big gaps...
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I agree with Razor X. You have a hairline that would benefit greatly from a proper haircut from a good stylist. It could be styled in a way that really flatters you, perhaps go a bit shorter. Your hair doesn't look bad at all, no need to freak out. Your hairline reminds me of Jude Law's in the way your temples are receeding, maybe try googling some pictures of him for some styling inspiration.
Try not to worry about it dude, you look great. I see lots of guys with similar hair, it looks like a mature hairline more than anything else. And honestly I don't see any difference in your old picture. I seriously doubt anxiety is the source of your hair loss. From what I've read anxiety usually results in temporary radical hairloss which grows back after anxiety levels are down. When it's slow and continuing over a long period of time it's almost always genetic.
And some years down the road when/if the day comes that it's time to let your hair go I promise you that it won't matter. I'm 26 and mostly bald, started shaving around 6 months ago and honestly no aspect of my life has changed (dating, professional or friendships) because of my hair loss. In fact more women my age seem to find it a turn on than a turn off and I seem to be getting more respect at my job because of my more masculine look.
Good luck.
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I don't know. It looks pretty bad to me.
The rest of the world won't be scrutinizing your head the way you do yourself. You'd be amazed at the things people don't notice.
Hair isn't important. There are plenty of successful, good-looking and happy people who don't have hair. It is surprisingly easy to just get on with things once the hair is gone. You may feel otherwise now, but your perspective will change with time and maturity.
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OK stop. You are giving into your GAD by pursuing this. We are feeding it by continuing to let you awfulize this. It isn't bad. You don't like it. What will you do to change that?
@Alex, what you say is true of acute stress, but he has generalized anxiety disorder with CHRONIC stress lasting over a ten year period. His hair loss is almost certainly due to the high levels of cortisol, arginine vasopressin, and dihydroepiandrosterone sulfate metabolite over a prolonged period of time. These will NOT cause MPB. Razor X is right, wikipedia gets it wrong more often than right.
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Here are some more pictures because blah:
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/854/jymh.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/690/qtbl.jpg/
And here's the "island" starting to form, a la Jude Law: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/594/1y3w.jpg/
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OK, well, yes, looking at your photo's, it does appear that your hair is starting to recede. But..like a lot of the other guys have said, you still have plenty of hair. It's the style that is drawing attention to it..though to be honest, if I passed you in the street I wouldnt give it a second thought!
Go to a decent hair stylists and ask them for some advice as to what style would work best.
Ive had anxiety on and off for years, it's horrendous. But seriously, you look fine!
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My first tip is doing walking artound pulling your head back off your forehead and then people won't notice.
My second tip is cut the sides and get some decent shape and style into your hair, you have enough at the moment to not worry at all. You might in the future but not yet. If you do buzz your head it will show the high hairline more, so keep the hair but style it
The good news is that you're a good looking guy that that'll make the transition to shaved, when it needs to happen you won't have any problems if you yourself embrace it.
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Well said Razor and others Being bald is not all that bad. Being without hair is not the end of the world.
Good luck with managing your stress. I have had too much stress at times. I have pretty much learned how to manage it and it is a life long process.. Hang in there. Things will get better.
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A shorter haircut could be an option for now until the recessing gets real bad....maybe a taper or bald fade could be worth a try. Good luck with whatever you decide.
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Here's my hair from almost two years ago:
http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/1723/w3dt.jpg
Apparently my hair receded at like 17 or something and I didn't notice...lol
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1. I think your hair looks OK, better with the beard.
You could shave it now (keep the beard), or go shorter and shave it later.
Or just wait and see what it does.
I had far less hair when I finally shaved mine all off.
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Thanks everyone for all the advice.
I plan to start Propecia soon. I have an appointment with the dermatologist on Wednesday.
I know you guys won't endorse that, since this is a site dedicated to shaving your head, but I am very curious to see what happens. I may get regrowth...I've read that regrowth can be very substantial if hair loss has occurred in the past five years or so, which, me being so young, it of course has.
Anyway, hopefully it doesn't make me turn into a woman or whatever.
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Good luck with that...I only pray that you get the results that you seek. Hopefully no side affects will occur.
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Ryukil - It's your head, and if you want to try to keep your hair, go for it. But there's been a lot of reports of long-term and possibly permanent side effects from Propecia including loss of libido, sexual dysfunction and drops in testosterone levels. Be sure you talk to your doctor about it - but also do your own research and then decide if the risk is worth it for you.
Here's a story on the subject from ABC News:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/baldness-drug-propecia-long-lasting-possibly-permanent-sexual/story?id=16758123
Good luck with whatever you decide
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Think about it this way:
Would you rather rock a bold, masculine hairstyle that won't detract from your ability to live your life... or be impotent and low on testosterone, but with a full head of hair?(and the full head of hair is an extremely unlikely result, your gunna lose it one way or another unless a legitimate solution is developed). your just delaying the inevitable with propencia, and opening yourself up to a world of hurt at the same time and being wed to popping pills for however long you want to keep your hair.
Thats the decision you gotta live with one way or another. you might escape the side affects, but you may not as well. Personally, I'll take the shaved head over not being able to get it up or having the desire to bang, every day of the week and twice on sunday. Women don't care about the hair on your head, they do care very much about you being able to satisfy them/desiring them, but do whatever you gotta do.
"Some of the men took the drug for a few weeks, others took it for years, but all of them reported side effects such as erectile dysfunction, decreased sexual drive, problems with orgasms, shrinking and painful genitals, even some neurological problems, such as depression, anxiety and mental fogginess.
For 96 percent of the men, the sexual problems lasted for more than a year after they stopped taking the drug."
Is it really worth it? We don't ultimately care if you take it or not, it doesn't directly affect us. But when a bad idea is a bad idea, good people don't stand by and do nothing, they speak up and let the person know its a bad idea. Propencia is a bad idea.
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Chronic stress does not cause male pattern baldness, that is a myth.
If your hair was falling out in random patches, I would say stress related could be true. But from your pics it looks like male pattern baldness.
It's genetics sadly, same thing happened to me at a younger age than you, I had less hair than you at 15.
It doesn't look like your Crown is shedding yet. So I would worry about shaving until that happens.
Don't believe anybody telling you it's stress related, or fungus related. I heard the same bull when I was younger. When in truth I was a care free kid, only started stressing after my hair kept falling out. It's genetic.