Do I have MPB or is it stress?

[appleguy]

I'd really appreciate some help on this as I am going out of my mind.

I am 32.
My hair receded at the temples so I have a mild M on my head. Basically A norwood scale 2
This happened in 2006 and it hasn't moved an inch since, learned to live with it.

Last year I was SERIOUSLY in trouble, financially. I was under threat of blackmail, debt, very important projects I was working on were failing and I fell into depression and anxiety.
It got so bad when the phone went or an email popped through my guts would go. Terror all day, every day and this lasted for nine months until October of last year.

I managed to get the situation sorted and the anxiety/depression at least the BULK of it went. I thought I was totally alright but since then I still feel on edge a lot of the time, I still get low and afraid easily, I fidget, I have a touch of ED in the sex department due to racing thoughts ALL the time.
Feel like my heads full of static.
I don't think it's as full blown as it was because I get excited about workign on projects again whereas before I hated the idea of leaving my room but that's only because most of the bad events have slowed down or stopped.

So I realised I wasn't out of the woods yet.

Anyway several months ago I noticed the top of my head thinning dramatically. It's about a third thinner than it was but every where else it is thick wavy hair.
The hair loss starts from the crown to one third along the top of my head.

I only have a few pics from the end of 2008 - start 2009 of the top of my head but from what I can tell it was more or less all there.
So this started around the time I was stressed and depressed

No one else in my family has had hair loss like this although there is hairloss and everyone except me has thin fine hair apart from me and my mothers grandad (who died with a full head of hair, never even went grey.)

I know if it is anxiety and it is a form of Alopecia it will grow back.

1. Was this caused by the anxiety and how can I tell for sure?
2. If this was caused by the anxiety shouldn't it have grown back by now or is it still because it is lingering on (even if 25% of what it was).
3. What can I do about it? I have been trying to get rid of anxiety for months.
4. Hair feels greasy all the time what's that about?
4. If your hairloss stabilises at the front shouldn't the stability hold everywhere?

Any comments would be greatfully accepted.

[ohlife]

Hey dude,

Yeah I'd say it's stress related - go to the doctor about it, he might be able to give you advice/medication.

Actually your case interests me..

I know I have the onset of MPB, noticed about a year ago. Anyway, only probably a NW2 but has been fine up until last two months. In that time, my hair loss has been insane - like, around 200 a day; moreover, my head has been insanely greasy and itchy. Went to the doc.. He thinks the big escalation is possibly down to massive stress which would be a result of me being at university and having exams etc.. would seem to fit the timescale.

Anyway, main point is that if you can sort the stress issues out, that hair should come back. Either way you should go to your doc and make sure it is stress related and not another form of hair loss

[appleguy]

I'd be happy to keep you updated. I'm going to the doc to arrange a test which Ive heard can be done through a dermatologist.

I thinkthe condition is called Telogen Effluvium.

And it says hairloss can start 3 months after the events and last 6 - 9 months afterwards even a year before you start to grow back.

I haven't noticed lots of hairloss from there but with the above condition it happens like thinning out, you don't exactly shed loads so it's noticeable.

I hope to God this is all it is cause at least I know it will grow back.

[ohlife]

Me too, got an appointment soon so i'll likewise keep you posted.

[ohlife]

I've always been under the impression that I've had MPB, seeing as I've noticed the effects mostly in the crown and temples, but this is very interesting:

In chronic telogen effluvium, there is persistent or cyclical diffuse hair loss and inability to grow the hair long. The hair cycle is reset with a shortened anagen period.

Chronic telogen effluvium does not alter the overall thickness of the hair. In fact, shedding tends to be more noticeable in those with thick, long hair – this is because they notice it more than those with shorter, finer hair.

There are often fluctuations in severity (cyclical diffuse hair shedding) reminiscent of moulting in other mammals.

Telogen effluvium does not cause baldness, although it may unmask a genetic tendency to genetic balding i.e. female pattern hair loss , or in men, male pattern hair loss. Thus, bi-temporal recession is common (high forehead).

Says that it can 'unmask' or perhaps awaken MPB, thus explaining how it can still lead to a higher amount of shedding at the temples. Anyway, not a good thing, but if you can get it back on track, better than having severe MPB. Will have to wait and see how things turn out.

[appleguy]

I'll be finding out this Friday.

There's also a self diagnosis test you can do which is to pinch between you thumb and forefinger a clump of hair and give it a few yanks.

1-3 hairs coming otu is normal 4-5 and above isn't and is potentially TE

Also seeing hairs with clubs at the bottom is a sign.

This is what I'm seeing as well as lots of shedding.

Here's hoping.

[Serge808]

I wish u the best of luck bro cuz I sorta can understand at least a bit half way
Cuz I too had and still do have anxiety and depression all the time and
I still can't completely tell what my hairloss is caused by. And I too had the terrible stressand anxiety problems that were about a year and a half or so ago. So several months later
I was hella shedding from everywhere i would lose he'll of lot of hair I could just run my hand through myhead and get like 50 hairs out every dam time.
I sorta wish I new what exactly what's wrong u know even though my doctor prescribed me proscar tabs. I don't
even for sure know that it's helping becuz I'm still losing alot of hair every moth it feels thinner and thinner and I can even
see my scalp. anyway I just started on spectral dnc this minox based product Wich comes with alot of hopefuy good herbs and vitamines wich then are encapsulated into microspheres wich are supposed to work to some extent better than regular minox It supper to Be used for different kinds of hairlosses at
least that's what it says on the directions. That It work well to
improve those who have hairloss do to to stress, so either way I'll see what's up in 3 moths after this product. Anyway I still got hope and I really hope ur codition gets better.

[Serge808]

Sorry guys if it's terrible to understand I know I misspelled whole buch it is just this on my iPod.

[Fruit59]

Victim,

I am not sure if its anti fungal or not, none of the products have any sort of different label to help distinguish them from each other.

One is a scalp pack which is like a thick hand cream which you have to place on your scalp and leave it in for 1 hour then shampoo it out.

The other is a shampoo which you use 3 times a week.

Lastly there is a Nanex OP spray which we spray on our scalp before we go to bed. This does not require to be washed out.

Apple might know if its anti fungal or not.

Cheers F59