18 and severe temple loss :(

[concerned]

Hi, I'm 18 and about a year ago I noticed my hairline was becoming pretty bad.
My family just shrugged it off saying "Ohhh it's just stress, it'll grow back", and I listened to them.

Today, my temples aren't much worse than they were last October (if they've changed at all), but I'm really tired of having my hair off to the side and have weird gaps. Surely you guys know the problems with temples :\

I've never taken propecia or anything. I suspect I probably should have taken proscar or propecia when I started to notice a difference, but I kept my hair long throughout high school and never really noticed it.

Every day I notice quite a few more hairs come out than I like. Maybe it's just because my hair is long that I notice it, but it sure is alarming. I've read that 100-150 is average, and I don't think I have near that.. but those figures seem complete bullshit.

Now, I kind of want to rock shorter hairstyles and this is really embarrassing.

What should I do? Look into hairstyles that cover up my temple loss? Look into propecia? Talk to a hair transplant place for their consultation?

I'm really at a loss here. I have a hairline exactly what my grandfather did, but he was in his 60s when I was born. He didn't have hairloss until his 40s.
That's on my mom's side. My uncle, whom I take after a lot genetically, doesn't have a hairline as bad as mine (but he has balding on top).

On my dad's side, my father is 53 and has a full head of hair with a perfect hairline. How'd I get so screwed? LOL

Anyway, here's pics.

There are my hair today.




These are what I have from October 2009.


This was very late October, after I shaved my head for the first time.
I don't really want to do that again.


Any guidance would be very appreciated.

[Don'tDoIt]

concerned, do NOT get a hair transplant. I got one and I regret it. Accept that you are receding. You still look great.

[concerned]

I'm sorry to hear that you had a bad transplant. I've read quite a few horror stories.

Unfortunately it seems like that's the only option to have a normal hairline. I'm barely 18 and it's really starting to get to me.

I know they're prohibitively expensive for most, but it's down to the point where it's all I think about. It might drive it into depression eventually if something isn't solved :\

[concerned]

Jude Law seems to be able to look pretty good with a similar hairline, but he has hair that comes forward on the sides that I don't seem to have.

Mine looks like you chopped off all hair from the beginning of my ears back, then took a razor to the middle of my head in the temple areas :\

[Don'tDoIt]

concerned, you mention that a hair transplant may be your "...only hope for normal hairline."

Please realize that you already HAVE a normal hairline. Sure, it is receding, but it is NORMAL. If you get a hair transplant, it is only THEN that you will then have an abnormal hairline. And you are way too young to be getting a transplant. If you get one, you will be even more self-conscious about your hair, wondering if it looks natural.

Also, if you get a hair transplant, you are going to be chasing your hair loss over the next ten years, with the transplanted hairs getting "left behind" as you lose hair around the tranplanted hairs. For this reason, you will end up having more and more procedures and spending more and more money.

Buzz your hair short. Accept your receding hairline. You still look good and you would look good bald. Do not mutilate your head with a hair transplant. I wish I was in your shoes with the opportunity to decide again. I regret my hair transplant. The bottom line? Don't do it.

[Winston]

First of all you should see a doctor about your hair loss. Starting propecia should probably be your first step before you even consider hair transplantation. Since you are still so young, it’s unlikely any reputable hair transplant surgeon would perform a hair transplant on you anyway, but there will always be doctors who just want your money, so if you are curious you should only consider IAHRS doctors . I understand why Don'tDoit might be bitter about his decision, but I think if he went to a reputable surgeon for a consultation it’s possible that he might not have ever had the surgery performed. Personally I think you are far to young for a hair transplant since you have no idea how far or how fast you are going to progress in your hair loss.