Anyone who has my type of hairloss?

[Morbo]

This is the first time since I started balding that I've taken actual pictures of my hair. I'm 27 and I started (noticeably) balding about a year ago when I went to get a haircut and I suddenly noticed this (very minor) bald spot on the left side of my head. First I didn't think much about about it, untill half a year later I suddenly noticed this bald spot getting slowly bigger and bigger. It was only 2 months later when I found a sort-like small bald spot on my right side as well, that I was aware I was truly growing bald very fast. The past months the bald spots on both sides have been getting bigger and bigger and now they're growing towards each also uncovering the center.

So basically I posted these pictures to see if there are any other people on this forum with the same baldness I have. I have been reading a lot of stories, but none so far I can really relate to.

Most people seem to be growing bald at their center first, at the back of their head or have a receding hairline, but rarely do they start at the side.
I've been growing bald rather fast and steady, but I've never been massively shedding like I've read in other stories, never had an chucks of hair or in my hands, or on the pillow of my bed. My hair just has been getting thinner and thinner untill it's gone.

Anyone in a likewise situation? What's my Norwood Scale?
I'm not taking any drugs atm, so how will the loss progress and when do you guys reckon I should shave it off?

Cheers

[StressedToTheBald]

I'm way much worse than You. I'm at least 4 if not 5 on Norwood.
You have visible thinning but Your hairlines are not receding and You have no round balding crown. My guess.. You're still early on.. maybe 1 or 2 Norwood.

[MackJames]

My thinning is identical to yours. I am a little further along , not by much, but I am also thirty-four. I showed the picture to my wife and she concurred with my assessment. I didn't noticed my hair was thinning until about thirty or so and the progress has been slow. A hole appeared on one side of my scalp first and then a second hole on the opposite side. The hair began to thin from hole to hole, meeting in the middle. The side that begin to thin first is noticeably thinner (to me) than the other side.

Last year I got on Propecia and I've noticed the thinning has not progressed further and there has been some hair regrowth. The regrowth was minor but I am still only nine months into treatment. People will tell you that they experienced a ton of side effects on Propecia but I honestly never did.

[Morbo]

My thinning is identical to yours. I am a little further along , not by much, but I am also thirty-four. I showed the picture to my wife and she concurred with my assessment. I didn't noticed my hair was thinning until about thirty or so and the progress has been slow. A hole appeared on one side of my scalp first and then a second hole on the opposite side. The hair began to thin from hole to hole, meeting in the middle. The side that begin to thin first is noticeably thinner (to me) than the other side.

Yeah that sounds exactly like me, cheers mate.
The one side that began thinning is indeed a lot worse. How are you maintaining your haircut btw? So far I've been trimming it down to 6mm on top, 3 mm on the sides and attempting to hide the sides by gelling my hair, but it's getting more difficult each passing month. (since the second bald spot in August, the thinning is going more rapid)

I've not been taking any Propecia because 1 ofcourse the possible side-effects and the chance it gets worse after I stop, 2 the price-tag (I picked up my studies again this year and 3 the fact that I think my hair already looks like crap atm and I can't imagine even - in the best case scenario - 10 % hairgrow still salvaging the situation.

I know it sounds utterly weird, but barely seen any hairloss like ours so far. Good to know I have a fellow compagnon. I was starting to feel like a freak.

[boricotico]

Yeah, mine started also like you, in the left side but you are luckier than me, my hair loss started 15 months ago and first was just in the left side, then month after month all of my top went thin but not as in the left patch, but recently in the last 4 months my right side has become also a problem and these days my frontal center part so as I see you're in a better place than me.

[MackJames]

Yeah that sounds exactly like me, cheers mate.
The one side that began thinning is indeed a lot worse. How are you maintaining your haircut btw? So far I've been trimming it down to 6mm on top, 3 mm on the sides and attempting to hide the sides by gelling my hair, but it's getting more difficult each passing month. (since the second bald spot in August, the thinning is going more rapid)

I've not been taking any Propecia because 1 ofcourse the possible side-effects and the chance it gets worse after I stop, 2 the price-tag (I picked up my studies again this year and 3 the fact that I think my hair already looks like crap atm and I can't imagine even - in the best case scenario - 10 % hairgrow still salvaging the situation.

I know it sounds utterly weird, but barely seen any hairloss like ours so far. Good to know I have a fellow compagnon. I was starting to feel like a freak.

I also style my hair in a similar fashion. I let the top grow a little longer (not to long) and comb is forward so the hair behind the thin line kind of covers up the thinning and two holes some, and then I style the front up a little. In this way, our kind of thinning is advantageous because we still have a hairline and with a little creative styling can conceal the thinning in the middle. I've buzzed my hair down to a two in the past as well.

Being six-three helps as few people are looking down at the top of my scalp. I've debated using dermmatch to see if can conceal thinning but don't want to spend over forty bucks(US) on painting my scalp.

Here is a picture of what my hair looks like buzzed. You can't see the thinning when I am looking straight forward.

[Tracy C]

Hi Morbo,

I have now seen many many of photos of guys and gals with androgenetic alopecia (hereditary hair loss) and none of those patterns look like yours. Have you been to a doctor about it yet? You probably should.

[Morbo]

I also style my hair in a similar fashion. I let the top grow a little longer (not to long) and comb is forward so the hair behind the thin line kind of covers up the thinning and two holes some, and then I style the front up a little. In this way, our kind of thinning is advantageous because we still have a hairline and with a little creative styling can conceal the thinning in the middle. I've buzzed my hair down to a two in the past as well.

Being six-three helps as few people are looking down at the top of my scalp. I've debated using dermmatch to see if can conceal thinning but don't want to spend over forty bucks(US) on painting my scalp.

Here is a picture of what my hair looks like buzzed. You can't see the thinning when I am looking straight forward.

Yeah, I have been using absolutely the same style so far as well.
BTW: from one very manly hetero-sexual man to another, you look great with a short cut dude. Definately suits you
(although I'm aware bald is ofc not the same as short)

Hi Morbo,

I have now seen many many of photos of guys and gals with androgenetic alopecia (hereditary hair loss) and none of those patterns look like yours. Have you been to a doctor about it yet? You probably should.

Hey Tracy, thanks for replying to my post. I often see you posting good advice on these forum so your advice is always appreciated.

tbh I haven't seen a doctor so far. You figure I should?
I have a history of anxiety, so my mother first thought it was through to stress. So she asked our doctor when she was (alone) in for a control check, but he told her hairloss through stress mostly occurs when hair falls out in chunks, which isn't my case, plus I've been going through a rather calm period the last year, I'd suppose the hair would grow back if that were the case?

My scalp has been rather ichy and sometimes reddish after showering as well, but from what I googled that can be rather common when balding I think.

If you figure I should go for a safety check just to make sure; can I visit my house doctor or make an appointment with a dermatologist?

[Amercancer]

Waw, your thinning is exactly like mine, but no body knows much except to take what ever is out there for hair loss. Some people R alot worse. Good luck and if u c a doctor and he tells u what to do please reply.

[Tracy C]

tbh I haven't seen a doctor so far. You figure I should?

Yes. The two FDA approved medications for hair loss that are available are for treating androgenetic alopecia (hereditary hair loss). If your hair loss is not androgenetic alopecia, these medications may not be appropriate for you.

Your pattern is not on either the Norwood or Ludwig scales. This may mean that your hair loss might not be androgenetic alopecia. The first and most important step in treating hair loss is to determine the cause. Sometimes you need the help of doctors to do that. I think your case may be one of those times. It may still be androgenetic alopecia - but it is best to be sure if you can before starting a treatment regimen.

[ChrisBe]

Hi Morbo ,
Your hair loss pattern is not common but we observed quite similar pattern in many patients.They will usually have receding temples with a bridge behind their forelock (keeping their middle frontal hair line intact).
In your case it seems like you started with a patchy spot of thinning and now you have thinning in your temples and they bridge behind not a forelock but a big part of frontal zone .
Before taking medication it is important to get advise from practitioner .In Belgium you have many hairs doctors specialists ( Mwamba ,Devroye ,Bisanga,Ferudini,Lupanzula,Van Este,etc…).