Coworker with hair loss. Should I get involved?

[Morbo]

Basically what PatientlyWaiting said. I think hairloss is something very personal. I don't like people intruding on my hairloss 'problem', so unless they would specifically ask me for my opinion I would never comment on theirs.

I happen to have two new collegues at work who are 21 and 22 years old, who I get along with very well, and coincidently they both have severe thinning at the back of their head (you know the 'monk' haircut). I haven't commented on it and I probably never will. They probably have family members who made them aware of it, reminding them again will just be hurtful.

[Notcoolanymore]

UK, I am sorry finasteride screwed you up. I really am. I am not going to give you the usual crap that I give you anti fin guys, because what has happened to you is serious stuff and can happen to anyone. I also agree that the treatment options available are garbage. I hate the fact that I have to take this crap for the rest of my life. I hate drugs of all types and would rarely even use aspirin.

But like I mentioned in a thread earlier today, if you were to approach me 15 years ago (when I still had a good amount of hair), and told me the only thing that could possibly save my hair was fin, I would say I would rather go bald. Today, being faced with a reflection that I am unsatisfied with, I feel I have no other choice but to at least give fin a try and see what it can do for me. Hopefully I don't have the same issues that you have had.

I hear what you are saying though. If I had sexual sides I would be one pissed off guy too.

[UK_]

There are no decent options in treating hair loss, finasteride is a shitty drug that ruined my life, it's essentially chemical castration, it targets a host of other enzymes that play a part in the production of dozens of essential hormones and neurosteroids involved in proper sexual function. Merck wants you to believe finasteride is just 5AR inhibition and nothing else, that's complete bullshit, and all the new research is proving it.

The guy at your workplace is probably smart enough to understand that sacrificing healthy sexual function for a full head of hair is an idiotic choice. Finasteride doesnt just impact sexual function, neurosteroids and chemicals in the brain are also altered, I personally felt like a brain-dead depressed zombie in the weeks I was consuming that poison, and I've never been the same since, my visual spatial and mathematical ability were also far superior before I took the drug, I used to be a real quick thinker, on the ball, and since Finasteride, the brain fog and slow thought process hasnt really left. It's a horrid drug for old men with prostate cancer and BPH. STAY AWAY.

[Notcoolanymore]

In other words, if a person approaches me about their hair loss and seems affected by it and expresses their frustration to me, then I will give that person advice.

Thanks guys, I really appreciate all of your input on this. I think I will hold off on saying anything to him. Maybe he will notice that I have grown some hair back and ask me about it. It sounds like it is better if he initiates any hair loss dialogue.

[PatientlyWaiting]

In other words, if a person approaches me about their hair loss and seems affected by it and expresses their frustration to me, then I will give that person advice.

[PatientlyWaiting]

I think hair loss is very personal. If some one wants to do something about it they would start researching from the bottom, by them self. I started with Procerin, then Rogaine, then Propecia, then ******* 15% minoxidil, then generic fin, then generic minox, dutasteride and finally FUE in a couple of months. I did this all by myself, as far as doing my own research. Of course I wasn't really "alone", I had a lot of support and advice from the forums. But in the end what I mean by doing it on my own is that signed up on my own and invested time in reading a thousand threads throughout 4 different forums.

I told one person about Propecia and Rogaine, who is my best friend. I explained the details to him and he blew it off and said he won't use those drugs. He was afraid when I said first your hair will shed to come back stronger. He is now completely bald at 25 years old, I think he's a NW6. I'm never telling any one about it again unless it's on a hairloss forum or the person seems serious about trying hair loss drugs out.

[Notcoolanymore]

You're right. I notice a lot of anti Fin comments cine from guys still in the comfort zone so to speak. As I have been. But getting more and more comments is alarming and hurting too often these days.

True story: I went to see my grandmother about 5 months ago. She is not your typical grandmother, all nice and sweet, she says what is on her mind. Well during my last visit she turned to my sister and said: "I thought you said (my name omitted) was bald, he doesn't look that bad". They actually were discussing my hair loss behind my back.

[Jcm800]

You're right. I notice a lot of anti Fin comments cine from guys still in the comfort zone so to speak. As I have been. But getting more and more comments is alarming and hurting too often these days.

[Notcoolanymore]

Yeah her husband ironically is short bald and fat, might have to remind her off that fact in future..

Times like that make finasteride more tempting.

You will make your final decision on fin when the time is right. 15 years ago and I would probably be anti fin like many around here. When I started(6 months ago) I was at the critical point: Treatment options suck, take what is currently available or accept going slick bald.

[Jcm800]

You should have pointed out something on her that wasn't great. Oh wait, you would have gotten fired. I forgot that pointing out someone's hair loss is exempt when it comes to workplace harassment.

Yeah her husband ironically is short bald and fat, might have to remind her off that fact in future..

Times like that make finasteride more tempting.

[Notcoolanymore]

It depends. I was one to one with a thinning guy my age. Next day a girl at work pointed at my crown, to let me know I'm thinning. Like I needed reminding, that just fkn hurt and upset me deep down, I just smiled and tried to forget it. But it'll bug me forever now. She doesn't realise just how much that did hurt.

You should have pointed out something on her that wasn't great. Oh wait, you would have gotten fired. I forgot that pointing out someone's hair loss is exempt when it comes to workplace harassment.

[Notcoolanymore]

Let him be if you are not friends. Most likely outcome....he will not take advantage of advice. + is he the type to use it against you later? "This guy tried to talk to me about baldness pills, he takes them" etc

I started a thread in Rants about a NW5 coworker who has been at my work longer than me but gets treated like crap. I keep expecting him to get fired but he still f*cking works there. He has other problems besides hair (does not take great care of himself in general + kind of awkward socially) but for awhile his situation was making my hair anxiety much worse
I have never even considered giving him advice on his appearance or hair, he is smart enough to use Google as ryan555 has said

Interesting point about possibly using the "help" against me. Didn't think about that. I probably should think about making it known that I take hair loss drugs. I will probably be known as the guy taking propecia that suffers from ED.

I remember that thread you started. Surprised that guy still works there since you said he is a poor performer.

[Jcm800]

It depends. I was one to one with a thinning guy my age. Next day a girl at work pointed at my crown, to let me know I'm thinning. Like I needed reminding, that just fkn hurt and upset me deep down, I just smiled and tried to forget it. But it'll bug me forever now. She doesn't realise just how much that did hurt.

[Notcoolanymore]

If he doesn't know how to Google "hair loss treatments," then there is no helping him. Trust me, if he's concerned about it, he will seek out and find information. By the way, how would this be different than going up to an overweight person and giving them fitness advice? I say mind your own business. If nothing else, it's a really bad idea to get personal with coworkers.

I see your point, but it is not always this simple. Keep in mind that I have seen two different doctors that told me there was nothing I could do about my hair loss. I could be wrong, but I will assume that these doctors are intelligent enough to use google, since they did graduate from medical school. Also, I have heard Spencer K. mention a few times that people who are pretty well off(millionaires) are asking him for hair loss advice, so it is not always the case that if you are uninformed, then you must be an idiot.

I didn't treat my hair loss for years. I definitely heard about available treatments, just didn't think they were worth a damn. It wasn't until I got desperate that I actually started doing research and found this forum.

To respond to your question about giving an overweight person fitness advice, I could see it not being offensive in certain circumstances. If a person that was out of shape him/herself, I think it would go over better. The same goes for people who are losing hair. I wouldn't personally be offended if a person suffering from hair loss approached me and discussed treatments. There are ways to try to help people without coming across as a D-bag. You don't have to give help by saying: "Damn you fat f***, you need to hit the gym" or "hey kojak, get a wig".

Lastly, I agree 100% about getting personal with coworkers. Even the most simple innocent comment can get your a$$ fired.

[25 going on 65]

I have been thinking about this topic for about a week now. Maybe some of you can chime in with your experiences and thoughts.

I have this coworker that recently buzzed his head and I noticed his extensive hair loss. He covered it up pretty well before with a comb over. I did notice his crown loss prior to him buzzing his head, but didn't realize how bad the loss really was. I would say he is diffused NW4, in his early thirties. This coworker and I aren't close friends or anything like that, we just talk here and there.

Do you guys think I should get involved and tell him about available treatments? Should I just leave it alone and not get him involved in all this insanity? Have any of you ever given unsolicited hair loss advice? Maybe it is too late to save my coworker, but what about earlier norwoods? What is the protocol on giving hair loss advice?

I wish somebody would have given me advice years ago. A family member, friend, casual acquaintance, anybody. What do you guys think?

Let him be if you are not friends. Most likely outcome....he will not take advantage of advice. + is he the type to use it against you later? "This guy tried to talk to me about baldness pills, he takes them" etc

I started a thread in Rants about a NW5 coworker who has been at my work longer than me but gets treated like crap. I keep expecting him to get fired but he still f*cking works there. He has other problems besides hair (does not take great care of himself in general + kind of awkward socially) but for awhile his situation was making my hair anxiety much worse
I have never even considered giving him advice on his appearance or hair, he is smart enough to use Google as ryan555 has said