Coping with Hair Loss in Every Day Life

[mnx]

I don't mean to sound rude or anything, but of course it didn't!

For the same reason when I go to my local indoor climbing gym my hair doesn't even enter my mind. I'm so focused on something I enjoy that requires, well, focus heh, that I simply end up not caring about my own hair. This is a good thing. Yes, its always "there" in the back of my mind (evidenced by the fact I notice the balding/bald guys at the gym and the kids with huge amounts of hair) but it doesn't enter my active train of thought.



I'm beginning to realize that the biggest problem we have is a wandering mind. When there is nothing to focus our minds, "hair" comes front and center. Often times this is a mental thing that needs to be overcome.

Monday was a great day for me, I didn't "think" about it at all. Tuesday though? For whatever reason it got into my head on the way into work and just wouldn't leave.

In some ways this forum is good, and others its terrible because it makes us think about the very thing we wish we wouldn't obsess about.

You're right on both counts. To be honest I think I need to stay off this site and stop thinking about my hair.

[NotBelievingIt]

I didn't affect me too much during the date

I don't mean to sound rude or anything, but of course it didn't!

For the same reason when I go to my local indoor climbing gym my hair doesn't even enter my mind. I'm so focused on something I enjoy that requires, well, focus heh, that I simply end up not caring about my own hair. This is a good thing. Yes, its always "there" in the back of my mind (evidenced by the fact I notice the balding/bald guys at the gym and the kids with huge amounts of hair) but it doesn't enter my active train of thought.

, but I've been so overwhelmed with anxiety and depression that I am afraid it is going to spoil what could be a nice thing going on.

I'm beginning to realize that the biggest problem we have is a wandering mind. When there is nothing to focus our minds, "hair" comes front and center. Often times this is a mental thing that needs to be overcome.

Monday was a great day for me, I didn't "think" about it at all. Tuesday though? For whatever reason it got into my head on the way into work and just wouldn't leave.

In some ways this forum is good, and others its terrible because it makes us think about the very thing we wish we wouldn't obsess about.

[mnx]

I agree this deserves a sub forum. I'm the sort of person who usually conceals his feelings, but I feel gutted at the prospect of losing my hair. Plus with the relative anonymity of the web, what is the use of hiding your pain and keeping a noble silence.

As for relationships, yeah it is a concern. Truth is I asked a girl out a week ago in the midst of my hair loss anxiety and had a real nice time. I feel like my anxiety of the hair loss is a shadow that is threatening my enjoyment of life though. I didn't affect me too much during the date, but I've been so overwhelmed with anxiety and depression that I am afraid it is going to spoil what could be a nice thing going on.

[NotBelievingIt]

I think the hardest thing about hair loss has been my perceptions on dating and love. My hair loss was slow and pretty much unnoticed until a long-term relationship of mine ended. Since then it's been pretty rapid for almost 8 months now. It's made me feel like hell because I've never been all that confident and now with hair loss it's hard for me to remain realistic about finding someone for the future. It's the idea that you'll be disqualified by so many people you meet. That's true before hair loss as people are attracted to a certain build or height, but as others have mentioned, hair loss just seems to come out of nowhere and drastically change the way you look. You had a whole lifetime to get used to your height and build and those are likely to change, but your hair does. Does anyone else feel that their thoughts about relationships are the hardest thing to overcome?

I feel similar.

I've had few relationships and the most recent one, while it ended badly, it didn't end "badly"...heh

But what sucks is, right after that I started looking through pics to put on match.com and thats when it dawned on me I'm losing my hair...and I swear, it has accelerated since..or maybe its just that I'm actually paying attention to my hair more now.

That connection of a relationship ending at the same time discovering my hair loss will never be forgotten unfortunately, I hate that it has been made in my mind also.

What really stinks is that I'm at a point in my life where its beginning to actually matter to me - wanting to find love and a life mate.

[itssomuchfun]

I think the hardest thing about hair loss has been my perceptions on dating and love. My hair loss was slow and pretty much unnoticed until a long-term relationship of mine ended. Since then it's been pretty rapid for almost 8 months now. It's made me feel like hell because I've never been all that confident and now with hair loss it's hard for me to remain realistic about finding someone for the future. It's the idea that you'll be disqualified by so many people you meet. That's true before hair loss as people are attracted to a certain build or height, but as others have mentioned, hair loss just seems to come out of nowhere and drastically change the way you look. You had a whole lifetime to get used to your height and build and those are likely to change, but your hair does. Does anyone else feel that their thoughts about relationships are the hardest thing to overcome?

[clandestine]

Im really afraid of the future im shedding like a mofo, looking myself in the mirror is gonna be so ****ing depressing.

I think it just better to shave it all off and not having to look at a high ass hairline.

Gotta love the winter though!!

PS: you guys should come to the chat of tomorrow's bald truth show and suggest Spencer for a subforum. A sub forum like this could really help some of us get through this much easier and even EMBRACE the baldness which is what I'm trying to do....

Happy birthday bro ! srry for being late :S, sure there are still things we can appreciate : ), hope you enjoyed it.

Much love, mate. Ended up wearing a hat for a bit of it, but didn't in other occasions! About half and half, or a little less than half without hat, a little more with.

Great suggestion, by the way.

[Maradona]

Ay, ****. Shouldn't be having to think about this on my birthday. Thanks for the support regardless, guys. Been a rough year sort of.

Im really afraid of the future im shedding like a mofo, looking myself in the mirror is gonna be so ****ing depressing.

I think it just better to shave it all off and not having to look at a high ass hairline.

Gotta love the winter though!!

PS: you guys should come to the chat of tomorrow's bald truth show and suggest Spencer for a subforum. A sub forum like this could really help some of us get through this much easier and even EMBRACE the baldness which is what I'm trying to do....

Happy birthday bro ! srry for being late :S, sure there are still things we can appreciate : ), hope you enjoyed it.

[clandestine]

Ay, ****. Shouldn't be having to think about this on my birthday. Thanks for the support regardless, guys. Been a rough year sort of.

[chrisis]

It totally depends! It's a personal decision. If you feel better with a hat - wear it. Unless I knew you personally I couldn't really advise in terms of how you look.

[NotBelievingIt]

At the age of 20, majority of *girls* are going to be vain. Most will not have figured out what a man actually is.

Never know, the receding hairline etc might just attract a cougar. Go Au Natural Man!

[clandestine]

Going out for my 20th birthday tomorrow! To wear a hat, or not to wear a hat? That, is the question.

I oftentimes feel as if I'm judged less harshly by people I don't know if I'm wearing one. Could be a cognitive distortion, who knows.

Maybe I'm thinking about my hair much more fervently than most, but I do strongly believe girls are going for guys who they find most (generally) attractive. This considered, my receded hairline is not exactly one of my best qualities.

So, hat or no hat, what says baldtruth?

[chrisis]

Thanks for the tip but I don't think concealers or fibres would be any good for me. I don't have any loss at the crown, just receded hair!

Touch wood my crown will be ok. I talked to my mum at the weekend she said her Dad had similar hair to me - receded but not bald at the back. He died around age 40 though.

[clandestine]

Great attitude, stay hopeful mate.Hope your sides subside (no pun intended).

Saw palmetto might be an option. I've contemplated using it myself. Along with beta sitosterol, or whatever it was STTB was pushing. Problem is I've had sexual sides on SSRI's in the past, and am skeptical to use anything that might have negative effects in that respect. Especially not propecia, regardless of potential risk.

I've been trying out nanogen fibres for the last little while. I've been generally happy with them, aside from the fact they don't necessarily work the best on the hairline or where my temples are slick bald.

Try em out maybe, if you're up for it. Hey, if women are allowed makeup, we should be allowed concealers too!

[chrisis]

Interesting, you've decided to go the route of HT? Does this not however require continual use of propecia post-op?

Hows your endeavour to experiment with lower dosages going, chrisis?

I'm not touching finasteride again until I'm happy that my sides are totally gone. I think things are getting better, so maybe I'll start on 0.25mg in a few weeks.

If I can't tolerate finasteride, I'll just have to use minoxidil, Nizoral shampoo and some of the other supplements outside of the big 3, e.g. zinc, maybe saw palmetto (if I don't get sides).

I'm also keeping an eye on Replicel and other companies. If they come out with something promising, then it's possible any future hairloss could be remedied at a cellular level. It's gonna take a few years to come to market, so I doubt I'll be waiting that long even if they get 100% success!

So long as I get my hairline sorted, I feel relatively confident given, a) my comparatively minor balding pattern at age 28, and b) advances in therapies, that I will be ok

[clandestine]

I look best with my hair grown out a bit or I'd definitely have it shorter.

I just realised that straightening my hair makes it much more susceptible to wind, so may stop doing that.... at least until after my ht.

Interesting, you've decided to go the route of HT? Does this not however require continual use of propecia post-op?

Hows your endeavour to experiment with lower dosages going, chrisis?