Fed up of having to cover up

[patchyharry]

Hi Guys,

Hoping some of you may be able to offer me some advice.

I am 23 years young and live in the UK. When I was younger, I had cradle cap quite bad and I think that has lead me to have very thin hair now.

Or this is what I think may have caused it or maybe it is just very thin anyway but has certainly not got any better since my school days.

It has plagued me for year’s now right back to when I was at school. My hair does grow pretty well and I get it regularly cut and there is no real thinning on the back or sides.

However, my hair is very thin on top. I have taken some pictures below which show the top of my hair (after washing, drying and combing).

Also there is a picture which shows what hair I do have on top clipped back which clearly shows how thin it is and how much of my scalp doesn’t really have any growth.

I have never gone out with my hair like this and currently use a range of crappy ‘cover up’ sprays and thickening fibres which does help to a degree.

However I can’t continue like this and am now fed up of having to put this on after every bath or shower.

It makes me feel like crap having to use spray on hair and feeling self-conscious that it will run in the rain or that people will notice (not that anyone has yet, or they just haven’t said!).

I am contemplating shaving all my hair off to like a 0 before a holiday to Spain in March this year (to tan up my newly balded head!)

I have spoken to my girlfriend and she is supportive and we both think it might suit me because I have dark facial hair so I may get the kinda Jason Statham/Bruce Willis look!?!?!?

My only other option is to try the many hair regrowth products discussed on this forum however I am fearful of the success I would have due to my scalp not really having any growth in placing because of the cradle cap scaring I have from my youth. Is it likely that in these areas where I had this that I will not get any re-growth or is it worth trying before I lose the lot?

Any advice/information will be greatfully received as will opinions on whether the ‘no hair’ option will suit me?

Thanks in advance,

Harry.

[vcity]

Hi Guys,

Hoping some of you may be able to offer me some advice.

I am 23 years young and live in the UK. When I was younger, I had cradle cap quite bad and I think that has lead me to have very thin hair now.

Or this is what I think may have caused it or maybe it is just very thin anyway but has certainly not got any better since my school days.

It has plagued me for year’s now right back to when I was at school. My hair does grow pretty well and I get it regularly cut and there is no real thinning on the back or sides.

However, my hair is very thin on top. I have taken some pictures below which show the top of my hair (after washing, drying and combing).

Also there is a picture which shows what hair I do have on top clipped back which clearly shows how thin it is and how much of my scalp doesn’t really have any growth.

I have never gone out with my hair like this and currently use a range of crappy ‘cover up’ sprays and thickening fibres which does help to a degree.

However I can’t continue like this and am now fed up of having to put this on after every bath or shower.

It makes me feel like crap having to use spray on hair and feeling self-conscious that it will run in the rain or that people will notice (not that anyone has yet, or they just haven’t said!).

I am contemplating shaving all my hair off to like a 0 before a holiday to Spain in March this year (to tan up my newly balded head!)

I have spoken to my girlfriend and she is supportive and we both think it might suit me because I have dark facial hair so I may get the kinda Jason Statham/Bruce Willis look!?!?!?

My only other option is to try the many hair regrowth products discussed on this forum however I am fearful of the success I would have due to my scalp not really having any growth in placing because of the cradle cap scaring I have from my youth. Is it likely that in these areas where I had this that I will not get any re-growth or is it worth trying before I lose the lot?

Any advice/information will be greatfully received as will opinions on whether the ‘no hair’ option will suit me?

Thanks in advance,

Harry.

Wearing a cap does not cause you to thin, let alone in that specific pattern. You have male pattern baldness, and yes the only way to treat is with the big 3 (other than surgery) - Nizoral shampoo, Rogaine and Propecia. Honestly, if you're happy and comfortable rocking the shaved head look, I would do it. Most of us are on them because we can't accept ourselves with no hair. The meds may help a bit, but they also cause a lot of stress and worry at the same time. I've been on them since I was 17 (i'm 22 now) and there's still not a day where I don't think about them.

[patchyharry]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply however i think you may has mis-read my first post. I didn't say i believed that the thinning of the hair (particularly to the top of my scalp) was due to wearing a cap. I said i think it may have been from severe cradle cap i had when i was growing up.

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cradle-cap/Pages/Introduction.aspx

It may well not be that and just natural thinning/male pattern baldness as you said.

But would that have started as early as aged 15 as that's the earliest memory i have of seeing it when i was at school.

I'm reluctant to go down the meds route as i don't know if they will help me because my balding is not a new thing it has been like it is in those pictures for years!

H.

[patchyharry]

I think that the top of my scalp where the obvious thinning is in the pictures is actually scar tissue from the cradle cap and possible an injury i head when i was younger and cracked my head open.

Therefore i guess the hair never grew back as well - and wont do either.

http://scarsandspots.com/do-scars-grow-hair/

H.

[Dan26]

Shave your head bro.

And if want, start fin, minox and nizoral. Then try and grow your hair out in a year.

Trust me brah, I wish I woulda just shaved my head at first signs of hairloss to do away with the anxiety one carries while losing their hair. But in the meantime still fight MPB and see what happens in a year.

[MrJangles]

Dude, if you think you have the dome to shave it off go for it. That's the best solution IMO. Many of us just can't pull off that look so we look to the big 3. IMO you would respond extremely well. Your hair is miniaturized in the front, it's not dead. At 23, I bet you could fill most that frontal area in completely. It might not be exactly how it was before, but I bet you could get pretty darn close.

[Notcoolanymore]

Since you are willing, I say shave your head and see if you like the look. If not then I would say jump on the big 3 asap. I respect your GF for being supportive, but one thing to keep in mind is that relationships don't always last forever. What if a few years down the line you are single again and on the dating scene as a balding guy? My point is in the battle of hair loss, time is everything. You are young now and like MrJangles said are at a good age to respond well. I just would hate for you to be single at 30, bald, thinking "damn, I should have done something about this years ago."

[bibz]

DUDE use the BIG3, we have like 5 years MAX until the next gen treatments(cb, replicel, histogen, bim..). If you shave your head, your mpb will continu till NW7 and even all the new treatments in combination will not be efficients for your NW stade.

[bibz]

"Bro shave your head and let it go" --------> DO NOT DO THIS!
20 years or 10 years ago maybe, but not today, hang on and fight this disease for the next years you will not regret your choice!

[greatjob!]

I am unaware of any sources that claim cradle cap can cause baldness later in life. You are suffering from mpb and your options are to shave down or get on treatment, period. I started losing my hair right after puberty, somewhere around 12 years old, and I was in denial for a long time because I didn't think it was possible to lose your hair at such a young age.

[patchyharry]

Ok thanks for all the replies. What is the big 3 you all talk about?

I just don't want to spend loads of money and have more stress of being on severe meds for years.

What are my options then? I'm presuming that any medication i get would need to be prescribed.

Sorry to sound clueless but i'm new to all this.

Thanks again for all the advice.

H

[Henkeh91]

Ok thanks for all the replies. What is the big 3 you all talk about?

I just don't want to spend loads of money and have more stress of being on severe meds for years.

What are my options then? I'm presuming that any medication i get would need to be prescribed.

Sorry to sound clueless but i'm new to all this.

Thanks again for all the advice.

H

Minoxidil - I´m using the cheaper brand "Kirkland", saves you alot of money

Finasteride - Same here, generic finasteride 5mg pills are way cheaper than propecia 1mg

Nizoral - Got it from my local pharmacy (No need for prescription here in Sweden)

I think a buzz cut would suit you well mate!

[patchyharry]

Yes i'm still swaying more towards a buzz cut. Its not that uncommon in men in their 20's nowadays, and can look pretty trendy for guys my age (so i'm told!).

I don't really like the possible side effect rumours surrounding Propecia and neither does my girlfriend!

[brianb619]

I am struggling with hair loss and have been for sometime now. For some reason I have not been really trying to find a solution until now- I guess I am just starting to notice it only getting progressively worst. So, here I am and am opened to any solutions anyone will have for me. I am also doing a lot of research on my down time and am going to as well become very aware with many different types of cures and ideas that might really work. I am open to any suggestions so please feel free to comment with any words of wisdom.

B

[brianb619]

Looking for some major suggestions here to help with hair loss- not completely bald yet but I am on the way. Please and suggestions will help