22 year old male experiencing hairline recession [PICTURES]

[Almost935]

My Story:

I am a 22 year old male who started noticing gradual recession on the left side of my temple at age 19. After noticing it, I began to read up about MPB and found that a symptom is shorter and thinner hairs around the hairline. I became obsessed with those hairs (Although it hasn't appeared to move anywhere since the left side receded) and began shaving them constantly. Almost all of them to this day grow in at the same pace except for some miniaturization present. The right temple has been the same since I was a teenager and still doesn't have any miniaturized hair. I tested the right side in the same way and they still grow at the same pace. I feel it is likely I am on the way to becoming bald and would like to take the necessary steps to avoid any further loss.

Family History

My father has kept a norwood 1 hairline all his life on the right side but the left a little bit more receded. Around the age of 50 that left side moved back a little more but has stopped since then. I've been very interested in the fact that both my father and I have a receded left temple. My maternal grandfather had a Norwood 2 all his life until the age of 35-40 when it receded deeply and now at 81 he has some hair on his head but it's very deeply receded.

Photos(I apologize for the blurriness in advance)


Left side of hairline

This is the side that had receded pretty badly at the age of 19. Ive grown obsessed with shaving the front of my hairline and watching it grow back and that's what most of the smaller hairs you see are. Although, some, I believe to be signs of balding. It hasn't moved since then but I still notice some miniaturized looking hairs but they never seem to fully disappear.

Right side of hairline

This is the side that won't mature. It's been this way since I was a teenager and has no miniaturization present.

Top of head(Haven't lost any hair there but thought I'd include it anyways just in case.)

I would like to know what everyone opinion of my hairline on the norwood scale is. Also, I am considering starting on a low mg of finasteride. Might as well keep everything where it is.

[Almost935]

Any responses will be very much appreciated. I'm extremely paranoid.

[Almost935]

Wasn't mocking anyone.

[35YrsAfter]

I could see being a little concerned if there were Norwood fives or sixes in your family. MPB is inherited. Working for a top hair restoration physician and meeting patients every day with real hair loss, all I can say is, you have nothing to be concerned about. Nada. Nearly every man alive on earth recedes at least a little. It's part of growing up. You're not a boy anymore so try to accept one of the realities of becoming a man.

[blondetooth]

Wasn't mocking anyone.

A hairlinew doesnt get much better than yours, maybe a young sasquatch perhaps.

[Almost935]

A hairlinew doesnt get much better than yours, maybe a young sasquatch perhaps.

I'm not trying to offend anyone. I understand that people can get a lot worse and I've also read that the best way to use fin is when you haven't started to recede. I apologize if I appeared to be trolling but it is certainly not the case. I have what appears to be miniaturized hairs on my left temple and am truly worried.

[Almost935]

Thank you for an actual informative answer. If you had to place me on the Norwood scale where do you think I would fall? I would like to know because apparently when I look at my hair I see it completely differently than others.

[ParanoiaDestroya]

It looks like a Norwood 1.

[Almost935]

Just got my first prescription of finasteride. I was wondering what the recommended dosage is. I was thinking of half a mg a day. Any help would be apprecoated

[Munkynutz]

My opinion, and that is all, is that I would not take fin for your hair it looks good man. How about before you throw yourself into the hormonal treatment you pop in and see a specialist and get them to determine if you have MPB or any sort of miniaturization. If not don't bother.

Not saying this cuz I doubt you or anything or that I think you have better hair than me (which you do) but just want you to be certain what you are experiencing is cause for alarm rather than a normal part of aging (even balding kind of is I guess).

[35YrsAfter]

With your great hair, just leaving it in the medicine cabinet would most likely be as effective as taking a full dose.

35YrsAfter also posts as CITNews and works at Dr. Cole's office - forhair.com - Cole Hair Transplant, 1045 Powers Place, Alpharetta, Georgia 30009 - Phone 678-566-1011 - email 35YrsAfter at chuck@forhair.com
The contents of my posts are my opinions and not medical advice
Please feel free to call or email me with any questions. Ask for Chuck

[Almost935]

With your great hair, just leaving it in the medicine cabinet would most likely be as effective as taking a full dose.

35YrsAfter also posts as CITNews and works at Dr. Cole's office - forhair.com - Cole Hair Transplant, 1045 Powers Place, Alpharetta, Georgia 30009 - Phone 678-566-1011 - email 35YrsAfter at chuck@forhair.com
The contents of my posts are my opinions and not medical advice
Please feel free to call or email me with any questions. Ask for Chuck

I want to start now. I already have vellum hairs around the corners, below the temple. I want to keep as much as possible

[Almost935]

Bump, I need advice and everyone appears to say bump when they want it.

[Thinnerrr]

I'm just gonna repost what I did for another chap...cuz you fall in the same category so it still all applies.

Have necessary blood work done to rule out anything that could affecting your hair. Especially thyroid. Now I'm not talking the TSH, you have to ask for free T3 and free T4 as well. If you have taken all those steps, than you can rule out any disorders or diseases affecting your hair.

I also want to say that it is normal for hair to change (quality, texture etc) as we age. Doesn't mean you gotta be 40 plus, things change as our body does. So you can very well just be experiencing your hair changing in regards to getting older. Hair falling out or shedding, with or without white or pigmented dark bulbs at the end... its all normal. Every human sheds hair, like up to 150 hairs a day (please dont begin counting your falling hairs ahah). I've had gf's with beautifully thick hair, and you should have seen the hairs just everywhere in our place...floor, laundry, sink...let alone their hair brushes hah. And they had amazing hair. Its life. If you begin to lose hair in legit handfulls or patches...thats different story. But dont focus on hairs falling in the shower while shampooing or brushing...its madness.

I unfortunately am losing my hair, due to mpb. I know this because my hairs that are falling out, are growing back miniaturized. I can seen them in my hairline. People who do not suffer mpb, or baldness period, when they shed their hair - it grows back 100% like the rest. Where as mine just came back smaller and thinner and smaller and thinner...you get the picture. So this is all you need to look for. To really get a gauge on this process you need either a miniaturization study, or hair bulk analysis done. So even if you have these done now, you can kinda keep track every year to see if things are actually changing.

Finally bro, what you really wanna hear. I know where you stand...feeling a change and knowing it is taking place while nobody else does. Even to this day, no one would say I was balding. Through the years after my hair has thinned, still even HT surgeons say I shouldn't be worried. Though I have had those tests done and have quantified and observed the changes over time. Its a tough place to be, in limbo. BUT!!!

Your hair looks great!! You have no recession, a NW1. I am a NW2 and both NW1 and 2 are not considered balding in the traditional hair loss sense. If you happen to be a diffuse thinner at the top like me, get those tests and just follow up every year to see if there are any changes...thats all you can do. But I seriously see nothing that would suggest that either. Its so early in the game, I've been at that point and to a degree, still am. But you have nothing to worry about right now. No thin areas to be seen in those pics, no recession...you are in the clear in all regards to anything mpb related.

Just take it easy, and dont focus on it. I've been there and man did I fccckkkk my life up emotionally and mentally by stressing and obsessing. Don't do it to yourself ok. Remember what I wrote at the beginning...hair changes naturally as we age, it sheds... and whatever has changed for you, is not really pointing towards mpb. Only thing you need to do if your concerned, is have a miniaturization study or hair bulk analyses done. Approach it like I did near the end...quantify it, watch it and take things one step at a time. Dont think about propecia or fin or minoxidal or a HT...until you get to a point where its clear your hair is miniaturizing and not growing like the rest.

You are at a place now, where when you do those tests...everything is gonna look great! So you have no further steps to take except have it done again in 6 months or a year (:

[Almost935]

I understand I have good hair for the moment but have had thinner looking hairs in each temple. I noticed also most men have this so I'm not sure what to think.

Also, I have questions regarding when to take fin (I have 1 mg prescription of 30) , how often, and where it is best to buy without insurance and with a prescription.