22 and Receding Hairline - Need some support please life isn't what it use to be.

[Zerin]

Hey all, I'm 22 and I've been experiencing receding temples and a bit of frontal hair line recession. I'm very conscious about this and started noticing about 10 months ago. I don't even want to make this post but I have no one to talk about this with. So I'm just going to loosen up and let it out. I've been feeling the front part of my hairline become fuzzy and the hairs become very soft. I also noticed that my hair strands are thinner than they use to be. I still have good hair but I noticed that it was going back since I was about 17. I didn't think this would happen to me so I didn't even second guess it I just thought it would grow back. However it hasn't. I've always thought to myself, my hair is everything to me, if I didn't have it I would lose confidence in getting girls. WELL, the thought became a reality and I think about my hair now everyday, non-stop. I've always planned on having hair till I was very old, I never thought I could become bald because I had such thick hair. It's taken a toll now and I'm afraid. I've always been good at sports, gaming, and having a blast with people. I'm finishing up college this year and going to medical school next year and I feel like I will not have the will to continue to study and be a part of the social community with this problem. I just want to quit life and hide. I've always had non-stop compliments towards my hair and I don't think that will be the case in a number of years.

Note: I have acne, oily and itchy hair.

I've been researching a lot and I've accepted a number of different things.
- Hairloss is not linear so it can stop or progress randomly.
- A mature hairline settles somewhere between 20-30 years old and may not recede for a long time.
- Taking medications such as
propecia may cause side affects. (I'm very cautious about taking any medications even tylenol or anything at all, I like being all natural)

Ultimately, I just don't know if I should take medications and go into all that or just find a way to accept it. I am a very simple guy and I don't like having to worry about different routines and styling and junk. I just want to simply have hair and go on with a simple life. I don't dress nicely, I wear a few different shirts everyday and same pants or shorts everyday.

I don't want to have to worry about taking medications, I just want to be able to wake up, throw on a shirt, and enjoy the next day like it was my last. I feel weak and it's all because of my hair.

Any replies would be greatly appreciated.

[fontanajul]

Hey, I understand exactly where you're coming from. Right now I'm starting to see thinning in the front and temples and it's been a major downer. I started using generic finasteride for the past month and hav enoticed no side effects. I was on fin for about 6 months last year but stopped because I just didn't really give it any thought. I experienced no side effects then, either. I think that the general peace of mind with taking one pill a day and washing with nizoral is worth the cost. Granted I won't see results for a few months, it makes me hopeful at least. Luckily you and I are young enough that we might be lucky enough to see things like Histogens complex come out in the not too distant future. Hope this helps man, I know how much it sucks but do your best to find a routine that eases your mind a bit.

-Max

[Zerin]

Thanks Max. I'm really thinking whether I should start treatment or not. I hate all of this so much!!! I want to be mentally normal again.

[nogard100]

Hey Zerin,

I can relate a lot to this post. I was also somewhat obsessed with my hair (and people's perception of it) long before I even started losing it. I would get a mini anxiety attack before every trip to the barber and my mother would constantly say how I was worse than my sister when it came to getting haircuts.

Sometimes, when I was younger, I would get a really drastic cut or one that maybe didn't look so good, and I would be so worried about what people were gonna say to me at school the next day. Sometimes someone would say something, and other times no one really would, but I always ended up making a bigger deal out of it than what it really was.

I don't blame you if you are hesitant to take meds or have surgery. The side effects are a risk, and the upkeep is exhaustive. I too am affraid to get that short cut and just accept my baldness, but you know what, it won't be much different than when you were younger and you got a hair cut. Sure, people will notice the difference at first, but then they'll get past it and move on.

We are a society that notices imperfections. If someone has a mole on their face, or a big nose, or plumber's eyes, we will notice that about them. But only the extremely vain will allow those imperfections to cause them to not want to interact with you. And who wants those type of friends anyway.

My advice would be to just cut it. Either shave it, buzz it, or keep it short. It will look better than trying to hide it and save you a lot of time in the process. Plus, you said you were going to medical school, and the stereotypical health care employee is a balding man...so at least you'll be joining an acceptable mold. (This is a bit of a joke, but it carries a valid point).

My best friend from high school is also losing his hair, but he did the smart thing. He buzzed it at the first sign of trouble and he has kept it super short ever since. He has been gradually balding more, but because he has kept it short it is not as noticeable or I should say not as drastic because everyone around him is able to get used to it. If you are still in the early or even mid stages of hair loss, I suggest even more to cut it, because waiting just makes it harder.

[nogard100]

Sorry for the double post, but I just wanted to make one more comment.

"I just want to quit life and hide."
"I hate all of this so much!!! I want to be mentally normal again."

I can honestly say I know EXACTLY how you feel, and I am sure many others here can say the same thing. But we honestly have to sit back and put this in perspective. Think about the person who is confined to a wheelchair, think about the man with a skin condition or a burn on his face, and think about the oddly deformed or extremely crippled person. These people have much more severe and noticeable problems than we do and yet they still go out and face the day. In fact, there are many bald men who have families and children and are able to live happy and normal lives in spite of their baldness.

When we reach the point where we realize that the person who is the most discouraged/disgusted/disappointed about our hair loss is always going to be ourselves, then we can start to move forward and realize that if everyone else doesn't care as much about it, why should I? I mean, I can't believe we are letting a common thing like hair loss disrupt our social lives. It's so petty, yet we can't help ourselves. We are in bondage to it, and if we just let go and release ourselves from this mental prison, the freedom that awaits us is just gonna be amazing.