20 year old NW3 story!

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  • rdawg
    Senior Member
    • Jun 2012
    • 996

    20 year old NW3 story!

    Hi there, just wanted to tell my story. I'm a 20 year old in 3rd year of University now that's a NW3 With some diffuse thinning throughout.

    I've been losing my hair since about late 17-early 18. I first noticed it when i shaved my head just before turning 18, my hairline was somewhat receded although not much more than a NW1. It didn't really effect me at first(In fact i hardly paid attention to it) but as I went into grade 12 it was getting worse and worse.

    Mid-grade 12 I went on Minoxidil which seemed to slow it down a bit, ended up as a NW2 by the time i graduated. Luckily for me the shaved head look looks decent its just the fact that i have a receding hairline that sucks! People wouldn't say a word if I simply had a 1/8th inch shaved head with a full hairline, but because it's receding it kind of makes people look at it badly, and it's almost funny when im wearing a hat the odd time and someone takes it off and they're like "WOO". I guess it's just the way society is brought up?. Either way I definitely want the hairline back!

    anyways, fast forward 2 years to today, I've gradually with the minoxidil gone to a NW3 with diffuse thinning. Minoxidil definitely slowed down but a few weeks ago I finally decided it was time to start on Fin. I'm now 3 weeks or so on that with zero side affects so far which is great! And I do have alot of Vellus hairs(probably thanks to minoxidil) around my hairline, could these potentially come back on fin? I suppose i'll find out. But even going back to a NW2 would be amazing. Would my thinning hair possibly come back too? Not expecting much more than to maintain what I have, but even that would be great, I dont want to have a bald head!

    I will say though, the worst thing to do is obsess over this stuff, yea it sucks but ultimately your attitude and personality can really make up for it. There are gonna be people out there that are shallow/mean about your balding head, especially if you're younger but there's also tonnes of people that don't care(or even some that like it!). Ultimately though, I do hope something major comes along soon so that the people that don't want a balding/bald head can just grow their hair back.

    Here's a couple pictures for reference. I'll keep track of my progress as it goes along on fin.




    -pencil line in the 2nd picture is just around where my vellus hairs are which arent really visible in the picture!
    - Oh and my current regime is Nizoral twice a week, Minoxidil 4 days a week when not using Niz, Propecia 7 days a week(one day off niz and Min so hair doesnt completely get killed!)
  • rdawg
    Senior Member
    • Jun 2012
    • 996

    #2
    Interesting. I've been on proscar for about 3 weeks, we'll see how it progresses. Right now i'm just working so not really in need of a concealer but when i'm back at school i'll probably consider it. Is toppik the best? or what else should I try?

    Not really interested in an HT if proscar/propecia ends up holding or slightly improving what i have(i'm not having any side effects so far), I'd rather wait a few years for a better solution(i.e histogen potentially) as I dont want that nasty scar or spend thousands when i usually shave my head anyway!

    Thank you for the comment though!

    Comment

    • rdawg
      Senior Member
      • Jun 2012
      • 996

      #3
      Just a quick 2 month update. Vellus hairs on my hairline seem to be getting slightly stronger but not 100% sure. My shedding is really minimal compared to what it was prior to proscar. Hair feels better overall and if anything my hair has not gotten worse at all.

      very slight if any improvement/growth, nothing big yet. Still no noticeable side effects. Overall pretty happy with it as it is from what i can tell holding my hair together as it is now. i'll do a picture update at month 3 or 4 if there's any noticeable improvement or loss of hair.

      Comment

      • rdawg
        Senior Member
        • Jun 2012
        • 996

        #4
        3 month update. Started noticeably shedding again. Hair hasnt really changed for better or worse but still feels good. From my understand the shed around month 3 on fin is usually a good thing right?

        Still no side effects from what I can tell.

        Comment

        • DannyBoyy7
          Senior Member
          • Sep 2012
          • 102

          #5
          Your pics remind me off my hair when it started going thin (not at the crown though just the front but i think the crown has started now) and i watched it slowly recede over the years now the front almost gone (its like an island) and i think (not sure) that the crown has started now aswell so its only a matter of time until i get my "horseshoe" but thankfully i got over it a while back so what ever happens...happens now for me...but your hair looks ok for now but dont try to worry to much about it like i did when it first started (at 16 im 20 now) its the worst thing you can do.

          Comment

          • dex89
            Senior Member
            • Jul 2012
            • 808

            #6
            Pretty sure, are you using nizoral?

            check this link out, the guys had similar issues has you did.

            Comment

            • rdawg
              Senior Member
              • Jun 2012
              • 996

              #7
              Originally posted by dex89
              Pretty sure, are you using nizoral?

              check this link out, the guys had similar issues has you did.

              http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=142250361
              Yup, using Nizoral, Rogaine and Propecia.

              Started on Min at 18, didnt do much but slow it down(seriously I got off it for a week once and shed like crazy). I'm 20 now. Started propecia 3 months ago, shedding stopped immediately but then started again just past month 2(from my understand though, this may be a sign propecia is working).

              and yea that guy uses some S5 cream which he says has the same affects as propecia, I could only hope for those results.

              IF I dont get part of my hairline back I would hope at least the thinning reverses a bit, or at the very least for the hairloss to halt indefinitely.

              It's too early though, Since the shedding started now, from most cases i've read, if this shed is from responding to the propecia, it should give me thicker hair within a month or two(at least thats what happened to other people.) I'm not expecting the world though.

              Comment

              • rdawg
                Senior Member
                • Jun 2012
                • 996

                #8
                Originally posted by DannyBoyy7
                Your pics remind me off my hair when it started going thin (not at the crown though just the front but i think the crown has started now) and i watched it slowly recede over the years now the front almost gone (its like an island) and i think (not sure) that the crown has started now aswell so its only a matter of time until i get my "horseshoe" but thankfully i got over it a while back so what ever happens...happens now for me...but your hair looks ok for now but dont try to worry to much about it like i did when it first started (at 16 im 20 now) its the worst thing you can do.
                Thanks for the comment! But I dont try to focus on it too much, it's simply an annoyance, not a life ender.

                I will say, it was the thinning that really got to me though a little over a year ago, I had a receded hairline all the way back to when I was 17ish, but I didnt thin until just before I turned 20 about 8 months ago or so. I had a massive shed then and decided it was best to go on propecia.

                I'm used to it now, I haven't had a full head of hair since I was 16, it was hard when I was 18 and started really noticing it, but I'm slowly becoming "OK" with it and not hiding behind hats and such.

                I think people actually admire when you dont hide behind hats and still remain happy even though you're losing your hair, I wouldn't say everyone likes it(some girls are not attracted to 20 year olds going bald) but some are quite fine with it.

                Comment

                • DannyBoyy7
                  Senior Member
                  • Sep 2012
                  • 102

                  #9
                  Originally posted by rdawg
                  Thanks for the comment! But I dont try to focus on it too much, it's simply an annoyance, not a life ender.

                  I will say, it was the thinning that really got to me though a little over a year ago, I had a receded hairline all the way back to when I was 17ish, but I didnt thin until just before I turned 20 about 8 months ago or so. I had a massive shed then and decided it was best to go on propecia.

                  I'm used to it now, I haven't had a full head of hair since I was 16, it was hard when I was 18 and started really noticing it, but I'm slowly becoming "OK" with it and not hiding behind hats and such.

                  I think people actually admire when you dont hide behind hats and still remain happy even though you're losing your hair, I wouldn't say everyone likes it(some girls are not attracted to 20 year olds going bald) but some are quite fine with it.

                  Yeah was the same with me i never hid it with hats etc but i tried doing certain hairstyles (no comb overs though lmao) to cover it but like you i noticed it more when i was 18 i think late 18 and it came obvious to others thats when i stopped caring because i couldnt hide it no more i suppose i could for a bit longer but i thought **** it and buzzed...yeah some will not like it but some will is what it is.

                  Comment

                  • dda
                    Member
                    • Aug 2011
                    • 37

                    #10
                    To OP,

                    My balding pattern is similar to yours, except my temple recession is not as high. I started balding at the crown around 18, and if it wasn't for people commenting on it, I wouldn't have noticed until I was about 22, when i started thinning out more all over the top and it became noticable when I looked at myself in the mirror straight on. Good luck with the meds. I am using rogaine and nizoral currently and will be hopping on fin soon.

                    Comment

                    • rdawg
                      Senior Member
                      • Jun 2012
                      • 996

                      #11
                      Originally posted by dda
                      To OP,

                      My balding pattern is similar to yours, except my temple recession is not as high. I started balding at the crown around 18, and if it wasn't for people commenting on it, I wouldn't have noticed until I was about 22, when i started thinning out more all over the top and it became noticable when I looked at myself in the mirror straight on. Good luck with the meds. I am using rogaine and nizoral currently and will be hopping on fin soon.
                      Best of luck.

                      I wouldnt say I didnt notice, but I didnt really pay attention to it(which I regret as I wish I started on say propecia a few years ago). until I hit university and it started thinning on top. It's not really the recession I hate, its the thinning that comes with it, it makes it really hard to style your hair when it's longer and doesnt quite look right when it's shaved. Still I keep my hair relatively buzzed as anything longer than an inch just looks weird with my hairline.

                      Goodluck though the big 3 seem to be helping me so far and I hope they help you. It's a decent solution until something better comes out over the next few years.

                      Comment

                      • DannyBoyy7
                        Senior Member
                        • Sep 2012
                        • 102

                        #12
                        Originally posted by rdawg
                        Best of luck.

                        I wouldnt say I didnt notice, but I didnt really pay attention to it(which I regret as I wish I started on say propecia a few years ago). until I hit university and it started thinning on top. It's not really the recession I hate, its the thinning that comes with it, it makes it really hard to style your hair when it's longer and doesnt quite look right when it's shaved. Still I keep my hair relatively buzzed as anything longer than an inch just looks weird with my hairline.

                        Goodluck though the big 3 seem to be helping me so far and I hope they help you. It's a decent solution until something better comes out over the next few years.

                        What i think is horrible about balding is how long it takes for it to all go like mine since 16 i have watched it slowly get weaker and weaker im 20 now the front is pretty much gone with a few hairs now im waiting for the crown to go.

                        Comment

                        • BigThinker
                          Senior Member
                          • Oct 2012
                          • 1507

                          #13
                          Originally posted by DannyBoyy7
                          What i think is horrible about balding is how long it takes for it to all go like mine since 16 i have watched it slowly get weaker and weaker im 20 now the front is pretty much gone with a few hairs now im waiting for the crown to go.
                          I feel the exact opposite. I think that gives you time to learn to cope and, maybe more importantly, intervene.

                          Comment

                          • DannyBoyy7
                            Senior Member
                            • Sep 2012
                            • 102

                            #14
                            Originally posted by BigThinker
                            I feel the exact opposite. I think that gives you time to learn to cope and, maybe more importantly, intervene.

                            Same here dude i ment to begin with when it started i mean its still annoying now for different reasons now i just want it all gone get it over with but back then i didnt want it to get worse and watching go slowly back then was annoying...now im use to my hair balding weirdly enough i couldnt see it any other way i just ment that its horrible cause you dont know hold long its gonna take will it stop for a bit etc but yeah like you i have came to terms with it when it got to the point where it was noticeable to others i had no choice really i thought **** it everyone knows now cant be arsed to worry is what it is.

                            Comment

                            • rdawg
                              Senior Member
                              • Jun 2012
                              • 996

                              #15
                              Originally posted by DannyBoyy7
                              Same here dude i ment to begin with when it started i mean its still annoying now for different reasons now i just want it all gone get it over with but back then i didnt want it to get worse and watching go slowly back then was annoying...now im use to my hair balding weirdly enough i couldnt see it any other way i just ment that its horrible cause you dont know hold long its gonna take will it stop for a bit etc but yeah like you i have came to terms with it when it got to the point where it was noticeable to others i had no choice really i thought **** it everyone knows now cant be arsed to worry is what it is.
                              yea man it's no use covering it up, you could use concealers but eventually you're gonna forget to use it or someone will see you without it. Hats only work for certain bars so when you gotta go to a fancy bar you're screwed haha(I used to hate going to those bars).

                              It's been close 4 years since i've had a full hairline, in fact I took my drivers licencse picture a few months before the recession began I believe and it's always a reminder of what I used to look like.

                              The slow process is not fun but I think it'd be worse if I was a pure NW7, at least now I can shave it or keep it short and have something there. I'm used to it now and I'd say it humbles me at this age too, but I'd like to at least halt the process as aesthetically, hairloss is just not a good look.

                              People dont care THAT much though, BUT I find it's much worse when you wear a hat and then say it falls off or something, I've had a couple freakout, it makes you look really insecure as opposed to when I go without a hat and most wont say anything.

                              Comment

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