Advice for Male Pattern Baldness at 20?

[25 going on 65]

I agree, hair loss really sneaks up on you and a lot of people don't notice it before it's too late. And also, a lot of people are uneducated about hair loss and fall for things that don't work before they find appropriate treatments that do work to some degree. I started laser therapy before I took Propecia because I was so naive about hair loss. In my case, noticeable hair loss happened very quickly. One year people were complimenting me on my long hair, the same time the next year I was all depressed over what was very noticeable hair loss to me. It can happen very quickly. I used to shed, but it always looked like I had a full head of hair. I chalked this up to the fact that I had long hair. I had several girlfriends who weren't suffering from hair loss, yet still shed in the shower because they had such long hair. Even when I was shedding, my stylist NEVER commented about hair loss on me. And also, I just never dreamed that hair loss could happen to me.

"Denial phase." I look back on it and wish I could go back in time and shake my younger self out of feeling so complacent

[Maaz]

I'm not really in denial. I do accept it, but I don't really feel bad or embarrassed about it. I act same way as I would if I didn't have MPB. Of course, if I was girl, it would be different, and especially since I know so many people that around my age are or have been in similar situation.

[DepressedByHairLoss]

I'm not really in denial. I do accept it, but I don't really feel bad or embarrassed about it. I act same way as I would if I didn't have MPB. Of course, if I was girl, it would be different, and especially since I know so many people that around my age are or have been in similar situation.

It's really good that you act in the same way and don't let hair loss inhibit you. It's easier said than done and I personally have a hard time doing it. But I commend you for that attitude bro; I wish I could feel that way and I'm almost 14 years older than you!

[25 going on 65]

I'm not really in denial. I do accept it, but I don't really feel bad or embarrassed about it. I act same way as I would if I didn't have MPB. Of course, if I was girl, it would be different, and especially since I know so many people that around my age are or have been in similar situation.

Sorry, I didnt mean you are in denial. The post I replied to just made me think of myself back before I accepted "OK, I am losing my hair"

[NotBelievingIt]

Unless you're some paranoid hair product freako, you're likely not to notice it unless, as Tracy said, its well under way. Almost one year ago I finally realized it and when I went back to look at photos of myself over the preceding four years it was like "DUH" - how could I not tell? Its been sneaky up until little over a year ago and it should have been obvious to me, but it wasn't.

[Maaz]

I think certain ethnicity/countries are just more "bald friendly". I think in US, there's a much more significance given to one's hair, while in Armenia seeing bald men or men with MPB, even at young age, is normal sight. So you don't really feel bad about having MPB as you fit in, and MPB is even becoming the norm believe it or not among young men. This gene has just infiltrated the country, what can i say

Interesting quote I found:

“Many middle eastern young men who carry a certain gene bald very early and very rapidly,” said Sheldon Hartunis MD, an expert in Genetics and Social Diversity at The University of Michigan School of Medicine.

“This happens to about 20% of young men from that certain gene pool because they carry the genetic marker for hypersensitivity to the increased male hormone production that comes with maturation, and the tendency to have a large number of dormant, thick black hair follicles. In their homeland those afflicted are often mocked or left out of social situations.

“In US, French and British culture, however, they try to fit it with stylish headgear or by shaving their heads; something that is not acceptable in their homelands.”

“In big cities the younger crowds simply do not like the matt-taibbi look because these young men are often wealthy Armenians or Syrians or other Arabics who, in the eyes of Europeans or Americans, have no shame about their hair loss and influence the good looking girls with money and fancy cars. In other words, they are losing the ability to be alpha makes simply because they do not have as much money as most of these so called matt-taiibis. Most of these first generation Americans or Brits of certain middle eastern descent, were born to wealthy oil executives who emigrated to the West.

interesting stuff, maybe deserves thread.

[DepressedByHairLoss]

Ethnicity with regards to hair loss is something that I've always wondered about. There really should be more studies looking into incidences of hair loss with regards to ethnicity. Maaz, in that study that you just shared, it stated that Middle Eastern men are more prone to baldness and I've seen evidence to back that up. There's a young fighter of Middle Eastern descent in the UFC who is in his 20's yet has very aggressive baldness and is maybe a Norwood 6. I've seen several other young Middle Eastern men with the same characteristics with regards to hair loss. Lots of Indians and Eastern Europeans seem to suffer from hair loss in greater numbers as well. Yet in certain ethnic groups, you almost never see hair loss. There are large Mexican communities around where I live and I come across very, very few Mexican men who suffer from hair loss. They mostly seem to have very thick heads of hair that I'd give anything for. And in the American Indian community, hair loss almost seems to be non-existant. It would be really interesting to see more studies done to see how maybe lifestyles and other attributes within certain ethnic communities could or could not affect hair loss.

[Maaz]

Ethnicity with regards to hair loss is something that I've always wondered about. There really should be more studies looking into incidences of hair loss with regards to ethnicity. Maaz, in that study that you just shared, it stated that Middle Eastern men are more prone to baldness and I've seen evidence to back that up. There's a young fighter of Middle Eastern descent in the UFC who is in his 20's yet has very aggressive baldness and is maybe a Norwood 6. I've seen several other young Middle Eastern men with the same characteristics with regards to hair loss. Lots of Indians and Eastern Europeans seem to suffer from hair loss in greater numbers as well. Yet in certain ethnic groups, you almost never see hair loss. There are large Mexican communities around where I live and I come across very, very few Mexican men who suffer from hair loss. They mostly seem to have very thick heads of hair that I'd give anything for. And in the American Indian community, hair loss almost seems to be non-existant. It would be really interesting to see more studies done to see how maybe lifestyles and other attributes within certain ethnic communities could or could not affect hair loss.

Very true. There actually was a study that said Native People of the Americans for example have much less incidences with baldness because of certain genes. That's why Mexicans, who have such native ancestry, will have less instances of MPB. Among Europeans it's more of course, but the most in my view is among Middle Eastern folks, especially Levantine people. There's a certain dominant gene that's prevalent in that area that makes such balding a reality at a young age. East Asians and South Asians, you see less instances of balding. An interesting thing to look into of course.

[FlightTL]

I've been taking some vitamins for hair as I'm not a fan of applying 100 chemicals to my scalp. Any advice would be great. A couple photos are attached.

A natural approach is quite nice. Please consider documenting and reporting your progress. Thank you.