I will be ok when I reach 30 yrs of age

[mark-1]

Hi all.

I have been a member of this forum for quite a long time but I rarely post due to a vast wealth of excellent information already available from other members of the community. However one comment that I have read over and over is "I will be alright about hair loss once I reach 30 years of age".

I just want to say that hair loss can affect you emotionally at any age. Just by reaching 30 or 40 does not mean that you will automatically be "okay" about it. I have been battling this for over 15 years. I have been using fin for 11 years now, but despite this my hair has continued to shed and thin. I am not sure if fin has slowed the loss because it is so hard to judge.

When I was 20 years old I used to think to myself "if only I can see this through to my 30's I will be okay". Now I have reached my 30's I am thinking "if only I can reach my 40's with the hair I have left".

I now realise that I will never be at ease with hair loss and, if anything, I am actually more anxious and miserable about the affliction than i was 15 years ago. I think this is because I am losing faith and hope in the medication and have doubts to its effectiveness in my particular situation. It is starting to feel like a form of slow torture.

To wrap up I would like to say that hair loss is no less damaging to the confidence of older people than it is to younger people. I still find myself shunning certain social situations due to my complex about hair loss. I am still single and have the same fears about attracting potential partners as I read from younger members of the forum. Reaching 30 years of age is not a magic fix to this.

[win200]

Nope! I just turned 30, and despite hitting that age with my hair 90% intact, it's still terrifying. I know that as you get older the loss gets cosmetically more acceptable and standard, but I'll never be "fine" with it. At least when you get to 40 - 50 there are far more of your peers that are experiencing the same thing, which makes you stand out more. Hair loss is never 'OK,' but I think it's absolutely DEVASTATING in your early 20s, and less so as time goes on.

[Kayman]

Hi all.

I have been a member of this forum for quite a long time but I rarely post due to a vast wealth of excellent information already available from other members of the community. However one comment that I have read over and over is "I will be alright about hair loss once I reach 30 years of age".

I just want to say that hair loss can affect you emotionally at any age. Just by reaching 30 or 40 does not mean that you will automatically be "okay" about it. I have been battling this for over 15 years. I have been using fin for 11 years now, but despite this my hair has continued to shed and thin. I am not sure if fin has slowed the loss because it is so hard to judge.

When I was 20 years old I used to think to myself "if only I can see this through to my 30's I will be okay". Now I have reached my 30's I am thinking "if only I can reach my 40's with the hair I have left".

I now realise that I will never be at ease with hair loss and, if anything, I am actually more anxious and miserable about the affliction than i was 15 years ago. I think this is because I am losing faith and hope in the medication and have doubts to its effectiveness in my particular situation. It is starting to feel like a form of slow torture.

To wrap up I would like to say that hair loss is no less damaging to the confidence of older people than it is to younger people. I still find myself shunning certain social situations due to my complex about hair loss. I am still single and have the same fears about attracting potential partners as I read from younger members of the forum. Reaching 30 years of age is not a magic fix to this.

The fin stopped working effectively for me after 6 years, I'm not sure if this is due to my body building a tolerance so to speak or because the follicles just become more sensitive due to age. I too like yourself started losing at 20, I wasted my 20's obsessing over it. I got to 30 and decided to rid myself of the problem, dropped the fin, buzzed it all off, goodbye hair, goodbye hair loss problem. Ask yourself what the point is if you're paying for a medication you take that is losing effectiveness and yet you're still insecure? My advice is to get yourself out of this insecure loop, be brave, be bold, buzz it off. When you get used to your buzzed look you wont be so insecure anymore and as for women? A woman will take a confident bald guy over an insecure man trying to retain what hair he has left. Let it go it's like a breath of fresh air when you're not worrying about it, I dont shy away from cameras or social functions anymore, be yourself and let people see you be yourself. That's just my take on it and it's a better option than remaining the insecure guy who's worried over his appearance constantly.

[drybone]

Good posts. Great points of view.

I really like varied points of view. We can all take something from it.

I am of the point of view that having hair enhanced my looks and thus the way I felt about myself.

Take a guy who looks good bald , or it does not affect his confidence, then 90% of women will still find him attractive.

I would not feel confident nor attractive. Its just my own personal preference. So I am going to spend as much as necessary to retain a full head of hair.

If it makes me happy, then the confidence will show.

[clandestine]

Alright, listen: It's not that hair loss isn't hard when you're older; it's devastating at any age. What everyone is saying is that is harder when you're younger. There is no denying this.

Consider this question; Would you prefer to lose your hair at a) 20 years old or b) 30 years old.

That simple.

[Kayman]

Good posts. Great points of view.

I really like varied points of view. We can all take something from it.

I am of the point of view that having hair enhanced my looks and thus the way I felt about myself.

Take a guy who looks good bald , or it does not affect his confidence, then 90% of women will still find him attractive.

I would not feel confident nor attractive. Its just my own personal preference. So I am going to spend as much as necessary to retain a full head of hair.

If it makes me happy, then the confidence will show.

That's what it's all about, confidence, insecurity is a horrible horrible feeling that leads to other problems. My point is, if you're on the meds, they're losing effectiveness and you're still insecure despite being on them, give the buzz cut a shot.

[john2399]

So your saying hairloss at 18 years old is the same at 40 years old? Like being 18 surrounded by other young teens with full heads of hair is the same as when your 40 and majority of your male friends are balding.

[ThinningB420]

I agree with clandestine and john2399.

[win200]

Totally agree. It *always* sucks, but it sucks progressively less as you age, as you feel less singled out. At 30, there are a decent number of my friends that are losing hair. 30 is still a horrible age to be NW4-7, because that's still very unusual, but a ~ NW2 isn't even noticed. My heart really goes out to people that have serious loss in their early 20s. I'm lucky in that I'm a NW1.5-2 at age 30, and with my transplant I've basically got a mature hairline with relatively low density in the front. I have a friend who went to NW4 at 20, and I think it seriously ****ed up his self-esteem.

[Benzzro]

I'm 19 and thinning hard, was obsessed when I first found at now, now accepted it and really don't give a shit. I don't know how it is in other countries but here in Australia a ****load of people just shave there head in there teens so it's much easier to accept hairloss.

As mean as it sounds I got over my hair loss from seeing many posts from HL forums. Seeing 30-40 yr old men cry over hair loss and talks of suicide really showed me what I REALLY don't wanna be when I'm older, self esteem like that isn't gonna get you anywhere WITH hair or without. No point crying over things you can't change and try own it as hard as possible

[Kayman]

I'm 19 and thinning hard, was obsessed when I first found at now, now accepted it and really don't give a shit. I don't know how it is in other countries but here in Australia a ****load of people just shave there head in there teens so it's much easier to accept hairloss.

As mean as it sounds I got over my hair loss from seeing many posts from HL forums. Seeing 30-40 yr old men cry over hair loss and talks of suicide really showed me what I REALLY don't wanna be when I'm older, self esteem like that isn't gonna get you anywhere WITH hair or without. No point crying over things you can't change and try own it as hard as possible

This guy has got it right.

[itsmyhairs]

Although it may not get easier with age, you may become more accepting of it.

Probably because it's more acceptable socially.

Any 18 year old with noticeable baldness will be mocked by his friends and peers.
No one that's 40 is going to mock you or give a shit unless they're a developmentally disabled douche bag.

[drybone]

The problem is that its not an 'us vs you' thing.

How did this topic end up being about who should feel sorriest for themselves.

The 40 year olds complaining that they are going bald. How dare they.!!! They are SUPPOSED to go bald, or at least many show noticably balding by then.

The 20 year olds have the market cornered on feeling sorry for themselves. And nobody is going to tread on this turf. How dare anyone else try to feel sorry for their baldness.

Dont they know its all about 20 year olds? Not about the individual losing their hair?

Unless you are 20 , dont be whining to us!!! You want something to cry about? Try being 20 and go bald. Now quit your bitching old man. Yer supposed to be bald.

This case actually went before supreme court . Here is the actual findings:

www.dumbshit.com

The judge ruled that only 20 year olds are allowed to feel bad for being bald and they have the right to scold anyone else who dares feel sorry themselves outside this age range.

The judge also ordered 40 year olds to duly admit on demand they had their chance to 'score chicks' with most of their hair and they must also sit quietly and shut up.

Now you have been told. That is all.

[clandestine]

Now you have been told. That is all.

You're misinterpreting the discussion. It has nothing to do with self-pity and age. We should aim to live our lives without self-pity, striving for confidence and a sense if self-worth. This, by now, should be obvious.

The point being made is that younger sufferers are more likely to be viewed in a negative manner (by their peers) and be ostracized (by their peers), when compared to older sufferers.

This is necessarily true, there is no debating it. It has to do with societal notions of health and well-being.

[mpb47]

You are right, no one should tell someone else how they should feel about mpb. The problem for me is that often my sensible side is overridden my emotional side. For many years all I had was mild recession and eventually I got to the point that I never worried about it anymore. It was only when I was 30 something -pushing 40 and it suddenly started up again, only this time in the back. That is when it started to really bother me as I knew my grandmother was right..that I got it from that side of the family and knew what I was in for. But tracy said something the other day that hit home for me....that is is pretty much normal for my age. My sensible side knows that ...just got to convince the other side of that.

The problem is that its not an 'us vs you' thing.

How did this topic end up being about who should feel sorriest for themselves.

The 40 year olds complaining that they are going bald. How dare they.!!! They are SUPPOSED to go bald, or at least many show noticably balding by then.

The 20 year olds have the market cornered on feeling sorry for themselves. And nobody is going to tread on this turf. How dare anyone else try to feel sorry for their baldness.

Dont they know its all about 20 year olds? Not about the individual losing their hair?

Unless you are 20 , dont be whining to us!!! You want something to cry about? Try being 20 and go bald. Now quit your bitching old man. Yer supposed to be bald.

This case actually went before supreme court . Here is the actual findings:

www.dumbshit.com

The judge ruled that only 20 year olds are allowed to feel bad for being bald and they have the right to scold anyone else who dares feel sorry themselves outside this age range.

The judge also ordered 40 year olds to duly admit on demand they had their chance to 'score chicks' with most of their hair and they must also sit quietly and shut up.

Now you have been told. That is all.