Am i balding or no :( (with picture)

[danman]

Yeah, it does look thin in the back. At this point I would take 35YrsAfter's advice and see a doctor with the correct diagnostic instrumentation.

will they be able to help it stop from getting worse and retain some of the lost hair back, or do i just have to sit back and let it happen

[35YrsAfter]

will they be able to help it stop from getting worse and retain some of the lost hair back, or do i just have to sit back and let it happen

Here are some suggestions based upon solid research:

Avoid sunburn, cigarette smoking, and stress as much as possible. You should avoid unproven trendy treatments. There are a lot of guys in the forums wasting time and money on unproven treatments that have unknown side effects.

Short of a hair transplant, finasteride and dutasteride are currently the most effective at holding back hair loss in men with inherited MPB. Look up Dr. Bernstein's gallery of Propecia only (finasteride) photos. Google, "identical twin Propecia". Rogaine (minoxidil) use has some value. Hair loss is seldom caused by a vitamin deficiency but to cover all bases, Buried Treasure has an all natural product called Hair Skin and Nails. Try Nizoral shampoo once per week. Nioxin and Hair Cycle shampoo are also beneficial. Don't baby your hair out of fear some will come out. You will get better growth if you massage you scalp every morning and do a minute of scalp resistance exercises. I believe a major factor causing miniaturization of hair in men with MPB is a shortage of blood platelet growth factors. If you have the bucks, consider PRP treatment. Not all doctors know how to mix an effective formula, so do some research before giving anyone your money. Derma roll your scalp once per week and see if a dermatologist will give you a prescription for a steroid like hydrocortisone, Cordran SP or triamcinolone acetonide. It is believed that a person's immune system plays a role in male pattern baldness by attacking hair follicles or possibly promoting hair cycle imbalance (anagen - telogen) tipping the cycles heavily toward telogen. Topical steroids suppress the immune system and many such as the ones I listed, have a known side effect of excessive hair growth (look it up). Excessive and too frequent use can cause skin thinning, so follow the instructions for topical steroids. You're too young for a hair transplant, so don't let anyone talk you into one.

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

[pkipling]

These pictures are much better, though it does still appear that your hair is thinning... Your scalp still looks a bit red to me as well, so that's something I would get checked out.

The other guys gave great advice. Go to a specialist and have the density of your hair checked out and start taking preemptive steps now to try and prevent the hair loss from advancing. I take Finasteride and definitely think it's worth looking into for yourself. (Don't buy too much into the hype associated with the potential side effects... It's my belief that the side effects are the exception and not the rule, and the only way to know if you would experience them or not is to give it a try.) For me, if it helps slow down/prevent a bald head, it's worth a shot.

Side note: You mentioned the belief that hair loss can be predicted by looking at your grandfather on your mother's side. This is an old wive's tale that has no basis in science. Balding is genetic and can come from either your mother's or your father's side (and if they both have a history of baldness in their families, then you have an even greater chance). Regardless, it seems you do have a significant history of balding in your family so it's best to go ahead and get this all checked out.

As for restoring any lost hair, it's possible that Finasteride could help regrow hair in thinning areas... However, the best way to get any lost hair back would be through a hair transplant. I don't think you're at that point yet though, so hopefully being proactive and taking these precautionary steps can help save your hair.