Balding, receding or just a awkward hairline?

[chilllmatic]

I am 21 years old. I started getting my hair cut short (#5)when I was 18 years old. Before that I always went to a uni sex salon and had them trim the top with scissors. I noticed after I started going to a barber shop that the edges of my hair in the front both left and the right were "lighter" than the rest. They seemed to appear thinner than the middle. The edges would basically do there own thing as seen in the pics. I never thought anything of it, and realized that I did in fact have thin hair on the edges. I was completely fine with this until I got my most recent haircut. I have been getting #3 cuts for about the past 4 times i've gone, which is the shortest it has ever been on top. This most recent time my barber joked that my sides were "getting light." thats all it took to freak me out. even though I know that they have been like that for a while, I cant help but think that I am losing my hair. I remember making jokes about it in the past that I have thin hair. I have two older brothers who both have full heads of hair. My father is balding but it started when he was older, early-mid 40's. My mother's father had a full head of hair and my uncle is bald but 60 years of age. Needless to say, no one in my family has lost their hair this young. I do not notice any shedding other than normal. the edges of my hair line up straight when flat, but if i pull my hair back, the edges are slightly higher than the middle. This has really been bothering me. When i do actually get my hair cut, it is not as noticeable. When the hair is straightened with the clippers, it is slightly noticeable but far less than it is now when grown in. I hope that I am just psyching myself out, and making a huge deal out f nothing or that I am just getting a slightly more mature hairline. But who knows, I might just have to man up and accept losing hair at 21. All the pics are in order from oldest to newest

2009 (19)

Nov. 2010 (20) Top let alone, just a taper on the side and edge up.

Jan 2011 (20) Faux Hawk with bald fade.

April 2011 (20)

April 2011 #4 with a bald fade.

June 2011 #3 w/ taper

Taken just now.

[mattj]

Some of the photos make it look worse than others. And I hesitate to say "worse" as none of them show much loss at all.

The most recent photos makes me think you've lost hair as where it's combed down to your forehead the center portion is clearly more dense than the sides/temples.

I can see what might be the beginnings of this in your earlier photos. The good news is that you don't seem to have aggressive hairloss. It could just be a maturing hairline, but if I were you I'd keep an eye on it to see if it progresses. Your family history is quite favourable. It's possible for a guy's hairloss to be worse than anyone else's in the immediate family, but generally it's a good thing if there aren't many relatives with advanced hairloss or a history of early-onset male pattern balding.

You might want to look into the treatments (Finasteride AKA Propecia and Minoxidil AKA Rogaine) but IMO it's worth waiting to see if there's any change in your hair first. Others might disagree with that and suggest that you start right away, but that's just my opinion.

[chilllmatic]

I appreciate the reply. As far as I can remember, I have had thin hair on the sides as I stated above. It especially gets lighter in the summer time, or is more noticeable I should say. i I have noticed in other pictures, when spiked up in the front my hairline does come to somewhat of a point with rounded temples. Sort of like an M but not as sharp if that makes sense. I am starting to think that everything is normal, and a short haircut really is not my thing especially if my hair gets lighter in certain spots. Fingers crossed at least

[mattj]

I actually think that slightly shorter hair would work. Shorter than in those most recent photos and more like the length you had it in April and June. Although if your hair was even longer you still have plenty left to totally cover any signs of temple recession.

Basically I think the 'in between' length in the newest photos sort of emphasizes the loss of hair at the temples as the central part looks much thicker.