What is up with my hairline folks?

[Shutoku]

Long story short, I’m a 19 year old male. And since around 17/18 I’ve noticed a slight change in my hair line, I have lots of hair and it’s relatively thick. I’d like to know if I am receding or not, check the links below

https://i.imgur.com/OD8tLXh.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/RIUcbaQ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/w67aoN8.jpg

[Shutoku]

Bump

[BaldBearded]

I see a "V", the question is, how long has it been that way? Any other signs of hair loss? More than 100 or so hairs a day in the shower, your hairbrush, etc?

[Shutoku]

Noticed it when I was 17, no hairs on pillow or in shower.

[BaldBearded]

Noticed it when I was 17, no hairs on pillow or in shower.

So, you probably have nothing to worry about.

[Shutoku]

What about the overall shape of my hairline?

[BaldBearded]

What about the overall shape of my hairline?

Unless you have photos from a year or two back, showing progression, hard to tell.

[Shutoku]

https://imgur.com/a/zjgIN

This photo was from when I was 16, I noticed a change around 17/18.

[Kyle Kneeland]

Seems like your hairline just matured, not started balding. A lot of men in their late teens/early 20s see their hairline, particularly temples, recede a little. If you look at the typical 13 year old's hairline usually they're usually very rounded, but the typical 25 year old's hairline has a bit of a peak. Usually that change happens over the course of a year or two, and then the hairline stabilizes again until balding happens later in life. Especially since you said it happened when you were around 17 and has since stopped changing, I think that's probably what's happened to you. Of course, anything is possible and there are teenagers who actually do start going bald, but if you aren't seeing your hairline actively recede anymore or seeing excessive shedding I doubt you're one of those unlucky few.

And you can always go see a dermatologist to confirm, nobody can tell with 100% certainty over the internet.

[Shutoku]

Thank you for your response, I did also assume it was maturing of my hairline. As I don’t have any of the other symptoms. Better safe than sorry, I did also gain horrible acne at the age of 17, did this also play a part?

[Kyle Kneeland]

A change in hormonal levels due to puberty could be what triggered both your acne and the change in your hairline, but I doubt the acne itself caused anything.

[Shutoku]

Well, true. Acne cleared up a long time ago. But I assume my horomones spiked out of control at 16-17

[mynameisrich]

Looks good to me. The shape may be concerning to you, but take it from us who actually have thinning in the front, your hairline is pretty thick and full at this point. I wouldnt put much worry into it, just keep an eye on it over the next few years. jump onto propecia if it gets worse and you want to do something about maintaining your hair, going forwards

On a side note, I wish I had your hairstyle haha

[doc]

Seems like your hairline just matured, not started balding. A lot of men in their late teens/early 20s see their hairline, particularly temples, recede a little. If you look at the typical 13 year old's hairline usually they're usually very rounded, but the typical 25 year old's hairline has a bit of a peak. Usually that change happens over the course of a year or two, and then the hairline stabilizes again until balding happens later in life. Especially since you said it happened when you were around 17 and has since stopped changing, I think that's probably what's happened to you. Of course, anything is possible and there are teenagers who actually do start going bald, but if you aren't seeing your hairline actively recede anymore or seeing excessive shedding I doubt you're one of those unlucky few.

And you can always go see a dermatologist to confirm, nobody can tell with 100% certainty over the internet.

This is as good a place as any for me to ask this: is it really the case that guys can experience "maturing" of the hairline that stops at a cosmetically-acceptable point without progressing straight to full-on "balding"? My understanding, which may be incorrect, has been that "maturing" hairlines are simply the early stages of balding.

[Kyle Kneeland]

This is as good a place as any for me to ask this: is it really the case that guys can experience "maturing" of the hairline that stops at a cosmetically-acceptable point without progressing straight to full-on "balding"? My understanding, which may be incorrect, has been that "maturing" hairlines are simply the early stages of balding.

Yes, men who experience a maturing hairline don't go past a Norwood 2, but usually they stop sooner. Acceptable is of course subjective but I think most would think NW2 is fine. Whether or not that's considering early balding or not is debateable and will depend on who you ask.

If you look at most male celebrities in their 20s, for example, they're probably going to have a peak (unless they've already begun balding), while incredibly few kids/preteens have any sort of peak. It's pretty apparent if they were a child star and you can look up their hairlines from when they were a teenager to later.