Dealing with hairloss VERY young

[Benjaymin]

Hey guys! So as the title suggests, i am losing my hair pretty young ( age of 16). Really whats going on is my hairline is receding at a consistent rate, and due to this my hair has lost some thickness. However, i haven't really experienced major shedding, just thinning over time. I feel like if this where to happen to me at least after college i'd handle it better, but the fact that im only just finishing high school makes it kind of hard. I mean, I am tall and muscular, and i do have a great sense of humor etc, so i'm not TO worried about it, but it still sucks and i would be lying if i told you i haven't cried about it. Just looking to get some support and feedback. Right now i am able to cover up my hairline, and my hair is still mostly there, but i feel like this skill is quickly fading.

[Benjaymin]

please someone answer this im desperate to get some support i dont wana face this on my own

[win200]

Hey!

First of all, you're definitely not alone--there are tons and tons of men that experience balding, and plenty that have had hair loss at your age. It's unusual, yes, not a freak occurrence. People on this board are supportive and generous with their time and knowledge, so this is a good place to turn.

The first thing you should know is that just because your hairline is moving back doesn't mean that you're experiencing male pattern baldness. The vast majority of men develop what's called a 'mature' hairline: a hairline that's higher than the one they have as a child/teen, but does NOT represent male pattern baldness. A mature hairline can develop when you're in high school, in college, in your late 20s, or never at all; look for a picture of Paul Ryan or Ronald Reagan for examples of grown men with juvenile hairlines. Also, check out this blog entry by Dr. Bill Rassman, which does a good job of explaining a mature hairline:

http://www.baldingblog.com/2007/01/1...e-with-photos/

Also, take some clear-well lit pictures of your hair to share, if you'd like some opinions about what you're going through. We'll be happy to good you some constructive thoughts. Be sure to pull your hair back to show your hairline, particularly at the temples.

And remember: even though you're too young to use some of them, there are great options for preventing/treating hair loss, and there are some truly incredible treatments in the pipeline that have been moved to human trials. If you are indeed experiencing hair loss, the future is very promising for you given how young you are; it's very possible that we'll have options available in 5 - 10 years that were unfathomable just a few years ago.

So ask more questions, post some pictures, and we'll get you some good feedback.

[Benjaymin]

Thank you so much for answering! ill get those pictures for u guys tonight, until then ill add some more details.

In terms of genetics, my grand father on my moms side only started losing his hair in his 40s, and even then it was only really bad later on by 50. My father on the other hand started losing his hair mid to end 20s, so its kind of a mixed background. Again i haven't experienced any extreme shedding but my hairline is pretty far back and my hair has thinned slightly on the sides due to that.

Sometimes it makes me feel pretty bad, but other days my confidence is higher and i don't really mind, if anything this whole thing has made me pretty bi-polar hahahaha!

[win200]

I know what you mean about feeling bipolar; some days I feel pretty despondent about my hair loss, other days I feel lucky that I've lost very little hair despite my age (30).

When you take pictures, be sure to try to snap some profile shots so we can see that loss on the sides that you're talking about.

And do this: wrinkle your forehead and measure the distance between the top of the highest wrinkle and the middle of your hairline. That can help determine the difference between a mature hairline and genuine MPB.

[Benjaymin]

Ok posting the pictures as we speak, after looking at that blog, sadly i feel its MPB, whatever i was prepared for the worst anyways, its kind of sad because i was known as the kid with thick surfer cali blonde hair and now it has an expiration date...

[win200]

Those images aren't showing up for me, FYI.

[Benjaymin]

no clue how to post pictures on here haha, its not a simple upload like on facebook :/

[win200]

no clue how to post pictures on here haha, its not a simple upload like on facebook :/

When you go to post, scroll down and you'll see an 'Additional Options' section. Click the 'Manage Attachments' button and you can select files to upload.

[Benjaymin]