AM I going bald? If so, HOW do I prevent any more hair loss before it gets worse?

[Julez]

I'm 20 years old. I have been really, really stressed out about this for a year now. I used to shave my head for 2 years then I immediately after grew my hair long. I finally got a proper hair cut, and I've noticed just how much the hair at my temples are behind.

I have to say though I always had a higher hairline but I didn't realise it untill now. Mbp does run in my family. On both sides. My dad, both grandparents, and two out of my three uncles are bald. Only one uncle (my dad's brother) isn't. Both my dad's younger brother and my mom's brother are bald. The funny thing is my dad's maternal family, NO one lost hair. Not one uncle.

Anyway, my dad said when he was my age, his hair was noticeably thin and that I have a lot more hair than he did at my age. I look at my mom and my sister and their temples kind of go in the way mine does but recently I've been seeing hair fall out when I never used to see hair fall out. Its freaking me out. I'm becoming so self conscious about it.

If I am experiencing balding, what can I do to STOP it? I still have a lot of hair as it is, so I just want to keep what I have before it's too late. Thanks.

Album: http://imageshack.us/g/1/10060385/

[Breaking Bald]

I'm 20 years old. I have been really, really stressed out about this for a year now. I used to shave my head for 2 years then I immediately after grew my hair long. I finally got a proper hair cut, and I've noticed just how much the hair at my temples are behind.

I have to say though I always had a higher hairline but I didn't realise it untill now. Mbp does run in my family. On both sides. My dad, both grandparents, and two out of my three uncles are bald. Only one uncle (my dad's brother) isn't. Both my dad's younger brother and my mom's brother are bald. The funny thing is my dad's maternal family, NO one lost hair. Not one uncle.

Anyway, my dad said when he was my age, his hair was noticeably thin and that I have a lot more hair than he did at my age. I look at my mom and my sister and their temples kind of go in the way mine does but recently I've been seeing hair fall out when I never used to see hair fall out. Its freaking me out. I'm becoming so self conscious about it.

If I am experiencing balding, what can I do to STOP it? I still have a lot of hair as it is, so I just want to keep what I have before it's too late. Thanks.

Album: http://imageshack.us/g/1/10060385/

Looks like you might be receding a bit, but to really tell you should try to compare to older pictures of yourself to see if your hairline has moved much. But don't worry too much because at this stage NO ONE will notice your hair loss.

What can you do?

The only real treatments are minoxidil and propecia but you should study them both before considering them. For you propecia will be more beneficial to maintain what you have but it can come with side effects and personally I would not recommend it. I don't really think it is safe for young men as it can mess with your hormones and libido but many people will disagree with me on here.

Other than that, acceptance is your only other option. There may be better and safer treatments available within 5 years but we still our not too sure about it.

[Julez]

Looks like you might be receding a bit, but to really tell you should try to compare to older pictures of yourself to see if your hairline has moved much. But don't worry too much because at this stage NO ONE will notice your hair loss.

What can you do?

The only real treatments are minoxidil and propecia but you should study them both before considering them. For you propecia will be more beneficial to maintain what you have but it can come with side effects and personally I would not recommend it. I don't really think it is safe for young men as it can mess with your hormones and libido but many people will disagree with me on here.

Other than that, acceptance is your only other option. There may be better and safer treatments available within 5 years but we still our not too sure about it.

Hm, is minoxidil and propecia over the counter? Because if they are prescription I'm positive doctors will laugh at me and think I'm crazy for thinking I'm balding.

[StuckInARut]

Minoxidil is but Propecia, no. You will need a prescription or risk ordering it from an online pharmacy.

[mattj]

It isn't necessarily a risk to use online pharmacies, but it's best to go to your doctor first. You're right, they may know nothing about hair loss treatments and tell you to accept it, but you don't know until you try.

You have some minor temple recession but your hair still looks great overall.

[Julez]

Thanks for the quick responses.

So it's safe to say my hair is receding due to mpb and not just a "mature hairline"?

[mmmcoffee]

though theres a debate on this, i view the "mature hairline" as the first stage of male pattern baldness.

It depends on your genetics how much it will progress. whats your dads hair like - uncles and grandfathers on both sides? that will give you an idea on how far your mpb will progress.

if everyone in your family has full heads of hair, chances are you will too, but keep an eye on it. if anyone is bald, theres a chance you will be too.

Im 23 and take propecia with no problem, as do many people. Its great in terms of maintaining your hair

[Breaking Bald]

Thanks for the quick responses.

So it's safe to say my hair is receding due to mpb and not just a "mature hairline"?

Hard to tell but I would guess yes if it runs in your family. Have you not got older pictures you can compare with? Keep an eye on it.

[Julez]

though theres a debate on this, i view the "mature hairline" as the first stage of male pattern baldness.

It depends on your genetics how much it will progress. whats your dads hair like - uncles and grandfathers on both sides? that will give you an idea on how far your mpb will progress.

if everyone in your family has full heads of hair, chances are you will too, but keep an eye on it. if anyone is bald, theres a chance you will be too.

Im 23 and take propecia with no problem, as do many people. Its great in terms of maintaining your hair

Like I said in my original post, my dad, both grandfathers and 2/3 uncles are bald. My dad's youngest brother and my mom's only brother are bald. My dad's older brother still has hair though it has receded since he was young. He still has hair covering his head though. I'd like to take propecia but worried I may be a bit young to be taking a hormone manipulating pill while I'm only 20? What do you think?

[Breaking Bald]

Like I said in my original post, my dad, both grandfathers and 2/3 uncles are bald. My dad's youngest brother and my mom's only brother are bald. My dad's older brother still has hair though it has receded since he was young. He still has hair covering his head though. I'd like to take propecia but worried I may be a bit young to be taking a hormone manipulating pill while I'm only 20? What do you think?

It's likely mpb then. Only you can make that decision, I'm 22 and my hair is much much worse than yours, personally I won't touch the stuff, I know there are others who feel the same. But there also people who don't get sides and it helps them a great deal. I don't think it's been on the market long enough to fully understand how safe it is.

[Julez]

Hard to tell but I would guess yes if it runs in your family. Have you not got older pictures you can compare with? Keep an eye on it.

Looking at pictures from 3 years ago, the temple areas become more "rounded". Here's a pic from 3 years ago (I was 17) hopefully you'll understand what I mean

http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/4998/wswsws.png

[mpb47]

I'm 20 years old. I have been really, really stressed out about this for a year now. I used to shave my head for 2 years then I immediately after grew my hair long. I finally got a proper hair cut, and I've noticed just how much the hair at my temples are behind.

I have to say though I always had a higher hairline but I didn't realise it untill now. Mbp does run in my family. On both sides. My dad, both grandparents, and two out of my three uncles are bald. Only one uncle (my dad's brother) isn't. Both my dad's younger brother and my mom's brother are bald. The funny thing is my dad's maternal family, NO one lost hair. Not one uncle.

Anyway, my dad said when he was my age, his hair was noticeably thin and that I have a lot more hair than he did at my age. I look at my mom and my sister and their temples kind of go in the way mine does but recently I've been seeing hair fall out when I never used to see hair fall out. Its freaking me out. I'm becoming so self conscious about it.

If I am experiencing balding, what can I do to STOP it? I still have a lot of hair as it is, so I just want to keep what I have before it's too late. Thanks.

Album: http://imageshack.us/g/1/10060385/

If you mom and sister have the exact same hairline, then this probably just your normal hairline and not balding. I have a friend at work who has tons of hair, yet her hairline is probably a little higher than yours and she is certainly not going bald, far from it.

You should keep taking pictures and compare this photos with newer one's say in 6 months or so from now. You also need to take pictures of the back of your head- if you start seeing thinning in that area then it is mpb. If you can, ask your mom's brother and other balding relatives when it started with them.

[BigThinker]

I'd hop right on fin to maintain, go reputable online if you want to bypass seeing a doc.

[PatientlyWaiting]

The truth is it would be a success if you can just slow it down. Preventing further loss is a miracle, even with finasteride+minoxidil. I'm not saying there no cases where a user has no further loss, or even regrow hair. It just seems like in the real world, from real people giving their take on it, all that combination does is slow down the hair loss.

[mattj]

The truth is it would be a success if you can just slow it down. Preventing further loss is a miracle, even with finasteride+minoxidil. I'm not saying there no cases where a user has no further loss, or even regrow hair. It just seems like in the real world, from real people giving their take on it, all that combination does is slow down the hair loss.

Some guys seem to slow it down to a VERY slow pace. I've spoken to many who began taking Finasteride back in the 90s and their hair hasn't changed. That's a pretty long time.