Balding at 20

[Tommy]

Hey Everyone,

I am 20 years old and currently at College and have 2 more years left to go on my course. My hairline is bad, has been receding for about 2 years now, it is back 2 inches at my temples now and also have a small patch appearing at the back of my head.

I'm not here to ask for transplant advice or other methods, I've tried having a protein rich diet, upping my vitamins, even lemon juice to help clear and activate follicles. But after trying all this, I have realised: I am going to go bald. All my fathers side males are bald or have severe receding hairline.

I would just like to have some advice (from people who have gone through all this before) about how to deal with the emotional aspect of the balding, how to not worry about what people think of you, and what they are thinking when you walk by them, if you're ever going to get another girlfriend and how not to become anxious.

I used to be quite a good looking guy back in high school and had quite a 'cool' hairstyle, so now it is all very different. With my hairline getting further and further back, how will I know when the time is right to take the plunge and buy the clippers? I am trying to hold this off until after I finish college if I can as I believe I would feel awfully out of place.

I have become more open about my receding hairline, and my close friends can make the odd joke and I feel fine. I don't actually know how bad my receding hairline is as not many people comment on it. As my Dad's side of the family is the one that suffers from baldness (including my Dad), do you think it is a good idea to talk to him about it and ask him how he dealt with it?

I'd like to thank TheBaldTruth.com for their broadcasts and forum as they are very helpful to hear different stories.

Tom

[Notcoolanymore]

So it sounds like you have decided not to try the treatments that are currently available. I will not try to talk you into taking anything you don't want to and respect your decision.

As far as dealing with it, that's a tough one. Like you I started losing my hair early (22-23). At age 26 I could no longer style my hair the way I wanted so I started using a 3 guard on my hair. I dealt with it for 10 more years unhappy with how I looked. I just figured I was doomed and tried not to think about it. I did think about it every time I looked in the mirror. With that being said I just learned to deal with not being satisfied with the way I looked. I still went out and enjoyed my life for the most part.

I wont get into all the details about how you can improve yourself in other ways, but just remember just because your losing your hair doesn't mean you should let the rest of yourself go.

Again, I am not telling you to take meds, but I wish I found this site when I first started losing my hair. I would probably be in much better shape than I am today. At 37 I am treating my hair loss. Not much to save, but I am trying to keep what little I have. What I have in my opinion is way better than slick bald and will do what I can to keep it and possibly grow some back.

Sorry if I wasn't much help, but hair loss is a pain in the ass and there is no easy answer for dealing with it.

[ravegrover]

I have become more open about my receding hairline, and my close friends can make the odd joke and I feel fine.

sorry buddy and welcome to the club. i did not have the courage to be fine if someone brought up my hairloss. it crushed me inside.

with that said, the way I dealt with hairloss - buzzed my hair too short so I don't have to worry about styling, stopped looking in the mirror often and stopped getting my picture taken.

[Notcoolanymore]

sorry buddy and welcome to the club. i did not have the courage to be fine if someone brought up my hairloss. it crushed me inside.

with that said, the way I dealt with hairloss - buzzed my hair too short so I don't have to worry about styling, stopped looking in the mirror often and stopped getting my picture taken.

Doesn't that suck. Avoiding the camera. What will be look back on when we get old...memories I guess.

[ravegrover]

Doesn't that suck. Avoiding the camera. What will be look back on when we get old...memories I guess.

I have a few with the hat on.

[Notcoolanymore]

I have a few with the hat on.

Yeah so do I.

[capitan]

My two cents:

I'm losing hair in high school. My hairline is becoming more see through almost every day and my temples are gone, NW2-3 style.

The way I deal with it is bodybuilding, doing good in school and just doing awesome anywhere else I can.

If I'm going to be the bald guy, I'll also be the bodybuilder guy, and the best dressed guy, and the most-cash guy and the super-social guy with the nice-car and sexy-tan guy.

However, I've decided to take the plunge and start taking Finasteride, even at my young age.

I don't believe in permanent side effects, yes perhaps extremely rare and treatable "persistent" side effects do exist, but nothing scares me as much as the absolute certainty that I will be bald very soon if I don't inhibit DHT.

Good luck man and if you haven't already, get a gym membership.

[huawei]

Dude, just hop on fin with a small dose and taper it up and see how you respond.

I used to be like you but then took the plunge and I am over 3 months strong without any issues using .5mg eod.

One of my biggest regrets its not starting earlier, don't let it become yours!