This disease.

[hairlessM]

It ruined my life, without question. I shaved my head at 19/20 due to the worst hairline of any teenager in history. If you look down on me from above my hairline literally looked like this (''''I_I'''') and there is no hairstyle in the world that could even come close to covering that up, and now I look like that from behind. It ruined my confidence, self esteem, self worth, motivation, desire, ambition, it ruined everything because I always think whats the point as I don't want to look like this and there is nothing I can do about it.

I'm embarrassed to be bald.

The only time I ever feel suicidal is when I look in the mirror. I have no doubt many men have taken their lives over it and I think it's absurd that people brush it off and say "that has nothing to do with it". Still no one cares and nothing will be done about it because it's only "vanity".

[clandestine]

It ruined my life, without question. I shaved my head at 19/20 due to the worst hairline of any teenager in history. If you look down on me from above my hairline literally looked like this (''''I_I'''') and there is no hairstyle in the world that could even come close to covering that up, and now I look like that from behind. It ruined my confidence, self esteem, self worth, motivation, desire, ambition, it ruined everything because I always think whats the point as I don't want to look like this and there is nothing I can do about it.

I'm embarrassed to be bald.

The only time I ever feel suicidal is when I look in the mirror. I have no doubt many men have taken their lives over it and I think it's absurd that people brush it off and say "that has nothing to do with it". Still no one cares and nothing will be done about it because it's only "vanity".

I'm sorry.

I'm 21 destined for NW7.
Hair loss 'treatments' have exacerbated my hair loss, I'm NW4 almost 5.
I know how you feel.

I'm sorry, for us all.

[lrocksmashtime]

I'm with all of you. Started losing my hair at 17, now I'm 31 and I shave it everyday. I actually like the way I look with a shaved head, more or less, trouble is I'm the minority in a sea of tall, regular haired guys. Then the thought of all those years of sadness and pain just makes the cycle continue. All it would take is for one good girl to be a part of my life for it to be ok.

[redy]

being 6'2 or above makes you taller than like 98% of the world.

there is no sea of tall people.

this is coming from someone who is 6'4 though

[lrocksmashtime]

being 6'2 or above makes you taller than like 98% of the world.

there is no sea of tall people.

this is coming from someone who is 6'4 though

Not sure if this is in response to my comment. In any case, I wish I was 6'2. I'm a modest 5'8. I feel like the bald short combination is the ultimate killer. I have to master the art of overcompensation in pretty much everything, which not only shapes my personality, but also how hard I work. Girls don't seem to notice that or if they do they really just don't give a shit. I hate them more than I hate myself.

[redy]

Not sure if this is in response to my comment. In any case, I wish I was 6'2. I'm a modest 5'8. I feel like the bald short combination is the ultimate killer. I have to master the art of overcompensation in pretty much everything, which not only shapes my personality, but also how hard I work. Girls don't seem to notice that or if they do they really just don't give a shit. I hate them more than I hate myself.

well,

I've always been pretty good at getting attention from girls but I'm pretty awkward and shy when it comes down to talking and interaction. Not that I'm not confident in my looks but I'm just paralyzingly afraid of rejection in any way shape or form. I honestly think I got by a lot in life by just being 'that tall white guy that's cute' and now I feel like that world is crashing down around me. Like I didn't better myself in other ways or something because I didn't need to. I feel that other people are emotionally stronger than I am because I didn't really have to try outside of education.

I feel like when I have to buzz my head down, I'll still be pretty decent looking and I know some girls that specifically just go for tall guys because it makes them feel better about their own insecurities - but I'm still going to be me.. and whatever I do 'game' wise probably was not that much changed by hair.

[PatientlyWaiting]

This disease.

I wonder how many young men have been driven to suicide from this disease. Not that I'm any where near this mindset; but I wonder.

It can be so taxing for a person, emotionally. So incredibly crushing, especially at a young age.

I wonder as well how men and women with alopecia totalis cope? Maybe they're better off, having never had hair at all to have lost.

This disease wages war on the spirit. Our options are so limited; I find the feeling of helplessness often overwhelms all.

This disease wages war on the spirit.

Having alopecia areata I can tell you they are not better off. Hair loss is hair loss. They feel even less normal than we MPB sufferers do and they get much weirder looks than we do, and their social life is much worse.

[PatientlyWaiting]

Try being a NW 3 in high school. Luckily I was very athletic, I was the quarterback of the football team and played basketball as well, but it was hell. I eventually quite playing basketball because I couldn't stand being in front of so many people with my hair looking so terrible. Like someone else said there really are no words to describe how negatively this has effected my life, I could tell thousands of stories. I became angry, started drinking heavily, getting into fights, I can't say it all came from my hairloss, but I do think it is the main underlying issue. It's very hard to deal with hairloss when you're still developing mentally, I was around 12-13 years old when I started losing my hair.

That really sucks, I started at 15-16, but 12-13 is ridiculous. I am sorry to hear that.

[PatientlyWaiting]

This (hair loss) is a CURSE. No less. It's a cancer that destroys the soul. I wish I could ask god WHAT the purpose of this curse is. That's all I want to know.

5 1/2 hair transplants and over $22,000 and 13 years and my whole life on hold and I keep losing my transplanted hair. Soon I don't think I'll have any left, all thanks to a rare condition that causes the grafts to be rejected with time. Only 1 or 2% of people have this curse and I happen to be one of those!! Thank you god for this special gift that doesn't stop destroying.

Unfortunately suicide isn't an option because I don't to go to another hell. I've contemplated going homeless. It would be nice if the ground just opened up and swallowed me. I really don't know what to do with my life any more.

I don't mean to make this religious or bash religion, but I don't think an imaginary figure, created by primitive people who didn't know about the universe, has the answers for MPB. I am sorry, but "god" just doesn't exist. Sorry if I offend any one here. That is your answer, genes messed us up, not "god".

[Notcoolanymore]

I just had a really bad weekend dealing with this shit. I am older (37 yo) than most here, but have been losing my hair since I was about 22, so I have been dealing with stuff for many years. I don't like what it has done to my appearance, but usually I don't let it get to me very much anymore. For some reason though this weekend was tough. Thought about it way more than usual and that resulted in frustration and anger. Some people get depressed when dealing with this crap, I get pissed off. I usually try to not get too emotional about this stuff anymore, but was just in an overall bad mood. I didn't even try to hide it with a hat or anything. Buzzed it, like usual, but didn't wear a hat or anything. Went out in day light and I was just like eff it.

Everything about balding was/is pissing me off. Mostly the stigma attached to it: being old, sick, placed in same category as letting myself go, and a bunch of other negative garbage. It's just all bullshit and I am pissed. So I will try not to jump off the deep end and piss any of you guys off, because afterall we are all pretty much in the same boat.

[Hicks]

I just had a really bad weekend dealing with this shit. I am older (37 yo) than most here, but have been losing my hair since I was about 22, so I have been dealing with stuff for many years. I don't like what it has done to my appearance, but usually I don't let it get to me very much anymore. For some reason though this weekend was tough. Thought about it way more than usual and that resulted in frustration and anger. Some people get depressed when dealing with this crap, I get pissed off. I usually try to not get too emotional about this stuff anymore, but was just in an overall bad mood. I didn't even try to hide it with a hat or anything. Buzzed it, like usual, but didn't wear a hat or anything. Went out in day light and I was just like eff it.

Everything about balding was/is pissing me off. Mostly the stigma attached to it: being old, sick, placed in same category as letting myself go, and a bunch of other negative garbage. It's just all bullshit and I am pissed. So I will try not to jump off the deep end and piss any of you guys off, because afterall we are all pretty much in the same boat.

Have you looked into a HT? I got pissed at first at my hairloss then got some facts and went from there. 1 year on meds and if that went good a HT. 2 year plan! I'm 1.5 months out of my HT so not much to report on that end.

[Notcoolanymore]

Have you looked into a HT? I got pissed at first at my hairloss then got some facts and went from there. 1 year on meds and if that went good a HT. 2 year plan! I'm 1.5 months out of my HT so not much to report on that end.

I haven't seriously considered it, but I realize if I want improvement in my hair, I will need to get one.

[Hicks]

My advice is to start saving money and visit 3 surgeons to get a solid feel for what your up against. Say in a year 2 things will happen:
1-You will know if a HT is right and you will have the money.
2-You will know a HT is NOT for you and you will have money.

Either way knowing you have a plan brings hope. I honestly don't have faith on future treatments. I hope I am wrong but I"m just a realist.

I will most likely start getting PRP injections in the future.

[Randomb]

Yeah it's devastating for sure. I'm 19 and I have this small thin patch on my left temple that sometimes leads me to some real dark thoughts, for example, I sometimes wish I would have a freak accident that would end my life... Or wish that I had a terminal illness.

It weird to reminisce about myself as a 12 year old boy who pictured the future to be about what job I would have, what university I would go to... And now at 19 I'm more bothered about how to keep my hair. My 12 year old self was oblivious... Sad really

The even more upsetting thing about hair loss is you are basically forced into medication because it is a condition that worsens and something you really don't have much control over at all.. And if all fails you are left to live your life with a hairline that is constantly creeping back effecting your self esteem CONSTANTLY.

[clandestine]

Yeah it's devastating for sure. I'm 19 and I have this small thin patch on my left temple that sometimes leads me to some real dark thoughts, for example, I sometimes wish I would have a freak accident that would end my life... Or wish that I had a terminal illness.

It weird to reminisce about myself as a 12 year old boy who pictured the future to be about what job I would have, what university I would go to... And now at 19 I'm more bothered about how to keep my hair. My 12 year old self was oblivious... Sad really

The even more upsetting thing about hair loss is you are basically forced into medication because it is a condition that worsens and something you really don't have much control over at all.. And if all fails you are left to live your life with a hairline that is constantly creeping back effecting your self esteem CONSTANTLY.

Bro, from a 22 year old heading NW7 quick, if a thinning temple is bothering you that much, you better get over that shit, fast.

Much worse things are ahead, get your head right or you won't be able to handle the inevitable future.