I'd honestly rather be dead than deal with hair loss

[NOhairNOlife]

My story
When I was younger, I never thought I'd lose my hair, I'm not sure why I thought this I just assumed because I had such thick coarse hair that I would never lose it, how naive I was.
So I believe I started losing my hair in my early 30s. And at the time I figured that a cure would come or I wouldn't lose too much, plus I was dating somebody so I kind of put off any treatments. Fast forward to 4 years later, at 34, I was single and started to obsess more about my hair. I briefly (I don't remember how long to be honest but at least 3 months) tried Minoxidil Foam 5% at age of 35 but I didn't notice it made a difference. At the age of 38 I decided to get more serious and wanted to take finesteride, but like most people I had heard of the side effects and I was hesitant. But I figured I'd try it, I've been on it for 1 year and 4 months with no adverse side effects. I have NOT noticed it has regrown any new hair, but I believe it has reduced the amount of hair I lose in the shower or on a daily basis.
I've tried to determine what I am on the Norwood scale and I don't seem to resemble anything in that scale. I'm not receding in the front, but I am losing in the crown. if you see my hair from a front view you'd think I have a full head of hair. My crown is like a Norwood 4, but the rest is a Norwood 1. It's hard to explain, but when I have time I'll take a pic and post it.

Bitterness and Anger
In every ****in' way, this disease has made me a bitter and angry man. When I was younger I always wondered why older people were like this, now I understand why. I never thought I'd get old, but guess what it happens. Even to the guys that are vain, like me. Please don't say this is Karma, karma does not exist. It's just shit hair genetics. I really never thought I would lose my hair, not in a million years.

How has this changed my life
When I was younger I use to love the beach, swimming, pools, wave pools, water slides, jet skiis, everything water related. But ever since I noticed this crap in my early 30s, I have become scared of the water especially when I'm around people I know. It has literately scared me from performing those activities.
It has made scared when people are standing behind me and I'm sitting down from fear of them noticing. And of course it has become noticeable.

One thing I noticed I do now that I never did, I always, always always count the number of guys that have hair or don't have hair in any situation or setting. I always try to work out the percentage of balding men in a group. For example, If I'm in a meeting at work i'll count the total number of men and I'll count the balding guys to determine what is the percentage. It's become an obsession, a very weird and lame one.

Hair Style
My hair-do has been the same for the last 10 years, it sort of a faux-hawk, comb-over thing on the vertex. **** I can't believe I'm doing a comb-over, just wow. Like I said most people don't even notice the hair loss, but I know it's there.

Bettering myself
And, you don't have to tell me to go to the gym and better myself. I already go to the gym 4 to 5 times a week, I'm 6 foot 1 and 230lbs muscle, I'm probably around 10% body fat. So there's isn't much more I can do in that aspect.

Current plans
1. I'm on Fin, and I've been on it for 1 year and 4 months.
2. I've also started Minoxidil 5% liquid, I'll switch to foam once my 3 month supply of the liquid is finished and
3. I've order a dermaroller and will start doing this once it arrives. I believe I'll respond well to dermarolling, because I had big zits when I was younger on my chest and one big zit on the crown of my head in my early twenties that required acutane (thank god I didn't get them on my face). So there is a spot in between my pecs that doesn't grow hair because of the zits and I believe it's the same issue on my crown, I think the wounding from the dermaroller will stimulate growth.

Future Plans
I'm hoping in the next 5 years some of the cutting edge treatments will be effective enough to regrow what I've lost

Any comments, suggestions, slices, whatever let's hear it.

[fitnessisgood4u]

I am very bitter and angry about going bald. I am good looking and feel that when my hair goes so will my looks.

[Follicle Island]

Although there's never a right time to lose hair, you should just be happy that you made it to your thirties with a full head of hair. A lot of guys on this site (myself included) are losing hair in their teens and early twenties, and at that age, nothing can compensate for a full head of hair. You're nearly forty now, a bald head is nothing to fret about. Yeah it sucks but hey, that's aging, you can't be young and youthful forever. I never expected to be a young hot stud in my late thirties, I knew I would gain weight, lose hair and have wrinkles and so on. I wouldn't put your life on hold to wait for something that may never happen. At your age, it's acceptable to have hair loss, and you're also 6'1, whereas I'm a 5'8 manlet. So before you talk about how horrible your life has become, just remember that things could always be worse.

[DepressedByHairLoss]

It's interesting how you said you're a 6'1 230 pound weight-lifter. I have roughly the same build except I am a couple of inches shorter. And you say finasteride hasn't given you any side effects. Except it has given me side effects, more specifically it has made my muscles feel soft and flabby even after an intense workout, where in the past they felt hard and firm. I assume you haven't experienced finasteride side effects at the gym, no?

[DepressedByHairLoss]

One last thing that I forgot: it's also ironic how people who do not suffer from hair loss tell balding men to shave their head, get a tan, and get to the gym. Yet you and I are both big, strong weight-lifters yet we are still so devastated by hair loss.

[sheddingtears]

I feel a lot of what you feel about hair loss. I avoid water too and always get anxiety when people are close to my hair. Its horrible. But I agree with the poster who said at your age its a lot more normal. You shouldn't be so ashamed of it. Many many men by your age have hair loss. Now try going through this shit in your 20s. When you're barely starting a career and searching for love. Its ****ing misery.

[ejj]

I would love to in your position and be naturally balding. I have over ten strip scars from ear to ear, over 130 4mm punch grafts scars from my right ear to the occipital, and 130 donut raised unsightly punch grafts slightly camouflaged for a hair-line!

Can you believe Doctors really thought all this was in my best interest? and the kicker........ all paid for! When I started this nightmare journey I could have purchased a house! Like you I look at the balding men in a room or bar but I think something completely different, I think ` lucky bastards` to have the option to just visit the barber and shave down, and before anyone jumps in with the old line `outdated procedures` my last butchering was 5 years ago.

Merry Christmas

ej

[NOhairNOlife]

Although there's never a right time to lose hair, you should just be happy that you made it to your thirties with a full head of hair. A lot of guys on this site (myself included) are losing hair in their teens and early twenties, and at that age, nothing can compensate for a full head of hair. You're nearly forty now, a bald head is nothing to fret about. Yeah it sucks but hey, that's aging, you can't be young and youthful forever. I never expected to be a young hot stud in my late thirties, I knew I would gain weight, lose hair and have wrinkles and so on. I wouldn't put your life on hold to wait for something that may never happen. At your age, it's acceptable to have hair loss, and you're also 6'1, whereas I'm a 5'8 manlet. So before you talk about how horrible your life has become, just remember that things could always be worse.

Yes I suppose I am in a 'better' situation compared to the young guys losing hair, but I also look at my friends that are my age with a full head of hair and it's just not f'n fair. I saw this young kid, he looked to be in his late teens at the gym and he had diffuse thinning and my heart went out to him.

It's interesting how you said you're a 6'1 230 pound weight-lifter. I have roughly the same build except I am a couple of inches shorter. And you say finasteride hasn't given you any side effects. Except it has given me side effects, more specifically it has made my muscles feel soft and flabby even after an intense workout, where in the past they felt hard and firm. I assume you haven't experienced finasteride side effects at the gym, no?

Hey man, no I have NOT noticed any sides or flabby muscles on fin vs not on fin. I do have a small layer of fat the bottom of my stomach just below my 4 pack, that I cant see to get rid of. But that was the same case fro before fin.

I would love to in your position and be naturally balding. I have over ten strip scars from ear to ear, over 130 4mm punch grafts scars from my right ear to the occipital, and 130 donut raised unsightly punch grafts slightly camouflaged for a hair-line!

Can you believe Doctors really thought all this was in my best interest? and the kicker........ all paid for! When I started this nightmare journey I could have purchased a house! Like you I look at the balding men in a room or bar but I think something completely different, I think ` lucky bastards` to have the option to just visit the barber and shave down, and before anyone jumps in with the old line `outdated procedures` my last butchering was 5 years ago.

Merry Christmas

ej

Sorry to hear about that. Does the rest of your hair look good?

[Atum]

Wait , what? 6 foot 1 on 230 (104kg) muscle on 10% body fat at an age of 38? My senses tell me that ain't natural.

9 out of 10 you use creatine or AAS.

[ejj]

I think the rest of my hair is better than its ever been, however looking back, and before each procedure, I assumed this one would be the last. Once you take the plunge with surgery you are signing up for life in my opinion, and combined with scar stretching, and a few half ass`ed Doctors along the way, that many clients fall prey to the costs hugely mount up.

I think we don`t see a lot of average, and poor results online as only the best are selected. Clients then expect that result. Next time you see a knockout result have a look at the graft breakdown, more often than not there will be an above average of three and four hair grafts. This creates a big difference to the end result.

If I knew back then what I know now, I would choose a Doc who uses a small manual punch, no bigger than .8mm, who extracts no more than 1000 grafts by himself per day, and has results to back this up. I would forget about temples, hairlines and the crown, and only graft into the forelock, often referred to as zone 3. This approach leaves you with options to assess the growth and healing, whilst maintaining the option to look like a regular balding guy down at the gym. You can also expand on this and graft forward or backwards, remaining donor and finances permitting.

All the best

ej