How bad is this? 30y male

[Deckard7]

Well I haven't really been worried before. But what is going on with my hair? I used to have thick hair and even used to get compliments for it. But look at it now! So what do you think, Am I going completely bald? It feels terrible, I'm only 30 and i've only noticed thinning the last couple of years. I think it started when I was 26 or so, but it's only the last year it's bothered me. My scalp is itching alot aswell. Could it be male pattern bladness and is the itching a sign of it?
I have been stressed and lonely for 5 years so i'm not really sure what it is...
I only have one pic, but here you go:

http://imgur.com/0rlMu89

[mlamber5]

Certainly looks like it could be early stage male pattern baldness. But that is kinda an unusual pattern of loss.

[Odam]

The only way to be sure is getting yourself examined by dermatologist. There is definitely thinning at the top and it would be better to get an early intervention to keep control on situation. Itching is actually a common symptom of MPB, for many it is accompanied by lot of spots around the area of itching. However, there is no direct correlation between itching and MPB. It could also indicate other conditions or other types of hair loss. Genetics does play a role in male pattern hair loss; the gene can come from either parent, not just the mother. So have a look at your family history, is anyone in your close relatives, your father, grandfather (paternal or maternal) have lost hair as early as you? In addition, males who experience hair loss usually have a high presence of endocrine hormones. So you may require to undergo few hormonal test to confirm the diagnosis. For short term, you can use Nizoral 2% shampoo and follow the instructions for its use. It will take away your itching.

[Deckard7]

Certainly looks like it could be early stage male pattern baldness. But that is kinda an unusual pattern of loss.

Yeah It's kinda wierd since it's running as a line across the mid section of my scalp. I used to have parted hair in my youth and when I think about it I actually noticed the white "line" got thicker already in my late teens. Then I changed hair style and didn't think about it that much. But now I actually notice the hair is not as thick as it used to be. If I grab the top of my head with my fingers it's hard to get hold of much hair. It feels more than it looks like in the picture(I combed to make the bald spot more visible), but as you can see the hair is quite thin.

[Deckard7]

The only way to be sure is getting yourself examined by dermatologist. There is definitely thinning at the top and it would be better to get an early intervention to keep control on situation. Itching is actually a common symptom of MPB, for many it is accompanied by lot of spots around the area of itching. However, there is no direct correlation between itching and MPB. It could also indicate other conditions or other types of hair loss. Genetics does play a role in male pattern hair loss; the gene can come from either parent, not just the mother. So have a look at your family history, is anyone in your close relatives, your father, grandfather (paternal or maternal) have lost hair as early as you? In addition, males who experience hair loss usually have a high presence of endocrine hormones. So you may require to undergo few hormonal test to confirm the diagnosis. For short term, you can use Nizoral 2% shampoo and follow the instructions for its use. It will take away your itching.

I know my maternal grandfather had hair loss when he was young. From what I've heard he had substantial loss already in his mid 20's. So yeah could be a correlation there. Kinda "funny", but my parents have nice hair and no signs of hair loss and they are both 60+.

I appreciate your help. I'm gonna check that shampoo out and see if I can get a meeting with a dermatologist. As a side note I just want to mention I started using minoxidil 20mg. It said in the manual that it could make you lose more hair than usual the first few months, but that it will grow back eventually(and hopefully revive some hair). I started as a precaution and I guess it can't hurt, but I have to find out if it works on me or not.

[HumanNature]

It is an unusual pattern, so it's perhaps not MPB. Has that area seen a lot of physical tension? Do you wear a lot of hats? I'm pretty sure my thinning was sped up by the tight ponytails I used to wear, as the areas that received the most stress seemed to thin quicker.