I'm 23 and NW5 / NW6 - I can't handle it.

[Catch 22]

I hate living my life this way. I hate not having any free will, everything I do is a secondary response with regards to my hair. If my hair gets affected by an event - I simply avoid it. I avoid all sports activity with friends if I can't wear a hat. I don't go to clubs or anything as I can't wear a hat. I hate that I'm dependant on wearing a hat to the extent where I don't think I could do much without it.

Here's the kicker - I know how silly the scenario is. I know how 'pathetic' [for lack of a better expression] that it all is. I shouldnt let my hair loss control me, I should be in control of it. I just can't come to terms with it. I can accept I am balding, I just can't socially accept it.

I'm depressed directly due to my hair loss. I know I'm a great guy with funny/charming personailty but I have zero confidence in my appearance. I write myself off before I even start. I have it in my head that in a clubbing scenario where girls have the luxury of choice, none of them would ever give me a second glance. "There's always someone better". If I was confident that I can be fairly judged with my character as a part of the criteria then I know I'd be a lot better than I am just now.

I really think the best process for me is to accept it temporarily with the aim to have a transplant as soon as I can afford one. I'm currently a student just now so have little to no money, and really would want a FUE transplant [incredibly more expensive here in the UK than FUT] as there are no scars.

Do any of you recommend FUE over FUT?

[mattj]

Are you really a NW5/6 or are you experiencing diffuse hairloss in that pattern, with plenty of hair still left on top?
Regardless of the answer, with a pattern that advanced forming then you aren't really the best candidate for FUE, and it might not be in your best interest to have any form of transplant surgery. At least not yet.

You make no mention of hairloss treatments. Are you taking any? They're much cheaper than a transplant and by stabilizing your hairloss - or perhaps even regrowing some lost hair - you'll be in a better position to undergo surgery in the future. By treatments I'm talking about Finasteride (Propecia/Proscar) and Minoxidil (Rogaine/Regaine).

Lastly, the nightclub environment is not the only place that a guy can meet girls. They aren't even the best place. Far from it IMO. With little opportunity to actually get to know people, they're all about making a show of yourself. It's a place where confident guys have the best chance and your state of mind will be the biggest obstacle to failing in make the right impression.

[PatientlyWaiting]

I am an NW3, or NW2, I don't know but it definitely looked worse 4 months ago before I started treatment it was definitely NW3, now I don't want to get my hopes up but I think I have an NW2 but if not, I know for sure the vertex thickened up.

Well i'm saying this because maybe you should get on some treatments. I can't afford much so I buy generic finasteride and 5% Kirklands minoxidil which is extremely cheap but you get what you pay for so it's not as comfortable to use as Rogaine but it gets the job done.

Trust me, I feel the same way you do, always wearing a baseball cap, low confidence, avoiding going out unless it's really important. But I think in about 8 more months, which will be 1 year of me on treatments, i'll be in a better spot, hopefully. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it all works out to my favor.

Edit: Okay I just checked the NW scale and i'm actually a NW2, I was being too hard on myself with NW3, lol.

[Catch 22]

Are you really a NW5/6 or are you experiencing diffuse hairloss in that pattern, with plenty of hair still left on top?
Regardless of the answer, with a pattern that advanced forming then you aren't really the best candidate for FUE, and it might not be in your best interest to have any form of transplant surgery. At least not yet.

You make no mention of hairloss treatments. Are you taking any? They're much cheaper than a transplant and by stabilizing your hairloss - or perhaps even regrowing some lost hair - you'll be in a better position to undergo surgery in the future. By treatments I'm talking about Finasteride (Propecia/Proscar) and Minoxidil (Rogaine/Regaine).

Lastly, the nightclub environment is not the only place that a guy can meet girls. They aren't even the best place. Far from it IMO. With little opportunity to actually get to know people, they're all about making a show of yourself. It's a place where confident guys have the best chance and your state of mind will be the biggest obstacle to failing in make the right impression.

Thank you for the replies.

Well I've braved taking photos to emphasise my point. The only positive here is that I can say I've been wearing a hat all day, so it is essentially compacted down unaturally:







Recently a UK 'minor' celebrity - Jason Gardiner - has came out of the wood work and has documented his transplant. He was completely bald, and now sporting a 3500gft FUT procedure. Just reading about how he handled being bald [or more accurately - couldn't handle] pretty much reflects how I feel on the situation. I too have hair envy. I don't like being the person hair loss is making me become.

I sound very apathetic about life and it annoys me. I've got so much to live for, so much to do but this is such a burden for me it has paralysed me right in my tracks.

Sorry for the rant, I can't vent anywhere else.


Edit: Sorry I missed the question - I am on no meds. I went to see a doctor about a year ago who told me to just accept it or get a transplant. He said the meds are so expensive and are not very effective. Prior to that for about 2 years I was in denial, as it wasnt as bad as it is now. I didnt even know about Fin or Minox back then.

[luis]

Hey there Catch22,
I'm 20 years old and also going for a NW6. I know that, it's genetics. I'm not too bad at the moment, but it's starting to become obvious, bald spots starting to appear if wind blows.
I'm also having a really hard time to accept it but you know what? I'm gonna shave it all off before the summer, get tanned and ripped and that will definitely boost my confidence! Not an easy decision, but I live in the hope that Histogen or Aderans or others will have developped a "cure" by the time I'm 25.

Positive thoughts my friend, I feel your pain, it sucks but you can get over it. And don't worry about gettin girls, if you're confident, with hair or no hair, you'll get them. Seriously, just go for a walk outside, there are some ugly fat bald men who have quite hot wifes or gf's. It's all about confidence.

[PatientlyWaiting]

Edit: Sorry I missed the question - I am on no meds. I went to see a doctor about a year ago who told me to just accept it or get a transplant. He said the meds are so expensive and are not very effective. Prior to that for about 2 years I was in denial, as it wasnt as bad as it is now. I didnt even know about Fin or Minox back then.

My doctor told me that same thing, he said there's nothing I can really do about it, maybe he was being realistic, but to me that's more of a jerk-like thing to say. Well I didn't let no doctor get my hopes down. Now I just regret I didn't stick to these meds before.

You say you're not on anything but man you have to give it a try. Don't just lose the battle without a fight.

[Person]

If i was you I would buzz it down to a number 1 or 2.

The real winners of the hair loss battle are those who can "own" it. no meds. just confidence and acceptance.


I hate when ppl tell me that but its so damn true. I have not won the battle by accepting and owning the look. But I have friends who have, and they are happy, confident, and get girls. They buzzed it down to a stubble, and got really in shape/tan and dress in nice clothes.

The treatments today are mediocre at best, and transplants risky/expensive and long term investments. Better treatments will be avail in the next 2-4 years (PGD2 blockers and Bimatoprost etc) and i honestly believe a cure will be avail in the next 7 years (histogen/replicel).

[Lazoid]

Hey mate, I feel for you.

I would take the advice of fellow posters here...

Buzz it and ALSO get on the MEDs at the same time as you might get some re-growth happening. If not, then you still are used to your BUZZ.

Check out the pics (especially the first couple)

All the best.

[Morbo]

I can't help you with your decision about a HST or about taking meds, since I'm not not taking meds either.
But I'm with the others who say you should buzz it down. With all due respect, your current hair-cut looks bad and makes you look 30 years older and even more insecure.

Trim it down. It's not that big of step like say shaving it and you won't have to worry anymore about wind or rain messing up the few hairs on top you have left.

It might be a shock the first 2-3 days but on a long run you'll feel more secure.

[dex89]

If i was you I would buzz it down to a number 1 or 2.

The real winners of the hair loss battle are those who can "own" it. no meds. just confidence and acceptance.

I agree, buzz it down, get diesel up and go tanning more.