Advice from a man who started balding 20 years ago (at age 18)

[cheeser73]

I was driving in the car today and I was reminded of a youtube video I recently saw about adults having a fictional conversation with their younger teen selves. I was thinking about advice I would give myself, and one of the topics that I would have loved to have covered would be on my experience with baldness. Since time travel is impossible, the next best thing for me to do would be to help someone else out.
I am 38, I started losing my hair at 18. For a myriad of reasons, I was devastated by my hair loss. I (subconsciously and consciously) equated so many things with having a full head of hair; youth, being attractive to women, etc etc. For years I wore hats, tried pills, creams, sprays, and the dreaded side part comb over. I even got a toupee at one point. I researched hair transplants even though my father had a horrible transplant from the 70's and made him look like Donald Trump.
The stress of this effected my health. Every morning I would look at the mirror with a sense of dread as I took inventory of the remaining hairs left on my scalp. I had problems with self confidence and couldnt pick up girls. People teased me about my side-part hair style but I refused to brush it any other way for fear of my baldness becoming evident to others.
Then one day when I was 28 years old, I thought about my life over the last 10 years. Even though I am a generally happy person, I realized that this condition was casting a dark shadow on everything I did and thought. So I went to a drug store, bought a pair of clippers, and shaved my head bald.
I have large features so I thought that a bald head would never work for me. I helped this by wearing glasses and I also grew a trimmed beard. Once I settled into my new look, I was able to finally feel at PEACE with myself. I actually looked GOOD! My confidence sky rocketed and I was able to get back to living my life.
Now, I realize that the main reason of concern for balding men is GIRLS!!! BUT you have to realize that there are a myriad of qualities that girls look for in guys. Maybe having a full head of hair is one of them, BUT if you improve your body by going to the gym, improve your mind by reading books, improve your game (try reading the website www.laddertheory.com for an insightful and comical look into the female psyche) and have a good job there is NO LIMIT to the girls you can date, I am living proof. I have slept with more women in my 30's then most men have in their entire lives. I am not saying this to brag, I just want to give you guys hope. I am now in a monogamous relationship and am engaged.
At this time I dont even think about being bald, just every 3 days I shave my head and I am good to go. Save the money you would have spent on a transplant or toupee and vacation to Europe or New Zealand instead. All of the pills/sprays have side effects anyway, I recently read that Propecia may cause prostate cancer. And nothing looks more ridiculous than a 30 year old man wearing a baseball cap.
I hope this helps out at least a few of you. Trust me, until Doctors are able to clone your hair in test tubes this is by far the best option. At this time I dont even miss having hair, honest.
Good luck!