Hairline Receding (pics 2010 vs now)

[idontlikespinach]

Hey everyone.

I'm 20 years old. I first thought my hairline was receding in January 2010 when I was 17, and no one believed me. No one in my family has began balding before 30, and my dad still has his Juvenile hairline. Anyways, I really got caught up on the subject of MPB and researched into all of the available treatments, testimonials, horror stories, life lessons, etc.

Eventually, the stress of possibly going bald became to much and I decided to ignore it. I always wear my hair long and to the side so it's easy to hide. I took some pictures of my hair back then for a reference and moved on with my life.

Lately I feel as if it's getting harder to hide. To be fair I only spend about 15 seconds every morning attempting to do my hair, but it just never seems to "fall into place" anymore. Most people my age don't know what to look for, but since I do from all my research when I was 17 it certainly looks to the trained eye like I'm trying to cover up a receding hairline.

Anyways I brought it up with my parents again, who didn't believe me which is irrelevant at this point since I'm living with friends and attending University. What really triggered me to look into my hairline was that my brother, two years younger than me, still has his juvenile hairline at 18, whereas I was already worried about a V-shaped hairline at 17.

I went to a doctor who told me "your hair looks great" but referred me to a dermatologist. The dermatologist was pretty pissed that I made an appointment with him since in Canada I don't think they're really supposed to cover hairloss, but he told me it looks like MPB and to get a blood test. I did and everything came back fine: thyroid, testosterone, ferratin, B12, etc. He gave me a prescription for both Propecia and Proscar (upon my request since I'm not sure which one I will take, need to look at pricing...) and Rogaine.

I've attached the pictures I took in 2010, which was done in a pretty dark room using camera flash, and the pictures I took in 2012, which was done using my iPhone with no flash in the fluorescent lighting of my office. I also attached a picture from 2011 where I had a female friend style my hair like Jim Halpert from the office for fun, which shows my hairline a bit, and a picture I took this morning after my shower.

I'm fairly certain if I take a course of action it will be Propecia. I understand the side effects are rare but they certainly are cause for concern. I've already suffered from what I think is gynecomastia since I was 11. It's hard to tell anymore since it always looked like a build-up of fat and there were never any hard glands; it's just soft. Also, although I was a skinny kid, I put on some weight since I hit university so my moobs just might be more of a product of weight gain. However, I did have a 6-pack before hitting university and I definitely suffered from it then.
The sexual side effects are also worrisome because neither my girlfriend nor I would be happy if I couldn't get it up, even for a month. I fap way too much (2-3 times/day) so I don't think a slight decrease in libido will be an issue though.

Anyway, I've attached the pictures. The primary concern for me right now is my hairline, but I've attached the top of my head and crown too. Sometimes they feel thin but it might just be paranoia.

Thanks

[Dan26]

beatinghairloss where you at bro get in here it's your time to shine!

[whynot]

I would swim through an opaque and unending gulf, filled to the brim with used hypodermic needles, if I knew the reward would be that goddamned hairline.

[Follicle Death Row]

Doesn't look too bad. You don't have any hairloss on the norwood scale yet really and you may keep your hair forever since you're young, new treatments could be on the way and you hairloss really hasn't kicked off. If you do have mpb you still have every cause to be optimistic about controlling it.

Enjoy the hair now. It looks pretty good. Best of luck.

[stratofortress]

You have great hair for the moment. Can't see any real thinning and doesn't look like you're any more than NW2.

[idontlikespinach]

I would swim through an opaque and unending gulf, filled to the brim with used hypodermic needles, if I knew the reward would be that goddamned hairline.

I've been lurking this forum for about two weeks and I've noticed a lot of people with similar attitudes. Even the thread above mine is "Jesus I wish I started fin sooner." My best friend started going bald when he was 15 and when he was 17 we first noticed it because he got his hair short. I started researching balding out of curiosity and found my own temples were receded, which was when I took those 2010 pictures. I told myself I never wanted to wait until it is "too late" because I'll never forgive myself. I see a lot of guys that don't notice it until their NW3V and by then everyone already knows them as the "balding dude."

I want to find out if I'm going bald. I face my fears. It's not pretty to think about but if it is happening I'll take the appropriate action.

Doesn't look too bad. You don't have any hairloss on the norwood scale yet really and you may keep your hair forever since you're young, new treatments could be on the way and you hairloss really hasn't kicked off. If you do have mpb you still have every cause to be optimistic about controlling it.

Enjoy the hair now. It looks pretty good. Best of luck.

I see a lot of posts "just 5 more years," "wait till 2015." What does this mean? I've been googling "balding cure 2015" but I don't see anything.

You have great hair for the moment. Can't see any real thinning and doesn't look like you're any more than NW2.

I do see some thinning in my temples. I'll take another picture tonight and one in the morning with my hair wet at better angles to show a better look.



The problem for me I think is that at this point I'm not really sure what's happening. It seems pretty clear that my hairline is worse than it was 2 and a half years ago but a little part of me wants to deny it. Sometimes I get comments from my girlfriend "did you get a haircut?" and "it looks like you have an old man hair part." I don't let her go anyway near my hairline. My hair certainly feels thin on top but who really knows, might be (probably is?) my paranoia. My brother shows no signs of balding but when he has his hair short he looks thin on top.

I don't see any hair in the shower, on my pillow, or when I run my fingers through my head. I thought that's how balding worked though; the hairs get miniaturized and die rather than shedding. I would like to get closure on this issue so I can take action or sit on my hands, but it seems like there is no where to get a miniaturization test in Canada. I've looked it up but found nothing. I was told I could go to an endocrinologist for my gynecomastia but my estrogen and testosterone levels are normal according to my blood test so it probably isn't related to my hair loss.

What I'm trying to say in this big rant is I just want to know, with decent certainty, whether this is "all part of growing up" or mildly aggressive MPB. I don't want to be here in a few months or a couple years looking at pictures of NW2s thinking they're going bald and wishing I had that hairline. I may be strong and confident enough to handle it, but I don't know and I don't intend to find out.