21 years old male. Early Male Pattern Baldness or just Maturation of Hairline?

[akp22191]

So I'm a 21 year old male, and I've been worrying that maybe I'm in the early stage of male pattern baldness? I noticed the fast progression in my hairline changing over this current summer starting around late May 2012. First the right corner moved up a bit in June. Then in July the left corner started moving up a bit. This is when I went to my dermatologist in late July. He looked at my hairline and didn't notice any sign of early male pattern baldness; he confirmed this by doing the pull test in which no hair came out when he pulled on it. Then came August the current month; I started noticing my frontal hairline (the whole front view) getting weaker and fragile. I went for a free consultation with Hair Club. I was a little skeptical of them since their office was in a building not own by them; I think it was a hotel cause it was suite 100 in Merril Lynch Building. The doctor; if he even is a doctor? only a dress shirt and dress pants on. Not the usual lab coat or w/e certified MDs wear. They took me into a room. A whole new different men showed up to do the microscopic evaluation. He was wearing an Hawaiian shirt & I was right away able to tell he wasn't a doctor. He did the evaluation. Found thick terminal hair on the back, sides, crown, and vertex. Then came the frontal view part of my head. He showed me my hairline in the computer. Then pointed to a little bit below that hairline and said I had miniaturizing and like one dead hair. The dead hair and miniaturization was below the hairline. But behind where the hairline starts it was all terminal hair. I'm going for a dermatologist evaluation for miniaturization so I know this time from a specialized person. I heard that miniaturization happens below you mature hairline when it's forming? Basically the Juvenile Hairline dying off I guess? I'm going to post pictures and if anybody could advice whether or not this an early sign of male pattern baldness or just my hairline moving up. I feel like it's male pattern baldness, but again I'm new to this whole hairline moving up thing and receding just like any other men in their 20's. So I'm just confused whether is it's normal process of maturation or early stage of male pattern baldness. I'm going to be evaluated soon by a certified Dermatologist. But for now could you please let me know about your opinions & if I should grab a box of Rogain as soon as possible. Sorry for writing a huge a essay lol, but I just want to catch this thing early on. Pics are posted; please let me know your opinions on them. Thank You. I'm going to take pics with my hair combed forward and post them up soon.

-Amit Patel-




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Here's more pictures like I said with my hair combed down
These are the most present pics from Today.
The one I posted before was in early July
There's 2 front views and 2 side views

2 Front Views





Left Side



Right Side



Conclusion from my View: As you can see the front of the hairs look a bit fragile and brittle. But surprisingly the both side views of the corners appear thick; they moved up a bit but they appear thick. So as I was saying is the frontal view an explanation of my hairs on the juvenile hairline miniaturizing while the hairline moves up to the mature position now that the corners have moved up and established themselves? As you can see beyond the hairline I have a full head of thick hair. Let me know about your views thanks

-Amit Patel-

 

[Benjamin36]

I think you're going to need to take some picks of your hair pulled back from your forehead in order to get some advice.

 

[akp22191]

Here's a Perfect view of the frontal view again with more bright clear light.

Font View


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Could you please give me an example of how to take it correctly. If you could find it anywhere on this website. Or if you have one also, I could use it to take a picture of my hair pulled back. I want to make sure I do it right. Thanks

 

[Benjamin36]

Well the first picture you have in your opening post is pretty good in terms of being able to see your hairline, but it is too far away. If you can take another one like that, but closer, it will allow us to be able to see your hairline better. In the other photos your hair is brushed forward, and that makes it hard to determine what your hairline is doing.

 

[TheLastHairbender]

Hey Amit, it's good to catch male pattern baldness as early as you can but your concern may be a little premature. It's not exactly clear from the photos that you're receding by any appreciable amount; a series of pictures over time would help make that more clear. Even if so, do you go on finasteride or start minoxidil yet? I dunno. My suggestion would be to take pictures with the same camera, same settings, same distance and lighting, every week for the next two or three months. Then you can view them in sequence to determine if there is encroachment of your hairline. You probably want to pull the hair back with your hand and try to find some 'landmarks' near your hairline to provide reference, something like a freckle, a bit of pigmentation, a stray hair lower than the rest of your hairline, something like that to provide perspective. And try to relax in the meantime, being stressed about it will only make things accelerate! Good luck and be happy you have a great head of hair!

 

[akp22191]

Thanks for the advice man. If you could let me know how yours started I think it would be easier for me to catch it if I do end up having it. Did you go through a maturation process of the hairline, or did it just keep receding back? And yes I just started Rogaine this Monday; 2 times a day every day. Just as a precaution since I had the cash on me to buy the foam. But yes I will get it check by the dermatologist next week, since I don't trust the people from hairclub on giving me their opinions. If you wish not to share your personal story of how yours started, then I understand. But thanks for the advice.

-Amit Patel-

 

[Abercrombie]

you need to pull back your hair and take a picture of it up close, so that we can see your hairline. Whats the point of uploading a couple of pics with your hair brushed forward hiding your hairline?

 

[akp22191]

Hey, yeah I will be posting those pics up soon. Like I said, please give me some time as I don't have a camera at this moment. I used my sister's the last time on her laptop. She has eventually went for a last minute vacation before school starts up, and took the laptop with her. I don't have a laptop, so I use the library most of the time. Right now I'm using my uncles computer at his house while I'm typing this; And I think they would find it pretty weird if I start taking pictures of my head on their computer lol. So I have to wait till sis gets back by next week. But I just started Rogaine 5% foam Last Monday. I've noticed the front of my hair getting more weaker and it looks like hair breakage. Could this be the shedding since I also apply it on the hairline since that's where I think I'm miniaturizing. Also could Rogaine halt the process of early male pattern baldness; Like the baby stage which I think I'm at right now? Or do you recommend finasteride? Should I give Rogaine a 4 month chance instead of six, since again my stage is very very early. And then should I decided if I should go on finasteride?

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Also if anybody on this forum has had an experience with the maturation of their hairline, it would be very kind of you to share it. I would like to know just how the hair moves up. I know the temples move up, but does the front of the hairline also move up. And if it does, then do the hairs on the juvenile hairline began to miniaturize. As you could see in those previous picks the hairs are deff looking like they're becoming weaker, but after that it's stick all thick. Please let me know about the maturation process, so I could know if I'm going through that or not.

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Sorry for too much replying lol. But lastly about the pulling your hair back thing. I don't think it's the best method to indicate whether or not you have male pattern baldness. Somebody else also said the same thing on this forum. Her name is Tracy; looks to me like she knows a lot, since she's helping almost everyone out on their forum. Hopefully she reads mines & gives me a few tips lol. But yeah she said that pulling the hair back doesn't always indicate male pattern baldness. Pulling your hair back will only indicate your hairline receding or maturing. She said you must also take pictures where you're not pulling your hair back either combed down or just a normal view (not pulled Back). The normal view should have shots of the vertex, mid area, and hariline. She said if there's thinning in the vertex, mid area, and hairline then it's a clear indication of male pattern baldness, as you'll be able to see the scalp. I'm right now on the
" I don't know wtf is going on stage" lol. As only the front hairline hairs have been looking weaker compared to the thick hairs in the middle and vertex. SO again I do agree with her that pulling you hair back isn't the only best approach. You should also take pics exposing the vertex, middle, and hairline part of your hair. Don't pull it back when you take pics of the vertex, middle, and hairline. I mean it's basic sense---> if you're pulling the hair back you can only see the hairline. You can't even see the the miniaturized hairs on the hairline if you pull it back.

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Finally up. Used cousins laptop.

Right Side; Slight recession?


Left Side; less recession then one above?


Front view; not so great but yeah


Please me ppl; I'm so ****ing confused. This is so annoying. The whole maturation or is receding thing. ****ing stressing out & getting anxiety cause of this lol. Why can't hair just the same damn it lol.

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Spiked Up Front View

Without Folding Wrinkles


With Folding Wrikles


I have had a high *** ****ing forhead since I was a kid, but yeah let me your opinions

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Hey this is question is for anyone. Do you think a Buzz cut will suite my face shape. Also if I do start loosing hair & for some reason a preventive method doesn't work, do you think a bald head would look okay? You could check the very first picture I posted up as it shows my whole face.

 

[Abercrombie]

yea your hairline looks a bit receded in the front center part, but it might just be me seeing things. and yea i think you would rock the bald look, maybe even better than the haircut that you have in your pictures.

 

[Night]

Post pictures of you with hair spiked up when you were younger if you can. Some people just have more thinning hair. Anyway, you look fine, just keep an eye on it and take pictures of your hairline every 3 months. IF it is going back, there is always finasteride.

 

[2020]

do you have any family history of balding?

 

[akp22191]

Hey just went to the dermatologist. He told me it's just a maturation of my hairline, & it happens to a lot of males in their 20's. Now I have already started Rogaine 3 weeks ago twice a day every day. I panicked and got on the foam treatment. The thing is I'm going to stay on it, cause no body every knows if hairline will recede past the mature point or not. At one moment the hairline could be mature & then in a few days it could very well start receding again. That's why I'm following this proactive regime; I got the money to stay on Rogaine as it's much cheaper then finasteride. I think anybody who's going through the maturing hairline process should also get on a treatment like rogaine also just in case. Cause like I said one day the receding can stop and settle into the maturing process. And then a few days later it could get reactivated the receding can progress and finally enter the male pattern baldness stage.

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And about the family history. I have a strong case of my male family members from both side keeping all of their hairs. 3 grandpas passed away with full head of hair. Moms brother full head of hair bieber style bangs lol. Her younger brother & my father are the only ones with thinning hair, but they didn't start till 40. But again I don't want to jynx this ****, cause a lot of younger men are going bald earlier then their fathers, uncles, and grandpas did. So I don't think it's only genes; there has to be something else that is effecting the DHT these days for young men. I'll stay on Rogaine as the Doctor said it wouldn't be a problem. No side effects

 

[DannyBoyy]

Yeah it does look like the typical maturation off your hair to be honest but its to early to say anyway from what i have saw you hair looks ok but for now it does just look like the maturation off your hair.

 

[akp22191]

Hey, this isn't a scientific research or anything. Just something that I have thought about. I got propecia as I think my hairline is receding (it's very hard to tell if it's just maturing or receding). I personally think it's receding so I made the decision to get on propecia. Doctor prescribed only 30 pills for a month to test it out on how my body reacts; Doctor seems like a nice genuine person as this is a good option for 1st time propecia users. I took it the first day 1mg and noticed low libido and watery semen. 2nd day 1m & same side effect. Same side effect for the 3rd & 4th day. Now I'm not going to take anymore. I believe that since I only have a receding hairline & not thinning in the vertex/mid interior, my DHT levels before going on propecia were not that high to began with. Maybe high enough to cause recession but not high enough to have all out diffuse hair loss. Now the interesting thing is Merk did trials on guys who were loosing hair in the vertex, mid-interior, and front. Basically the who head. 1mg of propecia when these men took it game only 2% of people side effects. I believe that since the DHT was attacking their hair follicles everyone on the scalp the 1mg was just the right dosage for these people without having any side effects. I want to know anybodies opinions on this. Could I have noticed the side effects very early since the DHT was only attacking my hairline, which means enough DHT in the prostate to effect the hairline, but not huge enough to attack the rest of the hair. Could it be that my DHT levels are still moderate, but still enough to cause a receding hairline? Here are my options on how I'm going to continue my treatment; please let me know which could be the best decision.

1.) stay on 1mg and ride it out for a month & then decide if I should continue it or not?
2.) stay on Rogaine only 5% for hairline, and not take propecia until I start seeing thinning on the rest of the head?
3.) Cut Propecia into half 0.5mg and take it every day or every other day?
4.) Take propecia 1mg or 0.5mg which ever works to reduce side effects three times a week: Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule? (I actually read this somewhere on the forum as someone stated that propecia stays in your body for actually 72 hours, even with a half life of 4 hours.
5.) And finally that 1mg or 0.5mg once a week only, maybe every Mondays?

Could you please let me know what ya think? Fire away lol

 

[TheLastHairbender]

Hey Amit, I'm sorry to hear you're not tolerating the finasteride very well. If it's causing you issues like that then it's probably not worth taking. I don't know about spacing out the doses, whether it will allow you to achieve the desired effect without the sides. I would bring it up to your doctor and see what he says. You may want to consider a topical anti-androgen like spironolactone, which is not systemically absorbed, or one like RU/RUM, although I don't think any doctor would condone the use of an untested research chemical. In that respect spironolactone might be the better option, it's very well tolerated and has been shown to have localized anti-androgenic activity without the side effects associated with finasteride use. It's just a thought; there's a lot of info on topical anti-androgens available on this site, those would be a few keywords I would search for. Good luck!

 

[akp22191]

Hey does anybody know if cutting a 5mg finasteride into 4ths works well? I have a 5mg finasteride but I've been cutting it into half since the size of it is the same as 1mg propecia. I know the coating of the tablet doesn't really matter as long as you have 5mg, but I'm worried that cutting it into 4ths will cause the pills to be too small. Here's whatit loos like

It's the same size and shape as a 1mg propecia, but has 5mg inside it instead of 1mg. Do most of you have a similar looking generic brand in terms of shape & size. And does cutting it into 4ths still prove effective?

 

[ldk13]

It should work. There are people here who cut up the 5mg into 5 peices