Am I losing hair or just worrying too much?

[mustang84]

I'm 21 years old and there is some hair loss on both sides of my family. However, my dad is 49 years old and still has a full head of hair. My hair is generally thick except I have noticed that on the top of my head there is a small bald area. There's still hair there, but it's thinner than the rest and I used to kinda twirl the hair there until recently (when I found out that it can result in permanent damage...I stopped that!)

I go to college and noticed that the majority of guys my age have a small bald area on the top of their head where the hair seems thinner. I probably wouldn't be thinking much of it, but my uncle on my dad's side began experiencing hair loss in his 20s, so I'm wondering if I got his genes instead of my dad's. Is there a tendency in guys to have a "natural" bald spot at the top where the hair is thinner, or am I beginning to lose hair? Thanks for the help.

PS. I should also mention that I have a really bad diet...I don't eat very healthy at all. Would that affect my hair too?

 

[hairschmair]

Yes, everyone has thinner hair where the swirl is. Not really thinner, but all the hair in the spot parts naturally in a direction to expose a 'spot'.

Just take a picture, go on with your life and compare 6 months from now.

 

[Stingray]

Can I say 'Yes on both accounts'?

You might be losing it, it's hard to diagnose without seeing it personally. Keep an eye on it, if you see any change within a short period of time, you are probably goin' bald kiddo'.

But don't worry too much about it... it's effects are 90% mental.

 

[global]

Maybe you could post a picture so we get a better idea how big the thin spot is.

 

[mustang84]

Here's the pic. My hair is thick everywhere except for that small area, and the hairline in the front isn't receding at all.

Edit: Here's another view so you can see it a little better without so much glare from the flash.

 

[wangho75]

your bald dude!

 

[mustang84]

Allright, here's a better picture then. I've circled the area where it is thinner. If it appears to be normal looking to you guys, then great, I'll be on my way. All I am looking for are serious opinions rather than sarcastic remarks like "you're bald dude." If I'm losing hair, I would really like to know so I could get some treatment now rather than waiting until a lot more is gone.

 

[Scoiland]

hahah are you f*****g kiddin me

you have nothing to worry about

 

[Goingat20]

That swirl is natural. Im 21 also, i will soon get a pic of mine posted to show you the difference betwen hair loss and a natural swirl. Just forget about it your hair is thick is hell....

 

[hellohello]

Looks pretty natual to me.
I wouldn't be worried, but now you have some photos so come back and visit in 6 months and check to see if its become noticable worse.

Don't stress thow, it looks completely normal.

 

[mustang84]

Allright, thanks guys...one less thing to stress about.

 

[thylax]

reply

just be careful with these hair products. When I was 21 I used a creme that it claimed it was making hair straight from a well known company and it was then when my hair loss started. It was the trigger for my hair loss

 

[SE-freak]

People often attribute cause to result through time coincidence.

We change habbits each day- I wouldn't attribute my hairloss to a specific trigger.

What was the product's name btw?

 

[20sometingtoo]

When that thin spot becomes the size of the red circle you made in the picture, then I said you could start doing something about hairloss.
You've got a ways to go.

 

[hairschmair]

my fancy new digital camera is here!!

Here is a swirl at one stage further towards baldness . Flashes are the devil...

http://img249.imageshack.us/my.php?image=swirl1gb.jpg

 

[WithTheLidOff]

omg...youre 21 and youre THAT bald already??? Might be a good time to start saving up for a transplant kojak! In all seriousness, thats probably the best head of hair I've seen on this site and that includes dozens of paranoid people that aren;t going bald. You sir, need ot get off this site and enjoy your life until some real signs of hairloss come around. Even that looks like a longshot. Take care of that mop ; )

 

[WithTheLidOff]

hairshmair....are you seriosuly taking treatments for your "hairloss"???? Youre worse than this 21 year old. You have WAYYYYYY too much hair. I guess you know your case better than anyone else, but still.....

 

[silkeysmooth]

Your hair looks fine to me Mustang (you too hairshmair)

In fact, since we're here, you mind if I borrow a few follicles from one of you guys? No more than 1000 and I'll be set.

 

[hairschmair]

I just want all my hair for another 5 years (married and over 30).

After that.... f*** it.

PS: Yeah, I've definitely starting losing.

 

[arjun17]

You seem OK

Everybody's scalp shows through at certain angles around the "swirl" of the crown, no matter how thick their hair is (Don't believe me? Look at the hundreds of kids around you with short haircuts. ALL, even those with the thickest hair, will show scalp around the swirl at certain angles. Prepubertal children CAN'T have male pattern baldness). The only time when no scalp shows in that area is when the hair is parted in some way other than the way it naturally swirls.
You can distinguish this "normal" see-through hair at the crown from actual thinning at the crown by looking for the presence of miniaturised hairs. A lot of shorter, thinner, lighter hairs with tapered ends means you are thinning. If the hairs are thick and dark and most have blunt ends, then just RELAX!
But then again, initial thinning at the crown may be so slight that it is impossible to tell by casual inspection. Just observe it over the next few months, and see if it worsens or not. Also, have your temples receded from their original adolescent position? If they have receded only slightly or not at all, then I HIGHLY doubt that you are thinning at the crown. Thinning at the crown usually (but not always) begins only after the temples reach a NW3 or so.
Cheers,
Arjun