Am I losing my hair? (How can one tell?)

[JPacio]

Hello all. I'm so glad I found this place!

OK...where do I start? Well, my father, and his father (God rest his soul), are/were bald. My uncles, which are my father's brothers, are also bald. (Not entirely though.) And even though at a younger age, I tried to put it all behind me, I'm actually becoming really paranoid now. Before, I used to confide and take comfort in the "fact" that men go towards their maternal grandfather with regards to male pattern baldness. I heard this from a couple of people...but honestly, it never really settled in completely.

About four years ago, I started breakdancing with some friends and I got really into it. (This was at high school.) So one of the moves I'd work on was the headspin. And coming home, I'd just go right up and start spinning on my head ON THE RUG. It would burn sometimes, and now I know that I may've damaged myself somehow...and what's worse is that when I'd go to the practice gyms, I'd start doing it on the HARDWOOD floor. You know the ones that NBA players run around on...and subsequent to that, a big lump produced on my head. And it's still there...this was nearly 3 years ago. Anywho, with this "hill" on my head, I realized that the hair there would be a little higher than other parts of my head when it grows...but the thing is that now, on my 21st birthday, I'm slowly realizing (and I hope I'm wrong) that it looks a little "bald" around that bump. And not only that, but right above my temples, the hair seems to be thinning out (I really think it is)...and I have a feeling that it is receding altogether at an alarming rate (to me).

So I'm asking, how can I be sure? Is there any sure way of telling? Are there signs and symptoms I should keep my eyes peeled for? Anything? :freaked2:

Thanks a lot for your time!

Gratefully,
JPacio

 

[Guest]

The best way to determine whether you are receding or not is taking pictures every month and compare them. Sounds like you are suffering from male pattern baldness. The Big 3 consisting of Finasteride, minoxidil and Nizoral are your way to go. Good Luck!

 

[JPacio]

Good advice.


Well, due to this depressing news, about a month ago, I decided to grow my hair out. Why? Well I thought, if I'm going to lose it, why not grow it out like I've always wanted to. I want to grow it to about 6-7 inches, but I'm having second thoughts now. I feel that the longer the hair, the more one will lose. So I might go back to my shaved head...but I'm still torn over this. Do you know if getting hair braides are unhealthy to the scalp, or hair for that matter? What about hair gel, or hair grease? I stopped using hair gel for about 4 months now, and started using hair grease (Blue Magic Hair "Conditioner" to be precise).

Made from the finest USP Petrolatum. Blue Magic Conditioner Hair Dress is an effective hair dressing without being greasy. Gives the hair a natural luster and promotes a healthier scalp. It helps prevent hair breakage.

12oz

Can improper care of my hair cause hair loss?
Yes. If you wear pigtails or cornrows or use tight hair rollers, the pull on your hair can cause a type of hair loss called traction alopecia (say: "al-oh-pee-sha"). If the pulling is stopped before scarring of the scalp develops, your hair will grow back normally.
Source

EDIT: Yes, I guess hair braides can cause damage to the hair...


...nevermind...where are my clippers? Hmmm... :roll:

 

[JayB]

is hair grease like the stuff they used in the movie grease for the greasers? I always wondered how people in the 1950's had cool slick hair that seemed to fall into their eyes but always looked wet

 

[s.a.f]

JPacio, it sounds like you are at a high risk of inheriting m.p.b because of your family genetics, but its not a definate. Posting some pics on here would help us to make a better diagnosis. But my main point to you is that it does not matter how you cut/style your hair. Niether does it matter that you used to do headspins. M.p.b (if this is what you have) makes you lose your hair no matter what. Only by getting on a good regimine eg finasteride/dutasteride can you do anything to stop it.

 

[JPacio]

What's the verdict?

Thank you all for your helpful comments! I was finally able to get some pictures for your verdicts (the color schemes have been edited to make the pictures a little better to look at, they were taken with a cell phone camera):

The picture above does me no justice - I swear it doesn't look that bad! I have a big bump on my head right around that area and I always tell myself that it's the lump on my head that causes the lighting to reflect that way on my head...but I'm just not sure anymore now! Compare with the picture below...

Basically, I'm wondering if my hairline is receding right along my temples (not sure what the technical terms are for those regions)...and whether or not I'm losing my hair on that dome I have going...honestly, it has been feeling a little breezy up there lately and I do feel as if I'm loosing my hair up there...when I look in the mirror at different angles, it definately looks like there's less hair there than before. I never really noticed it before till now. I've also been a reck emotionally for quite some time now and I believe that that may have something to do with it...I'm not supposed to go bald! My maternal grandfather has hair and it just doesn't make any sense! My friend's maternal grandfather is bald but his head is full of hair! What's going on here?! :freaked2:

 

[JPacio]

P.S. I've also been feeling funny little tingly feelings right on that bump I mentioned earlier...in fact, I've also noticed to massive veins along my right and left temples that weren't there before. They're so noticeable that I can see my heartbeat in them as they pulse up and down (but that's only when I run or am angry, etc.)...though I haven't seen any hairs around me on the floor, I still suspect that they are running away from me!

 

[Lorenzo_91]

It could be a case of you barber getting different heights on the fade. I don't know what anyone else is going to say in the forum and they are all experts.

But if it was me I would scrap all those pics and take more when your hair is longer so people can give you a fair assessment. Or just take more but something looks wrong.

I would not say it's the hairline though.

 

[Stu85]

Man, I would freakin' kill for that hairline! From the pics you posted it does look a little thin on top, but that could just be light reflecting off the scalp - you have really short hair so the scalp is going to be visible anyway. For a 21 year old with so much male pattern baldness in your family you seem to be doing okay at the moment. You could try finasteride if you're still worried. Though you should probably try talking to a doctor/dermatologist first.

 

[DonaldAnderson]

Edit: If it is receding its not much. With the haircut its hard to tell. but maybe there is some.

 

[JPacio]

Hi Lorenzo! Yes, you're right, I had a feeling that my cell phone camera wouldn't do the trick. I'll take some more with it though until I get a digicam or something. BTW, this was back in late December so I can put up more pictures since my hair is a little longer. Also, when do you recommend I take the photos? When my hair wet? Or dry? Right out of the shower? Towel dried? What kind of lighting? What angles? Sorry for hammering you with all of these questions bro!

Stu85, thanks! But I'm getting paranoid and if I don't have male pattern baldness, then I think I'm going to worry my hair off my head seriously! The sad thing is that I only now started paying attention to my hair with this much care. I wish I could go back in time to about three years ago and compare my head...but I'm not sure. I do know that some hairs along my temples (in those regions) are a bit more thinner and more "fragile" if that's the right word. But see the ironic thing is that I'm not sure if it was always like that and if it was always where it is now...or if it receded to where it is now. God knows! But thanks for that tip!


I'm just weary about using hair regrowth products because I feel like companies are evil and want people's money so they make things to gain profit. Not all companies, but a lot of them...so that's why I think that maybe even hair regrowth products have some kind of built in chemical characteristic that will make a person regrow hair, then if they stop using it, they will lose hair (and lose more too)...man I'm so paranoid, I just don't know anymore! :cry:

 

[Lorenzo_91]

The pics you took are pretty nice angles just it's such a tight fade that you can see big portions of the scalp and that kind of defeats the purpose. Wet and dry is always good.

It looks to me that you will just have to keep a close eye on your hair for a while before committing to any treatment. In the meantime get on nizoral, 3 times a week. That's a must regardless.

Get white pillow cover and see how much hairs you leave on it after a few nights. It can be a task figuring out if you have male pattern baldness without going to get your scalp examined but you got time and it's worth it for you to make sure early.

 

[KipWinger]

dude you dont have nothing! go home and make kids.

 

[JPacio]

Yes, I agree with you, it was a really close fade. But I've been monitoring my head with a couple of mirrors to look at that upper part of my head and it doesn't look too good. I keep telling myself, "it has begun..." and then I am left in utter disbelief. :cry: I will try and do that with the pillows...is it really going to be that easy to tell though? And which kind of doctor or specialist should I visist that checks scalps? I'm sure there's a specialty for that. And also, what does that chemical thing you mentioned do exactly?

KipWinger, I wish it were just as you said it, but I don't think it is nothing! :cry:

 

[DammitLetMeIn]

Your hairline is fairly perfect.

The bit on top is where you appear to have a bump in your skull. Its not balding and Dr. Lee says hair grows differently on the vertex.

lol @ 'I'm not supposed to go bald', thats all I kept saying to myself when I began to shed hair. It was like, so simple, ;its just NOT supposed to happen to me.



*waits for World of Warcraft to come in and tell you you're a NW4 and need finasteride/dutasteride/*

 

[DammitLetMeIn]

P.S. I've also been feeling funny little tingly feelings right on that bump I mentioned earlier...in fact, I've also noticed to massive veins along my right and left temples that weren't there before. They're so noticeable that I can see my heartbeat in them as they pulse up and down (but that's only when I run or am angry, etc.)...though I haven't seen any hairs around me on the floor, I still suspect that they are running away from me!

Dude, you sound stressed about something else and your hairs what you're focusing on.

Chill, you problems don't lie with your hair, thats for sure.

 

[kalbo]

You probably just have the infamous breaker's-bald-spot. I've known a few breakers who, much like yourself, partake in doing the head spins. Sure if you can pull it off you'll earn some respect amongst your peers, but unfortunately, you may up end up with a bald spot on the top of your head.

If you ask me, it's not male pattern baldness, just the old breaker balds spot. But the only way to tell for sure is to take pictures every 6 months or so and see if things get progressively worse.

 

[bobmer]

kalbo, pinoy ka ba?

 

[kalbo]

kalbo, pinoy ka ba?

Why yes... what ever gave it away? Filipino living in Toronto, Canada... you?

You know, kalbo is probably one of the only tagalog words I know (besides the naughty ones of course) so please don't throw any tagalog words at me.... yes, i know i'm a disgrace but don't blame me, blame my parents for speaking to me in english my whole life.

btw, doesn't it suck how there aren't many balding/bald Filipinos? All of my close flip friends and cousins are nw0's and I hate it (i actually made a thread on this in the "Impact of hair loss" section).

 

[Guest]

Pacio, I think your hairline looks pretty good, maybe a Norwood 1.5. But to me it looks you have started thinning on top. Better see some good dermatologist and ask him about his opinion. Good Luck!