Hair Loss - due to surgery or hereditary baldness?

[aceman626]

Hi, I am a 30 year old fairly healthy male and about 6 months ago I noticed sigificant thinning of my hair. Before that, I had a full thick head of hair. In fact, everytime I get a haircut the stylist will mention my thick hair. Then all of a sudden, I start losing hair on the top of my head. Just 6 months ago when I went to get a haircut, and my stylist mentioned that I have lost a good amount of hair since I last saw him (i get my hair cut every month). It's very strange how it happened so fast all of a sudden within one month...I would think that hair loss is more gradual than that? At this point its not yet visible to other people, but it is very obvious to myself and my stylist. At this rate, it will get bad pretty soon.


As far as my background, my father is bald. However he was already extremely bald by 30 and the people in my family all said I don't have his gene becuase of my thick hair. So now in 1 month I lost about 50% of my hair on the top, but becuase I had so much hair before even now I can still pass off as "normal". My hairline in front has not receded at all, but the hair loss is sort of at the back of my head around the swirl and also overall on top. Do you guys think I am going bald?

I have had a major surgery around the same time, and some people said that might be it (and I was hoping they were correct), however if that's the case then the hair should grow back but it hasnt. Also if it was becuase of the surgery, then I assume the hair loss would be all over the head, but for me, its only on top, so looks like baldness. Do you guys think it could be due to the surgery, even tho I am only losing hair on top? For those of you that had hair loss due to surgery, how long did it take you to regrow hair? How did you know it was because of the surgery/trauma and not baldness? Is there any way to tell or just wait?

So I am wondering if you all can share your experiences with hair loss, and what have you been doing to cope with it?

Is there anyway to grow back hair, at my age, in a healthy process without side effects? I was told that rogaine and procecia "may" work a little bit, but it comes with side effects. I don't want to give up my health, so I don't think I will try it unless its guaranteed 100%positive effects. What are your experiences with those medications?

Nowadays I use Nioxin shampoo, which is supposed to protect my hair. Have you guys used any shampoos or non-medical hair products that worked well?

Is there any thing, like supplements (iron? calcium? ) or vitamins, that I should be taking to help the situation?

Also, is wearing basecall caps and hats bad for hair?

Any ideas, advice, experience sharing, would be great!

Thanks.

 

[sammo]

Hey man, I'm sure someone will pick up the questions I don't answer but basically, alot of hairloss starts through stress or around a stressful event. I think theres probably 2 things that could have happened in your case from my own knowledge.... Firstly, the subconscious / bodily stress of surgery has triggered your male pattern baldness OR it has simply triggered a temporary hairloss. You should post a photo so people can get an idea what type of loss it is. Sounds like it is temporary because it was so sudden and you mentioned it was only from the top of your head. Pictures tell a thousand words. Generally the shape of your hairline shows this... also the amount of follicles etc....sometimes it can be hard to tell though!

There was a dark guy in the success stories who I believe lost hair in a similar way, used rogaine and got excellent results regrowing. I dont think his was male pattern, looked like Telogen Effluvium.

I basically was totally sweet until a had a massively tough few months in a relationship. stressed out... hair was leaving my head left right and centre... the stress triggered my genetic predisposition to male pattern baldness... I believe if this event didnt happen my hairloss wouldhave been slower and more gradual.

Sam

 

[s.a.f]

alot of hairloss starts through stress or around a stressful event.

No stress related hairloss is not the same as m.p.b if you vertex or crown thinning or receeded hairline/temples this is classic m.p.b and not due to stress.

Stress related hairloss is usually bald patches appearing at random spots on the head or slight thinnning allover sides, back everywhere. If you're just losing hair ontop its simply m.p.b. The fact that your father is bald gives you a high chance of having m.p.b.

 

[aceman626]

I suppose its male pattern baldness? how do i post a picture for you guys?

 

[sammo]

I never said it was the same, I believe stress can trigger male pattern baldness earlier or it can spark a purely temporary pattern hair loss (which is often patchy and all over the place) ... Pictures will show which it is.

Sam

alot of hairloss starts through stress or around a stressful event.

No stress related hairloss is not the same as m.p.b if you vertex or crown thinning or receeded hairline/temples this is classic m.p.b and not due to stress.

Stress related hairloss is usually bald patches appearing at random spots on the head or slight thinnning allover sides, back everywhere. If you're just losing hair ontop its simply m.p.b. The fact that your father is bald gives you a high chance of having m.p.b.

 

[aceman626]

Please examine these pictures-male pattern baldness or loss due to stress/surg

Here are the pictures that I took.

As you can see, I have some bald spots all over the top of my head, especially at the swirl on the top/back (is it called vertex?) of the head, and above the right temple.

Becuase I lose hair only on top, I am afraid that the pattern shows that it is male pattern baldness. My dad is bald, however I heard the genes are from the mom's side, and the men on her side are not bald. I hope that means I don't have male pattern baldness?

Also, let me stress that my hair was 100% super thick, with zero signs of hair loss, before my surgery. The loss all happened very rapidly at the 1-2 month post sugery range, so it all fell out within one month.

I don't get it tho, if its male pattern baldness, wouldn't it be more gradual, especially considering I had such thick healthy hair before? Why didn't it happen 1 month before my surgery? The surgery has got to have something to do with it right?? Also, my hairline is fine.

Let me know what you think!

 

[aceman626]

anybody want to comment on my photos?

 

[BlahBlah12]

actually looks like classic textbook Telogen Effluvium (telogen effluvium) to me from the research ive done over the years

 

[aceman626]

Thanks Blah, can you elaborate? I would appreciate it as this is causing me more stress.

So you don't think its male pattern baldness? I sure hope not. But I am only losing hair on top (and not on the sides) and that's why I'm scared its male pattern baldness.

with Telogen Effluvium, lost hair will come back right? However, even after my hairs shed, I don't see new hair growing in its place, as evident by the bald spot that appeared above my right temple and all over the head. It's been 4-5 months post surgery (3 months since losing hair) and things haven't improved yet.

What kind of research have you don't in regards to Telogen Effluvium, and what are the differences between Telogen Effluvium and male pattern baldness?

Please help, your expertise is much appreciated!!!

 

[ali777]

Sudden hairloss is generally telogen effluvium. You get Telogen Effluvium as a result of something punishing your body, ie, operation, stress, child birth, etc.

The thing with Telogen Effluvium is that the hairloss doesn't take place for a few months after the stress to the body. The hair goes into resting phase for 2-4 months and then it all falls off and the new hair starts coming out. Basically the whole process can take upto 6 months, and you have to remember that hair grows about half an inch a month. So, to see any recovery you might have to wait 7-8 months.

I'd say if you hair doesn't start recovering in the next few months, you probably have the male pattern baldness...

I've looked into Telogen Effluvium in the past. There isn't really much you can do about it apart from removing the conditions causing it and waiting. In your case, the physical condition is in the past and you are in the waiting stage.

If you want you could visit a dermatologist, he/she should be able to tell you if you have miniaturisation or just Telogen Effluvium. Miniaturisation is a sign of male pattern baldness.

I'm pretty certain I had Telogen Effluvium last year which accelerated my male pattern baldness by a few years. My hair is slightly better now, but I have frontal thinning which is male pattern baldness.

I don't know what else I can say.. Just make sure your body is in good condition, and wait.. If you don't recover, it's male pattern baldness.

I've seen some websites recommend minoxidil to treat Telogen Effluvium, but the information leaflet that comes with minoxidil discourages its use outside male pattern baldness. So, I wouldn't recommend you trying minoxidil just yet.

 

[ali777]

Re: Please examine these pictures-male pattern baldness or loss due to stress/surg

The loss all happened very rapidly at the 1-2 month post sugery range, so it all fell out within one month.

This points to a classic case of Telogen Effluvium. A percentage of the hair goes into premature resting phase and falls off after a few months.

Thanks Blah, can you elaborate? I would appreciate it as this is causing me more stress.

Don't worry about it.. Stressing about your hair and ruining your life is the worst thing you can do...

 

[aceman626]

Thanks man, appreciate your insights.

I hope its just Telogen Effluvium, and that I will get my hair back soon. I do have a couple concerns though:

1) The fact that I'm just losing hair on top and not on the sides, could that be Telogen Effluvium? I thought Telogen Effluvium would jsut losing hair on the sides as well.

2) So its possible that Telogen Effluvium might trigger male pattern baldness? In that case hair loss would be permanent? I hope that's not the case for me, since prior to my surgery my hair was completely thick and no signs of hair loss at all...so if I do not have the male pattern baldness gene, then the hair "should" grow back fully?

Thanks.

 

[ali777]

Thanks man, appreciate your insights.

I hope its just Telogen Effluvium, and that I will get my hair back soon. I do have a couple concerns though:

1) The fact that I'm just losing hair on top and not on the sides, could that be Telogen Effluvium? I thought Telogen Effluvium would jsut losing hair on the sides as well.

2) So its possible that Telogen Effluvium might trigger male pattern baldness? In that case hair loss would be permanent? I hope that's not the case for me, since prior to my surgery my hair was completely thick and no signs of hair loss at all...so if I do not have the male pattern baldness gene, then the hair "should" grow back fully?

Thanks.

1. I'm not 100% sure here (don't forget the fact that we aren't professional dermatologists). I agree with Blah's answer that it looks like textbook Telogen Effluvium. My reference point is some of the pictures I've seen on the internet. eg:

Edit: for me the symptoms of Telogen Effluvium are the operation and the timing of your shedding. The operation caused some of your hair follicles to go into resting phase which can last 6-12 weeks, followed by a big shed... (I feel like I'm repeating myself, I've already said this). You've had the operation 6 months ago, and your hair should start recovering about now.

2. Well... You have to understand how male pattern baldness works. male pattern baldness is not a sudden loss of hair, but a gradual thinning of each individual hair. Hair grows in cycles which can last anywhere upto 6 years, and hair susceptible to male pattern baldness comes out thinner and shorter with each cycle.

So, if a person suffers Telogen Effluvium which is a premature end to a cycle and the next cycles is genetically programmed to be miniaturised hair (male pattern baldness), then we can say that the miniaturisation process has been brought forward by a few years. I mean, a hair that was supposed to be in a healthy anogen phase for a few more years is gone due to Telogen Effluvium... (this is my understanding of it)

Does Telogen Effluvium trigger male pattern baldness? the answer is NO. It's your genes and hormones that trigger male pattern baldness. If your next hair cycle is genetically programmed to be a healthy cycle, then you are OK...

"if I do not have the male pattern baldness gene, then the hair "should" grow back fully?"... The answer is YES... If you aren't predisposed to have male pattern baldness, you should be OK.

Edit: Why don't you see a dermatologist and get a professional opinion?