Help, Receeding Hairline In Unusual Way, At Front

ABloke112

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I have attached some pictures of my hairline. (Ignore the skin visible at the part, I think that's just because I tightly parted it with my hand to show the area I'm talking about)

My hair seems to be receeding. It's receded quite a bit at the temples, and not much at the middle (no loss at vertex). However now it seems to be thinning only in the middle at the front. The hair in the centre, going from forehead to about 1.5 inches in, gradually gets longer until it's the same length as the hair on the back. I assume this indicates it's in the process of falling out?

I have read about the different norwood types, do I have the anterior type? I'm unsure as it definitely started out like the normal type, and according to posts like this: https://www.hairlosstalk.com/intera...r-hairline-recedes-in-a-straight-line.109484/

And the diagram attached to it, it will normally be anterior loss from the start (which it isn't in my case, so far 95% of the loss is temples).

I would really appreciate any input on this, I had been hoping it wasn't hair loss as it wasn't getting worse at the temples, and no history in family, however now I'm worried I might have this anterior norwood pattern.
 

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ABloke112

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You are definitely starting to thin. Hop on finasteride and save your hair. If you get size to start taking it. You still have solid hair
Where abouts is the evidence of thinning? It's just I do have thin hair (as in the strands are thin), my dad has this as well, I think it's a family thing tbh. I haven't noticed excess shedding, so I think the appearance of thin hair may just be how mine is.
 

lonelypanda

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Can't see sh*t. Post some better pictures of the hairline with all of your hair pulled all the way back and I will give you my honest opinion.
 

ABloke112

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Can't see sh*t. Post some better pictures of the hairline with all of your hair pulled all the way back and I will give you my honest opinion.
It wasn't really about the hairline, more about the shorter hairs in the middle at the front. I know the hairline has receded, currently NW3, however that by itself is fairly normal in my family.
 

lonelypanda

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It wasn't really about the hairline, more about the shorter hairs in the middle at the front. I know the hairline has receded, currently NW3, however that by itself is fairly normal in my family.
NW3 is definite hair loss, no question. If I understand your main post correctly you seem to be concerned with possibly having A-type hair loss. Thing is, you will lose your middle hairline at some point either way. If you look at the chart you linked both progressions get more and more similar as they advance norwoods. In the typical pattern at NW4+ you end up with that thin wispy island at the front, and top and crown diffusion. Does that really look that much better than nothing there at all? Both types at NW4+ you will look visibly balding either way and will have to cut it very short to not look stupid, so does it really matter?

You didn't mention your age in your post, but if you're an NW3 in your teens or twenties then you have an aggressive case of hair loss, and will almost certainly become significantly more bald. If you're 30+ your progression might be slower.

If you care about your hair I would speak to a doctor and start treatment.
 

ABloke112

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NW3 is definite hair loss, no question. If I understand your main post correctly you seem to be concerned with possibly having A-type hair loss. Thing is, you will lose your middle hairline at some point either way. If you look at the chart you linked both progressions get more and more similar as they advance norwoods. In the typical pattern at NW4+ you end up with that thin wispy island at the front, and top and crown diffusion. Does that really look that much better than nothing there at all? Both types at NW4+ you will look visibly balding either way and will have to cut it very short to not look stupid, so does it really matter?

You didn't mention your age in your post, but if you're an NW3 in your teens or twenties then you have an aggressive case of hair loss, and will almost certainly become significantly more bald. If you're 30+ your progression might be slower.

If you care about your hair I would speak to a doctor and start treatment.
If it's not A type though then I don't think it is going to get worse necessarily, or at least no that soon, as the next stage should be to start losing hair on top, but I have no thinning or miniturisation there. That's why I'm asking about A type, because unless it looks like I'm loosing hair their, then I can't see it being lost anywhere else.

I'm only 18 atm, but like I said this is the normal hairline for my family, I have had receded temples for a while now. My uncle said his hair did a similar thing when he was my age, and his is still fine. Idk what my dad was like when he was my age but he's just like mine is now, maybe a tiny bit worse.

That's the reason I'm only really concerned about the middle bit, does it look like it's about to fall out?

I would go to a doctor but I can't really because of pandemic and there's nothing they could do anyway as I don't want to take finasteride as it's not good for you. If I'm going bald then hair systems or a potential future transplant are the only solutions for me (or some other magic treatment we may have in the future I guess).
 

ABloke112

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You are bald from front
Its nw3 diffuse. Get on treatment. Best luck!
Is it diffuse all over or just that weird short front bit? As I haven't noticed excess shedding + I think I naturally have thin hair (as in the individual strands are quite narrow).
 

lonelypanda

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If it's not A type though then I don't think it is going to get worse necessarily, or at least no that soon, as the next stage should be to start losing hair on top, but I have no thinning or miniturisation there. That's why I'm asking about A type, because unless it looks like I'm loosing hair their, then I can't see it being lost anywhere else.
Some people don't lose the crown for quite a while, myself included. My temples have receded and the thinning is gradually creeping inwards from the temples through the front forelock, thinning it. Not everyone goes from NW3 temples to a bald spot on the crown.
Based on what you've shared I don't think you have Type A. I'm not a dermatologist but based on what I've seen the temples and front tend to stay more uniformly recessed with type a. Regardless, considering you are an NW3 at 18 I think it is highly likely that you will continue to recede dramatically over the next few years. Your family history of slow hair loss is hopeful, but I wouldn't put too much stock into it, genes are a wily beast and balding is almost impossible to predict with a high degree of accuracy.

If I were a betting man I would say that you have a one-way ticket to Norwood station, though the travel time remains to be seen. Denial is the step that pretty much everyone here has been through initially, myself included. I wouldn't recommend finasteride at 18 even if you wanted to take it, but if you notice further recession and would like to do something, you could consider minoxidil (rogaine) and a Nizoral (ketoconazole) shampoo. Without an anti-androgen, like finasteride, it is mostly pointless for long-term, but they may buy you a few years until you are in your early twenties and it is safer to take finasteride.

All that said, if I were you I would take several good quality pictures every 6 months that showcase your temples, and front hairline with all the hair pulled back under bright light, and a few wet and combed back pictures. Then compare the new sets with the older pictures every 6 months under consistent lighting. That should give you a good idea of the speed of your hair loss and all you will have to do then is decide what you want to do about it.
Best of luck, man.
 

ABloke112

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Some people don't lose the crown for quite a while, myself included. My temples have receded and the thinning is gradually creeping inwards from the temples through the front forelock, thinning it. Not everyone goes from NW3 temples to a bald spot on the crown.
Based on what you've shared I don't think you have Type A. I'm not a dermatologist but based on what I've seen the temples and front tend to stay more uniformly recessed with type a. Regardless, considering you are an NW3 at 18 I think it is highly likely that you will continue to recede dramatically over the next few years. Your family history of slow hair loss is hopeful, but I wouldn't put too much stock into it, genes are a wily beast and balding is almost impossible to predict with a high degree of accuracy.

If I were a betting man I would say that you have a one-way ticket to Norwood station, though the travel time remains to be seen. Denial is the step that pretty much everyone here has been through initially, myself included. I wouldn't recommend finasteride at 18 even if you wanted to take it, but if you notice further recession and would like to do something, you could consider minoxidil (rogaine) and a Nizoral (ketoconazole) shampoo. Without an anti-androgen, like finasteride, it is mostly pointless for long-term, but they may buy you a few years until you are in your early twenties and it is safer to take finasteride.

All that said, if I were you I would take several good quality pictures every 6 months that showcase your temples, and front hairline with all the hair pulled back under bright light, and a few wet and combed back pictures. Then compare the new sets with the older pictures every 6 months under consistent lighting. That should give you a good idea of the speed of your hair loss and all you will have to do then is decide what you want to do about it.
Best of luck, man.
You are probably correct. I think my hair has been slowly getting to where it is now over the last 5 years, as I can see pictures from a few years ago where the temples are thinner. (The weird shorter hair at front is new though). So if it's going to get worse I imagine it won't be too quick (not that that really makes too much difference tbh, going bald at 21 and going bald at 25 suck a lot). Hair systems for the win I guess lol!

You mentioned you didn't think it was type A balding. What do you think is causing that shorter hair at the front?
 

lonelypanda

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You mentioned you didn't think it was type A balding. What do you think is causing that shorter hair at the front?
Recession probably. Just because it's not type A doesn't mean your hairline won't thin or recede. Have a close look at the Norwood 3 and 4 from the picture you linked. In a typical Norwood progression the front of your hairline typically still recedes, it's just not as fast as the temple recession at first. Also, since your temples are also receding, it maintains the angular look. If you dig up some pictures of your father and uncle when they were 16 it is a safe bet that their hairline was much lower on their head when they were young.
 

ABloke112

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Recession probably. Just because it's not type A doesn't mean your hairline won't thin or recede. Have a close look at the Norwood 3 and 4 from the picture you linked. In a typical Norwood progression the front of your hairline typically still recedes, it's just not as fast as the temple recession at first. Also, since your temples are also receding, it maintains the angular look. If you dig up some pictures of your father and uncle when they were 16 it is a safe bet that their hairline was much lower on their head when they were young.
Yeah I see what you mean. I can't really find any pictures of my dad or uncle from when they were young, but my uncle said he had a period of worrying about his hair when he was about my age, so I think it can happen earlier.

The only reason I was concerned about the middle bit, and about type A balding, is because at the temples, there isn't really any more miniturisation or short hairs. Once you go about half a cm back into where the hair is, it immediately goes to full length normal hair. It seem like the only place hair is in the process of falling out is at the front in the middle.
 

lonelypanda

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The only reason I was concerned about the middle bit, and about type A balding, is because at the temples, there isn't really any more miniturisation or short hairs. Once you go about half a cm back into where the hair is, it immediately goes to full length normal hair. It seem like the only place hair is in the process of falling out is at the front in the middle.
Difficult to say, if you are in a country with healthcare you could visit a dermatologist who can examine your hair and scalp under magnification to spot miniaturization and get an accurate diagnosis. No one can predict exactly how fast you will go bald though, so considering that you don't want to begin any treatments there's nothing to be done anyway, so I would take pictures every few months and try to put it out of your mind.
 

ABloke112

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Difficult to say, if you are in a country with healthcare you could visit a dermatologist who can examine your hair and scalp under magnification to spot miniaturization and get an accurate diagnosis. No one can predict exactly how fast you will go bald though, so considering that you don't want to begin any treatments there's nothing to be done anyway, so I would take pictures every few months and try to put it out of your mind.
I could try and get an appointment on the NHS, not sure how long it would take atm, maybe worth a try.

You mentioned that going bald younger means it's likely to happen faster, does it also means it's more likely to get to a higher Norwood level? Or is that still just the same chance as normal?

Does minoxidil actually stop balding, or does it just slow it?
 
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lonelypanda

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I could try and get an appointment on the NHS, not sure how long it would take atm, maybe worth a try.

You mentioned that going bald younger means it's likely to happen faster, does it also means it's more likely to get to a higher Norwood level? Or is that still just the same chance as normal?
Hair loss is somewhat unpredictable, it's hard to say for sure, but I would say yes. Hair follicles get more and more sensitive to DHT as you get older, so if you begin to go bald when your follicles are at their least sensitive it is not a good sign for your future hair-having-ness. If you begin balding at 35 and your hairline recedes by like 1mm a year you will probably die still having some amount of hair on your head. If you begin balding at 16 and lose an inch a year you will be bald pretty fast. Considering that many people in your family have had NW3's for their entire lives it's possible your hair loss will slow down, though I can't say that I've ever seen someone who has NW3+ in their teens that didn't go on to lose more hair soon after.
 

ABloke112

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Hair loss is somewhat unpredictable, it's hard to say for sure, but I would say yes. Hair follicles get more and more sensitive to DHT as you get older, so if you begin to go bald when your follicles are at their least sensitive it is not a good sign for your future hair-having-ness. If you begin balding at 35 and your hairline recedes by like 1mm a year you will probably die still having some amount of hair on your head. If you begin balding at 16 and lose an inch a year you will be bald pretty fast. Considering that many people in your family have had NW3's for their entire lives it's possible your hair loss will slow down, though I can't say that I've ever seen someone who has NW3+ in their teens that didn't go on to lose more hair soon after.
Do you ever lose the Norwood 7 "horseshoe" at the back and sides? Or is that always there no matter what? cause most charts end at Norwood 7, is there no Norwood 8?
 

ABloke112

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Hair loss is somewhat unpredictable, it's hard to say for sure, but I would say yes. Hair follicles get more and more sensitive to DHT as you get older, so if you begin to go bald when your follicles are at their least sensitive it is not a good sign for your future hair-having-ness. If you begin balding at 35 and your hairline recedes by like 1mm a year you will probably die still having some amount of hair on your head. If you begin balding at 16 and lose an inch a year you will be bald pretty fast. Considering that many people in your family have had NW3's for their entire lives it's possible your hair loss will slow down, though I can't say that I've ever seen someone who has NW3+ in their teens that didn't go on to lose more hair soon after.
I've just noticed actually that there seems to be shorter hair in a pattern that seems about in line with norwood 5A, so possibly that will end up as my final hairline. I'm not sure if that area is diffusing, but I can't really see diffusing anywhere when I take pictures, it's pretty hard to tell when it's long as it's all sitting on top of itself.
 

lonelypanda

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I've just noticed actually that there seems to be shorter hair in a pattern that seems about in line with norwood 5A, so possibly that will end up as my final hairline. I'm not sure if that area is diffusing, but I can't really see diffusing anywhere when I take pictures, it's pretty hard to tell when it's long as it's all sitting on top of itself.
Shorter hairs don't necessarily mean they are dying, all hairs eventually go through phases of growth and renewal. Hairs that DHT are attacking tend to lose their colour, get wispy, thinner, smaller and look lifeless. It's gonna be pretty hard to determine overall top of the head loss pre-maturely without going to a dermatologist or someone. One thing you can do is get your hair soaking wet, and then use a regular comb to comb it all back, then take a picture under strong light- be aware though all hair will look thin like this, the purpose is to compare this picture to a future picture (6 months or something) and you will get a good idea of any diffusion or other sh*t going on
 
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