I Went From Looking Like A Rockstar To A Creepy Old Man In 3 Years (pics Included)

[Stubble]

May 2017 (aged 18):

April 2020 (aged 21):

In less than 3 years, I appear to have aged almost 30. I've lost my personality and sense of self-worth. I'm lazy and uninspired to invest in my future self these days because 'What's the point? I'll be bald whenever I get to benefit from doing this anyway.' Whenever I meet new people, I'm conscious of the fact that instead of appearing as someone who's interesting and has cool stories to tell, I now appear like another typical boring deadbeat who got old before his time.

At a party not long ago, I met someone who I hadn't seen since around the time that first picture was taken. The first thing he said to me was 'You look different...' and I asked 'In a good or bad way?' and he shrugged and looked away. I'd put a lot of effort during the past year before that bulking in the gym, yet I still looked worse because of my hair loss situation, something out of my control. The guy is known by everyone to be a complete prick, but I still wasn't angry at him, he was right, I just sad that this terrible disease had done this to me.

It's gotten to the point where people have brought up the fact that I hate getting my picture taken, asking me why. Out of all of the parties I went to last year, I have probably less than 3 pictures of myself from my entire university year.

Also this year, I've had an old friend and a girl both separately tell me that I look better with my longer hair and that I should grow it out again like old times, but I couldn't bring myself to tell either of them that I physically can't grow that hair any more. Sad times.

I'm currently in my first year at university as a 21 year old, meaning my friends are mainly 18 year olds. Obviously the shittier my hair gets, the less I'm going to fit in. I've been able to hide it by growing my hair out and using hair fibres to conceal it this long, but with lockdown happening, I decided shave my head to see where I'm at and obviously it's not good.

So I'm skipping the bullshit and starting to wear a hair system before lockdown ends. I think about my hairloss many, many hours per week. If I spend that time on maintaining a hair system, my life would be significantly better. I couldn't be arsed toiling with drugs like Finasteride that f*** with my endocrine system and will only give me substandard hair anyway since I'll never get everything back that I lost.

Just wanted to vent and let other people know they're not alone. Cheers, guys.

 

[whatintheworld]

Tough situation man I feel your pain as I've been down this road, but if this affects you so much why wouldn't you try finasteride? Your situation is infinitely better than being slick bald. With finasteride and minoxidil you could probably regrow and maintain a decent amount.

I bet if you do nothing and get to Norwood 5 or 6, you would be willing to sell your soul to the devil to get the hair you currently have back.

 

[TomRiddle]

Even if i don't agree with the poster above that thinks that everybody is willing to "sell their soul to the devil to get their hair back" i have to admit that the most bothering thing about hairloss is that it happens at a very young age for some of us, and it especially sucks now when humanity is being more and more superficial, looks having a bigger impact on someones life more than it had until now, social media has it's role, movies, education bla bla and the many other factors that could influence these things.

But whatever you chose to do, if you can and i'm sure that with time you will understand more that whatever you do, you must not let it control your life. There is no shame in feeling like you feel, there is no shame in hating it but whatever you do, when you get into that dark corner and when thoughts bring you down, slap yourself out of that state by remembering that whatever people say, you are more than your hair, in every domain and way possible. You have only one life, hairless or with a fullhead and if you won't make the best you can from it and with what you got, you are not gonna get a second chance. So even if we won't have 100% of the lives we want, we can at least try to make the best of them, we are all gonna end up one day in the same place, no need to hurry that day or spend the rest of our lives on this rock, feeling like hairloss makes some of us feel, not even the ones that just accept it and move on, and i think this is valid for other conditions also or situations...

Don't feel bad for venting, don't feel bad for feeling the way you do, don't feel bad for taking meds or trying systems, don't feel bad for even getting a hair transplant or whatever will come new. But keep it safe, don't hurry and keep in mind that desperation can make you take a decision that could ruin your life and change it forever with no possibility of changing it back, do your research and don't let yourself fooled by doctors, internet forum users, hair system experts and so on. Everybody is feeding out of peoples desperation and suffering and the wisest thing to do is to not hurry and inform yourself until you feel that you almost know "everything"...

It's the best advise i could give you and even if i was luckier than you and kept on to my hair until a later age, i follow it also because whatever i will do i swear that i will do everything that i can to not let it control me and my life, i think that's what makes someone who has character and a normal wired brain that can think properly even in the darkest times that a human could have... The rest, you have a lot of examples i don't think it's necessary to list them but whatever you do, don't cut your balls off or transform into a woman to save your hair or to get it back...

 

[soundnvision]

Why didnt you get on finasteride 2 or 3 years ago if it is affecting your life this much?
If you wanted to go down the shaved head muscle boy look you need to go all in with steroids, get tatted up, it just won't work otherwise.

 

[spring15]

Well this is worth a shot , nothing to lose

https://www.hairlosstalk.com/intera...g-and-minxodil-results-from-tressless.117746/

 

[whatintheworld]

To put it simply, do you think there is a meaningful difference between these pictures?

To me this is a night and day difference and I would definitely be much more grateful to be the bottom images than the top.

 

[Derelict]

To put it simply, do you think there is a meaningful difference between these pictures?

View attachment 141883

To me this is a night and day difference and I would definitely be much more grateful to be the bottom images than the top.

Man that top pic is a follicle graveyard, hopefully i will never end up in that sort of situation. The difference a little hair has made is massive.

 

[TomRiddle]

To put it simply, do you think there is a meaningful difference between these pictures?

View attachment 141883

To me this is a night and day difference and I would definitely be much more grateful to be the bottom images than the top.

Those hair kept margins didn't do him any favor as well as being old and fat and bla bla, when i see some of you what examples you are giving... Yes it margins your face and makes you looks more symmetric if i may say so, but you know what hairloss does the most? It accentuates and highlights your other shitty features that most people get with age and without taking care of themselves, some have them at a very young age also, i have seen 20 and 30 year olds that looked way worse than 50 and 60 year olders.

Give that man a fresh full head cut, give him a decent body and clothes, give him a tan and you will have a new man, regardless of his age... But you know how it is, there are exceptions also, genetics plays a big part in a lot of things unfortunately and it can influence some things more than we would like too...

Me personally, i would rather be bald and with a top notch body than with hair and fat and bloated as sh*t but you know how it is, we are all different...

 

[Haironnu]

To put it simply, do you think there is a meaningful difference between these pictures?

View attachment 141883

To me this is a night and day difference and I would definitely be much more grateful to be the bottom images than the top.

both look horrible and make no difference imo.
I would not pay for a transplant if that is the end result, cause I'd end up going with a hat on every time I go outside anyway.

 

[Haironnu]

May 2017 (aged 18):
View attachment 141881

April 2020 (aged 21):
View attachment 141882

In less than 3 years, I appear to have aged almost 30. I've lost my personality and sense of self-worth. I'm lazy and uninspired to invest in my future self these days because 'What's the point? I'll be bald whenever I get to benefit from doing this anyway.' Whenever I meet new people, I'm conscious of the fact that instead of appearing as someone who's interesting and has cool stories to tell, I now appear like another typical boring deadbeat who got old before his time.

At a party not long ago, I met someone who I hadn't seen since around the time that first picture was taken. The first thing he said to me was 'You look different...' and I asked 'In a good or bad way?' and he shrugged and looked away. I'd put a lot of effort during the past year before that bulking in the gym, yet I still looked worse because of my hair loss situation, something out of my control. The guy is known by everyone to be a complete prick, but I still wasn't angry at him, he was right, I just sad that this terrible disease had done this to me.

It's gotten to the point where people have brought up the fact that I hate getting my picture taken, asking me why. Out of all of the parties I went to last year, I have probably less than 3 pictures of myself from my entire university year.

Also this year, I've had an old friend and a girl both separately tell me that I look better with my longer hair and that I should grow it out again like old times, but I couldn't bring myself to tell either of them that I physically can't grow that hair any more. Sad times.

I'm currently in my first year at university as a 21 year old, meaning my friends are mainly 18 year olds. Obviously the shittier my hair gets, the less I'm going to fit in. I've been able to hide it by growing my hair out and using hair fibres to conceal it this long, but with lockdown happening, I decided shave my head to see where I'm at and obviously it's not good.

So I'm skipping the bullshit and starting to wear a hair system before lockdown ends. I think about my hairloss many, many hours per week. If I spend that time on maintaining a hair system, my life would be significantly better. I couldn't be arsed toiling with drugs like Finasteride that f*** with my endocrine system and will only give me substandard hair anyway since I'll never get everything back that I lost.

Just wanted to vent and let other people know they're not alone. Cheers, guys.

pretty brutal. I'm sorry this happened to you.

but you're only 21 and if you hop on finasteride right now you might grow a good amount of hair back and have a night and day difference, that is if you don't mind the side effects finasteride might do to you.

 

[Haironnu]

Why didnt you get on finasteride 2 or 3 years ago if it is affecting your life this much?
If you wanted to go down the shaved head muscle boy look you need to go all in with steroids, get tatted up, it just won't work otherwise.

lol who tf does that? that looks is not even attractive to most girls, imagine pumping your body full of steroids, risking your health and covering your whole body with dumb tattoos thinking girls would like it.

steroids deteriorate your health even if you use them as optimally as you can, not to mention they are expensive af and gl finding a health professional that will agree to guide you and support you with using them, all you have is relying on broscience from internet junkies.

if you're willing to pump your body with steroids and tattoos just to make some girls with a fetish towards the rock type of builds, then you might as well just use finasteride.

 

[Stubble]

Tough situation man I feel your pain as I've been down this road, but if this affects you so much why wouldn't you try finasteride? Your situation is infinitely better than being slick bald. With finasteride and minoxidil you could probably regrow and maintain a decent amount.

I bet if you do nothing and get to Norwood 5 or 6, you would be willing to sell your soul to the devil to get the hair you currently have back.

I'm wary of Finasteride because I'm certain my brain would convince me that I'm getting side effects.

Yes true, although I plan on keeping this hair system up until at least the very end of university then going for a SMP with a nice conservative NW2 or NW2.5 hairline and having that for life. Obviously that wild, spiky hair is ideal, but I've had buzzcuts in the past and as long as there's something to frame my face, I'm happy enough.

Even if i don't agree with the poster above that thinks that everybody is willing to "sell their soul to the devil to get their hair back" i have to admit that the most bothering thing about hairloss is that it happens at a very young age for some of us, and it especially sucks now when humanity is being more and more superficial, looks having a bigger impact on someones life more than it had until now, social media has it's role, movies, education bla bla and the many other factors that could influence these things.

But whatever you chose to do, if you can and i'm sure that with time you will understand more that whatever you do, you must not let it control your life. There is no shame in feeling like you feel, there is no shame in hating it but whatever you do, when you get into that dark corner and when thoughts bring you down, slap yourself out of that state by remembering that whatever people say, you are more than your hair, in every domain and way possible. You have only one life, hairless or with a fullhead and if you won't make the best you can from it and with what you got, you are not gonna get a second chance. So even if we won't have 100% of the lives we want, we can at least try to make the best of them, we are all gonna end up one day in the same place, no need to hurry that day or spend the rest of our lives on this rock, feeling like hairloss makes some of us feel, not even the ones that just accept it and move on, and i think this is valid for other conditions also or situations...

Don't feel bad for venting, don't feel bad for feeling the way you do, don't feel bad for taking meds or trying systems, don't feel bad for even getting a hair transplant or whatever will come new. But keep it safe, don't hurry and keep in mind that desperation can make you take a decision that could ruin your life and change it forever with no possibility of changing it back, do your research and don't let yourself fooled by doctors, internet forum users, hair system experts and so on. Everybody is feeding out of peoples desperation and suffering and the wisest thing to do is to not hurry and inform yourself until you feel that you almost know "everything"...

It's the best advise i could give you and even if i was luckier than you and kept on to my hair until a later age, i follow it also because whatever i will do i swear that i will do everything that i can to not let it control me and my life, i think that's the difference between someone who has character and a normal wired brain that can think properly even in the darkest times that a human could have... The rest, you have a lot of examples i don't think it's necessary to list them but whatever you do, don't cut your balls off or transform into a woman to save your hair or to get it back...

Thanks for the nice positive post.

Why didnt you get on finasteride 2 or 3 years ago if it is affecting your life this much?
If you wanted to go down the shaved head muscle boy look you need to go all in with steroids, get tatted up, it just won't work otherwise.

I know if I got on Finasteride that I would convince myself I have side effects. If I hopped on finasteride I know for certain that the next time I get into bed with someone, I'd be second guessing myself as to whether my dick was going to work or not the whole time. In doing this, it would probably mean it wouldn't due to the anxiety.

Lol, steroids? No thanks. I'm not keen to mess around with my endocrine system for obvious reasons. Besides, being that bald bouncer guy with a beard is boring - When you look like that your only role is the tough guy who's obviously compensating for something and my personality isn't a good match with that. It's the equivalent of a short dude who's jacked as f***.

To put it simply, do you think there is a meaningful difference between these pictures?

View attachment 141883

To me this is a night and day difference and I would definitely be much more grateful to be the bottom images than the top.

At 40 or 50 years old, I can agree with you that that hair could be almost night and day, especially if you drop in plenty of hair fibres to disguise it. However, as a 21 year old, that hair makes 0 difference - If I had either of those, I would be a complete outcast among the people I hang around with for sure. Really, at 21, anything above a NW2.5 already has me looking out of place. People would definitely be reluctant to associate with me if I had either of those from your picture sadly.

 

[whatintheworld]

both look horrible and make no difference imo.
I would not pay for a transplant if that is the end result, cause I'd end up going with a hat on every time I go outside anyway.

False, being slick bald versus having some hair to frame your face makes a huge difference. If you were slick bald like the top guy you would definitely pay for that transplant, let's not kid ourselves.

 

[whatintheworld]

I'm wary of Finasteride because I'm certain my brain would convince me that I'm getting side effects.

Yes true, although I plan on keeping this hair system up until at least the very end of university then going for a SMP with a nice conservative NW2 or NW2.5 hairline and having that for life. Obviously that wild, spiky hair is ideal, but I've had buzzcuts in the past and as long as there's something to frame my face, I'm happy enough.



Thanks for the nice positive post.



I know if I got on Finasteride that I would convince myself I have side effects. If I hopped on finasteride I know for certain that the next time I get into bed with someone, I'd be second guessing myself as to whether my dick was going to work or not the whole time. In doing this, it would probably mean it wouldn't due to the anxiety.

Lol, steroids? No thanks. I'm not keen to mess around with my endocrine system for obvious reasons. Besides, being that bald bouncer guy with a beard is boring - When you look like that your only role is the tough guy who's obviously compensating for something and my personality isn't a good match with that. It's the equivalent of a short dude who's jacked as f***.



At 40 or 50 years old, I can agree with you that that hair could be almost night and day, especially if you drop in plenty of hair fibres to disguise it. However, as a 21 year old, that hair makes 0 difference - If I had either of those, I would be a complete outcast among the people I hang around with for sure. Really, at 21, anything above a NW2.5 already has me looking out of place. People would definitely be reluctant to associate with me if I had either of those from your picture sadly.

True but that is the point...if you do nothing your hair will most likely deteriorate...and if it is so important to you why not try proven treatments to save what you have? I was like you and said it didn't matter but the more and more fell out I realized it in fact did very much, and having a horseshoe in my early twenties would have been, simply put, extremely unpleasant. I would have certainly become a social recluse.

Because most likely you will head down the path of the guys in those pictures, just like the rest of us who are actually balding here (not the Norwood 2 chest thumpers we see around here).

Now, I don't want to push medication on you, this is a very personal decision that only you should make after a lot of introspection. I'm only trying to make you think about all consequences for each choice you make.

 

[whatintheworld]

Those hair kept margins didn't do him any favor as well as being old and fat and bla bla, when i see some of you what examples you are giving... Yes it margins your face and makes you looks more symmetric if i may say so, but you know what hairloss does the most? It accentuates and highlights your other shitty features that most people get with age and without taking care of themselves, some have them at a very young age also, i have seen 20 and 30 year olds that looked way worse than 50 and 60 year olders.

Give that man a fresh full head cut, give him a decent body and clothes, give him a tan and you will have a new man, regardless of his age... But you know how it is, there are exceptions also, genetics plays a big part in a lot of things unfortunately and it can influence some things more than we would like too...

Me personally, i would rather be bald and with a top notch body than with hair and fat and bloated as sh*t but you know how it is, we are all different...

Dude your hypotheticals don't really bolster the argument, sure in theory you can take someone extremely ugly, out of shape, etc, and give them a full head of hair, no one is really arguing that point.

The only point being argued is everyone can only evaluate their hair loss with the context of themselves. So try it out for yourself then. Shave your head, or give yourself a horseshoe haircut and rate yourself objectively. You don't even have to come here and tell anyone, keep it private to yourself. How about actually doing some of these things instead of postulating "well, if I had to do it, it would be fine, there are many other things I can improve on in my life to compensate". What harm would there be for you to try this experiment?

 

[Stubble]

True but that is the point...if you do nothing your hair will most likely deteriorate...and if it is so important to you why not try proven treatments to save what you have? I was like you and said it didn't matter but the more and more fell out I realized it in fact did very much, and having a horseshoe in my early twenties would have been, simply put, extremely unpleasant. I would have certainly become a social recluse.

Because most likely you will head down the path of the guys in those pictures, just like the rest of us who are actually balding here (not the Norwood 2 chest thumpers we see around here).

Now, I don't want to push medication on you, this is a very personal decision that only you should make after a lot of introspection. I'm only trying to make you think about all consequences for each choice you make.

The step I'm taking is getting a hair system. I've already created my template today and I'm sending it off this week. I spend 5+ hours per week thinking about how sh*t my hair is, so I'm going to put that time back into maintaining a hair system instead. This is the decision I've come to in the last month. Considering I'm balding so aggressively in my early 20s, I know I'd be fighting an uphill battle from the start. I know it would be no time before Finasteride stops working and I'd have to move onto Dutasteride as well as Minoxidil of course. With the way my brain is, I know endocrine disrupting drugs aren't an option for me as I'd convince myself I've got side effects.

 

[whatintheworld]

The step I'm taking is getting a hair system. I've already created my template today and I'm sending it off this week. I spend 5+ hours per week thinking about how sh*t my hair is, so I'm going to put that time back into maintaining a hair system instead. This is the decision I've come to in the last month. Considering I'm balding so aggressively in my early 20s, I know I'd be fighting an uphill battle from the start. I know it would be no time before Finasteride stops working and I'd have to move onto Dutasteride as well as Minoxidil of course. With the way my brain is, I know endocrine disrupting drugs aren't an option for me as I'd convince myself I've got side effects.

That's fine, I would like for these things to become more socially acceptable because I think it would help a lot of people. I just still think there is a stigma to them, especially if you were to date a girl and she found out about it.

 

[Stubble]

That's fine, I would like for these things to become more socially acceptable because I think it would help a lot of people. I just still think there is a stigma to them, especially if you were to date a girl and she found out about it.

If I'm honest man, I'm not in the least bit concerned about what anyone else thinks about the fact I'm wearing a hair system. The only concerns I have is whether it looks authentic and if the maintenance can fit into my schedule long term. If I am able to make the time to maintain it regularly, then it won't be an issue. Initially, I am going to try and keep it a secret, but if I get caught out, I will 100% stand my choice to wear one, without feeling any shame. I've admitted to friends before that I'd sooner wear a hair system than shave my head. As for partners knowing, I reckon I'll be comfortable admitting to them after a few weeks. What use is dating someone if I can't show any vulnerability to her at all, especially if it's about something as important as hair?

 

[TomRiddle]

Dude your hypotheticals don't really bolster the argument, sure in theory you can take someone extremely ugly, out of shape, etc, and give them a full head of hair, no one is really arguing that point.

The only point being argued is everyone can only evaluate their hair loss with the context of themselves. So try it out for yourself then. Shave your head, or give yourself a horseshoe haircut and rate yourself objectively. You don't even have to come here and tell anyone, keep it private to yourself. How about actually doing some of these things instead of postulating "well, if I had to do it, it would be fine, there are many other things I can improve on in my life to compensate". What harm would there be for you to try this experiment?

Well luckily for me that i have already did it but not full shaved just a buzz cut and i already have done it when i was skinny and with my face destroyed by the lack of sleep and stress and have done it after being a little defined and jacked and with a lot of sleep and other clothes and believe me it was and it is a night and day difference. I'm not saying that with longer hair i won't look better or that the guy in the pictures won't look good having a good body shape some nice clothes and some hair also compared to him the exact same but without hair but it's a night difference between you being your worse without hair and you being your best without it, i hope you understand my logic i may not have expressed it very well..

 

[whatintheworld]

Well luckily for me that i have already did it but not full shaved just a buzz cut and i already have done it when i was skinny and with my face destroyed by the lack of sleep and stress and have done it after being a little defined and jacked and with a lot of sleep and other clothes and believe me it was and it is a night and day difference. I'm not saying that with longer hair i won't look better or that the guy in the pictures won't look good having a good body shape some nice clothes and some hair also compared to him the exact same but without hair but it's a night difference between you being your worse with hair and you being your best without it, i hope you understand my logic i may not have expressed very well..

I understand it, perhaps I'm expressing mine poorly.

Everyone should always try to be their best even if they are bald. But there is only so much compensation that can be done to make up for the huge hit of being slick bald.

I didn't say with a buzzcut, buzzcuts can actually look really good and when I had all my hair I actually preferred to have buzzcuts. It felt like I had a helmet of hair on my head, super easy maintenance, looked more masculine somehow.

However, shaving your head with no hairline, or rocking a horseshoe, are just completely different situations.