Is My Crown Thinning Or Am I Paranoid?

[Guy_Bangalter]

Someone pointed out recently that they could see my scalp on the back of my head (my crown) and jokingly said "holy sh*t dude, you're gonna be bald" which sent me into a downwards spiral of paranoia and stress.

I realize now that my hair definitely feels thinner, and when I look into the mirror I can see my scalp through my hair from the front. My entire family thinks I'm crazy and that there;s no sign of balding, but I definitely feel like my hair is "more see through" from when I last inspected my hair closely. I've always been known as the kid with long thick hair, and this paranoia has literally only apart of my life the past 3-4 days.

Some background info: My father is norwood 3ish at 50 years old but had a thick set of hair the rest of his life (started noticeably having a receding hairline at around 45ish). My grandfather on my mothers side also had a full set of hair his whole life, and now at 80, could barely be considered bald (just super thin on his crown)

It's actually only my uncle from my moms side who's completely bald from the age of 30-35, which derives from his mother's (my grandmothers) family of bald men.

I'm 20 years old in a few days, and was wondering if you guys could give it to me straight, Am I balding?


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[davesmith420]

You may have some thinning going on at your crown but it also looks like you're diffusing all over the scalp IMO. Hair line looks fine.

 

[Guy_Bangalter]

You may have some thinning going on at your crown but it also looks like you're diffusing all over the scalp IMO. Hair line looks fine.

The haircut I got 2 months ago involved my hair dresser purposely thinning my hair, as it was super thick before and I didn't like how thick it was.

I asked him today if he thought I was going bald and he replied "no, you have the some of the thickest hair I've ever cut on a man"


is the thinning that my Hairdresser did irrelevant to how my scalp looks like?

it is diffusing and should I be concerned aka looking to take drugs etc.

Thanks for the reply btw

PS here is what my hair looks like super wet

View attachment 47382

 

[biddybomb]

sorry to say but you are diffuse thinning all over the top of your scalp. Good news is you have a good hairline and finasteride should get you back to your previous state of thick hair if you are willing to go that route (which you would need to if you have any hope of saving your hair)

 

[Guy_Bangalter]

sorry to say but you are diffuse thinning all over the top of your scalp. Good news is you have a good hairline and finasteride should get you back to your previous state of thick hair if you are willing to go that route (which you would need to if you have any hope of saving your hair)

I recently went through a surgery for my ankle, and a bunch of other stuff went on in my life the past few months. I can say that I have been SUPER STRESSFUL that past few months of my life, and my diet has gone to sh*t, and of course I have not been exercising.

I've only noticed the thinner hair recently (4 days) , and it was 2 months after I specifically told a hair dresser that I wanted thinner hair because my hair (after surgery/in the middle of my stressful period) was too thick!

How the hell did my hair become thin within the span of like 3-4 months? Is the stress/diet factor not a myth? Isn't baldness genetic?

Also what do I do to prevent this? Do I book a dermatologist appointment ASAP?

 

[biddybomb]

I recently went through a surgery for my ankle, and a bunch of other stuff went on in my life the past few months. I can say that I have been SUPER STRESSFUL that past few months of my life, and my diet has gone to sh*t, and of course I have not been exercising.

I've only noticed the thinner hair recently (4 days) , and it was 2 months after I specifically told a hair dresser that I wanted thinner hair because my hair (after surgery/in the middle of my stressful period) was too thick!

How the hell did my hair become thin within the span of like 3-4 months? Is the stress/diet factor not a myth? Isn't baldness genetic?

Also what do I do to prevent this? Do I book a dermatologist appointment ASAP?

The only way an unhealthy lifestyle can really effect hair is if you induce Telogen Effluvium. Basically your body undergoes some very stressful event and your hair just falls out all over. Surgery is certainly an event that could cause something like Telogen Effluvium as well as stressful periods. The good thing about Telogen Effluvium is your hair is fine, it will grow back totally normal and no damage has been done. There is actually a fairly good chance this is what you are suffering from and would explain why you suddenly became diffuse in such a short time period. Have you noticed much hairfall recently? When you scratch your head do many hairs fall out?

And yeah, you will probably need to see a competent Derm to really get a definitive answer on this, and even still, many derms out there are simply clueless about hairloss so you might even have to see an actual hair transplant surgeon to get a definitive answer. Try to stay away from trichologists, they are not real doctors.

Welcome to the uncertain world of hairloss my friend. It might seem like the end of the world right now, but as of right now you have a lot of hair and if you are indeed losing it, the few options that do work will likely give you your entire head of hair back at this early stage.

 

[Vesemir]

You may have some thinning going on at your crown but it also looks like you're diffusing all over the scalp IMO. Hair line looks fine.

Dave is right, your hair is thinning. It's not stress or a hair cut.

 

[worm]

The only way an unhealthy lifestyle can really effect hair is if you induce Telogen Effluvium. Basically your body undergoes some very stressful event and your hair just falls out all over. Surgery is certainly an event that could cause something like Telogen Effluvium as well as stressful periods. The good thing about Telogen Effluvium is your hair is fine, it will grow back totally normal and no damage has been done. There is actually a fairly good chance this is what you are suffering from and would explain why you suddenly became diffuse in such a short time period. Have you noticed much hairfall recently? When you scratch your head do many hairs fall out?

And yeah, you will probably need to see a competent Derm to really get a definitive answer on this, and even still, many derms out there are simply clueless about hairloss so you might even have to see an actual hair transplant surgeon to get a definitive answer. Try to stay away from trichologists, they are not real doctors.

Welcome to the uncertain world of hairloss my friend. It might seem like the end of the world right now, but as of right now you have a lot of hair and if you are indeed losing it, the few options that do work will likely give you your entire head of hair back at this early stage.

I may agree with @biddybomb it could be you have some general diffuse loss. Surgery can definitely have an effect on your hair, Telogen Effluvium, as he mentioned. Also, I am about to post something about this, but different lighting can definitely make you look like your thinning, when you may not be. So if you have a super strong light beam directly on your scalp, it'll make anyone look thin.

I would wait it out a few months and see how you progress. Do you find you are shedding lots of hair now? Hair goes through phases, so I would not assume it's not male pattern baldness, however I would keep an eye out for it.

Your family history does not seem to indicate you will go bald at all..... And as you say, if you somehow had your uncle's gene, then it would start until you're 30 or so. So you need to trust on your genes following a predictable pattern, which is likely that you'll keep your hair.


The last thing I recommend is taking finasteride at this stage, until you see where this is going. If in 3-6 months you seems to be worse off, the good news is you can always take finasteride then.

You are so young now that even if you wait a year and start treatments, you will regain anything you have lost (if you are even losing it).

I must emphasize, take your time, dont panic, your hair still looks thick, so time is on your side. The last thing you want to do is take medication to treat something you dont have.

 

[N003]

The haircut I got 2 months ago involved my hair dresser purposely thinning my hair, as it was super thick before and I didn't like how thick it was.

I asked him today if he thought I was going bald and he replied "no, you have the some of the thickest hair I've ever cut on a man"


is the thinning that my Hairdresser did irrelevant to how my scalp looks like?

it is diffusing and should I be concerned aka looking to take drugs etc.

Thanks for the reply btw

PS here is what my hair looks like super wet

View attachment 47382

You have Male pattern baldness. Finasterid is the only solution to hold your status + recovery.

 

[worm]

2 months ago, you hated how thick it was.

Your barber said you have the thickest hair out of anyone.

Barbers can thin hair out with thinning scissors, it sounds like he did exactly that.

Wait a few months and see, I bet you it will thicken up again after the cut. If you're super worried, I would also talk to your barber first, and ask him about how he thinned it, and about your fear.

please there is no rush, this is coming from someone who has been thinning and maintaining the past 20 years (39 now and started when I was 19).

 

[Guy_Bangalter]

You have Male pattern baldness. Finasterid is the only solution to hold your status + recovery.

Is this fact set in stone? My family keeps reassuring me that I'm going crazy and that I'm not balding.

I set up an appointment with a Dermatologist and hoping that this is indeed just stress related.

After the surgery I had a mental breakdown complete with screaming and punching myself because of a multitude of factors, therefore I could easily call that a "SHOCK" moment, and it has been a little over 2 months exactly since that incident occurred and have been consistently stressed the past 2 years. Therefore I have reason to believe it COULD be Telogen Effluvium in combination with the thinning hairstyle that is making my hair appear so thin.

If it is in fact Male Pattern Baldness I cannot emotionally cope with it. It would rob me of my youth even further, in addition to a crippling ankle accident I suffered last year that has taken away sports from me.

 

[Guy_Bangalter]

The only way an unhealthy lifestyle can really effect hair is if you induce Telogen Effluvium..... Have you noticed much hairfall recently? When you scratch your head do many hairs fall out?

When I scratch my scalp/head hard for 20 seconds I only see 1 or 2 hairs about 1cm long fall out (probably the hair that is growing that was thinned out by my hairdresser?)

I have never even for one second thought this could ever happen to my scalp, Never EVER noticed any thinning hair, and up until 4 days ago always though my hair was TOO thick and bushy.

I don't know whether or not this is pertinent, but my pubic hair definitely feels much thinner and looks more see through too. Shaved it about a month & 1/2 ago and by now its usually a black forest of death, now it looks like a balding scalp.

Also, If I am balding through DIFFUSE THINNING, Is there a surgery or transplant I can get to get my hair back to what it once was?

 

[worm]

When I scratch my scalp/head hard for 20 seconds I only see 1 or 2 hairs about 1cm long fall out (probably the hair that is growing that was thinned out by my hairdresser?)

I have never even for one second thought this could ever happen to my scalp, Never EVER noticed any thinning hair, and up until 4 days ago always though my hair was TOO thick and bushy.

I don't know whether or not this is pertinent, but my pubic hair definitely feels much thinner and looks more see through too. Shaved it about a month & 1/2 ago and by now its usually a black forest of death, now it looks like a balding scalp.

Also, If I am balding through DIFFUSE THINNING, Is there a surgery or transplant I can get to get my hair back to what it once was?

If you were balding you would see 30-40 hairs fall out with this brushing your hand through your hair test.

When I started losing it I would do the test for a minute and would have up to 80 hairs fall on my desk. How many do you see in the shower drain catch? to put it in perspective, I was getting over 100 hairs.

Based on what you are saying, it really doesnt seem like you are losing your hair. I can imagine you are freaking out, the last thing you need is to lose your hair.

Please pay close attention to my words and advice - I do not believe you are losing your hair, it is not unlikely that you lost some after you surgery (Telogen Effluvium), which will regrow. But just two weeks ago your hairdresser and you were complaining about how thick it is.

You do not go bald in 2 weeks. It takes years.

Give it a few months, there is no rush to do anything.

And even in the 1% chance you are magically suffering male pattern baldness, even if you only act on it in a year, there are so many treatment options that you will never lose your hair.

Nobody here is an expert, so please do not take all this advice as fact.

Ultimately, maybe seeing an expert like a derm is the best solution.

 

[Guy_Bangalter]

If you were balding you would see 30-40 hairs fall out with this brushing your hand through your hair test.

When I started losing it I would do the test for a minute and would have up to 80 hairs fall on my desk. How many do you see in the shower drain catch? to put it in perspective, I was getting over 100 hairs.

Based on what you are saying, it really doesnt seem like you are losing your hair. I can imagine you are freaking out, the last thing you need is to lose your hair.

Please pay close attention to my words and advice - I do not believe you are losing your hair, it is not unlikely that you lost some after you surgery (Telogen Effluvium), which will regrow. But just two weeks ago your hairdresser and you were complaining about how thick it is.

You do not go bald in 2 weeks. It takes years.

Give it a few months, there is no rush to do anything.

And even in the 1% chance you are magically suffering male pattern baldness, even if you only act on it in a year, there are so many treatment options that you will never lose your hair.

Nobody here is an expert, so please do not take all this advice as fact.

Ultimately, maybe seeing an expert like a derm is the best solution.

I consider your reassurance an early birthday gift. Thank you for calming me down.

Just took a shower and no hair falls out whatsoever (couldn't even find one in the drain or on my hands, or towel)

Either way I booked an appointment with my family doctor and I will be bringing up to him Telogen Effluvium, which the more I think about is typically caused by exactly what I experienced the past 3 months (Ankle reconstruction surgery/ mental breakdown over family stuff/ bed bugs / school finals)

Do I specify what kind of Dermatologist I want to see? Should I demand I see a Dermatologist with a hair specialty?

Thanks again.

Guy

 

[worm]

Just took a shower and no hair falls out whatsoever (couldn't even find one in the drain or on my hands, or towel)

Great! No hair in the shower drain, that's a pretty sure sign that you are not balding. I was losing over 100 hairs in the drain when I started losing mine.

Again, remember, you were complaining it was too thick not long ago, your barber thinks its crazy thick.

You are not exhibiting any telltale signs of male pattern baldness, so I get the impression you caught your part under a strong light, and your hair might have been a little greasy.

Personally I wouldnt even book an appointment, just keep an eye out over the next few months. Also talk to your hairdresser, he's probably responsible for thinning it out too much.

I understand that it's hard not to freak out, I went full OCD when I began shedding hair. I spent a good chunk of my late teens until my mid twenties thinking more about my hair than living life, do not make the same mistake I did. Do your best to calm your nerves, and be confident you arent losing it, im sure this will all seem like a bad dream come springtime.

 

[rclark]

Someone pointed out recently that they could see my scalp on the back of my head (my crown) and jokingly said "holy sh*t dude, you're gonna be bald" which sent me into a downwards spiral of paranoia and stress.

I realize now that my hair definitely feels thinner, and when I look into the mirror I can see my scalp through my hair from the front. My entire family thinks I'm crazy and that there;s no sign of balding, but I definitely feel like my hair is "more see through" from when I last inspected my hair closely. I've always been known as the kid with long thick hair, and this paranoia has literally only apart of my life the past 3-4 days.

Some background info: My father is norwood 3ish at 50 years old but had a thick set of hair the rest of his life (started noticeably having a receding hairline at around 45ish). My grandfather on my mothers side also had a full set of hair his whole life, and now at 80, could barely be considered bald (just super thin on his crown)

It's actually only my uncle from my moms side who's completely bald from the age of 30-35, which derives from his mother's (my grandmothers) family of bald men.

I'm 20 years old in a few days, and was wondering if you guys could give it to me straight, Am I balding?


View attachment 47379 View attachment 47380 View attachment 47381

YES. Just saved you thousands of dollars and years of therapy.

You are balding.

 

[Guy_Bangalter]

Great! No hair in the shower drain, that's a pretty sure sign that you are not balding. I was losing over 100 hairs in the drain when I started losing mine.

Again, remember, you were complaining it was too thick not long ago, your barber thinks its crazy thick.

You are not exhibiting any telltale signs of male pattern baldness, so I get the impression you caught your part under a strong light, and your hair might have been a little greasy.

Personally I wouldnt even book an appointment, just keep an eye out over the next few months. Also talk to your hairdresser, he's probably responsible for thinning it out too much.

I understand that it's hard not to freak out, I went full OCD when I began shedding hair. I spent a good chunk of my late teens until my mid twenties thinking more about my hair than living life, do not make the same mistake I did. Do your best to calm your nerves, and be confident you arent losing it, im sure this will all seem like a bad dream come springtime.

Why are other people in this forum telling me "YES YOU ARE BALDING 100%"

I was in a great mood today Until another dude came in here and told me otherwise. How can they be sure so 100% without taking into consideration the facts? They are literally just telling me "yep, balding"

 

[worm]

Why are other people in this forum telling me "YES YOU ARE BALDING 100%"

I was in a great mood today Until another dude came in here and told me otherwise. How can they be sure so 100% without taking into consideration the facts? They are literally just telling me "yep, balding"

Because they're looking at that shitty picture you posted where you've got a beam of light focused on your slightly greasy hair part.

For your own sanity, you shouldn't come here. You'll receive all kinds of advice, most of which will feed your paranoia.

 

[g.i joey]

Are you guys kidding? That is exactly what diffuse thinning looks like. Your hairline is fine but your midscalp/crown is 100% thinning.

unless your barber purposely thinned out a specific section of your head I'd say it's definitely male pattern baldness.

 

[Guy_Bangalter]

Are you guys kidding? That is exactly what diffuse thinning looks like. Your hairline is fine but your midscalp/crown is 100% thinning.

unless your barber purposely thinned out a specific section of your head I'd say it's definitely male pattern baldness.

He did a thing with his scissors sideways for a good amount of time all over my scalp when I asked him to "thin thin thin thin".

Are you 100% it's thinning when taking into consideration the fact that I had a breakdown of the highest degree 2 months ago, and have no genetic probability to go bald at 20?

Because they're looking at that shitty picture you posted where you've got a beam of light focused on your slightly greasy hair part.

For your own sanity, you shouldn't come here. You'll receive all kinds of advice, most of which will feed your paranoia.

I can't help but keep coming back here. You're the only poster reassuring me that I'm probably not going bald, whilst 9 other people online told me to get my *** on finasteride.

It's my birthday and I'm finding out that I'm balding according to these experts. Something that I thought was impossible.