Near the end of my 2nd year of medical school at 23 I started to notice it. By the beginning of my 4th year I am a Norwood 4 with diffuse scalp thinning.
At a hair transplant consultation they told me it would likely be 4-5 procedures with a year between each other and I would be on topical and oral regime for life. I felt they gave me a fair appraisal but from my research having few hairs per follicle, young age and rapid onset, and family history Norwood 7 are relative contraindications for a successful hair transplant. So I did nothing or really there is nothing that I am will to do.
Like so many of you I fell into a really dark place. Whenever I saw my reflection and those progressively growing shiny streaks, I hated myself. For over a year and half I can say not one single day went by that I felt comfortable in my skin. I became cynical, I laughed at psoriasis commercials “you think an elbow rash is bad? Try something that makes you feel like the majority of the bodily surface area you are presenting in a professional settings is disfigured like a disease ridden animal.” It’s an unbelievable burden to bear. So perfectly described as the cancer of the spirit. I went from being top 10% in my class 2nd year with limitless potential to bottom 50% my third year and the only major change in my life was hair thinning. I’m still scrambling to pick up the pieces and hopefully make it into a residency.
After laying into my family about f*****g me up and eugenics and what not... I eventually went to see a counselor. With a couple doses of CBT and just talking to someone about my frustrations and pain I can look in the mirror again without nose diving into the pits of despair. I think I’m pretty close to taking the plunge and shaving it off and moving on with my life. To be liberated from this metaphysical prison I’ve entrapped myself is all a sad bird needs to fly high again. Because you can thrive as a bald person and live your life to fullest at least I’m going to try.
At a hair transplant consultation they told me it would likely be 4-5 procedures with a year between each other and I would be on topical and oral regime for life. I felt they gave me a fair appraisal but from my research having few hairs per follicle, young age and rapid onset, and family history Norwood 7 are relative contraindications for a successful hair transplant. So I did nothing or really there is nothing that I am will to do.
Like so many of you I fell into a really dark place. Whenever I saw my reflection and those progressively growing shiny streaks, I hated myself. For over a year and half I can say not one single day went by that I felt comfortable in my skin. I became cynical, I laughed at psoriasis commercials “you think an elbow rash is bad? Try something that makes you feel like the majority of the bodily surface area you are presenting in a professional settings is disfigured like a disease ridden animal.” It’s an unbelievable burden to bear. So perfectly described as the cancer of the spirit. I went from being top 10% in my class 2nd year with limitless potential to bottom 50% my third year and the only major change in my life was hair thinning. I’m still scrambling to pick up the pieces and hopefully make it into a residency.
After laying into my family about f*****g me up and eugenics and what not... I eventually went to see a counselor. With a couple doses of CBT and just talking to someone about my frustrations and pain I can look in the mirror again without nose diving into the pits of despair. I think I’m pretty close to taking the plunge and shaving it off and moving on with my life. To be liberated from this metaphysical prison I’ve entrapped myself is all a sad bird needs to fly high again. Because you can thrive as a bald person and live your life to fullest at least I’m going to try.
