my sad story

[person_123]

so i'm 19, noticed thinning at 16. nothing drastic yet, probably making it out to be worse than it really is, but i can't help it.

went through a phase where i said "f*** it.... who cares" that lasted a few months, on and off.

now i'm at the stage where i always look at myself in the mirror and look right at my hair, always trying to find scalp in between my hairs. i have no idea why i do this, but i do it. it makes me feel worse every single time i find scalp, but i do it.

i've started taking pictures with my digital camera of the top of my head, sometimes using light/flash, sometimes not. whenever i see scalp. again, upset. but i do it anyway.

when my hair is wet, it looks horrible, so i try to stay out of the rain.

hair loss has affected my life in a big way. i'm depressed, even contemplated suicide (contemplated, not attempted). i've become withdrawn from society, i don't go places i'm supposed to go because i don't want to be seen in public.

everybody i've asked (dared to talk to about this), says it's all in my head, that i'm not really thinning, but i've noticed the difference between now and when i was young, so i know it's not in my head.

i've tried advanced hair studios, but it hasn't helped much if at all, and i've gotten more depressed from reading on these forums that it wont help.

i want to start propecia, but worried about side effects, and also worried about whether it will help.

i really want HM to be out already, and i want it to be a legitimate, 100% natural looking, lasting cure. it's pretty much all i look forward to in life.

around girls, i just don't feel confident. even if i could date one, i probably would ruin it by being too self concious. whenever anybody says anything i can't really hear, or laughs, i always think it's about me and my thinning hair, though it most probably isn't.

i don't want to study, i don't want to go out alot of the time. i just want to find an island and live there all by myself until hm comes out and solves all my problems.

this forum has really helped though. it's given me a place to vent, a place to feel "not alone".

back to my rant though:

sometimes, when i'm sitting at my desk, i tend to run my fingers through my hair. though i feel no areas of significant thinning, i still feel area's that are less dense.... i think.

sometimes i'll ruffle my hair around to see how many fall out, and when i see any, i keep ruffling till i don't see any more. but if i see any at all, again with the depression.

it seems i'm doing everything in my power to make myself feel horrible, but i can't help it. i just want it all to stop and end, i want dht to be eliminated from my system totally. i want hair to splurt from my scalp so fast and thick that it will bleed my scalp, i dont' care about the pain, so long as i have a thick full head of hair.

i want to find a group of people my age, who are going through what i am going through, and i want girls to want them, i want them to feel confident and show me the way, i want to be accepted as "normal".

i know i'm probably taking it too far, but i seriously can't help it.

there has been one comment on my hair throughout the whole of my life, and that was only when i was under direct light with a new "thinned out" haircut with product in my hair. but it was still commented upon, and i think that's what started my paranoia (though my paranoia is justified, because i definately notice thinning).

if i had a small head, which would look good shaved (wentworth miller is a good example) i wouldn't care so much. if i was like vin diesel, i woudln't care so much. but the fact is i'm not. i don't believe my head was built to be bald. i want hair, i want to style it, i want it to look cool.

whenever i get a haircut now, i get depressed because it always looks thin afterwards. whenever i take a shower now, and notice the hairs in my hand after shampooing, i just want to scream.

i'll rant more after some replies... i know it's horrible to say, but i'd feel better knowing other people are going through the same thing. not because i want to know people are sad, but because i want to know i'm not alone in my ordeal, that life isn't cruel JUST to me...

 

[Aplunk1]

My friend, I first started thinning when I turned 19... Then, I developed a baldspot the size of a quarter on my crown! Can you imagine what kind of anxiety and stress that causes a kid at 19?

Yes, you can.

My friend, from experience, I'll let you know that I went through 2 years of panic attacks, bouts of stress, and a spiraling drug addiction.

At one time, I had once prided myself on my intellect and good looks.

When hairloss set it, I knew things were going to change.


But before I go into the future, I'll let you know... When I first started losing hair, I went the au-naturale route... B-Complex Vitamins, Multi-Vitamins, etc... That didn't work.

I used Rogaine for a while, and it regrew my baldspot. I quit Rogaine, then went on Propecia. I've been on DHT-inhibitors for nearly 2 years now, and about 10 months on every-day Rogaine.

It's been well-worth it.

Just look at the pics on my website. All of these are within the last 10 months... Before that, I had scalp showing everywhere, and a nasty receding hairline.

I've regrown a lot, although I still see hairfall everyday.



Sorry I turned this into a private tangent, but my advice to you:

Get on PROVEN MEDS NOW!!! (Propecia, Rogaine, Nizoral)

Take pictures every 2 weeks or once a month.

Have patience. Work out, find something to do with yourself.

These are called the 3 P's:

Proven Treatments.

Pictures.

Patience.

You are your own worst enemy. Remember that.

Goodluck, my friend.

I hope this helps you.

 

[s.a.f]

I agree with aplunk1, these 3 proven meds should help you hold onto what you have left. I've seen many guys who are destinined to be norwood 6's stop their hairloss in its tracks using the big 3. I wish I'd have been aware of them when I was in your situation. You're lucky to have found the forums, keep researching so you dont fall for any of the scams out there. off. Hairloss destroys confidence and affects peoples whole outlook on life. Get on a good DHT inhibiter and try to keep your remaining hair. Its tough as hell to be suffering with this at a young age but it does get easier as you get older. Try to keep your chin up and dont let your anxiety show

 

[Johnny12]

Hang in there !!

I known it must be tough, if you feel bad and lack confidence then you could look like Brad Pitt and still feel like s..t.

Try and stay positive, keep fit (exercise will help your confidence and your mental state) and try an old explorer's trick. Do not wash your hair with shampoo, just water. Hair will be greasy for a week or two but after that it will look thicker and feel better.

I have being doing this for about 4 years (I used to have very fine blonde hair) and it has slowed the process a lot.

Try the stuff the guys on the site recommend, they know there stuff and it will help to feel that you are doing something positive!

 

[person_123]

thanks for the input guys. i think i will get on dht blockers, as soon as possible. i just need to find a doctor to talk it over with first.

if it doesn't work though, i'll feel like my only option is gone... trust me, i'll get into an even worse state of depression.

 

[s.a.f]

I never went to any doctor. Some are ok but I've read many posts from guys who were practicly laughed out of the surgery. Most Dr's (especialy women, who can't relate to it) dont take male pattern baldness seriously, after all its not a disease and does'nt affect your overall health. Try proscar its a 5mg tablet (finesteride) just cut it into fifths to take 1mg a day. This works out cheaper than propecia.

 

[person_123]

i can't get it if i don't go to a doctor though. i need a prescription for it.

hopefully i won't get laughed out of the surgery.

if i do, i'll sue the doctor for emotional scarring, and use the money to pay for hm.

is it easy to split proscar into 5ths? what tools do i need? and what is the price difference between proscar and propecia? (talk in terms of monthly supplies, unless they come in yearly supplies)

 

[dirtrider67]

pearson, here is more info on the three p's

http://www.hairlosstalk.com/discussions ... hp?t=12638

you've already taken the first step to treating your hairloss so now you should get on a good regimen like finersteride and propecia. this simple and feasable regimen seems to be what works. secondly, you need to try and better your life by maybe getting in school and becomming something. when it truely comes down to it. hair don't pay your bills. besides, eventually most women want a guy with a good job and stability. when the ladies know your a doctor or a lawyer, they have more respect for you than if you had a full head of hair working at 7-11. trust me dude, concentrate on a future and all else will fall in place. and if you get a great education and make lots of money, well, you can afford to do anything you want.

good luck young man

 

[Nathaniel]

There are two types of balding men: A) Those who don't care and B) Those who care.

I sure wish I didn't care, but since you and I fall into category "B" the first thing you need to do is get on with your treatments.

1) Finasteride (propecia)
2) Nizoral shampoo every third day.
3) Minoxidil (consider only if you have areas you want to grow back)

Follow APLUNK'S advice, theres a pretty good chance that you will probably at least keep what you have for years to come if you have patience, take proven treatments CONSISTENTLY and take pictures (just so you can objectively critique yourself without falling prey to false beliefs that you are going balder). The more you wait to get treated, the less hair you will have and the harder it will be for you to recover. What are you waiting for dude? Don't waste your time and hair!

 

[dirtrider67]

nathaniel,

i agree with you about not waiting. i sure wish i would have started 10 years ago. but i was just waiting till the procedures got better and the meds were more proven.

the only thing that worries me about person_123 is that he is expecting a miracle. it may happen but the odds are really against anyone who thinks minoxidil and finasteride will give them back everything they had when they were younger. he needs to take a realistic approach to his male pattern baldness. don't get me wrong, it has bothered me for over 20 years now. but, you have to go on and not dwell on the hair issues so much. the good thing is that he is still young and can most likely keep what he has and probably even grow a little more. if he goes to school and gets a good job then someday when he is tired of fighting it, he will be able to ad a possible hairtransplant to his regimen. but as we all know, it takes lots of money. and who knows, in a year or so, they may have a cure for male pattern baldness. wouldn't that be awesome.

 

[person_123]

i'm not expecting a miracle anymore. i'm expecting full coverage of my head (which is sort of have now), but i'm not expecting the hair to go back to the thickness it was at when i was young.

everyday i wish it would be so, but it is not.

true, i'm already on minoxidil, but i really don't like it. hopefully finasteride will work better and i'll be able to use that instead of minoxidil.

 

[s.a.f]

There are two types of balding men: A) Those who don't care and B) Those who care.

I think that there are 2 types of balding men: A) Those who admit that it bothers them and B) Those who lie about it !