My story and what Norwood am I? (pics)

[simplelies]

So, I guess a brief history of my loss would be a good start. Well, I would say my temples started receding when I was about 13. I did not really notice it until I buzzed my hair one year. So, ofcourse not knowing anything instantly I thought it was male pattern baldness and I was worried. I didn't do anything about it then. I was in fact shedding quite a few hairs even at this age and I can say, to this day I still shed more hair than usual people. I only don't shed hair when it is considerably shorter in length. Well, I believe my hairline remained the same for years possibly getting a bit worse but I was not keeping track so I didn't really know.

Fast forward to the age of 19 and I notice that the quality of my hair was really bad. The hair was oily and seemed to break really easy. At this time I was straightening my hair with the straightening iron because I have really curly hair so, I do not know if this could have factored into the quality of hair. I was still shedding my usual amount of hair that I had been for years when I had longer hair. At this time though, I started to see a lot more hairs in my hand when I showered and started seeing some on the pillow. So I buzzed my hair again and everything seemed to look good except for the bit of temple recession of course. I didn't do anything about it at that time either because I honestly just knew about rogaine and didn't really think it work. So, all of a sudden, I became obsessed with my hair line and was wondering if it had in fact gotten worse over the years. I looked at pictures and what not but couldn't really tell. So, anyways, still I did nothing as far as taking pills or products. The shedding continued and this time it was even happening with quite short hair which was new to me.

Fast forwarding again to July 2009, I decided to get on Proscar. And honestly I don't think my hairline had changed in years at this point. I also added Nozoral a couple months later. About two to three months on Proscar, my shedding had almost completely stopped save for a few weak hairs it seemed. That lasted for about a month before the shedding begin again with a mix of mostly weak hairs with a few healthy hairs and that is my story so far. In addition, no sides what so ever. So far, this is my observation of Proscar:

At worst: I believe it maintained what I had (not that I feel I had gotten any worse in a while) and definitely helped with the oily scalp.

At best: It may have thickened up my hair and probably grown a few little hairs at the hairline.

If the shedding does not stop soon, I am thinking about going on dutasteride I have already ordered minoxidil and will begin putting it on the temples as soon as it arrives. I will update the photos every month or two to see if there is any progress. Feel free to ask any questions.

I did buzz down my hair with a 2 blade so there is no cover up or anything of that sort and you guys can judge it clearly. I was wondering if somebody could tell me what I am on the norwood scale and any advice would be very helpful. I am going to put many photos in various angles to cover everything, hopefully they all work.

P.S. I am 22 y.o. now with my father and all his brothers are pretty much completely bald and my mother's brothers all have their hair except for one. Also only temple recession so far, everything else looks good including vertex.
Thanks again.

Overhead


Vertex shot


Temple


side view


other side view


over top


Another overhead

 

[metalheaddude]

Dude ur not balding. Not even close. Go out, live your life, have fun Life is to short to worry about these things.

 

[let-it-grow]

You are not getting bald and having temples is not a sign for balding. Losing hair is natural even for people who don't go bald and as long as you don't notice a spot on your hair that is thinner you're fine.

Losing hair is only baldness if you start noticing thinner which obviously you don't have.

 

[simplelies]

Then how would you guys explain the shedding even before going on Proscar? Also what Norwood am I?

Thanks!

 

[let-it-grow]

The shedding you had before going on Proscar gave you bald spots or vertex thinning? If not - it's normal. Many people shed a lot in the Fall for example, but it doesn't cause their hair to be thinner because it's not male pattern baldness. Many people shed from stress but after a few months the hair grows back.

Male Pattern Baldness is when you shed and no hair come to replace it and that cause the appearance of a thinner area in your hair or a bald spot.

I think you rushed to finasteride too quickly because you were shocked by the sudden hair loss that could be just a normal shedding.


You are Norwood-0.

 

[MJT82]

Your hair looks pretty darn good. No one is going to look at your head and think you are balding. If you don't like the way your hairline looks, then I would grow the hair out a little more and do the "messy" look, that can make your hairline look more straight or thick depending on how you do it.

 

[Brains Expel Hair]

If you don't see any hairs on your pillow then something is most likely wrong. What's the general "everything's normal" number? 50-150/day? If your hairs didn't drop out and regrow then whenever you'd have a hair pulled out by the root it would never grow back again.