Norwood 2 or 3? Please don't pull any punches. (Pictures)

[Simptom]

I know I have the start of M.P.B. I just turned 26 years old a few days ago and after lurking here for awhile I'm deciding to come to grips with my fate. I know I'm a Norwood 2 or 3. Keep in mind (and I"m not just saying this) I originally had a very high juvenile hairline.

I went to the dermatologist about 4 months ago, some old doctor who just laughed off my visit and said I had very mild temporal recession and said if I were that worried to just go on Bro-gain. He didn't even bother to write me a script for Propecia even after explaining how aggressive and commonplace A.G.A. is in both sexes of my family. He even had the audacity to speak down to me and joke about castration and other methods of hair treatment. My entire family is in the medical field, my father has a PhD in pharmacy, I think I know enough about the methods. I'm making an appointment to go back to see a different dermatologist sometime this week.

My family history: My mother was adopted, so I have absolutely no idea (she has a full thick head of hair at 53), but my father's side is not pretty. I have 3 uncles and an aunt. ALL of them are bald and were a Norwood 5 by my age except my dad who didn't begin to bald until his mid forties. My aunt has very thin hair and my grandmother's top is thin in the extreme. The gene comes from her as my grandfather was only a Norwood 3 at 70 when he died. Even my older sister's hair is beginning to thin, so I think I'm next on the list. I explained this to the dermatologist I saw and he didn't seem to care. Propecia is the only thing I'm sure that will work as Rogaine only helped slightly with my one uncle who used it religiously. I am pretty hairy so I know D.H.T. is the culprit here.

I have made many dietary changes and I take a ton of vitamins and supplements. I think it's the only reason I haven't gone completely bald earlier. I know I need to start something, but frankly, I just need it confirmed how bad my hairline is. Also, I do not shed much. I only find about 20 hairs in the shower drain which is explained by the loose hairs getting caught in my long hair. I'm definitely one of those guys who just loses it without much miniaturization. I lost the last of my golden "tuft" that was my juvenile hairline when I was 21. This is more recent. I have no thinning anywhere on my head.

Knowing my family history I have been observing this and obsessing and stressing over this for a long time, waiting till I knew I had to absolutely start something in case I have some sort of negative reaction. I am going to see what you guys have to say and I think I'm going to push to be put on generic finasteride.

So what's the verdict? I appreciate this guys. And hello as I'm new to these forums. Pictures below:

Gap in front center is just my part. I have no thinning on my head.

Right side temple.

Right side temple. Same side as one above, taken in mirror which is why side switched. As you can see, my right (your left) is receding higher than my left. And it's looking pretty mean right now. This is with all the miniaturized hairs out of the way, so that's the line where the healthy hair is. This is why I'm deciding to start treatment soon.

Left side temple.

Just have a mean cowlick. No thinning in back. People used to joke and say I was going bald at ten because of my cowlick. Just showing my hair is normal everywhere else so far.

Think I can wait a little longer or no? Should I wait until I get a more diffuse hairline or start thinning in back? I've waited this long because I'm positive I'm very sensitive to hormonal changes and I'm worried about testosterone rebound if I were to go on finasteride. I'm an aspiring singer/artist as well and sadly, people are extremely judgmental in those fields, so I need to keep my hair. You can understand the predicament I'm in.

Break it to me straight guys.

 

[kthxbi]

personally id say hold off til you get a bit of diffuse or go back another cm or 2. that could well just be your mature hairline but if its anything its an early NW2. good luck bro

 

[sergiotahini]

I would say you're a NW2 now. You know your family history, and to me your temples look like they're starting to creep toward the top of your scalp. If it were me, knowing what I know now, I would probably get on propecia if it seemed like there were a large number of miniaturized hairs in the temple region (can't really tell from the pics). That said, you've still got a lot of hair and no "normal" person would think you were losing it, so if you choose not to get on finasteride now it is understandable.

Just bear in mind that it's easier to maintain what you have than regrow what you lost, and by the time most people think it's time to do something about hair loss their hair already looks like crap.

 

[macimate]

Your hair doesn't look bad at all, besides,´you would be pretty f*****g handsome even if you were to go bald dude.

 

[s.a.f]

Just a NW2 which is the most common adult male hairline, for all you know you may never get any worse. Although it did appear a tiny bit thin. BTW vitamins and diet will have nothing to do with any hairloss you have experienced dont consider them as treatments. And as far as your career goes unless you want to be the next Justin Bieber I dont think its going to hold you back.

 

[cuebald]

norwood 2
mature hairline

 

[Simptom]

Thank you guys for the assessment. I really just have to keep on top of this, so I suppose going back to the dermatologist and going on medication might be a bit premature, for now.

s.a.f., as far as my thin hair is concerned, I admit sometimes I think it has thinned a bit, but to be honest, I've always had very fine hair (which is why I worry about any real thinning because if I were to thin it would be very noticeable early on), but then again I can't be sure just yet. If you made that statement based on the cowlick shot, believe me, I have a mean cowlick. Plus like a girly man I used to flat iron my hair and blow dry it almost every day up until a month or two ago for about two years straight, so I know it's very damaged right now and possibly thin because of that. I've been treating my hair better and it has improved.

As for the back of my head, since I was ten, kids would joke and say I had a bald spot on the back of my head. When I part my hair, bisect it rather, even down to my neck, the size of the part is the same. So no indication of any real thinning just yet. I have to admit I am kind of vain, but believe me, I'm not the most confident person deep down. I haven't even had a girlfriend for almost five years, so you can understand why I'm a bit concerned right now as I'm getting older.

I think I'm in a really nebulous area as far as family history is concerned. Again, my uncles, at 18 mind you, all had bald spots on the back of their heads. My own father is the only one who has shown more resistance to it and didn't begin to bald like most men until his late forties, which I'm fine with. My mother's side, because she was adopted, is a roll of the fricking dice, although my ancestry is rife with European bald genes (Italian, German, Irish, French, go figure).

I just want to make it to 35 with a full head of hair.

I want to apologize to some of you as well as I know many of you are in more advanced stages of the demonic M.P.B. and some of you have more aggressive balding. I know my complaints might seem trivial when held up to yours, but thank you for understanding and giving me feedback. I really do appreciate it.

And thank you macimate for the nice compliment!

 

[kayakmac]

Dude, I know just how you feel. I want to say you're not vain, because it sounds like you're completely justified to be as serious about your appearance as you are. I'm headed for the same boat. I'm 21 and have never had a serious relationship, feel deeply unsure of myself and lost in an existential crisis. I'm trying to find my feet and blossom right now, and the last thing I want is to be robbed of my youth while I'm still just a kid. So I'm fighting for it, and I think you should too. Don't listen to that doctor. I think you should keep an eye on it, and if it appears to be uninhibited in its retreat, then go broke with treatment experimentation until you've exhausted all options.

Your hair looks like it's well into Norwood 2. It doesn't look thin to me, but your corners are getting up there. You're in the yellow zone, I feel, but you could very well make it to 35 with no noticeable balding. You just need to track it carefully, and act soon if it doesn't show signs of slowing down considerably.