Probably Telogen Effluvium?

Zamyotov

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So I've always had very thick hair, too thick for my liking even and I never expected I would lose any of it as my family tree in both directions is made up of male relatives who have remained very hirsute to the present day (in their fifties, with no balding to speak of whatsoever).

Now I'm coming off of probably the worst nine months of my life, I've been chronically sick (with piddly little illnesses, but I've been sick pretty much every month), insomniac (haven't slept a solid week probably since this last month), seriously depressed, unable to afford much food for months at a time, and, to make matters worse, I now seem to be balding. I noticed about five months ago that I seemed to possibly be thinning at the very top of my head "great" I thought, "now I can look forward to going bald in addition to how crappy my life is" and since then my hair has only gotten thinner, quite rapidly. A note on my state of health, I had insomnia to such a degree that I was routinely working until 1 AM, going home, falling asleep at probably 12 pm (or not at all) and getting up to go to work two or three hours later.

So I'm wondering, is this most likely telogen effluvium as my research has led me to believe? I think it might be as the photographs I've seen of Telogen Effluvium seem to match my sort of rapid onset, all around thinning hair (my scalp is quite visible when I come out of the shower, for example) and I have other symptoms and signs of chronic ill health which can accompany Telogen Effluvium (such as dents and lines present on my fingernails), it's also worth mentioning, I think that my hairline shows absolutely no recession at all, and as I mentioned before male pattern baldness does not run in my family.

Obviously the best thing I can do is go see a dermatologist or hair loss specialist but due to my location that is not an option for me, or it would take me several months on a waiting list at best.

Thanks in advance.

Oh, and I'm 23 years old.
 

TD500

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You would need to post pictures for people to give better answer. Dents/line in your fingernails also indicate alopecia areata/totalis/unversilis/icognita I believe. Typically though if your male and losing hair its male pattern baldness.
 

Zamyotov

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9 months later here are some pictures. I seem to still be losing and I still suspect chronic Telogen Effluvium.

Any thoughts?
Photo on 2016-04-03 at 11.46 AM.jpg
Photo on 2016-04-03 at 11.47 AM #2.jpg
 

TD500

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hah and 9 months later Im here to respond again

either diffuse thinning or like you said CTE.
 

Zamyotov

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Sides

Photo on 2016-04-03 at 12.00 PM.jpg
Photo on 2016-04-03 at 12.01 PM #2.jpg

My laptop camera isn't great, but parts of the sides feel very thin, and as you can see, there are sparse patches on the sides as well. Generally, in mirrors when I check, it looks like I have a crown baldspot on the sides of my head.

Hairline

Photo on 2016-04-03 at 12.03 PM.jpg
 

Pray The Bald Away

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Sides

View attachment 39507
View attachment 39508

My laptop camera isn't great, but parts of the sides feel very thin, and as you can see, there are sparse patches on the sides as well. Generally, in mirrors when I check, it looks like I have a crown baldspot on the sides of my head.

Hairline

View attachment 39509
The sides should be just about the same density as the top. If the sides are a good bit thicker, you most likely just have Diffuse Patterned Alopcia. I can't tell much from these pictures.
 

Zamyotov

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The statistics are against you. You probably have male pattern baldness.

Statistically you're a lot more likely to have a cold than cancer, but cancer still exists. I'm asking whether or not this seems like a case of Telogen Effluvium, with the rapid onset and severity (from no hair loss to pretty serious hair loss in less than one year), the fact that it appears all over my entire head and the general lack of hereditary baldness on either side of my family; not whether or not male pattern baldness is more likely to occur than Telogen Effluvium in general.
 

christkr

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Statistically you're a lot more likely to have a cold than cancer, but cancer still exists. I'm asking whether or not this seems like a case of Telogen Effluvium, with the rapid onset and severity (from no hair loss to pretty serious hair loss in less than one year), the fact that it appears all over my entire head and the general lack of hereditary baldness on either side of my family; not whether or not male pattern baldness is more likely to occur than Telogen Effluvium in general.

95% of hair loss in men are caused by androgens. It might be Telogen Effluvium as you mention, or something else, but thats not very likely. If you want me to calm you down, and say - yes, It sounds like Telogen Effluvium, i can also do that. Its hard to know.
 
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