Shooky's Story (20/ Inspiring young balding)

shookwun

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Dear Brothers,


It started early in my days, during the time when I entered high I was merely the age of 16 years old. Took a shower after coming home from school in a bright florescent room with a mirror that corresponds diagonally; viewing all pertaining side of your head. Flipped my hairline back, there it was I didn't want to believe it was baldness, at first I shrugged my shoulders away as I didn't think to much of it. Consequently I've always had a high forehead, narrow features.

During the last year of my post secondary school education, I enrolled into the military, it was upon this course that in my basic military qualification, while in class a course student pointed out that I had a receding hair line, yet I still shrugged this off as the private giggled upon my "weakness". Surprisingly it didn't bother me and I was in denial, checking myself in the mirror I didn't see any apparent baldness. But yet people pointed it out?

The next following year I was turning 18 years old in a few months, going into my soldier qualification course, it was upon this day when the staff required that I receive an immediate hair cut (due to military believe the hair cannot be no longer then 6 inches on top and needs to be a 1-2 buzz on the side, simple terms cannot touch your ears). Well going to the salon, my head got shaved.. the barber told me I looked fine, yet all my course mates laughed it up, as I sucked in my pride. This worked as it didn't bother me beyond this point anymore.

From then one I entered a final year of graduating high school after my summer course in the military entering the last couple weeks of summer, sucking up insecurity with a hat on, thank god I always wore a fitted, so it wasn't anything superstitious or nerve wrecking upon myself and others.

Having my hat on was part of my daily routine, Didn't go any where without it. It became apart of me, when it came to going out on the weekend it followed me upon having dinner! with my own family.

Still had fun with my friends but dodged any formal events that I couldn't bring my hat too. Any time someone talked about a weeding, club my blood rushed as if my insecurity took over. male pattern baldness, finally It started kicking in that I was going bald and my fathers, and mothers genes got the best of me.

Surprisingly the next couple years before completing high school, nobody mentioned anything about my hairline, deep down inside I knew something wasn't right about my hair line but still I shrugged my shoulders and moved on with my life. Additionally my life revolved around; going to school, Playing MMORPG & going out on the weekend drinking with friends. I was popular at high school during the time, insecurity left me questioning my self and the people I hung around with were doing drugs and such. All though none of these traits effected my status or changed who I am.. or the "reputation" I had.

(Video games take away your social life if you play them like a full time job. Failing to believe this, my father was right. My social networking was behind a computer screen and a flat keyboard, lacking social skills in the outside world effected my family, friends, education, and myself.)

After high school I dropped out of the military due to baldness. Lying to my father who I joined the army for, about students harassing me. It was all behind male pattern baldness, during this time my hair was exceptionally thick with half inch receding temples at the age of 18. Would you believe that, after recieving ranks, recognition of my work and pat on the shoulder from my friends, quit the military to due to male pattern baldness, still none of my friends knew, at least that I know of?.. Few questioned me and teased me, I failed to believe that they knew and I was "safe".



At this time I'm 18 years old, I'm not in high school anymore, dropped out of the military and don't have a full time job. After being deprived of money and feeling sorry for myself, got a job doing labour where I could wear a "hat", yet again a concealer towards my identity, and insecurity. Well I worked my *** off for a couple years.

This is where the puzzles starting falling together that yes "I'm f*****g bald, but will denie it and not show it". Started doing research, upon discussions and products that I researched, I fell into a scam; provillius. http://www.provillus.com/int/ started using it for a year it followed its "natural ingredients" with minioxidol which is FDA approved. Falling into a scam i didn't realize until a year later that the product is not FDA approved, there claim is unethical, false and is upright wrong. Minioxidol is FDA approved, yet they bargain the whole-some product to be "FDA approved". Provillus itself is just bullshit natural ingredients.

After following for this my hairline at 19 years old is 3/4 inch receding in, followed by my hairline to be thinning, of which untill this day (November 25, 2010) has regained itself into a full thick crown. Upon being scammed by provillus I've stilled used minixoldil today, leaving my hairline to be the culprit of my Insecurity.


It was during the winter after leaving the military for 1 and 3/4 a year that Iv'e had my hair growing, at this point I looked like a mop, hair extremely long with a hat to cover it off. When I had the hat off I looked like a goof. It took me two months of research and balls to email an hair stylist to have a private appointment of which we agreed upon.

This was the peak of my prime now at nineteen, short hair of which the stylist had styled upon my directions. Sum it up, he did a great job, this boosted my confidence by a lot. Going home as a new man, throwing that hat in the close, I'd regained confidence going bald, but a new man.

Being a scrawny guy, Decided to go to the gym. Well this helped change my life, working out and feeling good about myself. Furthermore I cut out smoking and focused on a diet that would suite my personal needs of gaining weight, of which to this day I am still exercising and have gained vast amount of healthy pounds into my body.

This is where my life starts following in together; new hair cut, exercising, and minioxidol. Well to topp it off I got on propecia, before the summer started, things started falling together looking good. Being fashionably noticed, styling my hair.. everything was covered up. Until this day, people still do not know that I have a receding hair line. Funny aint it,?

I've regained my extroverted personality of being out going and the life of the party, hooking up with exceptionally good-looking woman, and being noticed all around. Everything is falling into place, except my hair line.

Sum up the story
These are the answered towards what changed my life
I've learned to stop being sorry for myself, and to find the answers towards my insecurities. Consequently I've found them, these are the things I swear by;

Minioxidol; One year
Propecia: One month
Mens sport multi-vitamin: One year
Exercising: One year
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TheGrayMan2001

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Re: Shooky's story (20yrsold) Inspiring young balding

Interesting story

Keep up on the minoxidil/propecia. your hair looks healthy. Don't stop.
 

shookwun

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Wow this thread hit me like a freight train, it made me realise how far iv'e come, and how grateful I'm of the choices I have made.


Been on finasteride for over two years, and had a transplant in October. Close to 2300 grafts.
 

Wolf Pack

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An epic bump! It's good to see your hair prior to your hair transplant. By the way do you credit finasteride or Min for crown thickening?
 

shookwun

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Finasteride 100%. I don't think minioxidil ever did anything substantial.

Sends chills down my spine when I think about how much I hated living life under a hat. Then the whole comb over, hair spray route. it's a roller coaster ride of emotions.

2300 grafts later.



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Wolf Pack

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Great stuff bro. That transplant looks perfectly natural and lovely density. I can see near the front of the hairline the surgeon has used grafts with single/double hairs to mimic a natural look as close as possible. Good graft angulation but I can't see your temples due to the phone. State of art surgery pays off. I understand the frustration myself being in a similar boat but I didn't get the problem as young as you.

Do you still use the minoxidil? Anyway, it's good you have a story up!
 

shookwun

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Temple points are literally |. My barber tapers sides, and side parts my front to the weakest temple, which would be the right. Left is fine.


My next surgery will focus on re-constructing the temple points, and better angle closure. Around 500-750.
 

shookwun

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Dr Rahal - FUT close to 2300 grafts. All though I was quoted for 2000.

Next surgery will be in Turkey for FUE :)
 

IA2015

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The change is mindblowing. In your picture in the OP, was that the furthest you have receded or did you maintain?

I didn't even think his hair looked bad in the first post. I mean obviously he knew had receded but you can engineer long thick hair like that and people will be none the wiser. Now, it looks better than many average Joes - who don't suffer male pattern baldness lol.

Just wondering, have you ever grown that out longer?
 
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I didn't even think his hair looked bad in the first post. I mean obviously he knew had receded but you can engineer long thick hair like that and people will be none the wiser. Now, it looks better than many average Joes - who don't suffer male pattern baldness lol.

Just wondering, have you ever grown that out longer?

I agree with the hair not being bad but still the change is so big.. At least safe enough to walk through the park on a windy day. Also curious on grown out hair, or its possibilities.
 

Agustin Araujo

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Finasteride 100%. I don't think minioxidil ever did anything substantial.

Sends chills down my spine when I think about how much I hated living life under a hat. Then the whole comb over, hair spray route. it's a roller coaster ride of emotions.

2300 grafts later.



9lg5f7.png

Wow shookwun, I am extremely impressed by your results, congratulations! Good for you for that you treated your hair loss to your fullest extent, it payed off quite well I'll admit, and your hair transplant of course. :)
 

shookwun

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Thanks.

male pattern baldness is very unpredictable but from what I can remember it all started with the uncontrollable greasy hair, and inflammation.

As for medication, I didn't start using until I was around 19.5 (finasteride). Used it for about a year then came off, and got back on within the last two years, and been on ever since. Oddly enough between this period of time I don't believe I lost much ground.

When I look back, it was literally over night I rapidly receeded but then I maintained and didn't receed further for many years to come until my hair transplant
 

IA2015

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Thanks.

male pattern baldness is very unpredictable but from what I can remember it all started with the uncontrollable greasy hair, and inflammation.

As for medication, I didn't start using until I was around 19.5 (finasteride). Used it for about a year then came off, and got back on within the last two years, and been on ever since. Oddly enough between this period of time I don't believe I lost much ground.

When I look back, it was literally over night I rapidly receeded but then I maintained and didn't receed further for many years to come until my hair transplant

Is that a thing? Is it a sign I mean? I read about this quite often on here but I rarely understand what folk mean, do they mean that they have to wash everyday, that their hair rapidly greases etc?
 

shookwun

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I haven't experienced it since I was sixteen but if I can reconcile my thoughts and experiences it was the massive grease and inflammation that was the onset of loosing my hair.
 

benjt

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How much did you pay for the hair transplant, if I may ask?
 

shookwun

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It was around 9800 if I'm not mistaken.

I cut my sides, and back to a #2 grade for those wondering on FUT scars. Not visible at all.
 

sheraz1392

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I haven't experienced it since I was sixteen but if I can reconcile my thoughts and experiences it was the massive grease and inflammation that was the onset of loosing my hair.

This greasiness thing is going on with me. Did it disappear on its own or you used something to get rid of it?
 
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