Throwing up my hands and living with it. Style advice?

[Balding Scot]

Propecia gives me sides. minoxidil doesn't work. Not enough donor for a decent Hair transplant. I look terrible with a shaved head.

All boils down to this: i need to figure out how to look the best I can in this shitty scenario.

I've posted two pictures. One is of me in my current state. I just tried shaving my head 2 months ago (was awful) and now it's about an inch or so long. As you can see, it's unacceptable. You can see right through to my scalp. In addition, having such a fully receded hairline (no hair covering it over) makes me look awful... you'll have to take my word for that as I don't want to show my full face on here, but it makes my face look fat and strange -- i used to be an attractive dude.

The second photo is of me just before I shaved my head, using toppik. I should have just left it the hell alone.

My questions are:

1. Looking at the second picture and the first picture, does it look like since i've shaved my head that my hair is far thinner? Or is it possible that my loss pattern is easier to cover up if I grow it longer like in the second picture? It's strange, most people say keeping it short looks better, but I can't possibly have lost that much in two months -- could it be that my longer hairstyle (before shave) was better for covering up the baldness?

2. Would you recommend a better hairstyle to frame my chubby face better? I'm a skinny guy, but having this receded hairline makes my face look fat, and my head oversized.

Ugh. If I knew reincarnation existed I'd just wait it out and come back as Johnny Depp, but for now, I don't think I believe in it, so your advice is appreciated.

If anyone thinks I'm actually a decent candidate for a hair transplant, pipe up too. In the other forum they all said I wasn't

Thanks!

 

[DoctorHouse]

The "before shave" pictures are better than the "after shave" ones. You don't even look like you have much hair loss in the first set of pics but the second set drastically shows thinning and balding. I would stick to the first set of picture's style.

 

[Balding Scot]

That's sort of what I was getting at.

I guess I was trying to decipher whether or not I've lost tons more hair since shaving, or if once i grow it longer, i'll be able to get it back to the "before shave" status?

Has anyone found that with the help of toppik, they can make my "after shave" photos look like "before shave" ones fairly easily? I'm having a hard time figuring this out. I had no idea I was this thin before I shaved or I wouldn't have done it

 

[Balding Scot]

I've tried toppik with the length it is now, and it's no good -- the toppik is too noticeable. Looks powdery/sandy. I think it worked better when I had the longer hair for some reason, which sort of logically makes sense, as there's more hair length to grab onto?

 

[BodyDysmorphic]

longer hair and toppik looks pretty good IMO

 

[Balding Scot]

So you guys think it's possible that I haven't lost any hair further since shaving my head? I don't want to spend the time growing it out if it's going to look shite, but if I can get it back to how it was before the shave, maybe i'll put off hair transplants for a while.

 

[fluffy123]

Got to admit mate, the longer hair is actually better. It's weird really because I've been thinking about this lately as I've been shaving my hair down for the last month or so and the thinner patches are wider now than when my hair was a little longer, I was putting it down to shedding but I'm wondering whether if my hair was back a bit longer, it'd actually do a good job of covering up some of the patchiness. Interesting isn't it?

 

[Balding Scot]

I can't find anything recent enough where I didn't have topik in it. Doh!

Yeah, it's really really strange. Most people argue that longer hair make thin hair more obvious, but considering not much time has past, it really strikes me that if I grow it back to the previous length, i'll be able to work the magic and cover up most of the scalp.

I think the trick is to really get good at applying toppik, and also get good with pomade and spray. You don't want your hair moving much if it's placed just right to cover the scalp.

Still, man, I was just looking through OLD pictures of myself... if only I had another chance with my full head of hair

 

[s.a.f]

f*** me man, those before pics are amazing - it looks like 2 different people. :shock: Or actually it looks like the longer hair pic was taken 10 yrs ago.
All I know is I dont care what sides you got even if my balls dropped off I'd be on finasteride if I still had the chance to maintain that much hair.

 

[Balding Scot]

Would you still be on finasteride if it caused multiple panic attacks a day, though?

The "before shave" shots were only 2-3 months ago, and the after shave shot was yesterday. There's no way that I could have lost that much hair.

Maybe I just got really good at applying toppik and styling it?

I refuse to believe I've lost that much hair in 3 months.

 

[s.a.f]

finasteride really causes multiple panic attacks?????
I have'nt heard that one before, I dont really see how a anti androgen drug can effect your mental balance?
Maybe its the hairloss thats causing panic attacks.

 

[Balding Scot]

God yes man. 5AR blockers have recently been proven to block the absorption of key processes that contribute to GABA, which is a crucial neurological function. Panic attacks, anxiety, depression -- they're all quite well documented potential side effects of 5AR blockers like Propecia and dutasteride.

I'm surprised it's not more common knowledge by now. Propecia nearly killed me.

And whats' wild is, I just tried Saw Palmetto, and 4 days in, I'm already getting anxiety and mild panic attacks. It seems anything that acts on DHT by blocking 5AR can affect you this way if you're sensitive to it.

So obnoxious. Really limits my options, doesn't it?

 

[s.a.f]

Yep.

 

[DoctorHouse]

God yes man. 5AR blockers have recently been proven to block the absorption of key processes that contribute to GABA, which is a crucial neurological function. Panic attacks, anxiety, depression -- they're all quite well documented potential side effects of 5AR blockers like Propecia and dutasteride.

I'm surprised it's not more common knowledge by now. Propecia nearly killed me.

And whats' wild is, I just tried Saw Palmetto, and 4 days in, I'm already getting anxiety and mild panic attacks. It seems anything that acts on DHT by blocking 5AR can affect you this way if you're sensitive to it.

So obnoxious. Really limits my options, doesn't it?

I would like to see a study measuring how much GABA levels you lose on Propecia. I just think taking Propecia involves daily trips to the mirror, worrying about side effects, worrying about going bald, worrying about what others may think as you become bald: all which could be labeled as anxiety and depression. I think those who quit the medication still have the same worries and routines as those on the medication and still suffer from anxiety and depression. People should not underestimate what stress can do to the body. I am not saying Propecia does not give side effects, I am saying it may INDIRECTLY cause them. If only we can just take the pill and not even think about our hair or hair loss and avoid the mirrors, you would be surprised how many people will not complain of sides from the meds. If you are not happy with your hair, you will always be unhappy inside with or without Propecia. And most importantly if you are unhappy at what you see in the mirror, no drug is going to change that permanently maybe only mask it. Until you can love yourself the way you are, you will never be happy. I know that is something that most of the people on here may never accomplish with or without Propecia.

 

[Balding Scot]

If there's one thing to fight on this forum it's the perception that the side-effects of this drug are overblown. I can appreciate what you're saying Dr. House, but you have to understand that until you've felt what these side effects feel like, you really can't make such judgements.

When I'm suffering from these neurological effects, it feels like *nothing else*. I know what anxiety is. This is not just anxiety. This is a chemical shift inside my brain. It's a terrible, terrifying feeling, and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone.

Further -- when I was on propecia, I was thrilled. My hairloss seemed to hault. There were no issues with that. It's when I went off that my anxiety about my newly continued hairloss began to come up. But that anxiety is very different -- it's manageable.

The anxiety/panic/depression/brainfog that I experienced on propecia was otherworldly. It was most certainly chemical.

 

[DoctorHouse]

Well, you made a smart move to discontinue it then if you suffered those sides. I honestly don't want to take it myself but I scared to get off it. I cut it down now to half a dosage so I hopefully maybe can ween off it someday. I honestly don't think its done any good for me. I want to get the test to see if I am a finasteride responder by Hairdx but I can't get my doctor to administer it. He was going to check into it but never followed thru. I am going to see him in a few weeks and I am going to try to get him to do it. I would be so upset if I find out I was never a responder to begin with. Something has helped me maintain my hair pretty good. Could be the Proxiphen, hairchi, or minoxidil that could do it all for me but I don't know for sure unless I ween myself off the Propecia. I don't want to experience a "catch up" loss so I will some how get that test done one way or another. I think I am good candidate for PRP and I would rather go that route every year than have to take Propecia. The cost would come out the same almost.

 

[s.a.f]

Looks like you just have an extreme reaction to it then. How long did you stick with it because I know some people had libido/erection probs and after a week or so their bodies adjusted to the dose and they went away.

 

[Balding Scot]

Two years.
It's not just me.
Check this out.

http://www.propeciahelp.com

 

[Thickandthin]

Crap, I agree with s.a.f.

I can't believe those two pictures are of the same person. I guess the Toppik made a big difference, but it also scares me into thinking I might have a horseshoe pattern emerging already despite being a NW2. Only it's hidden because my hair is longish. Scary stuff man.

I advise you grow it back out and keep up with the Toppik. Your hair looks great like that.

 

[toocoolforhair]

I'm pretty sure it's possible to lose that much hair in three months. I've read messages by people who went through the various norwood stages in no time. Hair loss can be very aggressive in some people. If the Toppik doesn't work then you should stick to shaving it. It's impossible to tell if a shaved head suits you as we can't see your face.