Trying To Figure Out What The Problem Is

[slick03]

Ok, so over the course of a month my hair has thinned significantly. So fast, that I don't really think it could be male pattern baldness but I would like some opinions from guys who have experienced something similar.

The attatched pic is my hair wet after being combed with a fine comb. I could never see my scalp through my hair before and now it's like this. There was no build up really, I got out of the shower about a month ago and noticed it was like this. However, mid January I was hospitilized with the flu and soon after I noticed this. From November to January was very stressful, with a surgery done in November and the flu in January being the worst of it. Nobody in my family is completely bald, however the older gents on my fathers side definitely have thinner hair then they had when they were younger.

Also, my scalp has been a little more sensitive lately and I've been feeling itching near the spots that appear thinnest. I don't want to start using Rogaine or even consider Finastride unless I'm 100% sure this is genetic hairloss.

 

[Roberto_72]

I don't want to start using Rogaine or even consider Finastride unless I'm 100% sure this is genetic hairloss.

Well from this picture it is difficult to see the actual hairline. However, there seems to be some thinning at the temples and crown.
I would say an initial case of male pattern baldness but really you need a trychogram to see how much hair is in a "falling" state...

 

[slick03]

Thanks for the responses, it's actually pretty even throughout the top of the scalp. I've always had a bit a windows peak but with this thinning it's become way more pronounced. I'm not too scared of going bald, I'm 30 and it's part of the aging process, but to have it happen this quickly was rather jarring. The fact it happened quickly after the only time in my life that I was sick enough to be in a hospital, I thought couldn't really be a coincidence.

 

[Singularity2045]

It could very well be Telogen Effluvium given what you went through. Do you have pictures before this happened? It's also possible that you're seeing the effects of both. You can have tests done to see if it is male pattern baldness. There's also genetic tests by 23andMe which can give you information on your genetic risk for it. (Promethease is a good tool).

 

[slick03]

This is the only picture I could find that really shows just how thick my hair was prior to this. This was taken this last october, and it was similar all the way until January. Definitely couldn't see my scalp through my hair, under ANY type of light even when wet, though like I said before, I've always had a bit of a widow's peak and receded temples, and they have gotten more pronounced with age.

 

[growssj3]

Do you take anything?

If you're not afraid of taking Finasteride it would be the best for overall thinning

 

[DoctorHouse]

Looks like you are definitely in the early stages of male pattern baldness. Even in your Robin photo you look like in the early stages.

 

[slick03]

I always figured I was going to lose the majority of my hair at some point, I just didn't think male pattern baldness could go from slow and steady to blitzkrieg all of a sudden. It's not the overall hair loss that scared me, it's the sudden and immediate thinning on the top. I'm currently just continuing my crazy healthy workout and nutirtion regimen though I threw in a biotin supplement and am just going to change my haircut and monitor it until the summer starts and if it doesn't improve or gets worse, move onto something topical like Rogaine or whatever. Not sure I ever want to screw with Finasteride because I've heard it directly screws with your body hormones and my physical fitness and performance is way more important to me than a full head of hair.