VeryUpset's story

[VeryUpset]

I'm 20. I first started noticing hair loss at maybe around 15 or 16. I would run my hands through my hair and 5 to 10 hairs would fall out. I have dandruff so I just blamed it on that. I spoke to my parents about it, they said it was normal and hair has to fall out and replace itself. I accepted this.

Over time, I began to notice my hair pattern changing...but I didn't pay much attention to it. When I needed to go out, my hair was spiked and looked good. I have always obsessed over my hair...it had to be spiked perfectly or I wouldn't go out. And I had really thick, really full hair that could be spiked to perfection - it was really one of my best traits.

Then one day I went to get a haircut. I was 19. My barber lifted some hair on the sides with a comb and uttered words that will now live in my head forever: "It's not growing here anymore." WHAT??!? Surely he was crazy. I looked over at a bald 30something guy who had just finished getting his cut. No way this could be me. My hair is everything.

Even though I had great hair, I had always secrelty been afraid of losing it but until then I kept it out of my mind. My great grandfather was bald, my grandfather was bald, his son is not and has fantastic hair. On my fathers side, my father has hair and so did his dad...but his brother is bald. I was hoping it would skip me.

I walked out of the barbershop and met up with a balding friend of mine. His father is completely bald. His brother is nearing it. Assuming he was the expert on this, I asked his opinion. He told me that only very little if any was gone. I rejected his idea. I told myself I wasn't going bald and to prove it, I would not cut or gel or moose or over wash my hair for the next 4 months.

I did just that. Then the painful reality set in: I am going bald. I'm thinning and hair is becoming softer as well as not growing on my temples. I don't know what to do. I'm depressed. I'm angry. I can't go a day without looking at hair in the mirror for hours, trying different hair styles. I keep asking everyone if they think I'm going bald. I even bought a bandana. Yesterday, I spiked my hair and it just doesn't look the same -I'm missing parts. It looks like a V. I feel so helpless. I'm only 20. I want my perfect hairline back. I want it full. I want to cry.

I have spent the last several hours reading various threads on this forum. It appears as if there is really nothing one can do other than take many many drugs each day or get transplants - and even that is a temporary and ungauranteed solution. I don't want to be stuck taking daily pills with side effects for the rest of my life! I don't want to get a scar from a transplant after which the hair will fallout anyway.

This isn't fair! My father is not bald his father was not bald. My mother is not bald, her brother is not bald. It's just my grandfather!!!

I don't know what to do...I don't know where to start...all these names of drugs and abbreviations..side effects...what works...what doesn't...rigorous scheduals...failed transplants...unnatural looks...unknown to me abbreviations....I JUST WANT TO HAVE MY HAIR BACK! I'm running around looking at other peoples perfect hair...argggggg! I"M ONLY TWENTY!

Look at me, I'm whining, I'm crying...I'm pathetic.

Another thing is...I've noticed a lot of shedding...more than ever...up to 5 hairs everytime I run my hands through my head...mayeb up to 20 or 30 total while shampooing. *Sigh*

I have not been to a doctor yet. Thanks for letting me vent. Thanks for reading, any and all advice is appreciated.

 

[imissmyhair]

i went through the same feelings as u man, i can totally relate. its that feeling of helplessness and anxiety that u are not who u once were, especially at a young age

i would say go to a doctor and talk to him about it, at the very least it will make u feel better to get it off your chest. then he will probably mention the the only 2 proven options are rogain or propecia, i just started on propecia only because i know i would be too lazy to do the rogain thing everyday.

 

[nohairnodandruff]

I went through the same thing as you did. I learned to live with it, but tried to help myself also.

 

[VeryUpset]

i went through the same feelings as u man, i can totally relate. its that feeling of helplessness and anxiety that u are not who u once were, especially at a young age

i would say go to a doctor and talk to him about it, at the very least it will make u feel better to get it off your chest. then he will probably mention the the only 2 proven options are rogain or propecia, i just started on propecia only because i know i would be too lazy to do the rogain thing everyday.

Aren't you afraid of the sexual side effects? What good is hair when you don't want to have sex? :/

 

[fallicule]

i feel you man. it's a very tough thing to deal with at our age. we scramble around on this site like we're gona find a golden key or something (at least i do, not trying to speak for anyone else) and the sad truth is there is very little we can do about it, short of surgery at least.

if i didnt lose the charger cord for my digital camera i'd put up some hairline pics. it's amazing how much hair i've lost since early july. I have a picture of a wedding i went to on july 8th, my right temple was almost perfect in it. since then it's absolutely rediculous how much hair i've shed and it appears i've lost. my temples shot back to wear i cant even put my hair up anymore.

either way, i wish i could offer you some good advice. propecia isnt a pain in the *** to take and if side effects prove to be bad you can always just stop. i don't think it works as good as merck says it does, though. and i certainly dont buy the idea that HairLossTalk.com is a just the congregation of people finasteride doesnt work for and that the rest of them are just out enjoying their hair. regardless, i'd say give it a shot and keep your head up. work hard and save your money. i personally don't think HM is as near as some people believe, but i would imagine that in our lifetimes hairloss can potentially be resolved -- for a price, and a high one.

until then i supposed just make the best of a bad situation. maybe you should start working out to make other attributes stand out, not just your thinning hair. good luck.

 

[imissmyhair]

its really tough for us younger guys, feel like kind of defeated by it

 

[VeryUpset]

i feel you man. it's a very tough thing to deal with at our age. we scramble around on this site like we're gona find a golden key or something (at least i do, not trying to speak for anyone else) and the sad truth is there is very little we can do about it, short of surgery at least.

if i didnt lose the charger cord for my digital camera i'd put up some hairline pics. it's amazing how much hair i've lost since early july. I have a picture of a wedding i went to on july 8th, my right temple was almost perfect in it. since then it's absolutely rediculous how much hair i've shed and it appears i've lost. my temples shot back to wear i cant even put my hair up anymore.

either way, i wish i could offer you some good advice. propecia isnt a pain in the *** to take and if side effects prove to be bad you can always just stop. i don't think it works as good as merck says it does, though. and i certainly dont buy the idea that HairLossTalk.com is a just the congregation of people finasteride doesnt work for and that the rest of them are just out enjoying their hair. regardless, i'd say give it a shot and keep your head up. work hard and save your money. i personally don't think HM is as near as some people believe, but i would imagine that in our lifetimes hairloss can potentially be resolved -- for a price, and a high one.

until then i supposed just make the best of a bad situation. maybe you should start working out to make other attributes stand out, not just your thinning hair. good luck.

I really don't want to try anything that can mess with my sex drive. Is there anything else? Is it expensive? I'm just a college kid...probably like the rest of you guy.

 

[fallicule]

There's topicals like rogaine and spironolactone. HairLossTalk.com has a great section for hairloss treatments, check it out. other than that, it's mostly snake oils (sh*t that doesnt work).

 

[answer_q]

It's not the end of the world, be proud of who you are....think of it as a body change. If anything try to find beauty in it, it's you !

I'm 22. Been losing hair around 17 and didn't even know until now ( pay attention ) because I thought I'd be fine. My temples have receded alot since then, just this year I realized after my doctor pointed it out.

 

[Airhed]

It's really hard to find the beauty inside when you're faced with a huge shiny forehead with little tufts of hair ontop in the mirror. I understand what you guys are saying and it's totally true. It really isn't a big deal at all, we could all be losing our hair from chemotherapy instead of male pattern baldness. All of those comparisons still don't make me feel any better though.

It just feels like a huge party of yourself is slowly leaving, and there's nothing you can do about it. The confidence that used to be there will never be the same. However; the reality is, this sucks complete *** but if there is nothing we can do about it, it makes no sense to go through life depressed and anxious about it. It's just easier said than done that's all. I would love to not care about this, and live my life being proud of who i am, but I'm definitely not at that point yet. That's the secret I guess, being comfortable with yourself.

 

[arcillis]

yea, Hairloss is a b**ch. i am 17 now and i have been losing hair like a mofo. well, my hairloss started a year and half ago, almost 2 years, and its been a b**ch *** experience. Its sad cuz i never had a real relationship, just little hook ups here and there. i think i just dont have the confidence of asking out a girl. However, I am to be considered really good looking by my friends, but lately, like since last year, i have been looking as ugly as possible cuz of hair loss. since hairloss occured, i have slowly started the process of working out, but that doesnt help much , cuz i am not getting any good results. i am gonna be 18 in 4 months, and its sad, how much hairloss has effected me. its like my self esteem is so low that i have started to not give a sh*t about my appereance. The only reason i am not using propecia is cuz i am worried bout sides. Anyways, has anyone started to use propecia at my age. if so, lemme know how it went. Hairloss is like a slow death. Since this sh*t started, i kinda got away from all my friends, cuz i just felt sad around them. anyways, hopefully it will get better, but i strongly doubt that. lol...

 

[Airhed]

Arcillis, I started using propecia this August, and I just turned 20 a few days ago. I guess I'm close to your age but not really. Anyways, you sound a bit like me. I started losing my hair at 17, but it wasn't too noticeable until I turned 18. I was always considered "good looking" I worked at Abercrombie......the whole deal. I guess us unlucky young guys just have to try and make the best of it. The propecia hasn't given me any real problems yet. I've been on it for almost two months now. The first week it kind of gives you an ache in your balls, but after that goes away everything's fine. It does NOT make your dick go limp, I swear that most cases of impotence are completely psychological when on this drug. Don't read into the horror stories too much, you can see that most people posting their problems on this site are pumped with anxiety, that's what causes their dysfunction. Just try it, wait until you're 18 and see a dermatologist. You've got nothing to lose man.

 

[answer_q]

Yes I won't deny, it is hard to see beauty within, but think about it....it is us judging ourselves, no one actually says anything. To be honest it is completely normal, but our society makes a big deal out of it. When we give in to the way society thinks, are we fighting back or accepting what some ignorant people think ??

Hey I started losing hair at 17 too, and have felt the same way. I have distanced myself from so many things, people, all I think is hair and what is going to come. That's where we have to be strong inside and do the things we want, get everything from life as possible. I think you should go back to your friends, and have the guts to ask any girl out,,,,just do it, even if you get let down, that's an individual.....and there is a whole army of people out there. I have done the exact same thing you have actually, not maintained myself because of it, and I'm so willing to change inside ( tired of the sad feeling, does nothing for me )

Yea I guess it's better you wait until 18, and then see what your dermatologist recommends.