What is wrong with my hair? (pics)

[cookcubed]

Ok, I'm 18 now, and this has been affecting me since i was 15. My hair is extremly thin and I don't know why. I have been told by doctors both that it is, and that it isn't male pattern baldness. Also, I have had blood tests that have found nothing. I was hoping some of you could tell me if this is male pattern baldness or Telogen Effluvium perhaps. It happened very slowly, but I have been freaking out lately becasue I think its getting worse.

I have tried Rogaine, but I didnt like it. I have also been recently using Triacomin Folicle Spray.



Larger Versions
Wet:
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Dry:
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http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/4626/picture006jc8.jpg
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[TheGlamorous]

Yeah your hair is quite thin. I didn't get a good look though because those images are about 4x too big for me. Try and resize them or something.

I'd say its male pattern baldness. You don't notice miniturisation till it's 50% gone, and only then most people just make psychological excuses like "maybe ive shed a bit more this time" or "it'll grow back", when by the time it's 65% gone- it's time to do something about it.

So i'd suggest Propecia/Proscar and Nizoral shampoo.

If you want, also get Minoxidil, but personally I find it a waste of time.

 

[Apoc]

Shave it bro. You could go on all possible meds but if you are only 18 and already have this degree of hairloss it's better to just shave it. But you should go to a doctor first to determine if this is male pattern baldness. Your sides are also very thin so maybe your loss was induced by something else. So go see a doctor before you do anything.

 

[cookcubed]

Thanks for the reply, Its been tough but ive had learn to live with it. Take what life gives you.

I have been thinking about Propecia, but is 18 too young? I can't even grow a beard yet, and I dont want to mess anything else up. Also, can anybody tell id there is minaturization in any of the larger pictures, I dont see any which still makes me think its not male pattern baldness.

 

[s.a.f]

This seems quite unusual to me. What is your family history as far as m.p.b is concerned and could you show a pic of what your hair was like a few years ago, to show the progresion?

 

[bubka]

although it is not the typical male pattern baldness hairloss progression, you can see the clear miniaturization of hairs going on there, its male pattern baldness

propecia, 18 is not too young

 

[BEHMESH]

Hey there. I've talked to three doctors (one dermatologist) and they all said Propecia is fine for me (Im 17). Im really considering it.

 

[cookcubed]

THats good to hear that I can go on propecia this early.

My father has a full hear of hair and is over 40. My Grandfather and Uncle on my father's side also both have full heads of hair. My grandfather even went through chemo, is over 70, and has more hair than me!

On my mother's side her two brothers are going bald. ONe is in his mid-thirties, and is maybe a Norwood 2 or 3 with some slight crown thinning. The other is in his late 40's and is prob a norwood 5 or 6, hes getting there. Finally my grandfather on my mother's side is slick bald, but he is in his 80's. NOne of them started going bald untill their late 20's and started with very slow receding hairlines first.

I can look for pics from before this started, but i don't know if there are any on our computer.

 

[cookcubed]

although it is not the typical male pattern baldness hairloss progression, you can see the clear miniaturization of hairs going on there, its male pattern baldness

Im curious to know where you see the minaturization. This could change my outlook on this, I have never really treated it like male pattern baldness since it happened so young and in an unusual pattern.

Did you use the larger images and enlarge them as well?

 

[hairwegoagain]

Looks like the normal pattern of loss, save the thin sides (unusual). I'd continue to get opinions from MDs until you get a definitive diagnosis.

 

[bubka]

Looks like the normal pattern of loss, save the thin sides (unusual). I'd continue to get opinions from MDs until you get a definitive diagnosis.

yeah, go to a derm, they will probably do a scalp biopsy just to make sure there is not some crazy hormone thing, likely male pattern baldness, what it looks like to me, with the small thinner hairs and less of them...

 

[cookcubed]

I allready went to a derm actually, and they did do a biopsy. But for some reason he said it was to see if it was male pattern baldness or not.... either way he told me it wasn't male pattern baldness. I'm thinking of getting another opinion about that and maybe starting propecia.

 

[cookcubed]

Also I'm thinking of cutting it really short. Like 2 or 3 maybe all around and then like a 7 or 8, longer on the top (not crown) and front so that i can still style it a tiny bit, like gel it up and to the side a bit. Will this look ridiculous?

And do I have enough hair to not look rediculous with it short? At least you porb wont see a horseshoe pattern cause its all thin! :roll:
Can any other diffuse thinners comment on a good length for me?

 

[Ray777]

Don't cut it just keep it like that and take proscar and cut it in fourths... I'm the same age as you and have about the same degree of hairloss as you. Once you cut it short its a shock and you will probably get depressed..I'm taking proscar right now and I have had no sides whatsoever. Best advice I can give , hope it helps.. one more thing enjoy your life and relax

 

[hawks05]

definitly cut it dude shave a 2 guard all the way around or you could go 1 guard you'll feel alot better

 

[cookcubed]

Right now, even though it looks bad in those pictures, I can still use only moderate amounts of Toppik and it looks completly normal. I think I am going to keep it at this length for a while and do that.
However I am going on a school trip to Europe this summer and I don't want to have to worry about all this crap and I think im going to cut it real short right before that. I'm a senior in high school, so i graduate early and there will be a 2 week buffer for me to get used to it, then we leave on our trip after the rest of the school gets out. Also I think my buzzed hair would look better if I got in a little better shape and was able to grow thinker sideburns and a gotee, so hopefully in 8 months I'll be able to do that.
I'm also thinking I'll keep it buzzed after that for college, itll just be easier.

I wish that I could know for sure if it was male pattern baldness, with diffuse this bad, shouldn't my front be receeding or something, ugg.
Since I can't fully grow a beard yet, will propecia mess that up?

 

[Guest]

Also I'm thinking of cutting it really short. Like 2 or 3 maybe all around and then like a 7 or 8, longer on the top (not crown) and front so that i can still style it a tiny bit, like gel it up and to the side a bit. Will this look ridiculous?

And do I have enough hair to not look rediculous with it short? At least you porb wont see a horseshoe pattern cause its all thin! :roll:
Can any other diffuse thinners comment on a good length for me?

i'm a diffuse thinner. look at my thread in this forum:

i just had my hair buzzed on monday. did it 1/2 inch all over.

http://www.hairlosstalk.com/discussions ... 73&start=0

 

[cookcubed]

Jayman your hair looks great, I could live with that, but your hair looked alot better than mine before you buzzed it.

 

[Guest]

Jayman your hair looks great, I could live with that, but your hair looked alot better than mine before you buzzed it.

what you have going for you is that if you are thinning all over, your front and sides won't look any different. i'd go and buzz it really short to lessen the contrast even more. I'd start with a quarter inch buzz and if you can still see balding, then try an eighth of an inch or even a sixteenth of an inch.

 

[cookcubed]

what is a quarter inch? Is that a one guard?

I'm thinking of starting with a longer buzz, and just going down until it does't look bald anymore. I want it as long as I can get away with, but I'll keep going if I have to up almost to stubble. But I think this would be easier at home so how much are clippers i could buy?