What would you do if your hair was like this at 28?

[Hound]

Ok, I'm wondering what to do here, need advice from my wise and knowledgeable brothers here on HairLossTalk. I am 28, hair loss began at 16, have been shaving it since 23, looked bad then but looks absolutely unbelievably terrible now.

At age 20 I was badly ripped off by a snake-oil salesman called Gary Heron (total f*****g prick) which put me off seeking a cure for fear of getting played once again. Also I was told by family 'don't worry about being bald at 22' and 'don't let it get to you' and 'you'll get used to it' and stuff like this for so long. That is such crap. I did do that for years, or rather I kidded myself that I was doing that. But i find that far from getting used to it, that i am less and less able to 'let it go', to the point that now i'm constantly embarrassed to be seen anywhere, I feel like I just don't belong among people my own age, and thanks to my 'hair' hitting on girls would be so pointless and embarrassing as to be out of the question. To top it all off, it's not even symmetrical at the hairline, with more hair remaining on the front left than on the front right or front middle, making me look weird and crap. Plus you can now see the permanent ugly lump on my forehead where I was nearly killed with a cricket bat. (Think chunky baseball bat with hard edges..)

This isn't mere vanity - if I was in my fifties with a family I really wouldn't care much - a mild irritation at most. But in my teens and twenties it has been murderous and life-ending. My twenties are gone now - stolen - but I'm hoping that maybe I can do something in order to salvage something for my thirties and if i'm lucky maybe even look like a guy under 40? I'm just so sick of it, I feel like there's no point in working out :dunno: or wearing good clothes, cos it just makes me look like a past-it old guy trying to kid people into thinking he's young, even though I am young. It's not even sophisticated looking Jude Law type receding i've got, but just hideous lop-sided thinning that makes me look like a demented rapist with cancer.

I began taking Finasteride 1mg in December and Minoxidil 5% foam in February, plus Nizoral shampoo, but haven't noticed any positive results, other than perhaps more fuzzy invisible hair, and on the whole things are probably slightly worse due to what must be the 'shedding' that everyone talks about. I'm not scared of shedding, I have little to lose now. It's too early to be able to cast judgement on these treatments, but I wouldn't say the signs are promising. Have definitely noticed significantly decreased libido from the Propecia - although to be honest when you look like this that's probably a benefit if anything, since having libido has become pointless and irrelevant now.

So, the other things for me to consider are:
1. Micro-pigmentation - i.e. buzz-cut tattoo, from HIS clinic for example: (http://www.hishairclinic.com is the one I'm looking into, any experience of the place?)
2. or FUE transplants.

I don't know what to make of the micro-pigmentation. No problem with keeping hair short, main worry is how it'll look when I'm 70 and don't give a f*** any more and just want to have a white fluffy horseshoe of hair, light brown coloured scalp won't be cool. Assuming it doesn't go blue or some weird colour over time.

As for FUE, i'm reasonably convinced that it can be a good treatment for certain people, but I simply don't trust any hair surgeon to honestly assess whether I am suitable or not. My hair loss is very diffused as you can see.
I know it's expensive, but unlike when i was a teenager that shouldn't be a huge problem now, i've done ok with work and own my own company. My worry is more that since my bullshit genes are clearly destined to make me totally squeaky bald by 35, that there's no point trying to do transplants as i'll never be able to cover the whole scalp up as it gets worse. I guess I need to know the results of the propecia later this year before I can call this properly.

I hear FUE is not advisable for people with curly hair, is that true? My hair is very curly when long, not quite like David Luiz, but getting there.

So, thank you very much indeed for reading, please have a look at the pics and let me know your thoughts: on FUE, on the Finasteride/Minoxodil, on micro-pigmentation (specialised tattooing), on anything really. Oh and ignore the redness - that must just be the light, I'm not that red in real life. There is a lot of thin vellus hair that the photos don't show however. By the way does anyone know what Norwood this is? NW6?

Notice to all the trolls:
Trolls/flamers/haters - you are most welcome to attack me with your predictable tiresome crap, as am sure you were going to anyway. I read such posts very carefully, and really do care very deeply about what trolls write on the internet, and certainly won't completely ignore every character you type, so it wouldn't be a waste of your time at all.

 

[anxious1]

dude, make ur posts shorter. noones gonna read all that, we've got better things to do with our time.

but going on ur pictures, u still could respond well to treatments.

since u have money, i'd go at it hard.

give the treatments ur on at least 2 yrs. 6 months isnt enough.

and u could also try a laser helmet, and some supplements.

 

[CaptainForehead]

Ok, I'm wondering what to do here, need advice from my wise and knowledgeable brothers here on HairLossTalk. I am 28, hair loss began at 16, have been shaving it since 23, looked bad then but looks absolutely unbelievably terrible now.

But i find that far from getting used to it, that i am less and less able to 'let it go', to the point that now i'm constantly embarrassed to be seen anywhere, I feel like I just don't belong among people my own age, and thanks to my 'hair' hitting on girls would be so pointless and embarrassing as to be out of the question. To top it all off, it's not even symmetrical at the hairline, with more hair remaining on the front left than on the front right or front middle, making me look weird and crap. Plus you can now see the permanent ugly lump on my forehead where I was nearly killed with a cricket bat. (Think chunky baseball bat with hard edges..)

This isn't mere vanity - if I was in my fifties with a family I really wouldn't care much - a mild irritation at most. But in my teens and twenties it has been murderous and life-ending. My twenties are gone now - stolen - but I'm hoping that maybe I can do something in order to salvage something for my thirties and if i'm lucky maybe even look like a guy under 40? I'm just so sick of it, I feel like there's no point in working out :dunno: or wearing good clothes, cos it just makes me look like a past-it old guy trying to kid people into thinking he's young, even though I am young. It's not even sophisticated looking Jude Law type receding i've got, but just hideous lop-sided thinning that makes me look like a demented rapist with cancer.

I am worse than you, blading from 13, NW6 at 23.

You are exagerating, you may have BDD. It sucks being bald at a young age, but if you feel you look "like a demented rapist with cancer" you need psychiatric help.

Entering 30s, baldness is a lot less of a liability than in the 20s.

What would I do? What am I doing? Making baldness my b***ch. Working out. Grew some facial hair. Going for the badass look.

 

[Sebastien]

Have you considered a hairpiece? Personally I find MHT very promising and I think that it looks good on slightly dark skin which you have. I heard that you might indeed need a few sessions but still, if your that depressed about hair loss the money and effort might be worth it.

 

[Hound]

some good replies here, thanks guys. No trolls or haters! [yet], I underestimated this board!
I don't quite have a huge 'tonne' of money as has been interpreted below - I just meant that I have enough to be able to afford good surgery if that's what it takes, without borrowing from anyone, especially as I have no desire to buy a car or anything like that.

Sorry Anxious1 that the post was too long! I can't help it..

Thanks Finfighter I will look through the other treatments in your link. Although, rightly or wrongly I have it almost etched into my brain now that everything other than Finasteride, Dutasteride, Minoxodil, and Nizoral is either snake oil or untested/unobtainable/experiemental/dangerous.
Wow Dr Umar looks good. But my head is spinning with the landscape of hair transplant surgeons, I need time to take it all in. Can't believe there aren't more good ones if so many people have had the procedures..

CaptainForehead - NW6 at 23 really sucks, i feel for you. You're totally right, it's a massive differenence betewen sufferering male pattern baldness in your thirties compared to your twenties. But remember it's not a new thing for me either, I've been living with it for the whole of my twenties, bottling it up, trying to ignore it, failing, and am only now realising how much it has domintated my life and destroyed my youth, so I have all this pent-up anger, and suddenly feel like fighting, not to reclaim my youth, cos that's gone forever, but just to be able to enjoy some sort of normality in my 30s.

I had never heard of BDD till you just mentioned it. Just looked it up. I've got to admit, i tick a lot of symptoms and personality traits for it. Is it real though or just something therapists have invented to make money out of people who simply do look sh*t? Is there something wrong inside my head as well as on top of it? i don't even want to think about this, last thing I need is a new problem.. What would a therapist do anyway, tell me I look "just fine"? I should think so for $150 an hour, but I wouldn't believe them. Girls looking straight through me as though I weren't there tells me objectively all I need to know about how I really look. And I don't really blame them. I mean I posted that photo, I look utterly terrible, all forehead, just awful.

Sebastien
Appreciate the input Sebastien. I wouldn't consider wearing a H-piece, for reasons of practicality, hygiene and above all pride.
Yeah, the MHT does look good too I think. I only worry about a few decades down the line, it could be something one would regret later on don't you think? Although at HIS I suppose it is reversible after all..
But if people found out, I do think you would end up a total laughing stock, all your friends and everyone you know mocking you when you're not there and you could end up feeling worse off.

Thanks

 

[TheGrayMan2001]

If I was in your position I think I would keep it totally shaved off and just deal with it. The chances of real success with the big three are slim to nothing and a hair transplant is not going to be the best long term solution. If you believe otherwise, go at it, just make sure you get a good one from a reputable doctor.

 

[Ende]

Be careful with Propecia. Quit if you notice any changes to your erections. You don't want erectile dysfunction or impotence to be the next problem. Consider RU58841. It's a lot more effective- and safer than Propecia.

 

[Dedge89]

Hey man, here's my 2 pence.

Firstly, you don't have BDD. That term is the MOST OVERUSED term on this board. I've studied psychology for years and BDD is very real but it's also very extreme. It usually relates to people viewing themselves on the other end of the spectrum, such as an overweight person thinking they are slim or average and thus forth. Basically, if anyone is insecure on this board they'll get told you have BDD lol.

Secondly, you don't look like a demented rapist with cancer, that's just a projection of your anger about the hairloss manifesting itself in your own appearance. You sound like you're starting to hate yourself and that's worrying. When a man starts pitying himself then he's very much near rock bottom. You need mental strength to cope with this sh*t.

Thirdly, your hairloss isn't actually that bad. I say with the combination of finasteride/minoxidil and Nizoral for a long period of time you could regrow quite abit on your scalp and keeping it buzzed at a low number like 1 or 2 would look wicked. Also, from the small snippet I can see of the top 1/3 of your head you don't look like a freaky looking person and you seem to be of average build. Imagine if you were also grossly overweight, had an unnattractive face and hair loss on top of that. So, what I recommend is for you to break this barrier of 'I SHOULDNT DO THIS OR THAT BECAUSE I DON'T LOOK GOOD ANYWAY' straight AWAY.

You need a self-esteem boost. I suggest you dedicate all your energy to a cause while you let these meds do their course. My recommendation is to start going gym seriously, I'm talking 3-4 days a week, fully body routine with a routined diet. Start taking protein shakes, eating mass-gaining food and ultimately craft a nice physique. This is the easiest way to not only improve your self-esteem but focus your time and give yourself a purpose, and once you start getting results you'll feel you can dress the way you want to dress and your confidence will increase. Hopefully all the while you're at the gym the medications will slowly be regrowing your hair and after 8-12 months of hard work you'll have a new body and more hair and most importantly a new MIND STATE.

I wish you well mate. You sound like a nice geeza.

 

[Tyler_Durden]

Be careful with Propecia. Quit if you notice any changes to your erections. You don't want erectile dysfunction or impotence to be the next problem. Consider RU58841. It's a lot more effective- and safer than Propecia.

:jackit:

 

[Ende]

Slightly to moderate miniaturized hairs gets fully recovered within a month, and it blocks all androgens from binding to the follicles AR's. What do you think?

 

[Hoppi]

I think minoxidil and Eucapil is probably the most potent simple, safe combo you can get, but if you think there's no hope for your real hair then yeah I'd just get a hairpiece - some are great and look awesome.

My favourite is this one (which I've linked to like a million times before lol):

http://www.hairdirect.com/video/clients/ron.aspx


It always makes me feel light years better when I think about what I would do if things just got out of my control, you know?


Anyway, take care dude

 

[Hound]

Hi guys, more good responses, thanks.

TheGrayMan2001
Really appreciate this frank input. Well yeah, that is the ultimate back-up plan. The shaving part is easy, I've been doing that anyway for four years. It's the 'deal with it' bit i have more and more trouble with, rather than the less and less trouble I expected.
I really would like to know what you mean about hair transplant "not being the best long-term solution" for me though. This is the vital info I need, that i'm not exactly going to get from 'Dr. Butcher's Hair Transplant Clinic ltd.' Please be honest - this is really important because i'm considering FUE hair transplants. Not to get good hair back, that will never happen, just to look less terrible than currently.

Enden
Ok thanks I will check that Ru12345 out, I've never heard of it before. yeah I have noticed some side effect from the finasteride, but not enough to make a huge difference or worry me.. or should i be more worried?

Dedge89
Wow thanks, I'm touched that someone would take the time to try and write such an uplifting message. Good, i'm relieved I don't have BDD, you sound like you know your stuff there. But yeah I guess I do have low self image perception. Maybe I used to have the 'mental strength' you mention, but I just find it's been slowly ground down, by the male pattern baldness partly but by other more important things too, I'm just exhausted and fed up and of course the male pattern baldness only gets worse not better.

In fact I'm one step ahead of you on the gym thing - I've been working out religiously 3 times a week for the last 15 months, drinking protein shakes, and eating impeccably. Even I, the pessimist, am forced to admit that my upper body is impressive now (i used to be skinny). I haven't admitted it to anyone but the only reason I started working out was to try and counterbalance the hair by looking better in the body. But what I said about 'i don't see the point in working out' in my original post is true - it does feel pointless. I keep on going, through stubborn determination, but even though my body looks good, no-one can really tell underneath all the clothes, (it's tone more than size.) Even if they could they wouldn't care much, it's finally dawned on me that it doesn't make up for not having hair. Or at best with the shaved head and buff physique, I just look like a Lithuanian bouncer. And classy, intelligent women don't exactly throng for that look, i certainly haven't detected any change to the disinterest they look at me with.

So yeah, i guess I do need a self-esteem boost from somewhere, but it's not going to come from the gym, or rather, the gym-boost is already used up. I genuinely feel that even with the most perfect body and the best clothes in the world I still look absolutely so terrible with my horrible forehead, I don't know whether to laugh or look away...

...Unless I'm wearing a hat.
I love outdoor parties so much cos i can wear a cool hat, and just for a few hours, my long-lost confidence comes rushing back, girls come up and talk to me (and much much more... ), I experience what it is like to be in your twenties, normal and attractive, just for a few hours, but I feel like Cinderella - it all has to end and I know it, eventually, whether that night or next time.. off comes the hat at midnight and BAM - my slippers turn back into pumpkins [or whatever the hell happens, I don't know I've never seen Cinderella!] These little tasters of a happy life - literally a handful of times a year - just leave me feeling more angry and cheated overall than if I didn't experience them. Stupid but that's how it feels.

Wish you very well too. Is that your photo? Your hair looks immaculate!

Tyler_Durden
Really, is the Ru1234 stuff just a bunch of old toss? Have you tried it before, or a friend?

Hoppi
Never heard of Eucapil, will check it out, I'm soooo suspicious of anything other than the big 3 though..
Thanks a lot but I'd never wear a wig as a solution to the problem, only for a joke at festivals and dress-up parties etc. It would just leave you open to so much painful ridicule and attack from all quarters - work, friends, etc. That'd hurt way way beyond any positive effect of appearing to have passable normal hair to strangers. And it'd be uncomfortable and time-consuming and stinky and impractical.

Thanks and good luck to you all

 

[Dedge89]

It's alright mate, we're all brothers in arms on this planet after all aren't we! .
Ah, well I'm sure you look pretty good in a t-shirt and jeans then? Chicks totally dig that man, if your triceps, biceps and shoulders are in good shape I'm sure its noticeable and worthwhile. If you really want gym to give you that SERIOUS boost you should look at gaining huge amounts of MASS (2-3 stone of muscle) rather than just tone?

Haha and yeah I always used to wear a hat and avoid clubs and sh*t when I first got seriously down about my hairloss. Howver, I did what I said to you and ultimately regained my old confidence back . And yeah that's me in the photo, though it does do my hair some justice since my hair on the top of my scalp is definately thinning, but I've managed to stabilize my hairline at this point with Rogaine Foam and Finasteride and I hope you have great success with them too! I'm sure if you carry on with the Meds and Gym things can only get better. That's an advantage of feeling so low about yourself, things can only climb up after a certain point. Oh, and to be honest intelligent women should know not to judge a man on factors like if he looks like a bouncer. An intelligent woman would be able to tell if you're an intelligent man within 10 minutes of serious conversation, I wouldn't worry about it

Edit: 'Lithuanian bouncer' LOL! I love your imagination

 

[Ende]

Enden
Ok thanks I will check that Ru12345 out, I've never heard of it before. yeah I have noticed some side effect from the finasteride, but not enough to make a huge difference or worry me.. or should i be more worried?

You should quit if you notice any other sexual side effects, besides slightly reduced libido.

 

[Innermind]

I do not want to be the barer of bad news, but your headed for Norwood 7. If I were you I would just keep the hair as short as possible and move on with your life. Do not think about hair transplantation, you will f*** yourself. Or you can do what I did, and f*** yourself hard.

People with our degree of baldness at such a young age will not understand and will try to tell you things like.... get a hair laser helmet and tattoo your head.... spend 80,000$ on a BHT transplant, and stupid sh*t like that. BHT shouldn't really be an option for such a large area, unless you already fucked up your head and anything will look better, like the member who posted those dr.umar video. The other guy, he didnt have much hair loss and it wasnt bht.

I can't believe people think a hair laser helmet and micropigementation and 80k BHT are actually legit choices. If they want to believe the bull and waste money and look like a freak then they can go for it, but smarter people will not fall for it.

And then there are people who don't mind being walking lab rats who have to pay to be walking lab rats. Thats cool, if its your thing, let us know how that goes for you. But if your fucked up, good luck explaining it to your insurance who will investigate the sh*t out of you and find out you were ordering RU18745 or w/e it is, and now you can't get your cancer meds without filling for bankruptcy. Small chance, or so the fanboys will say of such an extreme case, but its your choice. Some people have poor executive function and like playing the chemical version of Russian Roulette.

As of right now there isn't much you can do and be within resonable limits (finacially and/or physically), but better treatments are on the way (hopefully).

Good luck.

 

[Innermind]

WTF? With a BHT procedure done by doctor Umar a NW7 can have a full head of hair that looks damn good, when kept short it looks very natural, and a hell of a lot better than a Norwood 7 slick bald! And this hair will not fall out, it is permanent!

It dosent look natural dude. It looks much better than before, but he was an extreme case, NOT TO MENTION THE MONEY SPENT. ANd no, I will argue this does not look better than a slick bald Norwood 7 who has a tan and a some facial hair. Although, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I don't think you can tell a 28 year old young professional to realistically drop 80K on this, THAT is not objective.

To the OP, I know how this feels. I was "raped" by a doctor(dr. thomas wentland of illionis), and by "raped" I mean he took three thousand dollars from me and then cut into my flesh and fucked up my head.

I spent 2000$ on propecia + another ooooo I dont know 2000$ on rogaine foam and nizoral and folligen and other sh*t (2 years +) and I lost hair at the same rate. 26 now and very similar to your hair loss.

I spent 1500 to get FUE into my strip scar (it actually was a decent job), and now I will have to spend probabaly another 2000$ to have the grafts on the top of my head electroylsis'sed (?) out. Sure a good hairtransplant now would probably look good, but what about 5-7 years from now when, at this rate, ill be a NW7... im fucked. More money wasted, and the more unnatural it will look. The thing about Hair treatments, is they work the best for people with the least amount of hairloss... ironic uhn.

I have wasted so much money only to see my hair dissapear and to see what a nice head I would have had if I just let nature take its course(yes I dont have a injury that reshaped my head, but still). Let what is suppose to happen happen, find happiness elseware and stop chasing vanity (its a sin you know)

 

[anxious1]

where on earth do u get 80k from, i never heard of a transplant costing that much. noones got enough donor hair to get that many transplants.

 

[Innermind]

where on earth do u get 80k from, i never heard of a transplant costing that much. noones got enough donor hair to get that many transplants.

BHT. 10$ a graft. 10k grafts to cover Norwood 7. possible 20% discount. = 80k

 

[BornIn89]

Who the hell would pay 80k for hair, seriously? You guys are insane. To the OP, it's pretty much all gone now, my hair will be similar at your age. You really should try and forget about it...

 

[Ende]

Some people have poor executive function and like playing the chemical version of Russian Roulette.

If I decide to play russian roulette, I know one of the chambers are loaded with real ammunition. There is no safe drugs, but most of them can be used safely - if you listen to your body, and not to whatever the authorities tells you. You might find yourself playing russian roulette with fake ammunition, only to find out that there was a real bullet in the chamber after all. Then what? Look at the Propecia case, do you think those people will have a walk in the park with their insurance?