I wonder everyday,I wonder if I had a full head of hair my life would of ended up so different...I would have a different life,different job,different everything.

I take 1/2 hour everyday and day dream of how my life would have been so different had i not had hair loss issues..

Hair loss has effected my career advancement,my relationship,most importantly my self worth.

Besides work I wear a cap at all times,even at home...I try my best not to go to places where I would have to expose my head.

Its caused a burden on my relationship,I sometimes dream about a full head of hair and how much more positive my life would have been.

Do any of you think from time to time how much life would differ if hairloss had not been an issue in your life?

am i the only one?lol

Hair has always been an issue of embarrasment for me. Even though i had a small bald patch on my crown. It affected me severely. I would spend a long time recombing and restyling my hair. I would look at people who had thick hair and be envious. Or Hispanic people with a thick set of hair who would just shave their head!!! wtf? Even now, six months after my surgery, I still feel weird even though my hair is slowly growing out. looking in the mirror constantly and even staying home because of a "Bad hair day". I know how you feel. Granted, I am not bald, but that feeling of losing hair, is terifying....

You are not alone. I dream about getting my full head of hair back. My confidence, energy, mood everything went low over the past 5months. I am not working properly and slacking a lot. My advice to you is, shave your head and takeoff your cap. If you are hiding something you always tend to feel low. I heard people feel a lot better when they don't have to hide something.

No my friend I don't think so. I am fine the way I am, just need to be a little more patient, that's all.

Sorry my friend,i do not agree with your advice..shaving my head would make my problems worse

Sure it can knock your convidence but hairloss shouldnt affect your life that much, certainly not the job you have etcc... Its not a disability, yes its a pain but jeeezzz c'mon get a little perspective. I'm just happy someone invented toppik lol. Plus theres lots of options out there to help us. I should poin out that it has affected me too I probably dont socialize as much but tbh I enjoy doing my own thing anyway even before I started losing my hair. I did go through something a few years ago that uts hairloss into perspective and pretty much stopped thinking about my hair, I think sometimes people need to step back and realise hairloss doesnt actually stop you achieving anything its in your mind and you can get perspective.

yes all the time man. I feel for you bro, if i were to put up my pictures of me at the age of 23 with a full head of hair and the build i had because at that time i really cared about my outlook, no way you would be able to tell thats me. If my hair loss had never started then i know for a fact my life would have been different. This is why i don't want to wait anymore and i want to do something about it. instead of moping around feeling sorry for myself thinking of what could have been, when i should just get up and do it.

Guys....bottom line is this. Hair loss sucks and we have to deal with it. Drugs like propecia and avodart may work for some but not for me. Instead, I lost my libido and had to have treatments with hormone therapy to get it back. It was the worst experience ever. Most embarrassing. I had surgery, I am 6 1/2 mos post-op and am seeing some results though it's still early, and I already feel like a million bucks. Period!!! I can't wait to see what the next six months will bring. I am willing to have another to get the perfect look. Hair loss affected me so much I couldn't even leave the house, even though I was norwood 3 V. I caught it early enough. Guys!!! Don't wait!! Have the surgery. Get on with it. You'll feel so much better. My life is already changing. I waited too long for this. My energy is up all the time now.

P.S. How's that for perspective?

Some of the comments above are textbook examples of Body Dysmorphic Disorder Syndrome (BDD).

BDD is a very real mental health issue with very serious potential and actual consequences, which affect both men and women. Unfortunately, BDD isn't frequently discussed here on the HTN.

Consulting with a psychiatrist who specializes in BDD may be of more benefit than undergoing an HT, because with an HT you are not addressing the root issue, but rather the object of the neurosis.

Personally, I have always heeded the advice of "perspective" as others mentioned above. It could always be much worse, I think to myself. Not a day goes by where I don't see either a disabled, blind, dismembered, burn victim or mentally disabled person. I can't help but realize how trivial my problems must be compared to theirs.

However, when dealing with BDD, all reason and logic is moot. Just like an anorexic person is able to see themselves as fat, so does a BDD person see themselves as disfigured, despite reality. Naturally, hair loss will make just about anyone initially self-conscious or hamper our confidence. But when it's to the point that you can't go outside, dread all social interactions to the point of obsession, causing undue stress and anxiety... that's when it time to seek professional help.

Hair loss is not a disfigurement, nor is it a disability. It's all in your head, which does't make it any less real, but does dictate a different and unique approach to treating it. Unfortunately, for men there seems to be an intractable stigma attached to not only cosmetic surgery such as HTs, but also seeking professional help for mental health concerns such as BDD.


The best advice I could give someone is to go talk to a physciatrist about it, a specialist in BDD. It won't be as an emasculating and humiliating experience as you may think. When your car is broke down, you take it to the mechanic; when your sink won't unclog, you call the plumber; when you have a headache, you take a aspirin. Thus, mental health issues should be addressed in the same way as physical health issues, such as the flu, arthritis, hemorrhoids or ulcers... by seeing a doctor!

An HT should be for yourself, because you want it, not because you need it. I view it the same way I view physical fitness, good hygiene and dressing / grooming well: to look my best. Sure, even now I could dress better and have more muscles and better skin care products, but I don't need them.

To read such comments like those posted above about depression, anxiety, social isolation, time wasted fantasizing, occupational and social impairment, etc... is really sad considering that baldness has no effect on performance or ability in any known way. In every field, including entertainment, there are successful bald men.

The real problem is obviously the psychological effects of baldness which fall under the umbrella term BDD. For men, it's usually hair, height or weight that are the object of the pathology. Fortunately for us, there are medical advances to address all of those issues... not cures, just advances.

The reality is that some of the posters here are actually not good candidates for hair transplantation due to their BDD. An ethical doctor should screen patients for BDD and if they exhibit traits of it, the doctor should not grant them an HT.

This is an important topic and it'd be great if some doctors could chime in.



Corvettester

__________________
My Hair Loss Website - Hair Transplant with Dr. Dorin

1,696 FUT with Dr. Dorin on October 18, 2010.

1,305 FUT with Dr. Dorin on August 10, 2011.