Pics, opinions Please

[Spanker]

OK....I attached 2 pics...I know they are small...my wife is saying that this is just a cow lick and a part....but not sure wether to believe her...does this look like MPB to u? I have thought it was before but shaved it tighter and all the hair looks the same....so...what do u think....did I marry a lier or am I tripping?

 

Took some in different lighting and one is with my hair grown out...where u can not tell at all....

 

Just trying to stay on top of things...:rolleyes:

Edited September 18, 2010 by Spanker

[mattj]

It's hard to tell. On the basis of the last two photos, I'd say that you were tripping; but the first two show a little more scalp so perhaps you did marry a liar. Plus your hair overall looks very dense so maybe I would expect to see less scalp around the crown if it were at 100% of original density.

 

Really though, it's possibly just the way your hair is lying and the lighting. It's difficult to suggest starting treatment as this stage because it might be completely unnecessary. I would keep a close eye on it. Or get your wife to. How's the hairline?

[j1j9j85]

you have a big crown! please dont worry about it.....

 

just put it to the back of your mind and get on with life!!! when or if you get to my stage then feel free to worry!

 

seriously though if you where bellow me and i was up ladder on the street cleaning windows and i looked on your head!

 

i would think you had over the average amount of hair.

 

keep the photos and and compare every year

[Spanker]

Well thanks for the comments and kinda setting my mind at ease...could be lighting or the way my hair was laying....hairline is a prolly a NW2....definatley a mature hairline....

 

The hair is really short so it could just be the crown....the hair is kind of pushing different directions in that area...thanks for the positive comments....even if I dont have to be here yet....I really like the kind people on this forum....

 

I have a pretty strong family history so I try to stay on it....luckily, I am 31 and most of my family have shown strong MPB by this age so maybe I dodged the bullet.

 

I did recently start proscar as a preventive measure and slight frontal reccession.

 

Again...thanks for ther comments!

[Cam Simmons MD ABHRS]

Spanker

 

It looks like you have a clockwise or S-whorl. I tried to blow up your images but the resolution wasn't great. When your hair is brushed in a mostly clockwise direction, it will look fuller. If you push it counter-clockwise, as in photo 2, it will look thinner. If there are miniaturized hairs in your crown, medications would be your best bet, IMHO.

[ziggy00]

Your hair looks great to me. I thought it was just a part, too

[Spanker]

So this pic is about 21 months post the first time I posted to this thread. I still don't use minoxidil in the crown. Any thoughts? Should I start using? A friend of mine said don't waste the money but other opinion are welcome. I want to keep on top of things.

 

[Cant decide]

You do not have even a bit of hairloss at your crown. Chill out my friend, this is no time to panic, you are about to have a growth explosion soon from your procedure with Konior:)

 

Good luck.

[jerzig]

Doesn't look like you have much of an issue. If I were in your shoes I would start using Minoxidil just in case. With the family history you could possibly stop future balding before it starts. Generic Minoxidil is not that expensive and is an easy way to take some preventative action. Wish I had started it way sooner.

[Dr. Ricardo Mejia]

You are way ahead of the game with the density on your crown. If you have already had a transplant, you know you have male pattern baldness. However it does not appear to be a big factor in your crown. enjoy.

[Spanker]

Well, it's been 29 months since my first post to this thread. I am using this thread to track my crown about every six months. It will document any change and progression. I was 31 when I took the first photos and am 34 now. I am on fin and started I think 2 years and 9 months ago, so this could be why I haven't seen much progression. I started doing minox in the crown once a day about 3 months ago. I have a strong family history of mpb as I stated above. I also have a couple lumps in my crown with doesn't help with certain lighting. These pics will show what lighting can do. There are several and the harshest are directly under fluorescent lights. No outside pics this time which I really need. I'm pretty happy with where I'm at. No matter how I progress I don't plan on having any crown work til at least 45. Maybe in a decade this thread will be useful for others in a similar situation as mine, who are (were) my age and on or considering meds. All pics were taken today.

 

Edited May 6, 2013 by Spanker

[greatjob]

I'll refer to my post on mickey's thread:

 

 

 

Seriously though it's great you are proactive with your loss because I wasn't and it cost me, but I hate you, lol, your hair looks amazing!!! Take preventative medicine and live your life brotha, I would literally kill for your hair!!!

[Dr. Ricardo Mejia]

Enjoy the hair you have and use preventative measures and medications to keep it.

[Spanker]

So here is this year's November update. It has been over 3 years since I started this thread. I have been on fin for 3 years and 3 months. I can't say that I have seen any progression in the loss, so that is good. These are the most revealing photos, I just thought about my promise to update and snapped a photo at my desk. There is a product in my hair and I combed it this morning, so this is my "natural daily state" which is how I will continue taking these photos. My hair is pretty long right now, so again, I know it is not the best comparison, but I am doing this for long term study purposes and will continue taking photos of how I roll throughout the day at whatever length my hair is at update time. I don't like taking photos of my crown because I am always afraid of what I might see, so I dodged a bullet this go around. Fingers crossed till next time. I will note that I am seeing some miniaturized hair in the shower (about 10-15 percent that are noticeably more fine than others) so we will see what that brings. I also drop 20-30 hairs a day in the shower and have been doing so for quite some time. So, there is my crown update/journal. Hopefully years from now, people similar to my age and hair loss will be able to use this as a gauge if I am able to keep it up. I turn 35 very soon and an not even remotely a bald buy, which is pretty exceptional for my genetics line (paternal side all have hair loss and only have one uncle (without loss) on my moms. So, while I do have MPB (hence my prior HT), I think I am going to fall in the fairly slow and stable category, especially with medical therapy. I don't think I will ever pass a NW4 but am shooting for a NW3 to be my final pattern with regimented therapy, so wish me luck.

[Readytodoit]

Spanker, I honestly don't know what to say.

 

Your hair is incredible, I don't see any issues at all. I think that virtually everybody on this site would love to be in your position.

 

You have nothing to be concerned about, you know yourself that the hair you lose in the shower is perfectly acceptable for normal everday loss that people without mpb get. Don't keep looking in mirror for problems. They are not there but if you obsess, you'll think they are.

 

I hope you get some reassurance from this...It looks great. :-)

[Spanker]

Spanker, I honestly don't know what to say.

 

Your hair is incredible, I don't see any issues at all. I think that virtually everybody on this site would love to be in your position.

 

You have nothing to be concerned about, you know yourself that the hair you lose in the shower is perfectly acceptable for normal everday loss that people without mpb get. Don't keep looking in mirror for problems. They are not there but if you obsess, you'll think they are.

 

I hope you get some reassurance from this...It looks great. :-)

 

Thanks bro. This thread has become more on a journal. I now only look arty my hair once every six months for the reason you stated, however, with 3 years on this thread, I wanted to keep it updated. I have to say, I did have s Goff hair day, and it felt good. ;-)

[greatjob]

So here is this year's November update. It has been over 3 years since I started this thread. I have been on fin for 3 years and 3 months. I can't say that I have seen any progression in the loss, so that is good. These are the most revealing photos, I just thought about my promise to update and snapped a photo at my desk. There is a product in my hair and I combed it this morning, so this is my "natural daily state" which is how I will continue taking these photos. My hair is pretty long right now, so again, I know it is not the best comparison, but I am doing this for long term study purposes and will continue taking photos of how I roll throughout the day at whatever length my hair is at update time. I don't like taking photos of my crown because I am always afraid of what I might see, so I dodged a bullet this go around. Fingers crossed till next time. I will note that I am seeing some miniaturized hair in the shower (about 10-15 percent that are noticeably more fine than others) so we will see what that brings. I also drop 20-30 hairs a day in the shower and have been doing so for quite some time. So, there is my crown update/journal. Hopefully years from now, people similar to my age and hair loss will be able to use this as a gauge if I am able to keep it up. I turn 35 very soon and an not even remotely a bald buy, which is pretty exceptional for my genetics line (paternal side all have hair loss and only have one uncle (without loss) on my moms. So, while I do have MPB (hence my prior HT), I think I am going to fall in the fairly slow and stable category, especially with medical therapy. I don't think I will ever pass a NW4 but am shooting for a NW3 to be my final pattern with regimented therapy, so wish me luck.

I still hate you and your hair still looks amazing, lol!!

[TakingThePlunge]

Great hair Spanker!

[Blake Bloxham]

Solid!

[Spanker]

Thanks for the comments fellas.

[xtatic5]

I know exactly what you're going through. Over the past few months I've been noticing my whorl becoming a little more pronounced (I think). Some days it's more pronounced than others and I have to deliberately brush my hair in a clockwise pattern like Dr. Charles was saying. I don't remember ever having to do that before, then again, I've never paid this close attention to my hair. I want to stay on top of it so that I can jump on meds the instant it looks like MPB.

 

This thread is reassuring because clearly you were not losing hair when you started it. I hope that I'm just worrying too much. When I go for my FUE procedure in a few months I'll have to shave anyway, hopefully that will reveal the truth.

[rev333]

"I also have a couple lumps in my crown with doesn't help with certain lighting"

 

totally think these raised areas of the crown are what you are seeing as thinning when your hair is short as in the first post. But it is not truly thinning, just the light hitting the lumps which stretches out the the same amount of hair that is on the none lumpy areas.

 

this seems to only be an issue when it is cut as short as in the first post.

 

either way your hair is still WOW!

 

the current length shows how great the texture really is

 

you did good

[OtherSyde]

Screw Minoxidil. From everythin I've ever heard, it's a pain to apply every morning or night, makes your hair feel greasy, it may or may not work for you, and I've gleaned from these forums that it may create a dependency and require a permanent commitment or you lose any beneifts it gave you and end up worse-off than you would have been at that point had you neve started using it. Plus it's just high-maintenance. I can't speak for everyone, but I strive for low-maintenance (or preferably no-maintenance), permanent solutions. Definitely get on the Finasteride though.

 

Also, your crown looks friggin dandy. I wish my crown looked that good - it can't be hard to mask that with minimal styling. I doubt anyone would even ever notice it anyway.

[Spanker]

Screw Minoxidil. From everythin I've ever heard, it's a pain to apply every morning or night, makes your hair feel greasy, it may or may not work for you, and I've gleaned from these forums that it may create a dependency and require a permanent commitment or you lose any beneifts it gave you and end up worse-off than you would have been at that point had you neve started using it. Plus it's just high-maintenance. I can't speak for everyone, but I strive for low-maintenance (or preferably no-maintenance), permanent solutions. Definitely get on the Finasteride though.

 

Also, your crown looks friggin dandy. I wish my crown looked that good - it can't be hard to mask that with minimal styling. I doubt anyone would even ever notice it anyway.

 

 

I don't worry about it often. If it is starting to thin, it is very unnoticeable, and pretty much 100 percent unnoticeable to me, because I do not look at it. I think if you are anyone with a bangin head of hair, you can make your crown look thin if the light hits it right. Or any other area of your hair too really. I was looking at my wife and her friend, and in certain light, their hair looks thin. They are definitely not balding. So my advice is to stay out of heavy lighting conditions when assessing your hairloss or you will drive yourself crazy. I may even stop contributing to the thread all together because 1. I won't add to my crown for quite some time, so there is nothing I can do about it, and 2. It is just unhealthy to always stress about such things. You can't avoid your hairline, but I can avoid my crown...at least for now.

 

As far as foam minox, I like it and it really is low maintenance. I pretty much use it once a day and I feel like I am doing everything I can. I don't want to be here in 10 years and be transplanting my crown wishing I had stayed the course on a simple topical. Also, I am hoping for something better to come out and want to have all of the hair I can when it hits the shelves.

[OtherSyde]

My situation is a bit unique to me, being military and having to deploy often, making such a ritual largely unsustainable for me. If Fin isn't enough or doesn't agree with you, or is ineffective altogether, and you don't consider Minoxidil too much of a hassle, then all the more power to you.