Going bald at 21? (photo)

[cc89]

I'm almost 21 and a half years old, and ever since last year I've been suspecting thinning or hair loss at my crown/vertex. I've never counted exactly how many hairs I've been shedding on a daily basis, by my pillow seems clean enough and the number of fallen hairs I get in the shower also seems fine.

 

Genetically, no one on my mother's side of the family has baldness. On my father's side, he and one of his three brothers have baldness, while their father (my paternal grandfather) still has a head full of hair. Both my parents keep telling me that I'm being paranoid and that a crown like mine is normal. Somehow I doubt it, but I hope they're right for once.

 

Lastly, here's a photo of my crown that I took today: http://i52.tinypic.com/21bzur.jpg (zoomed in at crown)

 

So... what's the verdict? Should I start saving up for a transplant in the very near future?

Edited November 18, 2010 by cc89

[Thehairupthere]

cc89,

The first thing you should do is consult with a recommended doctor on this site. Due to your age, and relatively low amount of thinning you are not a candidate for transplantation. You should speak to your doctor about Finasteride or Rogaine to halt any further hair loss, and it could also help regrow hair especially in the crown region. Transplantation at this point would be a rash decision and unnecessary one. Use the medication first for at least one year, and see how the results look. These are medications that need to be taken on a daily basis for as long as hair loss bothers you, so it could potentially be decades or life long, but this is certainly the way to go at this point.

[Sparky]

I dont think you have any loss in your crown.

[Spanker]

Looks good to me....dont see any loss....keep an eye on it and start on propecia or proscar if it does start....but I would not do anything right now based on the pics.

[Tom60]

You aren't balding!

[mattj]

Your crown looks essentially like every non-balding crown that I see. What makes you think you're losing hair? It seems unlikely that you could feel any difference in density and you say you haven't noticed any suspicious increase in hairfall.

Unless you get some concrete proof that you're losing hair I would hesitate to even recommend starting treatment of any sort.

 

Your photo is very good. If I were you I would take another one in a few months time and see if there has been any change. Don't obsess over it or start snapping photos every day. Just keep an eye on it.

[cc89]

Reading the responses to my original post has been quite a relief. I talked to my father again today, and he tells me that his balding began at around age forty and that both my grandfather and great grandfather both had full heads of hair.

 

As for me, I never really paid any attention to my crown until last year when my colon began ulcerating and bleeding. I kept losing blood for about eight months due to the ulcers, but eventually had it looked at and got some medication that completely stopped the bleeding. I haven't noticed any abnormal hair loss since then, and I've always hoped that it was the blood loss that caused the hair loss prior to my treatment for the ulcers. I'm also slightly iron deficient according to my doctor, but I haven't been taking any iron supplement since they upset my stomach.

 

Thank you all for the reassuring responses. I'll be sure to keep an eye on my crown for any changes.

[mattj]

Hi cc89. How does the colon ulcer, bleeding and medication fit in with your crown? Did you notice hairloss back at that time?

[cc89]

Yes. The ulcers in my colon were bleeding for around eight months, so I lost a lot of blood at the time. That, along with my iron deficiency (known to cause telogen effluvium hair loss) may have caused my hair to start falling out from all over my scalp. I didn't develop any bald patches, but I was still very concerned.

 

The hairs stopped dropping and grew back to normal thickness after about two to three weeks of being diagnosed and given the medication to stop the bleeding. That was last year, and I haven't noticed any abnormal hair loss ever since even though I'm still iron deficient. I regularly check the comb, pillow and my hands after shampooing in the shower.

Edited November 19, 2010 by cc89

[Blake Bloxham]

Cc,

 

First, thank you for sharing such a high-quality photograph! It makes assessing your situation and offering accurate advice much easier. As others have stated, I personally do not see any hair loss in the crown region (as of now). However, keep in mind that you are young and this is no way a guarantee that you won't ever be affected by hair loss. If it's something that concerns you, I suggest being proactive about it at an early stage. Try scheduling an appointment with a local dermatologist and undergo a thorough examination. Discuss your concerns, and also make sure to keep preventive medications like Propecia/finasteride and Rogaine/minoxidil in mind if you do start suffering noticeable loss. Good luck!

[Sparky]

I'd say your crown has about the same amount of loss that mine has in this pic:-

 

Hair Restoration Journal -9 Months post op scar repair

 

ie:- none