My crown has less hair, is it chemo or baldness?

[TurboGunHawk]

Hey,

 

I'm 23 and received eight cycles of chemoteraphy during 2008 and the beginning of this year, I also received radioteraphy in March. Obviously I lost all my hair but in April it grew back.

 

In July I started losing my beard again... my doctor told that was not a common reaction; to lose facial hair after it had already grew back, but it was still possible. My beard started to grow back in October.

In August I started to lose hair above the ear, in that moment I was sure it was not baldness because nobody gets bald in that part of the hair lol. Anyway, in October-November it started to grow again although it is not that abundant as it used to be (I have never had abundant hair in that part though).

Now in December I shaved my hair and as it grew I noticed that my crown has less hair.

 

No one in my family has gotten bald at such a young age, and the only ones that have lost some hair has been beyond the 40 years. The father of my mom is 78 and has a lot of hair for his age.

 

What can I do? Is it chemo or baldness? Or maybe chemo accelerated my baldness? Is it temporal? Stress maybe?

My picture: http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/5246/sl373902.jpg

 

I'm going to see a doctor but I want to hear your opinion,

thanks!

[TurboGunHawk]

Oh, I forgot some details:

 

First, I had curly hair after I received chemoteraphy.

 

Second, when my hair started to grow back in April it was extremely thin like a baby. Then by June it thickened a lot. When the part above my ear started to fall in August my hair got very thin again but it eventually thickened again (but it didn't get that thick as I used to have it). I don't have curly hair anymore, neither straight.

 

Third, in the picture you are going to notice I have two "whirlpools" (sorry, I don't know what is the english term to refer to those) extremely pronounced in the crown. That may look like if I was bald in that area but not, those are just curly whirlpools from birth.

 

Fourth, my mom says I have never had much hair in in the crown but I'm sure I did have more than what you see.

 

Bye!

[TurboGunHawk]

BUMPED, please say something!

[Bill - Seemiller]

TurbogunHawk,

 

Welcome to our forum community.

 

The hair loss on the top of your scalp looks like typical male pattern baldness. This could have been accelerated by the chemotherapy you received in 2008. Regarding hair loss around your ear, this does not sound like genetic hair loss. If the hair above your ear is still thinning or bald, you may want to consult a dermatologist. If you have any photos of the area you can show us, that too would be helpful.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[TurboGunHawk]

Well, I don't really care about the part above the ear. It is not completely bald at all, it is just not very abundant.

 

Anyway, so if we are talking about male pattern baldness is it possible to know how much will it fall? I mean, maybe the chemo accelerated the entire process but I was not going to get that much bald in the first place, just that part.

 

Thanks.

[TurboGunHawk]

I was reading that cisplatinum (a drug used in me to combat cancer) can accelerate chemoteraphy. Geez! Lucky me...

 

Here is the pick of the part I was talking about:

http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/8113/sl373994e.jpg

[Bill - Seemiller]

TurboGun,

 

Unfortunately, there's no way to predict with any degree of certainty how far male pattern baldness will progress. However, you have a chance of slowing down, stopping, or reversing it's effects with proven treatments such as Propecia and Rogaine. You are encouraged to learn about and speak to a physician not only the benefits, but the limitations and potential side effects about each medication prior to taking them.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[TurboGunHawk]

You have any type of stats which prove in how many cases does these drugs really work?

 

I ask because I have been reading several threads and it doesn't seem to work in many guys.

 

Also, don't yo have any comment in the second pic I posted? I'm just curious, maybe the reason why my hair is falling there has to do something with the crown? I don't see this as a coincidence.

[TurboGunHawk]

Well, today I noticed my pubic hair is starting to fall (again). Also, now that my hair grew this month I noticed it is completely different.

 

I'm clueless.

[sherrybalesteros]

In my opinion based on your past medical history, the chemotherapy drugs are the main culprits for your hair loss. The drugs are so strong that it not only kills sick cells, but also the healthy cells. We need to keep in mind that even the hairs on our body are composed of cells. So I think that is a possibility. Hoped I help even a little.

 

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