Consumed with hair loss concerns

[Blueskies3322]

Hi so over the last few months I’ve become obsessed with potential hair loss. Previous to this I had never really thought about it but over the last few months I’ve been checking my hair line and digging through old pics comparing. Realistically it doesn’t seem to have changed. It goes straight across and I have a big forehead I think but it’s always been like that since I was a kid it turns out.  The other day though I took a video of the top of my head and went down the rabbit hole of am I going bald when I saw a bit of my scalp. 

I researched that and discovered this is a common concern and question so you guys might be fed up of fielding this question but I’m looking for some advise on it. It’s most noticeable with flash and I know a whorl shows some scalp but this seems worse than normal? I’ve thought perhaps my hair isn’t growing quite as fast or quite as thick but it’s objectively not thin really and if I let it grow out it gets crazy volume - it’s entirely possible that this bit at-least is paranoia (I have an anxiety issue so that’s not abnormal for me). I lose a few hairs in the shower but not loads think it’s a normal amount, none on the pillow or anything. Raking my hand through might occasionally pull one but not a bunch.

Still though I’ve spent the last while taking hundreds of pictures and videos of my head and can’t stop obsessing over it.

So do you think there’s something there? Should I pursue minoxidil? I’ve also considered going to a hair restoration place that’s a couple hours away for a consultation but if it’s normal I feel like an idiot since I imagine most guys going there are without question balding/thinning.

I sent a couple pics to a close friend who thought it could be something but was adamant my hairline is the same and doesn’t see general thinning.

I’ve just turned 27 btw and my dads bald, dads dad had a full head of hair his whole life - not sure about mums side. Brothers hairs thinning too (3 years older). Just wanna make sure I get started on measures to slow it if I’m losing it early but not sure if nows that time? Am I being ridiculous or onto something perhaps?  Attached a bunch of pics - flash, overhead light, no direct light, combed in the directions of it, how I normally have it.
 

(that bald thing by the side of my head in some pics is my Sphynx kitten sleeping on my shoulder - least I’ll have good company if I lose it all 😊)

 

[Rafael Manelli]

You’ve done the right thing by coming here of all places, at the beginning of your (alleged) hair loss. Your crown looks normal. All the hair on the scalp originates with the crown embryologically, and radiates in a spiral from the middle of it. Because the hairs naturally splay out from each other, it is typically the most transparent area of the entire scalp - if you take a comb or your fingers and spread your hair at the front you’ll see scalp too. That’s what the crown is like. 
 

To be sure, the best thing you can do is post photos of your crown from before the alleged thinning, when it was fuller, if possible. But I suspect that it has always been like that. The photos you’ve posted already are great quality.

If you could also post quality photos of the hairline it would help too.

[TorontoMan]

Hey bruv, your hair in these photos looks great and you have a full head of hair. As you will learn, we tend to fixate on what we perceive as problems rather than what is good for us. Given your family history, with your father being bald and you older brother experiencing thinning, there is enough there to suggest that you could have some degree of male patterned baldness. Imo in these photos it looks like you have a swirl on the top of your crown, and some hairs surrounding it might be a bit thinner, but again I stress that if you are experiencing any thinning, you have definitely caught this at a good time. Even people who do not experience hair loss at all will have thnning around their swirls. 

My suggestion is you find a few local dermatologists for an in person consultation, try to get a few opinions rather than 1 and even a good hair transplant doctor might be a good place to start (you by no means need a transplant, just an opinion on your situation). I suggest this because its important that you don't stay in denial whether or not you have MPB, the sooner you become aware of what that is the quicker you get to understanding what your next steps are. The majority of people don't detect hair loss this early on and their options for restoring their hair become marginal. 

 

 

[hairman22]

No hairloss at al all and your 27 its unlikely who will ever have excessive hairloss 

[duckling]

Think all suggestions are covered above for your “no mpb scalp” . 
Just relax and enjoy life with precautionary meds if and when your dermatologist says you have early stage mpb. 
until then make sure to prevent external factors like diet ( vitamin deficiency ), harsh shampoo n cosmetics product, improper use of heat appliances, bad hairstyles which always pull your hair back or is prone to breakage during detangling, excessive dandruff causing scalp irritation from causing unnecessary hair loss. These cause temporary hair loss but can impact hair health which can make it seem like you have mpb. So to avoid false alarm, check these boxes of everyday care. 

[Blueskies3322]

Thanks for the responses. I’ve attached a couple of pics from 3 years ago showing my hairline (one of em with my hair just cut so there’s a bit on my forehead) and some taken just now. I don’t have any old pics of my crown - dig through pics but even ones taken by other people of my back aren’t nice well lit photos of the crown of head unfortunately. 
 

It’s good to hear it looks alright from some of you guys. Might still consider a consultation tho - feel like an idiot going in with still a lot of hair but worried about missing the window where meds would be most effective.

Let me know your thought in my hairline. Threw in a pic as a kid too for comparison - mum used to buzz my hair as a kid.

[Blueskies3322]

Just a question would I need to look for a dermatologist who specialises in hair loss or something or is this something all of them are well versed on? I don’t have any experience seeing a dermatologist previously but I think some professional input would be a good idea perhaps and if they say I’m good I could go back in the future if there’s any change sort of thing.

 

thanks for all the replies though part of me thought it was gonna go the other way 😬 

[TorontoMan]

16 minutes ago, Blueskies3322 said:

Just a question would I need to look for a dermatologist who specialises in hair loss or something or is this something all of them are well versed on? I don’t have any experience seeing a dermatologist previously but I think some professional input would be a good idea perhaps and if they say I’m good I could go back in the future if there’s any change sort of thing.

 

thanks for all the replies though part of me thought it was gonna go the other way 😬 

dermatologists who specialize in hair are called trichologists so maybe you can start your search with that, however it seems to be a dying practice and most ppl concerned with this area just become dermatologists. I don't think you'll know ahead of time how specialized someone is in hair (though they should be) , but the point of the assessment is simply for someone to take a closer look at your head and family background. There isn't going to be too much they can tell you outside of what some members on here can. Hair loss is inherited from both sides of your family, and how aggressive someone's hair loss is depends on a variety of genes. But given your situation at your age, if you do have MPB, then you likely have it to a lesser extent. There are guys who start off with far worse hair than yours in high school. 

The point of my comment earlier was to let you know that you're starting in a good place, you should get a number of opinions so that you could understand your situation and get out of denial sooner if you have any, current day medications are good at preventing further hair loss (MPB is progressive) and to a much lower extend good at restoring hair loss. The earlier you get to it the better your chance of controlling the outcomes in the future.

[Melvin- Admin]

I don’t see any visible thinning. Maybe your hairline is slightly maturing. But if you’re concerned you could get on medication to prevent hair loss. But I don’t think it’s necessary at this point.

[Mike10]

what hair loss?

[TheGreatPretender]

Cant see any hair loss, in fact would "kill" just to get the amount of hairs you got at your age.

[Legend007]

I’m willing to cutoff my left toe for his hair. 

[duckling]

woah woah ! no need for violence guys.

[Rafael Manelli]

You’re kidding, right? Your hair is phenomenal. I don’t see any problem here. Your photo as a kid is a great example of how the hairline matures normally by the way. Notice all the ultra fine hairs at the very front and particularly in the temples. Those tend to be so sensitive to DHT that they fall off even in a Norwood class 1 adult, which is what you are.

[thetdog666]

Keep an eye on it and if you notice it getting worse I would jump on fin.

[mr_peanutbutter]

so far it looks good however i disagree that just bc you have big signs of hairloss yet, that you wont suffer hairloss in the future too

 

i was norwood 1 until 30 but i receeded quite a lot in the last years

 

in the end it all comes down to family history, if you have no cases of hairloss in your family i wouldnt worry much, if you have cases i would start to accept the possibility that it could (eventually) happen. then you have the option to take meds to stop it. its not the end of the world

Edited April 21, 2023 by mr_peanutbutter

[Legend007]

All kidding aside.. I had as much hair as you up until 37.. I didn’t notice the thinning until 35,  n since everyone of my brothers are norwood 1. I never thought I would go bald..

 

but if you notice the hairs getting thinner n not as thick as before.. hop on finasteride at a low dose or whatever other medications you feel comfortable to you.. but once the thinning starts and you don’t stop it or slow it down .. you gonna be balding sooner than later.

[Mike10]

I disagree with the previous poster from personal experience. I started receding at age 24.Now I am a solid NW2 at age 42. I never took medication.

[Blueskies3322]

Ok thanks for all the replies guys you’ve made me feel a lot better about this. Guess this panic is useful in a way cause I’ve got a ton of reference photos now so I’ll keep an eye on it.  My dad always says I have his dads hair and will never go bald but I know it’s not that simple. He’s bald as an egg and started to lose it younger than me so I’m aware that could very well be my future. My brother significantly thinning has made me think about it more (though he has completely different hair - thin, wiry and curly). Just don’t wanna have to deal with all the meds, management, monitoring and stuff and associated costs at this age (though I’m sure it sucks at any age). But at the same time wanna make sure I catch it early so I can start making the right moves because If it gets to that point I will definitely pursue medication or eventual transplant.

 

Still, happy to hear it’s not as bad as I was worrying. When I saw that bit of scalp I just saw the beginning of a rapid decline but I’ll keep an eye on it now and see how it goes 😊

[Blueskies3322]

3 hours ago, Legend007 said:

All kidding aside.. I had as much hair as you up until 37.. I didn’t notice the thinning until 35,  n since everyone of my brothers are norwood 1. I never thought I would go bald...

Just wondering if this means you think it’s thinning then? If you had as much as me till 37 but noticed it thinning at 35?

[Legend007]

Yeah I used to have thick Asian hair .. where i had to get a haircut every  3 weeks. Since I had so much hair I never noticed it until the temples started receding. And every time I shake my head , I would get a few hairs coming out..I thought nothing of it. regular hairs fall is normal, but when I noticed I had to get less and less haircuts, like months in between instead of weeks.. then you thinning , n your rate of hairloss is more than your hair growth rate.. so eventually u have less volume of hair..

that’s where I’m at now.. about a norwood 2.. norwood one with hair transplant ,, 

but overall volume of hair on my head is a lot less, but still provides coverage.. 

but all the hairs only grow about 3-4 inches max.. So I’m assuming their lifespan is shorter now, just like life.. 

im pretty sure I would of had bald spots right now if I didn’t get on medication.,. Because when I shake my head now, less hair falls out or none at all  so I’m just prolonging the hairs I currently have lifespan with meds.. 

 

[Legend007]

No u not thinning. If your hair continues to grow long. Then they got a long lifespan ahead of them ., stop worrying until u need to .. 

[duckling]

11 hours ago, Mike10 said:

I disagree with the previous poster from personal experience. I started receding at age 24.Now I am a solid NW2 at age 42. I never took medication.

i think your case is similar to what @Blueskies3322 has. 

nw1 with very slow hairloss which takes him to max nw2 by early 40's. 

But @Blueskies3322 whenever you see your hair getting thinner/ they stop growing fast, do visit doctor and keep a tab on them with medications if needed. Preventing them from falling is much easier than trying to regrow them back.

[Blueskies3322]

Yeah ok thanks guys. I did some looking into the medications particularly finasteride and yeah I’ll definitely hop on it when there is a clean cut sign. 
 

Thanks for all the input addressing this obsession! You’ve helped me loads 🙏🙏🙏

[Bucky O Hair]

14 hours ago, Blueskies3322 said:

Yeah ok thanks guys. I did some looking into the medications particularly finasteride and yeah I’ll definitely hop on it when there is a clean cut sign. 
 

Thanks for all the input addressing this obsession! You’ve helped me loads 🙏🙏🙏

You have absolutely nothing to worry about.

You don't have any signs of hairloss.  I wouldn't bother taking any meds at this point.