Hi Guys.
My name is Dean, I am a 24 year old music teacher from Melbourne, Australia,
and for a week and a half I have been coming to terms with the fact that I am losing my hair.
For the last couple of weeks I noticed that my hair seemed to look thinner then usual at the temples and above my forehead,
I put this down to my hair cut at the time (it was cut with thinning shears for styling purposes) but last Friday I had it cut to a number 2, and I've since realised the truth.
I am thinning in a bow shape from temple to temple, and up the middle of my head to the crown, the beginnings (as I was told by my GP) of male pattern baldness.
The news of this was quite shocking, though I was told (again by my GP) that it would have been happening for at least 12 months prior to me being able to notice it, it felt as if it had happened overnight. One day I had normal, healthy hair that I didn't even think about, the next day I was trying to get my head around the fact that it was falling out. All in all, it was quite a shock.
I had no idea that I would start to lose my hair in my mid 20's, since mentioning it to my Mother she told me that my Father (who I'm not really in contact with) started to lose his hair around 26, I'll be 25 in October, so it seems that this was after all, my genetic fate.
Still, I thought that I would have at least another decade of grace.
The emotions that I am experiencing at the moment could only be described as feelings of grief and loss.
I can't help but feel a tiny bit silly too, seeing as I know people personally who have fought terribly illnesses and lost family members, and here I am grieving about my hair... though it still doesn't make it any easier, and I don't think that what I'm feeling is at all uncommon for this particular occurrence, especially at 24.
Its been a tremendous knock to my identity, I've always had hair, and its always been part of my appearance and identity, I play in a Rock band and dress in a manner that reflects my love for Rock n' Roll music (leather jackets, Cuban heels, tights jeans, silk scarves etc) now I'm looking at my wardrobe and wondering how my clothes will look on me if my hairs gone. So as you can imagine, its been a knock to me personal identity.
I've decided that I've got two choices, shave it off, or treat it.
And though I kind of enjoy having short hair, and I'm told it suits me, I've made a personal decision to treat it.
Last Wednesday I went to Ashley & Martin for a free consultation, but walked out in a cold sweat after hearing their prices!
Since seeing them I have done a lot of online research and found a wealth of information (a lot of which was from this very site! So thank you!) both exposing A&M as the rip off they are, and how to treat your hair with the exact same products (Minoxidil and Finasteride) as A&M prescribe at literally less then an eighth of their cost!
Since last Saturday I have been applying Regain 5% Minoxidil liquid twice a day, taking 1mg of Propecia once a day, and washing my hair and scalp twice a week (or once every three days) with Nizoral 1% Shampoo, and I look forward to seeing the progress.
Though I feel good that I am doing something about my hair loss (and that I avoided paying 1000's of dollars to Ashley & Martin) I still feel sad that the best days of my hair are gone, and in order for it to look normal, I have to treat it.
Though I am sure these feelings will pass in time (as they say; time heals all wounds) and I will get better about it as the days progress,
these feelings, and this concept are still new, and I'm still coming to terms with them.
I'm just glad that there is a website full of other guys who understand! And I would like to personally thank each and every one of you for sharing yourselves, and your information on this site because it as been not just a tremendous help for me in a time of need, but also a tremendous support.
So from the bottom of my heart, thank you, and god bless.
Dean.
My name is Dean, I am a 24 year old music teacher from Melbourne, Australia,
and for a week and a half I have been coming to terms with the fact that I am losing my hair.
For the last couple of weeks I noticed that my hair seemed to look thinner then usual at the temples and above my forehead,
I put this down to my hair cut at the time (it was cut with thinning shears for styling purposes) but last Friday I had it cut to a number 2, and I've since realised the truth.
I am thinning in a bow shape from temple to temple, and up the middle of my head to the crown, the beginnings (as I was told by my GP) of male pattern baldness.
The news of this was quite shocking, though I was told (again by my GP) that it would have been happening for at least 12 months prior to me being able to notice it, it felt as if it had happened overnight. One day I had normal, healthy hair that I didn't even think about, the next day I was trying to get my head around the fact that it was falling out. All in all, it was quite a shock.
I had no idea that I would start to lose my hair in my mid 20's, since mentioning it to my Mother she told me that my Father (who I'm not really in contact with) started to lose his hair around 26, I'll be 25 in October, so it seems that this was after all, my genetic fate.
Still, I thought that I would have at least another decade of grace.
The emotions that I am experiencing at the moment could only be described as feelings of grief and loss.
I can't help but feel a tiny bit silly too, seeing as I know people personally who have fought terribly illnesses and lost family members, and here I am grieving about my hair... though it still doesn't make it any easier, and I don't think that what I'm feeling is at all uncommon for this particular occurrence, especially at 24.
Its been a tremendous knock to my identity, I've always had hair, and its always been part of my appearance and identity, I play in a Rock band and dress in a manner that reflects my love for Rock n' Roll music (leather jackets, Cuban heels, tights jeans, silk scarves etc) now I'm looking at my wardrobe and wondering how my clothes will look on me if my hairs gone. So as you can imagine, its been a knock to me personal identity.
I've decided that I've got two choices, shave it off, or treat it.
And though I kind of enjoy having short hair, and I'm told it suits me, I've made a personal decision to treat it.
Last Wednesday I went to Ashley & Martin for a free consultation, but walked out in a cold sweat after hearing their prices!
Since seeing them I have done a lot of online research and found a wealth of information (a lot of which was from this very site! So thank you!) both exposing A&M as the rip off they are, and how to treat your hair with the exact same products (Minoxidil and Finasteride) as A&M prescribe at literally less then an eighth of their cost!
Since last Saturday I have been applying Regain 5% Minoxidil liquid twice a day, taking 1mg of Propecia once a day, and washing my hair and scalp twice a week (or once every three days) with Nizoral 1% Shampoo, and I look forward to seeing the progress.
Though I feel good that I am doing something about my hair loss (and that I avoided paying 1000's of dollars to Ashley & Martin) I still feel sad that the best days of my hair are gone, and in order for it to look normal, I have to treat it.
Though I am sure these feelings will pass in time (as they say; time heals all wounds) and I will get better about it as the days progress,
these feelings, and this concept are still new, and I'm still coming to terms with them.
I'm just glad that there is a website full of other guys who understand! And I would like to personally thank each and every one of you for sharing yourselves, and your information on this site because it as been not just a tremendous help for me in a time of need, but also a tremendous support.
So from the bottom of my heart, thank you, and god bless.
Dean.
