At what Norwood did people start treating you differently?

[Hope4hairRedux]

I'm not trying to brag or anything, just using this as another example of why I have a hard time understanding all the complaints... but anyway like I said I'm a diffuse NW4 (according to the "experts" on this site who saw my photo :whistle and I still get cute girls flirting with me every now and then without talking to them first. And this is despite the fact that I don't even get out much. I know flirting in itself isn't really a big deal but listening to all the stories here, you'd think any noticeably balding guy should consider himself lucky if an attractive woman so much as gives him the time of day!

Yeah, I think people actively put themselves down on this forum. Its almost as if people want to find continuing justification to whine and feel depressed about hairloss.

In my situation, I have managed to accept and embrace my hairloss quite well now. The first few years were really hard for me. Its that idea of 'is this really happening to me? And I was often depressive about it. I must have started losing hair around 17 and a half, Im now 21 and a half. So its been four years, and its been quite a slow process. Im lucky in that sense. Im also aware that being completely bald must be a completely different ball game mentally to get over.

Thats what made me realise that I was crying over nothing. Mild recession is really nothing. Its only until you properly start thinning on top that the full force of hairloss hits you I guess. I believe however that I now have a much better attitude to my hairloss, it just feels natural and ok now, and so if (more likely when) it gets worse, I think I already have the mental tools to deal with it, its just a question of how well I will be able to adapt.

As soon as it thins properly, I think the only way is to buzz down. There are a lot of celebs and professional athletes who buzz it down (not nessacairly completely) and look great, and I think of them whenever I have negative thoughts about going bald, so I try and attach a lot of positive anchors to going bald. Even so, right now my hairloss as it is and the future of going bald doesnt scare me too much.

I do have fears about not being able to attract women as much, but thats a pretty unfounded fear. It may not be as easy, I may not be able to attract the 8s-9s anymore, well I never really got 9s. But im ready to adapt. I can find 6-7s attractive. So its all about just embracing whatevers out of your control in your life.

Many cancer survivors have also said that key to their victory was the ability to embrace their disease and their cancer, and that way to adopt a strong postive mentality.

Victor Frankl-When we are no longer able to change a situation - just think of an incurable disease such as inoperable cancer - we are challenged to change ourselves.

In hindsight, I dont even know why I worried about hairloss so much. Embrace and accept, laugh at it. I dont want to come on here and pretend im some kind of guru that has no problems, thats far from the truth. But as someone who has managed to almost completely dissolve his hairloss fears, I just want to bring some of what I have learnt from my experiences on here. And yes, I am onlky nw2-going on nw3. I am also aware that I have not experienced the full spectrum of baldness, and that it might become harder.

But I think if you can embrace your hairloss at whatever stage it is, then that mental attitude begins to become constant, and no matter how much worse it gets you simply apply the same acceptance. Will I go bald one day? Probably, but im ok with that. I see myself as a sexy bald man.

Its up to you to percieve your baldness as a terrible malady or a complete non issue. I know which Id rather go for.

 

[Hoppi]

Mild recession is really nothing. Its only until you properly start thinning on top that the full force of hairloss hits you I guess.

I do not agree. Early hairloss might not yet be visible to others, but the mental aspect of realizing that you inherited the balding gene and will most likely end up as bald as your NW5+ family members can have a very serious mental impact, especially when you're young and haven't yet settled down career and relationship wise.

I also don't agree with your story under 'my regimen'. Finding a regimen that works for you can have a life-changing impact. I was shedding for a good 6 years and it got real bad earlier this year after a bad bout on Xandrox 15, leaving me with only a whispy diffuse covering of hair on my head. I got really depressed over this; my headshape doesn't suit the shaven look AT ALL so I had to hide my loss with Toppik every day.
Well, this summer I started a regimen of Folligen, minoxidil 5%, and Mega-Tek conditioner (yes, really) and lo and behold: I seem to be regrowing every single hair that I've lost over the past 6 years... it's a surreal and also life-changing experience, in the sense that I now enjoy my life again and am no longer getting extremely annoyed by people glaring at my hair (or the lack of it) every G**d*** time they're talking to me. Instead, I'm getting plenty of attention from the opposite sex again, probably also because I'm much more outgoing and positive again.
I can't wait to see just how much hair I will regrow in the forthcoming months. But I do realize that I'm one of the exceptions. I'm planning to write my story down sometimes in the Tell Your Story section, once I find the time.

woah that's hardcore well done!! maybe I should just copy you for my current regimen, or incorporate it into my own is it still working atm?

 

[Hoppi]

Oh, and do you use emu oil or anything with the folligen, or just it on its own?

 

[tn-Looser]

People don't treat a bald guy differently from a "normal" guy,we feel that way because we are obsessed with our hair,we think everything is related to it.

I stopped finasteride and my hair started falling but i feel great because the side effects are going away and i'm much more successful with girls and open with the other people.
It's all in our mind.

 

[beaner]

People don't treat a bald guy differently from a "normal" guy,we feel that way because we are obsessed with our hair,we think everything is related to it.

I stopped finasteride and my hair started falling but i feel great because the side effects are going away and i'm much more successful with girls and open with the other people.
It's all in our mind.

This is so true. Do we as balding guys treat other bald guys any differently? I sure don't.

To think that people will start treating you differently once you hit a certain stage of balding is utter ridiculousness.

Now I expect a dozen paranoid balding guys to tell me I'm wrong. :innocent: :innocent:

 

[tn-Looser]

This is so true. Do we as balding guys treat other bald guys any differently? I sure don't.

To think that people will start treating you differently once you hit a certain stage of balding is utter ridiculousness.

Now I expect a dozen paranoid balding guys to tell me I'm wrong. :innocent: :innocent:

I have experienced it myself so it can't be wrong,i had a full head of hair when i was on finasteride but my confidence was down because of the side effects,i felt like a coward because couldn't quit the drug,i was really sinking and of course no girl as interested in me.

Since i buzzed my hair and went to the swimming pool to improve my shape i feel much better,it's incomparable,my friends say i became another person.
I encourage every guy experiencing hair loss to try to fight this but if you feel you've lost the fight,if you feel that you're body isn't acclimating with finasteride just get used to your new look because there's nothing you can do now.
I'm almost bald now and i don't feel any different treatment.

 

[beaner]

This is so true. Do we as balding guys treat other bald guys any differently? I sure don't.

To think that people will start treating you differently once you hit a certain stage of balding is utter ridiculousness.

Now I expect a dozen paranoid balding guys to tell me I'm wrong. :innocent: :innocent:

I have experienced it myself so it can't be wrong,i had a full head of hair when i was on finasteride but my confidence was down because of the side effects,i felt like a coward because couldn't quit the drug,i was really sinking and of course no girl as interested in me.

Since i buzzed my hair and went to the swimming pool to improve my shape i feel much better,it's incomparable,my friends say i became another person.
I encourage every guy experiencing hair loss to try to fight this but if you feel you've lost the fight,if you feel that you're body isn't acclimating with finasteride just get used to your new look because there's nothing you can do now.
I'm almost bald now and i don't feel any different treatment.

Oh I agree that one might get less dates or have to settle for less attractive women because of baldness---I'm referring to friends, coworkers, and random people you interact with daily---these people aren't going to treat you any differently and the extreme minority that might probably have personality issues unrelated to your hair.

 

[tn-Looser]

Oh I agree that one might get less dates or have to settle for less attractive women because of baldness---I'm referring to friends, coworkers, and random people you interact with daily---these people aren't going to treat you any differently and the extreme minority that might probably have personality issues unrelated to your hair.

Not necessarily,baldness is a very challenging experience,especially for men in their mid 20s,early 30's,it can be devastating and it's perfectly understandable.
However,if you're able to overcome it,your confidence will be unshakable and women love this kind of men.

 

[Hoppi]

Hey Hoppi, yeah still going strong with my regimen. I don't use emu oil yet but am in fact planning to add it. But this isn't the right forum for regimen talk so feel free to pm for any further questions.

cool thanks man