Balding friends and relatives

[Anthony83]

Do you guys tell people when you can see they are balding?

I have wanted to tell lots of friends or acquaintances that they were thinning or receding, but most of the time I chicken out because I do not want to discuss my own. I feel bad bc I can help them before it gets too bad.

I recently took the plunge and told my little brother (21 and thinning) and a coworker/friend. I told my brother what I have been doing and I ordered him propecia. My coworker, who is now a buddy of mine, was talking about how he wanted to buzz his head since he thought he was thinning. I told him about finasteride and everything, and I emailed him some info. Since then he has not brought it up so neither will I. He is a manager in my company and on the rise, I really hope the finasteride doesn't give him awful side effects and he hates me and ruins my career. We will see. He is great with the ladies now (which is good for me) but I know he would look awful bald.

 

[monitoradiation]

I wouldn't. I think of it as akin to telling a girl who's predisposed to having a few extra pounds that she's chubby. There are some who're fine with their self-image, but there're lots who aren't. You're lucky that it's worked out for you so far, but frankly, I wouldn't take that chance unless you're willing to risk them avoiding you for the rest of your life.

 

[toocoolforhair]

You should start a conversation about your own baldness and then see if they mention theirs. It is pretty rude/offensive to start a conversation about another person's flaw. A few years ago I noticed that my younger brother started losing his hair, but I never mentioned it, even when he grew it long. Earlier this year he started talking about it so I showed him some hair loss websites. Only when they bring it up should you talk about it.

 

[Anthony83]

I straight up just told my brother, 'Hey man, you are going bald.' I didn't want him to deny it as much as I did and let it get too bad. His hair still looks really good, and he has always worn a buzz cut so I waited until I was positive he was thinning until I said something.

My coworker brought it up first, that is why I talked about my regimen to him.

There have been a ton of people I wanted to help but just ignored it.

 

[Fundi]

My brother is almost 19 and is a bit concerned he's thinning on top, he mentioned it to my mum and I always see him touching the top of his head.

His scalp at the crown is visable sometimes, but I'm 70% certain it's always been like that (Myself and all my bros. have naturally fine hair), plus he grows his hair long overall (Looks great) so I think just having fine hair means the weight of it pulling down makes the scalp at the crown a bit more visable, it doesn't look like there's any thinning of the actual strands of hair.

Anyway I've been reassuring him there's nothing wrong. Firstly because he's probably too young for meds, and can't afford them being a student anyway. - Plus I'd hate for him to spend his time at Uni worrying about his hair like I did. And lastly, like I said I'm 70% sure his crown isn't thinning.

 

[worthlessstrands]

Anyway I've been reassuring him there's nothing wrong. Firstly because he's probably too young for meds, and can't afford them being a student anyway. - Plus I'd hate for him to spend his time at Uni worrying about his hair like I did. And lastly, like I said I'm 70% sure his crown isn't thinning.

you're not doing him any favor. He'd worry more when it becomes more noticable. I'm 19 and in university, been losing since 18, and didn't really worry much until a few months ago when it become noticable. Then I became a mess, and had an emotional breakdown, that could've been avoided had I started treatment the previous year. He knows his hair more than you or anyone else. If he says he's losing it, he's losing it. It doesn't matter to what percentage you're sure otherwise. Tell him, and give him the link to this website. He has the right to know, and he's old enough to make his own decisions. I wish someone had told me to take it more seriously.

 

[Anthony83]

Anyway I've been reassuring him there's nothing wrong. Firstly because he's probably too young for meds, and can't afford them being a student anyway. - Plus I'd hate for him to spend his time at Uni worrying about his hair like I did. And lastly, like I said I'm 70% sure his crown isn't thinning.

you're not doing him any favor. He'd worry more when it becomes more noticable. I'm 19 and in university, been losing since 18, and didn't really worry much until a few months ago when it become noticable. Then I became a mess, and had an emotional breakdown, that could've been avoided had I started treatment the previous year. He knows his hair more than you or anyone else. If he says he's losing it, he's losing it. It doesn't matter to what percentage you're sure otherwise. Tell him, and give him the link to this website. He has the right to know, and he's old enough to make his own decisions. I wish someone had told me to take it more seriously.

i am going to have to agree with worthlessstrands....he is old enough...if he is thinning, let him know so he can do something about it now. before its too late like all of us unfortunates

 

[Fundi]

Personally I disgaree although I can understand where you're coming from. The simple fact is, firstly I don't actually think he's thinning and it's just an illusion due to his natural fine long hair and crown. But also he's barely getting by on a student loan as it is, he can't afford 45 pounds a month for Propecia (Neither can I)

But secondly, college is supposed to be fun. What got me through was hoping there was a slight chance I was just developing a 'mature hairline' (I think deep down I knew it wasn't). - If someone had of told me 100% 'You're going bald' at that age it would have absolutely crushed me.

-If I was 100% sure he was thinning and knew he had the resources to help himself I'd tell him. - But what's the point if all it's going to do is upset him, make him more paranoid if there's nothing he can do? And most of all, I'm fairly sure he isn't.

 

[worthlessstrands]

But secondly, college is supposed to be fun. What got me through was hoping there was a slight chance I was just developing a 'mature hairline'

But what if your hair had suddenly gotten so bad and noticably bald that you could no longer convince yourself or anyone else otherwise? Would you still be able to get through with false hope?

The price of proscar is so cheap it's pretty much negligible. For a $100, you can be on 0.5mg/day for a year.

 

[Fundi]

But secondly, college is supposed to be fun. What got me through was hoping there was a slight chance I was just developing a 'mature hairline'

But what if your hair had suddenly gotten so bad and noticably bald that you could no longer convince yourself or anyone else otherwise? Would you still be able to get through with false hope?

The price of proscar is so cheap it's pretty much negligible. For a $100, you can be on 0.5mg/day for a year.

I would have just buzzed it and got on with life.

It's certainly not easy obtainable in the UK. Most docs won't prescribe you Proscar as it's not actually for hairloss. But more to the point, 3 docs I spoke to didn't know what Finasteride was, and two of them were balding.

 

[worthlessstrands]

It's certainly not easy obtainable in the UK. Most docs won't prescribe you Proscar as it's not actually for hairloss. But more to the point, 3 docs I spoke to didn't know what Finasteride was, and two of them were balding.

You can purchase it online for the same price can't you?

I would have just buzzed it and got on with life.

Your brother might have different ideas. It seems a bit selfish to me to want to control others' decisions with what you think is right, even as a parent or a sibling. Just my 2 cents; it's your call.

 

[Anthony83]

But secondly, college is supposed to be fun. What got me through was hoping there was a slight chance I was just developing a 'mature hairline'

But what if your hair had suddenly gotten so bad and noticably bald that you could no longer convince yourself or anyone else otherwise? Would you still be able to get through with false hope?

The price of proscar is so cheap it's pretty much negligible. For a $100, you can be on 0.5mg/day for a year.

I would have just buzzed it and got on with life.

It's certainly not easy obtainable in the UK. Most docs won't prescribe you Proscar as it's not actually for hairloss. But more to the point, 3 docs I spoke to didn't know what Finasteride was, and two of them were balding.

United Pharmacies online man...Fincar...so cheap, lasts for over a year! i starting becoming noticeably bald my 3rd yr in college, and I hated it! i always wore a hat, I wish someone would have told me about these things. I would have njoyed my youth much more instead of hiding behind hats, concealers, or staying inside! f*** I wish I had an older brother to help me out! All I have is a Dad with a perfect head of hair at 55...blahh

 

[Fundi]

United Pharmacies online man...Fincar...so cheap, lasts for over a year! i starting becoming noticeably bald my 3rd yr in college, and I hated it! i always wore a hat, I wish someone would have told me about these things. I would have njoyed my youth much more instead of hiding behind hats, concealers, or staying inside! f*ck I wish I had an older brother to help me out! All I have is a Dad with a perfect head of hair at 55...blahh

I've heard about problems with online pharmacys.....Anyway. Like I said I'm pretty sure he's not. But if he ever says to me 'I am balding', I will tell him everything he needs to know (He uses the net loads so if it bothered him he'd look it up himself and find out like I've done). I've only just ordered finasteride now too, I wouldn't want to reccomend anything to him without trying it myself. I'll see what it looks like when he's back for Xmas....I certainly won't be telling him on Xmas day even if I think he is though...I wouldn't do that to him. I'm only 22, but I really hope he isn't, if I could make a deal with the devil I'd go completely bald tomorrow if it meant he could keep a full head of hair for his college years.

 

[uncomfortable man]

I wished someone had told me I was balding early enough that I could have done something about it. I would probably be in a better place if they had. It is alright to tell someone they are balding if your intentions are not malicious. It is different from telling someone that they need to hit the gym because they are getting fat.

 

[s.a.f]

I knew straight away when I was losing it but that was 15yrs ago and there were no real treatments that were well known about. I dont think that there are people going bald and not realising it, everybody has mirrors and how could you not notice when combing your hair?

 

[worthlessstrands]

I knew straight away when I was losing it but that was 15yrs ago and there were no real treatments that were well known about. I dont think that there are people going bald and not realising it, everybody has mirrors and how could you not notice when combing your hair?

Because 17-18 year old kids don't even know that it's possible to go bald at such a young age. They would think it's just temporary due to their diet or cheap shampoo or whatever.

 

[Smooth]

I knew straight away when I was losing it but that was 15yrs ago and there were no real treatments that were well known about. I dont think that there are people going bald and not realising it, everybody has mirrors and how could you not notice when combing your hair?

Because 17-18 year old kids don't even know that it's possible to go bald at such a young age. They would think it's just temporary due to their diet or cheap shampoo or whatever.

Not only, bad doctors might be the case too, when i started losing it at 17 (and it was noticable) i rushed to the best doctor within my area and i remeber hes worlds to this very day :"it is only naturale to have some hairs drop here and there, if you cant count more then 100 hairs on your pillow then you have nothing to worrie about"...he might have told this for my own sake so i wont take meds because of the young age,nonetheless it was my choice to make...i really think you should help your brother out here before its too late (and you know what... when he does lose it, then you really feel bad about it ....)

and my 18yo brother is going bald too, i was at the same position, i told him that hes probebel going bald, yet i didnt allow him to take meds so soon, we took some pics and agreed that if it doesnt stop in the next year, or if its getting really bad in the next 6 months, then i perosnaly buy him meds to stop it. (also try to make it less a impact you can tell him that its probebly nothing and by the time he goes completly bald there will be a cure out, but preventing is a must if you catch it in time imo)

 

[s.a.f]

I knew straight away when I was losing it but that was 15yrs ago and there were no real treatments that were well known about. I dont think that there are people going bald and not realising it, everybody has mirrors and how could you not notice when combing your hair?

Because 17-18 year old kids don't even know that it's possible to go bald at such a young age. They would think it's just temporary due to their diet or cheap shampoo or whatever.

I certainly knew, if m.p.b runs in your family and you get to the age where you're fully mature (ie shaving ect) then its obvious that if your hair is thinner or receeding that the bad genetics are kicking in. IMO you'd have to be pretty deluded to think that hairloss was a tempory diet problem.

 

[Anthony83]

I knew I was balding at 18 and 19. I saw a bald spot on the crown, and my college roommates said the same thing. I just had no idea there was anything I could do about it. If he is noticing that he is going bald, I think it would be the right thing to do to help him out. But, he is your brother, and I understand wanting to keep him innocent and ignorant of all of this mess.

Just keep an eye on his hair.

 

[Fundi]

I knew I was balding at 18 and 19. I saw a bald spot on the crown, and my college roommates said the same thing. I just had no idea there was anything I could do about it. If he is noticing that he is going bald, I think it would be the right thing to do to help him out. But, he is your brother, and I understand wanting to keep him innocent and ignorant of all of this mess.

Just keep an eye on his hair.

Like I said, if I'm ever sure he is I will tell him. I just don't want to worry him for no reason, if I told him he was balding and he spent the next 3 years worrying, miserable and depressed only to still have a full head of hair in 5 years time I'd feel pretty bad.