ChrisW1980uk's Story.

[ChrisW1980uk]

After being a long time lurker, since 2007, I felt it was time to get involved on here. I'm not sure where to start, but here goes.

I first noticed my hairline had changed back in 2005 when people started commenting on it. I immediately flew into a panic and started researching hairloss. After spending many hours online, I came to the conclusion that I had a mature hairline. Then I gave it no more thought. Then in 2006, with the popularity of the emo hairstyle, I decided that I would try to emulate it. I grew my fringe, but as my hair is fine, it would never stay down. I used to wax to keep my fringe down (making it look thinner). After growing my hair out, I was disappointed with my result and then started to have my hair cut short again.

It was at this point I was convinced that I was going bald, and that it wasn't a mature hairline. I've always been told I look young for my age, how could I be going bald? How would I look with a youthful face and going bald? This coincided with a number of issues in both my personal and professional life. So I found myself obsessing over my hair, but not knowing how to treat it. I buried my head in the sand until 2008, when I started to look into Propecia. Hearing the various horror stories put me off for another year.

I went to my doctors for advice, and my 50-something GP looked at my temples, told me I was going bald and that I should just shave it all off. This didn't seem like an acceptable option, as I have a funny shaped head, and coupled with a tiny chin! So I decided to bite the bullet and order some Proscar to quarter. I started in Jan 2009 and have been taking it ever since. I've never had any of the side effects, and my hair started to thicken up, after about a year. I don't think I've had cosmetically noticeable regrowth, other than a few vellus hairs turning terminal. However, maintaining what I had felt like a victory, and I stopped worrying about my hair.

Now in the interests of honesty, I've suffered low self esteem all my life. Prior to worrying about my hair, I spent a long time hating that I was short (5ft4). I just transferred my neuroses over to my hair. I'm not sure what norwood I am, as looking at my 2000 picture, my temple points were thin then, and I had a high hairline by the looks of things.

I'd be interested to hear any comments. I'm not complaining about my hair at all, as I'm 31 and can't expect to have a juvenile hairline, and I'm not to sure I ever had one in all honesty!

 

[ChrisW1980uk]

So what norwood do you think I am guys?

 

[ChrisW1980uk]

Another quick question. Would it be worthwhile introducing Minoxidil and Nizoral to my regime in order to thicken up my temple points? Or am I better just sticking to Proscar? Many Thanks!

 

[ChrisW1980uk]

Anybody?

 

[palgato]

Hello Chris, coincidentally I'm also an alternative-emo guy, and I look younger as well, I'm 37 and people think I'm just 30, even now I use short hairstyle.
I belong to a famous spanish forum of alopecia, there people helps a lot.

I think you have alopecia but very mild and slow (which is good), forget about norwood scale you still have tons of hair. Minoxidil (rogaine) is intended as a last resource, I don't recommend you for now because if you are not constant you could lose even more hair.

You will be able to use this hairstyle for at least 7 or 8 years I guess. Minoxidil as you said has sad histories when people quits it after several months or years, because a new dependence is created; the correct use of minoxidil IS FOR LIFE in the 95% of the cases. I think you should continue with finasteride until time comes.

I don't recommend you minoxidil now but nizoral twice a week is always healthy, it maintains you scalp fungus free. Certainly minoxidil is the only thing that helps in the template but I still see enough hair for your hairstyle.

saludos amigo

 

[ChrisW1980uk]

Hello Chris, coincidentally I'm also an alternative-emo guy, and I look younger as well, I'm 37 and people think I'm just 30, even now I use short hairstyle.
I belong to a famous spanish forum of alopecia, there people helps a lot.

I think you have alopecia but very mild and slow (which is good), forget about norwood scale you still have tons of hair. Minoxidil (rogaine) is intended as a last resource, I don't recommend you for now because if you are not constant you could lose even more hair.

You will be able to use this hairstyle for at least 7 or 8 years I guess. Minoxidil as you said has sad histories when people quits it after several months or years, because a new dependence is created; the correct use of minoxidil IS FOR LIFE in the 95% of the cases. I think you should continue with finasteride until time comes.

I don't recommend you minoxidil now but nizoral twice a week is always healthy, it maintains you scalp fungus free. Certainly minoxidil is the only thing that helps in the template but I still see enough hair for your hairstyle.

saludos amigo

Thank you for taking the time to comment. I'm in two minds about Minoxidil, because as you say,if I was inconsistent in the application, I could lose the hairs I have that I'd like to thicken. However, in the case of my temple points, I've tried dying them but the dye never seems to take, unlike the rest of my hair. They seemed to have miniaturised very quickly, leaving hairs that will grow to a decent length but that are without pigment. Also, in the actual temple/hairline area I have a number of blond/clear hairs that if I could get to have some colour, would make a significant cosmetic difference. You can't see these on the pictures that I've posted, but I'll try and take some close ups later and upload them, along with a few of my hair pulled back rather than brushed forward.

I guess Propecia has done a good job in maintaining in my case, and for that I'm very thankful. Looking back at my pictures, I've always had a high hairline/ big forehead, which I guess is a bad starting point, as any recession is more noticeable. From what I can gather, I'm a NW2, but part of my hairline is where the top wrinkle is on my foreead. This is why I was asking for opinion, as it's confusing! But equally, I can see that I'm very critical of myself, as a depressive. Like I said it used to be my height that I obsessed over!

Anyway thanks once again my good sir!

 

[ChrisW1980uk]

Thank you Ben. I was never really sure about where I fell on the Norwood Chart as I've seen people with a NW3 recession, but their hairline actually seems to start lower than mine, but with much steeper recession. I suppose I've fallen into the getting greedy category, as I'd love a lower hairline. Then again, I look at some of the particularly young guys and think that I'm being ridiculous at my age, and should count myself lucky!

 

[ChrisW1980uk]

Hi Chris am a few years younger than you but gotta say our stories and loss are pretty similar. My hair has a lot to do with how young I feel, and knowing that I am balding is stopping me from enjoying what should be the best years of my life. If I knew I was going to be able to maintain the level of hair you have by 30 I would be out partying in the streets right now. Your hair is looking great Peace

Thank you for your kind comments Robin. I had a look to see if I could find any pictures of yours on a thread, but it came up blank! How old are you mate? I think it's because I have always been told I look young (which I hated, how ironic!) and then to find my hairline receeding albeit slightly, came as a big shock. I think it also had something to do with the fact I was single then, and wasn't settled where I wanted to be in life (not that I am now, despite being much happier) and I then focused my self criticism on my hair. I hadn't really paid it wast amounts of thought before, I just took it for granted.

That's what I've found difficult to explain to some of my friends who either have no hairloss/have minimal like me but with much thicker hair or friends whose hairloss is worse but they aren't bothered by it. Now I've been very open socially about my use of Propecia, and have mentioned it on a number of occasions on my Facebook and also when asked by friends, "What are those hair tablets you're taking?". However none of them have started any meds whatsoever! Maybe I'm a combination of vain and self-critical. But it's really nice to hear comments like yours, as it's something I spent many years obsessing over, and I guess I still don't have an objective opinion of it. So thank you dude!

 

[ChrisW1980uk]

wow

Wow what dude?

 

[Breaking Bald]

I think he is saying 'wow' because your hair really does not look bad at all! Are you sure you have male pattern baldness? Do you have any pictures from your younger years to confirm that you have actually receded at the hairline?

 

[ChrisW1980uk]

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[ChrisW1980uk]

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[Night]

NW2, just stick with Propecia. There is NOTHING wrong with being a NW2. That is not 'balding'.

 

[ChrisW1980uk]

Bloody hell, does anyone have any good stories about NHS GPs when it comes to male pattern baldness?

I've been told a few times recently that by board members that I may not have male pattern baldness at all. It's hard for me to show on these pictures as I took them myself, but there is an island starting to form in my hair in the NW3 pattern. If I could have had a definitive answer years ago, I wouldn't now be stuck between a rock and a hard place taking Propecia. Obviously I'd be happy to stop if it wasn't needed, but I don't want to take the chance.

- - - Updated - - -

NW2, just stick with Propecia. There is NOTHING wrong with being a NW2. That is not 'balding'.

I'm happy with how my hair is now, but that's after taking Propecia for over 3 years. My hair wasn't like this before I started taking it

 

[Night]

No doubt, but you have good results. Don't add more to your regimen. What you are doing is working great. Just stick with it, when you see it failing, add something else.

 

[ChrisW1980uk]

The only thing I think I might add is nizoral, as the minoxidil has made my head itchy and I still seem to get these odd little spots round my hairline, hopefully the nizoral will help with both of them

- - - Updated - - -

Days like today I really wonder whether the site is called hairLOSStalk or Baldtalk. I clearly do have hairloss, which I freely admit is minor, and I was lucky that it was caught in time but it seems that as my opinion and experience doesn't correlate with certain members, that I'm becoming some sort of hate figure. My anecdotal "evidence" is invalid, yet their anecdotes are "facts".

 

[ChrisW1980uk]

Once again, told I'm a NW1 so thanks to those who posted, sadly you were wrong

 

[ChrisW1980uk]

Is anyone using Kirkland Minoxidil? I'm finding it gives me a really itchy head. Is this the alcohol? Do any of you have any tips to reduce the itch? Thanks in advance

 

[antman]

maybe try experimenting with min like adding it when
your scalp is very wet or
adding a hair moisturiser after application or
using a bit of oil

 

[ChrisW1980uk]

I've had to knock the minoxidil on the head for now. It's just making my scalp so itchy, that I scratch until it scabs. It's still itchy now, which seems strange. I'll see if I lose any hair, and if I don't then I'll keep off it. If I do, I'll have to look into other options. I think it's the alcohol that's causing me problems