Hello, I'm new here!

[Smokey91]

Hello, I'm new here! (Pics added)

Hello everyone. Been on these forums solidly for the last week or so... Decided to make an account tonight!

I've built up quite a bit of knowledge already, the main thing is I feel like I've descended into a depression following some events related to my hair in recent months...

Bit of background on myself:

I'm 23 years old, 24 next month. Been a musician my whole life and 3 years ago started to embark on a DJ career which has been quite succesfull and seen me play loads of gigs in my local area and also a few in London. I've recently started studying at Uni on a music business course in the hope I can further my knowledge of the industy enough to take my career to the next level.

Everyone on the local scene has always known me for my hair... Theres loads of DJs round here but I have managed to stand out due to my untamed mop of hair. To be honest, it was unintentional and a result of not being bothered to get it cut!

About 6~8 months ago me and a good mate, his girlfriend and her best friend (who I was seeing at the time) were back at mine after I had played a gig. We were just chatting and having a laugh but then all of a sudden they start saying it looks like I'm losing a bit of hair or whatever. I completely freak out and start running my hands through it and saying no your joking I've got loads of hair. I literally did not believe them.

Then a few months later, another comment saying it looks like I might be going a bit thin on top...

Couple more over the next few months...

Decided to go get a fresh trim and went super short, way shorter than its been since I was a child.

I started working in a shop close to my flat about 2 weeks ago which has CCTV all over the place. Basically a colleage came over to me with a screenshot of the CCTV image of the top of my head and theres a bald patch!

The flourescent lighting makes it looks really bad, but since seeing that image, I'm obsessed with it.

I'll upload some pictures to see if I can get some more opinions, but I do think I may be receeding from the front as well. I push all my hair forward while styling it which covers this up but when I get out of the shower, I do seem to have a "widows peek"...

Considering propecia and regaine, will talk to my GP as soon as I can get an appointment.

Feel like my life has been cut short and theres no milage in continuing to pursue a career in DJing if I'm going to go bald and it has been my life long dream and is so close to becoming a reality, I'm in bits.

Pictures of my head to follow, from years gone by and how it looks today!

Thanks anyone who takes the time to read this!

 

[Raz]

I can understand your pain, friend. It's really sucky to be losing hair no matter who you are, but even more sucky when it happens to a person whose image and identity revolve around their locks, more or less.

I also had the same thing happen to me (am a musical person and used to sport long and occassionally flashy haircuts, etc.) and I can tell you that while the shock goes away and the depression can be overcome - getting used to to the "new you" is not something that is easy to do - and rather than that - something you don't want to do. Being denied your youth when you are in your 20s is really saddening.

Now then... Without seeing any pictures it's pretty hard to assess the situation, so I am gonna be waiting on those. Going by text alone you sound like you're NW2 with some diffuse thinning? Dunno. At any rate, this is just guesses at best, so I'll get back to that when I see some pics.

At any rate, if you want to have any kind of success in the long run, you will want to get on a DHT-inhibitor (ie. Finasteride/Dutasteride). Whether Minoxidil is worth it or not depends on how far you're gone already.

 

[Smokey91]

I've still got a lot of hair at this point, its the thinning on the crown that other people have noticed, and then since acknowledging the crown issue, I've pulled it back and noticed the temples seem to be receeding too..!

Here are some pics of my hair in its current state:


Think I've caught it pretty early, thanks to having friends that have been pretty vocal about it...

The upsetting thing is, there is no history whatsoever of any balding on my Mum's side. All the men still have loads of hair... Dad's still got his, and its just my Grandad on he's side who lost his hair. But not till he was in he's 50's & 60's!

I'll be 24 next month and I'm not prepared to give it up without a fight!

 

[TD500]

finasteride/minoxidil asap!

You still have a lot of hair so your lucky on not starting treatment late in the game.

 

[Smokey91]

So based on the pics you would say that this is the start of male pattern baldness for me? Don't really want to believe it :sad:

Have an appointment booked with my GP for Thursday morning!

 

[TD500]

Ask your GP to refer you to a dermatologist, better chances of getting propecia and better evaluation of your hair. You know your options BIG 3, most importantly propecia.