I don't see much gaslighting on here. More overly negative responses from people who's hairloss has impacted their personality resulting in a dissatisfied outlook.
Lesson is if you want an honest answer of how you look, don't ask bitter men on a hairloss forum. Just because someone is negative doesn't automatically mean he is being honest.
The OP might not be brad pitt but he's certainly not ugly imo.
I see it as balding men venting their anger.
If for whatever reason you do ask these questions and recieve OTT hateful responses just check the users previous thread comments, you will quickly build the picture I'm taking about.