Just one last time guys, please do answer.

[CrackedSkull]

The other day I posted a thread where I got some rather reassuring replies. However, the lighting in the photo showing my crown wasn’t good enough. This’ll (hopefully) be the last time I post on here so bear with me.

So, am I going bald?

I’ll mention just in case- my hair’s oily here and the photo’s with flash under the bathroom light. I’m turning 19 this year.
Coming to hair loss, I lose a few strands here and there when I style it, and 30 individual strands give or take, each wash. No other noteworthy hair loss.

Also had a lot of stress recently, acquired social anxiety(unrelated to hair) poor sleep and eating habits plus sedentary lifestyle. Barely went outside the last 2 years. Would fixing these help?

coming to family-
Dad- nearly 60, slight mature hairline, no balding
Paternal grandad- same

maternal grandad- started balding in his 40s
Maternal uncle- slightly receding, mid 40s

 

[fatelephant]

The answer is this: you don't know, we certainly don't know, but don't stress out about it.

I'll give more details:

1) We don't know. Some people have very thin hair naturally and never go bald. Yours does not appear to be "very thin" for what it's worth, just saying. It's normal to be able to see some scalp under your hair. Especially in harsh light or when your hair is oily or wet. And it's especially obvious when you have dark hair against lighter skin. Really, someone can only really tell if you're going bald or not by comparing it to previous photographs in exactly the same conditions. We have to see where you came from. So keep these photos and check again in six months.

2) Don't stress out. At 19 with your thick hair, you are not going to suddenly go bald in six months. You don't go bald over-night. It takes years. I was going bald for years before I even noticed I was going bald. You are obviously obsessing over it very early, so if you do go bald, you're going to catch it early. There is medication (namely minoxidil and finasteride) that will help you keep your hair and thicken it up if you do notice a definite degradation in six months. So you're safe. You have no reason to stress.

I would also add as a side-note, girls don't actually care. Broadly speaking. I mean, some girls really like guys with thick hair. Most girls really do not care either way. And some girls actually prefer bald guys, believe it or not. And let's be honest, we only care what our hair looks like because of girls, right? (or guys, if that's your thing). And they just don't care, honestly. A nice smile, looking them in the eye and listening is worth 10,000x the best hair in the world. So that's further reason not to stress out.

Lastly, I would advise against jumping on finasteride, especially at your age. It's not harmless, it blocks important male hormones and has other effects we don't even know about it. If you do actually start going bald, start with minoxodil. It worked thickening my hair up without finasteride and I'm 45 and Norwood 5-6!

 

[CrackedSkull]

The answer is this: you don't know, we certainly don't know, but don't stress out about it.

I'll give more details:

1) We don't know. Some people have very thin hair naturally and never go bald. Yours does not appear to be "very thin" for what it's worth, just saying. It's normal to be able to see some scalp under your hair. Especially in harsh light or when your hair is oily or wet. And it's especially obvious when you have dark hair against lighter skin. Really, someone can only really tell if you're going bald or not by comparing it to previous photographs in exactly the same conditions. We have to see where you came from. So keep these photos and check again in six months.

2) Don't stress out. At 19 with your thick hair, you are not going to suddenly go bald in six months. You don't go bald over-night. It takes years. I was going bald for years before I even noticed I was going bald. You are obviously obsessing over it very early, so if you do go bald, you're going to catch it early. There is medication (namely minoxidil and finasteride) that will help you keep your hair and thicken it up if you do notice a definite degradation in six months. So you're safe. You have no reason to stress.

I would also add as a side-note, girls don't actually care. Broadly speaking. I mean, some girls really like guys with thick hair. Most girls really do not care either way. And some girls actually prefer bald guys, believe it or not. And let's be honest, we only care what our hair looks like because of girls, right? (or guys, if that's your thing). And they just don't care, honestly. A nice smile, looking them in the eye and listening is worth 10,000x the best hair in the world. So that's further reason not to stress out.

Lastly, I would advise against jumping on finasteride, especially at your age. It's not harmless, it blocks important male hormones and has other effects we don't even know about it. If you do actually start going bald, start with minoxodil. It worked thickening my hair up without finasteride and I'm 45 and Norwood 5-6!

I appreciate the input, good sir. Just have two questions to ask you if it’s possible to answer-

1) if there is no change 6 months later, is it safe to say that there’s nothing more to worry about(at least for the next 2 decades or so)?

2) I’ve read up on all of the potential side effects finasteride can give you, and I agree. Bald is better than impotent, any day. What would you say about using topical finasteride rather than the oral one, though? Would that come without the side effects?

 

[fatelephant]

I appreciate the input, good sir. Just have two questions to ask you if it’s possible to answer-

1) if there is no change 6 months later, is it safe to say that there’s nothing more to worry about(at least for the next 2 decades or so)?

2) I’ve read up on all of the potential side effects finasteride can give you, and I agree. Bald is better than impotent, any day. What would you say about using topical finasteride rather than the oral one, though? Would that come without the side effects?

1) No, sorry. 19 is too young to know for sure. A lot of guys won't start going bald until their late 20s. But again ... don't stress out. If you keep an eye on it and catch it early, you really don't have much to worry about (again - you don't look like you're going bald to me now, but if, in the future, I mean).

2) I have just started topical finasteride myself using a 0.03% solution. From what I've read, the effect is almost as good without the side effects. I guess time will tell... ...for what it's worth - and again I do not recommend this for you as I don't even think you're going bald - but I've also read that taking as little as 0.2mg of finasteride orally (like half a propecia every second day) is almost as effective as 1mg but with a much reduced incidence of side effects. It's not just impotence either. The truth is we really don't know exactly what it does nor exactly how important DHT is, physiologically or psychologically.

 

[losingbattle88]

I appreciate the input, good sir. Just have two questions to ask you if it’s possible to answer-

1) if there is no change 6 months later, is it safe to say that there’s nothing more to worry about(at least for the next 2 decades or so)?

2) I’ve read up on all of the potential side effects finasteride can give you, and I agree. Bald is better than impotent, any day. What would you say about using topical finasteride rather than the oral one, though? Would that come without the side effects?

Topical goes systemic too.

 

[CrackedSkull]

Topical goes systemic too.

Aw, man. That’s disappointing. Hopefully I keep my hair for the next decade or so, and an actual cure for hair loss gets invented by then, liberating us all.

 

[CrackedSkull]

1) No, sorry. 19 is too young to know for sure. A lot of guys won't start going bald until their late 20s. But again ... don't stress out. If you keep an eye on it and catch it early, you really don't have much to worry about (again - you don't look like you're going bald to me now, but if, in the future, I mean).

2) I have just started topical finasteride myself using a 0.03% solution. From what I've read, the effect is almost as good without the side effects. I guess time will tell... ...for what it's worth - and again I do not recommend this for you as I don't even think you're going bald - but I've also read that taking as little as 0.2mg of finasteride orally (like half a propecia every second day) is almost as effective as 1mg but with a much reduced incidence of side effects. It's not just impotence either. The truth is we really don't know exactly what it does nor exactly how important DHT is, physiologically or psychologically.

Yeah…There’s likely too much uncertainty when it comes to the several potential interactions dht has in the body. Guess only time will tell if we’ll figure those out.
Thank you once again, for the response, and good day.