Hey Everyone,
I am a first time poster on this forum, and it is good to see the fact that I am not the only one around my age going through what seems to be male pattern baldness. I actually just noticed for the first time how thin my hair had gotten when a friend told me that I should put a cap on because I may risk burning my scalp out in the sun all day. All through my teen years, I had dark, thick, coarse, curly hair, much like that of my father. My mom's side of the family has had significant effects of male pattern baldness, and my brother showed the signs starting around the time he was 19. I originally thought that I had been spared from it, but it seems that I have gotten the trait, as in the past year (looking back at pictures) my hair has gotten fine, wispy, light, and much more straight. At my current rate, it looks as though I will catch up and even pass my brother in speed of hair loss (he is 24 now, and is looking pretty thin).
The hairline isn't receding too much, but it just seems to be getting very fine, and hair comes out even when I just run my hand through my hair. I know that much of this is normal, and have no idea how much past the standard 100 or so hairs per day I am. Is this normally how male pattern baldness kicks in, with just thinning diameter and then loss coming later? Anyway, I have times where I come to terms with the fact that I am losing my hair, but at others it is just extremely difficult. I have never really cared how my hair looked, as long as it was there (and it seems that the time has come when it wont.)
I had truly hoped that I could delay the onset of male pattern baldness at least into my 30's or 40's, but I'm pretty sure that's not the case. I have noticed in the past months that my scalp is rather itchy, and I have had some dandruff. Could this be a cause of the thin hair, or is it just time for me to face the facts and realize that I will probably be going bald before too long? I don't really think that I'm ready or thin enough to need rogaine (though, it could just be me not wanting to admit it since I am in my 20's, and don't know how comfortable I feel with the idea of taking a pill for the rest of my life. I definitely am not one to be excited about side effects, and I travel to third world countries on a fairly regular basis, so it could be hard to keep up a regimen). It all just seems like it has happened so fast. My barber recommended a shampoo called Nioxin, but I don't really trust anything like this to make much of a difference.
Any advice is appreciated (encouragement) appreciated. It would be so much easier if I could just be at peace with the fact that I am losing hair.
Here's a picture from a couple of weeks ago. Sorry about the bad crop and low-res. I had to make sure that I cropped my friend out of it.
I am a first time poster on this forum, and it is good to see the fact that I am not the only one around my age going through what seems to be male pattern baldness. I actually just noticed for the first time how thin my hair had gotten when a friend told me that I should put a cap on because I may risk burning my scalp out in the sun all day. All through my teen years, I had dark, thick, coarse, curly hair, much like that of my father. My mom's side of the family has had significant effects of male pattern baldness, and my brother showed the signs starting around the time he was 19. I originally thought that I had been spared from it, but it seems that I have gotten the trait, as in the past year (looking back at pictures) my hair has gotten fine, wispy, light, and much more straight. At my current rate, it looks as though I will catch up and even pass my brother in speed of hair loss (he is 24 now, and is looking pretty thin).
The hairline isn't receding too much, but it just seems to be getting very fine, and hair comes out even when I just run my hand through my hair. I know that much of this is normal, and have no idea how much past the standard 100 or so hairs per day I am. Is this normally how male pattern baldness kicks in, with just thinning diameter and then loss coming later? Anyway, I have times where I come to terms with the fact that I am losing my hair, but at others it is just extremely difficult. I have never really cared how my hair looked, as long as it was there (and it seems that the time has come when it wont.)
I had truly hoped that I could delay the onset of male pattern baldness at least into my 30's or 40's, but I'm pretty sure that's not the case. I have noticed in the past months that my scalp is rather itchy, and I have had some dandruff. Could this be a cause of the thin hair, or is it just time for me to face the facts and realize that I will probably be going bald before too long? I don't really think that I'm ready or thin enough to need rogaine (though, it could just be me not wanting to admit it since I am in my 20's, and don't know how comfortable I feel with the idea of taking a pill for the rest of my life. I definitely am not one to be excited about side effects, and I travel to third world countries on a fairly regular basis, so it could be hard to keep up a regimen). It all just seems like it has happened so fast. My barber recommended a shampoo called Nioxin, but I don't really trust anything like this to make much of a difference.
Any advice is appreciated (encouragement) appreciated. It would be so much easier if I could just be at peace with the fact that I am losing hair.
Here's a picture from a couple of weeks ago. Sorry about the bad crop and low-res. I had to make sure that I cropped my friend out of it.