Throughout my childhood and puberty, I had a thick head of hair; I never had thin hair. Many people commented on it. At around 18 1/2 years old, I noticed a receding hairline in the area of my right temple. Not much later, the same thing started occuring on the left temple as well. It took another year until I realized I was losing hair in my frontal area as well (easily visible when I'd been wearing a cap for a while and just taken it off). The bitemporal recession stopped or at the very least hasn't progressed much in the last couple of years. I'd say it's about a Norwood 2.5.
However, I've been losing hair across my scalp in a diffuse pattern. Now, at 26 1/2, I'd still say I'm only Norwood 2-2.5 in terms of coverage; my hairline is not great but not bad at all either. My hair is low density across my complete scalp, though. The loss of densitiy seems to be the same to me everywhere. Maybe, maybe, it's a wee bit worse in the vertex area, but I'm pretty sure this has more to do with the direction of the hair growth there (no overlapping because the hair forms a circle). Based on what little I've learned about hair loss types, it seems to me I have diffuse pattern Alopecia (DPA). Even though I take care of my hair, it is very oily and I have a lot of dandruff (had this problem as a child already).
On my mother's side, my grandfather had very little hairloss even in old age. My uncle has hairloss, but not overly much; his coverage is still decent; hair densitiy is bad, though. He appears to have started losing hair not until his thirties (maybe even early forties). My father is another story: He started losing hair at an early age (around 18-20) and is now a Norwood 6-7. He doesn't remember how exactly his hair loss progressed; from the one picture I have seen it seems to me that he definitely had bitemporal recession, although not very pronounced.
I tried a few "snake oil" remedies a couple of years ago that didn't help (surprise, surprise). I also used Rogaine for a short time. I dropped it because I suffered side-effects, most notably light-headedness and ache in the heart region (this lasted the whole two, three weeks I was taking it). I never tried Propecia and have no intention of doing so. I have a history of reacting strongly and weirdly to drugs and don't want to risk anything.
Even though I'd like a full head of hair, I'm not that much bothered by my hair loss so far. Part of the reason certainly is that because of my largely intact hairline, few people notice my hair loss, especially when I buzz cut my hair; when the hair is longer, the diffusion is not that visible either (because of overlapping); it's worst when my hair is medium short. I'm not so sure
about my reaction when/if the diffusion gets so bad that I can't cover it up anymore.
I've been asking myself the following questions:
- most important to me: Is there a possiblity that I might stagnate at my present stage? If not, what Norwood might I be heading for (the diffuse thinning across my whole scalp plus my father have me somewhat worried I'll be a Norwood 6 or 7 eventually)?
- Do I really have DPA? (I'm rather certain, but not totally sure).
- How common is DPA?
- Since I'm not willing to use two (Propecia, Minoxidil) of the Big Three and reluctant to try Nizoral (as I said, because I dont' take too well to meds), do I have any serious options for combatting hair loss? (I'm not expecting the unreasonable. I am keenly aware of the fact that I'm dismissing the most effective treatment and ready to accept the consequences.)
- Are there any mild anti-dandruff shampoos?
I'd highly appreciate any input.
Best
pleo[attachment=3:3v925ye5]2.JPG[/attachment:3v925ye5][attachment=4:3v925ye5]1.JPG[/attachment:3v925ye5][attachment=0:3v925ye5]5.JPG[/attachment:3v925ye5]
However, I've been losing hair across my scalp in a diffuse pattern. Now, at 26 1/2, I'd still say I'm only Norwood 2-2.5 in terms of coverage; my hairline is not great but not bad at all either. My hair is low density across my complete scalp, though. The loss of densitiy seems to be the same to me everywhere. Maybe, maybe, it's a wee bit worse in the vertex area, but I'm pretty sure this has more to do with the direction of the hair growth there (no overlapping because the hair forms a circle). Based on what little I've learned about hair loss types, it seems to me I have diffuse pattern Alopecia (DPA). Even though I take care of my hair, it is very oily and I have a lot of dandruff (had this problem as a child already).
On my mother's side, my grandfather had very little hairloss even in old age. My uncle has hairloss, but not overly much; his coverage is still decent; hair densitiy is bad, though. He appears to have started losing hair not until his thirties (maybe even early forties). My father is another story: He started losing hair at an early age (around 18-20) and is now a Norwood 6-7. He doesn't remember how exactly his hair loss progressed; from the one picture I have seen it seems to me that he definitely had bitemporal recession, although not very pronounced.
I tried a few "snake oil" remedies a couple of years ago that didn't help (surprise, surprise). I also used Rogaine for a short time. I dropped it because I suffered side-effects, most notably light-headedness and ache in the heart region (this lasted the whole two, three weeks I was taking it). I never tried Propecia and have no intention of doing so. I have a history of reacting strongly and weirdly to drugs and don't want to risk anything.
Even though I'd like a full head of hair, I'm not that much bothered by my hair loss so far. Part of the reason certainly is that because of my largely intact hairline, few people notice my hair loss, especially when I buzz cut my hair; when the hair is longer, the diffusion is not that visible either (because of overlapping); it's worst when my hair is medium short. I'm not so sure
about my reaction when/if the diffusion gets so bad that I can't cover it up anymore.
I've been asking myself the following questions:
- most important to me: Is there a possiblity that I might stagnate at my present stage? If not, what Norwood might I be heading for (the diffuse thinning across my whole scalp plus my father have me somewhat worried I'll be a Norwood 6 or 7 eventually)?
- Do I really have DPA? (I'm rather certain, but not totally sure).
- How common is DPA?
- Since I'm not willing to use two (Propecia, Minoxidil) of the Big Three and reluctant to try Nizoral (as I said, because I dont' take too well to meds), do I have any serious options for combatting hair loss? (I'm not expecting the unreasonable. I am keenly aware of the fact that I'm dismissing the most effective treatment and ready to accept the consequences.)
- Are there any mild anti-dandruff shampoos?
I'd highly appreciate any input.
Best
pleo[attachment=3:3v925ye5]2.JPG[/attachment:3v925ye5][attachment=4:3v925ye5]1.JPG[/attachment:3v925ye5][attachment=0:3v925ye5]5.JPG[/attachment:3v925ye5]
