So it's probably time for me to get on the 'Big 3' train everyone's talking about...

[theEvergreen]

So about a year ago or at the very least, many months ago, I posted here that it looked like my hair was starting to thin, etc, etc. Anyways, over the course of those months, I've noticed increased shedding and a lot of pokey-like hairs sticking up through my hairline/all over my head. I think I've got some extreme diffuse thinning going on and it doesn't seem to show any signs of stopping. Even the hair on the sides of my head has become increasingly thin. I was going to grow it long one last time and go out with a bang, but I fear my hair/hairline has become an unworkable mess at this point and I'm probably going to have to shave it off in order to not look terrible. Attached are some photos from about 2 weeks ago when I checked it out in the mirror.

A little backstory here is that I'm 30, currently unemployed, mother's father has hairloss, but of the normal variety, not diffuse thinning. I kind of have a limited budget, but depression is starting to ruin me completely and I barely try to put myself together to leave the house anymore. I dunno. I don't know what to do. Most people don't notice it but it's glaring at me in the mirror anymore. I have an extremely asymmetrical hairline and I used to cover it up by combing it over that side and it looked fine, but now it's getting harder and harder.

I guess my main questions are, if I didn't want to shave my head, would minoxidil and propecia be fine to start using with medium-ish hair? Does it look like I'm too late to get any of this back, or did I wait too long? I can post pics from about a year and a half ago before this all started happening if you'd like.

Disclaimer: I know this post seems kind of trollish, because I still do have a lot of hair, but I feel like at this point the anxiety is pretty crippling because of it. Hair is all I had going for me to be honest and to lose it in such a way (diffuse thinning) is kind of depressing.

 

[kmm179]

Definitely not to late for propecia or minoxidil. Also really isnt that bad. I can relate mine isnt that bad but yeah just the crippling mental effects of having it happen young can drive you crazy. Also if your crown is fine and propecia maintains the front or gives you any regrowth no one would be able to tell you had hairloss.

 

[Bred Pittsburgh]

No reason to feel yourself like a troller. You obviously have male pattern baldness and some day you you will be bald as well. You can be happy that you still have so great hair with 30. It is progressing slowly. You can start to take some treatment to prolong the process a bit more from now. You can get some Finasteride cheap if you are on lower budget but keep in mind the possible side effects. I would start with a small dosage which will may already have some good impact.

I actually like your hairline. I would not have noticed it unless you would have pointed it out. Also like the way you stile your hair. It does not look like you lack some confidence or something

 

[theEvergreen]

Thanks guys. Yeah, like on this day in particular I snapped these pictures because it was the worst I've seen it. My hairline itself is intact, and not receding. It's pretty much always been like this my entire adult life. I was in a bit of a tired daze yesterday hence the intense anxiety. Do you guys think I should buzz it before I start using the products so that they all grow in almost in unison?

 

[DoctorHouse]

So about a year ago or at the very least, many months ago, I posted here that it looked like my hair was starting to thin, etc, etc. Anyways, over the course of those months, I've noticed increased shedding and a lot of pokey-like hairs sticking up through my hairline/all over my head. I think I've got some extreme diffuse thinning going on and it doesn't seem to show any signs of stopping. Even the hair on the sides of my head has become increasingly thin. I was going to grow it long one last time and go out with a bang, but I fear my hair/hairline has become an unworkable mess at this point and I'm probably going to have to shave it off in order to not look terrible. Attached are some photos from about 2 weeks ago when I checked it out in the mirror.

A little backstory here is that I'm 30, currently unemployed, mother's father has hairloss, but of the normal variety, not diffuse thinning. I kind of have a limited budget, but depression is starting to ruin me completely and I barely try to put myself together to leave the house anymore. I dunno. I don't know what to do. Most people don't notice it but it's glaring at me in the mirror anymore. I have an extremely asymmetrical hairline and I used to cover it up by combing it over that side and it looked fine, but now it's getting harder and harder.

I guess my main questions are, if I didn't want to shave my head, would minoxidil and propecia be fine to start using with medium-ish hair? Does it look like I'm too late to get any of this back, or did I wait too long? I can post pics from about a year and a half ago before this all started happening if you'd like.

Disclaimer: I know this post seems kind of trollish, because I still do have a lot of hair, but I feel like at this point the anxiety is pretty crippling because of it. Hair is all I had going for me to be honest and to lose it in such a way (diffuse thinning) is kind of depressing.

Your concern is understandable as you are starting to diffuse in the center of your hairline which is how mine started as well. Looks like you are going to be a NWA pattern. If you can show your hair wet, we can see the pattern even better. Overall, now is the time to start treatments to slow things down if are so concerned about your hair. However, the rest of the world is not going to notice anything is wrong at the moment.

 

[abcdefg]

A lot of people arent very sympathetic towards someone with most of their hair, but even small amounts of hair loss can change how you view or feel about yourself. If it bothers you I say see a doctor and try propecia I think its actually pretty cheap at certain places and you can chop it up into 4 pieces so 90 day script will last you one year so less then 10 a month. I might try that myself for cost reasons

 

[theEvergreen]

Your concern is understandable as you are starting to diffuse in the center of your hairline which is how mine started as well. Looks like you are going to be a NWA pattern. If you can show your hair wet, we can see the pattern even better. Overall, now is the time to start treatments to slow things down if are so concerned about your hair. However, the rest of the world is not going to notice anything is wrong at the moment.

Here it is wet. Please excuse my gigantic nose, haha.

 

[DoctorHouse]

Here it is wet. Please excuse my gigantic nose, haha.View attachment 36632

Still looks great even wet. You have just slight thinning at the hairline and temples but overall your hair is still in great shape.

 

[theEvergreen]

Still looks great even wet. You have just slight thinning at the hairline and temples but overall your hair is still in great shape.

Thanks for your input man, for real. Do you think I would be better off buzzing it before starting on a regimen or could I keep growing it long? Also, doctors literally will not prescribe me Propecia. Even when I had insurance I went to them and they said there's no need to. I realize that my thinning might even stop here for the next 10 years, but who knows. Is there any way to get Propecia or something similar without a script? Looked on Amazon but I keep getting these 'miracle' vitamins showing up.

 

[richieb]

Hair Looks good, the big 3 are probably the best option.. presuming you don't get any sides.

 

[DoctorHouse]

Thanks for your input man, for real. Do you think I would be better off buzzing it before starting on a regimen or could I keep growing it long? Also, doctors literally will not prescribe me Propecia. Even when I had insurance I went to them and they said there's no need to. I realize that my thinning might even stop here for the next 10 years, but who knows. Is there any way to get Propecia or something similar without a script? Looked on Amazon but I keep getting these 'miracle' vitamins showing up.

You don't need to buzz your hair when it has minor thinning. I would keep it the length you have now. You have to go to a Hair Transplant doctor for a consultation and he can give you a script.

 

[theEvergreen]

You don't need to buzz your hair when it has minor thinning. I would keep it the length you have now. You have to go to a Hair Transplant doctor for a consultation and he can give you a script.

Thanks man. Was worried that the shed that everyone talks about would make it worse. Only reason I would buzz it. One or 2 more questions though. Will a script cost more without insurance? Same for the appointment. I don't want to blow all my money on just a visit and a script if I can avoid it. I actually don't even know where to go in my area. Guess I'll have to figure that out. Thanks again.

 

[DoctorHouse]

Thanks man. Was worried that the shed that everyone talks about would make it worse. Only reason I would buzz it. One or 2 more questions though. Will a script cost more without insurance? Same for the appointment. I don't want to blow all my money on just a visit and a script if I can avoid it. I actually don't even know where to go in my area. Guess I'll have to figure that out. Thanks again.

Don't know what country you live in but in the United States, getting medication for hair loss that is strictly due to male pattern baldness is not covered by insurance. However, some of the hair transplant doctors here will give you a free evaluation to see if in the future or present you will be a good hair transplant candidate. And they may give you a script for finasteride if you ask.

 

[biddybomb]

I'd like to see some better pics tbh, ur hairline looks absolutely fine to me, are you positive you are diffusing?

 

[abcdefg]

Could you get a prescription from say a derm and then just go back to your normal doctor for refills? I was thinking of doing that since the docs wont prescribe it, but the derm would. The derm is more expensive though so I rather go back to Doctor

 

[theEvergreen]

I'd like to see some better pics tbh, ur hairline looks absolutely fine to me, are you positive you are diffusing?

I think I actually posted the ones where it's the worst that I could find, haha. It looks really bad in directly overhead bright lights. I dunno. I'm either going bald slowly, or I'm finally getting a mature hairline. I used to be depressed about it, but the longer my hair gets, the lesser I worry. Regardless if it's thinning or not, I still have a TON of volume.

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Could you get a prescription from say a derm and then just go back to your normal doctor for refills? I was thinking of doing that since the docs wont prescribe it, but the derm would. The derm is more expensive though so I rather go back to Doctor

I actually went to a derm and he said I thinned/receeded a little bit that he could tell, but I'd have what I have now probably into my 60s and said Propecia wasn't really worth it. I generally trust doctors so I didn't want to bug him about it. Plus I was mostly there for a checkup after a major breakout of seborrhea.