I know, I know people will always look for another explanation for their hairloss besides male pattern baldness, but hear me out here.
I am 23 years old. Last year I traveled abroad for about 6 months. During that time I lost a ton of weight very rapidly- Like 5 pounds a week, no lie. I went from 300 pounds to 220 in 4 months ( I was rather overweight). Anyway, during that time I noticed I that my hair had thinned out in a line. from my right temple back towards the crown, right in the area where I run my hand through my hair to style/quaff it (I use my left hand to style and part it towards the right. When I went back home, a friend commented on how he could see a vein on my forehead where he couldn't before, I later realized that this was because my temple peak had receded revealing a vein that it typically covered by it. The temple on the other side receded shortly thereafter and my hair thinned throughout albeit more on top than the sides, but the pull test came up positive on all areas. I also lost chest hair, pubic hair and hair from my eyebrows and eyelashes during this time, so it was evident that something weird was happening.
Over the next few months I lost an insane amount of hair, like 50 to 100 strands of hair on my pillow every morning, at least 300 hairs throughout the course of the day. Previously, I barely ever shed hair. I could seriously run my hands through my hair all day and never lose a strand (This was my first indication that something was up) During this time I also noticed that my hairline had receded in the corners as well as the temple peaks in the classic male pattern baldness like fashion. It was like they were there one day and gone the next, no progressive thinning and shedding, just gone.
Anyway, throughout this whole time I just sort of assumed it was Telogen effluvium because It coincided with the weight loss and there is very little baldness in my family.
-My Dad died with a full head of hair at 48, Both of my uncles on his side have their hair. I never met my grandfather on my Dad's side so I cant speak to his hairloss
-One of my Mother's brothers is balding at age 50 (Norwood 4, no vertex balding), the other has his hair at age 45 (although it has changed texture in his later years going from straight to curly, apparently this is common with the men on my grandmothers side) My Grandfather on my mothers side has only recently started to lose his hair at age 77 and has an enviable amount of hair for men his age (Norwood 2/3 maybe?)
Anyway, my question is can Telogen effluvium cause bitemporal recession? I got on finasteride because I was freaked out and have been on it for about 4 months. I noticed recently that the temple peak that had receded first on the right has creeped forward so the vein that was exposed is no longer visable, but no luck on the temples proper as far as I can tell. This is freaking me out because the rest of my hair has thickened up since, almost back to normal but not quite. Should I just assume I have male pattern baldness? Can telogen Effluvium start male pattern baldness? Can they coexist? I never had any hair problems prior to this incidence and with my families history of hair loss being mild I never really thought I would have to worry about it so early in my lifetime.
TLDR; DEFINITELY Had a bad bout of telogen effluvium after dramatic weightloss, lost hair from all over the body and all over scalp and my hairline receded during this time as well (temples and temple peaks). Been on finasteride for 4 months. Hair has thickened up dramatically. Temple peaks have begun to creep forward BUT NO LUCK ON THE TEMPLES THEMSELVES. Should I just assume I have male pattern baldness or Telogen Effluvium or both?
Thanks you in advance for any responses.
I am 23 years old. Last year I traveled abroad for about 6 months. During that time I lost a ton of weight very rapidly- Like 5 pounds a week, no lie. I went from 300 pounds to 220 in 4 months ( I was rather overweight). Anyway, during that time I noticed I that my hair had thinned out in a line. from my right temple back towards the crown, right in the area where I run my hand through my hair to style/quaff it (I use my left hand to style and part it towards the right. When I went back home, a friend commented on how he could see a vein on my forehead where he couldn't before, I later realized that this was because my temple peak had receded revealing a vein that it typically covered by it. The temple on the other side receded shortly thereafter and my hair thinned throughout albeit more on top than the sides, but the pull test came up positive on all areas. I also lost chest hair, pubic hair and hair from my eyebrows and eyelashes during this time, so it was evident that something weird was happening.
Over the next few months I lost an insane amount of hair, like 50 to 100 strands of hair on my pillow every morning, at least 300 hairs throughout the course of the day. Previously, I barely ever shed hair. I could seriously run my hands through my hair all day and never lose a strand (This was my first indication that something was up) During this time I also noticed that my hairline had receded in the corners as well as the temple peaks in the classic male pattern baldness like fashion. It was like they were there one day and gone the next, no progressive thinning and shedding, just gone.
Anyway, throughout this whole time I just sort of assumed it was Telogen effluvium because It coincided with the weight loss and there is very little baldness in my family.
-My Dad died with a full head of hair at 48, Both of my uncles on his side have their hair. I never met my grandfather on my Dad's side so I cant speak to his hairloss
-One of my Mother's brothers is balding at age 50 (Norwood 4, no vertex balding), the other has his hair at age 45 (although it has changed texture in his later years going from straight to curly, apparently this is common with the men on my grandmothers side) My Grandfather on my mothers side has only recently started to lose his hair at age 77 and has an enviable amount of hair for men his age (Norwood 2/3 maybe?)
Anyway, my question is can Telogen effluvium cause bitemporal recession? I got on finasteride because I was freaked out and have been on it for about 4 months. I noticed recently that the temple peak that had receded first on the right has creeped forward so the vein that was exposed is no longer visable, but no luck on the temples proper as far as I can tell. This is freaking me out because the rest of my hair has thickened up since, almost back to normal but not quite. Should I just assume I have male pattern baldness? Can telogen Effluvium start male pattern baldness? Can they coexist? I never had any hair problems prior to this incidence and with my families history of hair loss being mild I never really thought I would have to worry about it so early in my lifetime.
TLDR; DEFINITELY Had a bad bout of telogen effluvium after dramatic weightloss, lost hair from all over the body and all over scalp and my hairline receded during this time as well (temples and temple peaks). Been on finasteride for 4 months. Hair has thickened up dramatically. Temple peaks have begun to creep forward BUT NO LUCK ON THE TEMPLES THEMSELVES. Should I just assume I have male pattern baldness or Telogen Effluvium or both?
Thanks you in advance for any responses.