What our peoples attitudes on thinning on top/diffusion?

[Hope4hairRedux]

Thinning - thats the real motherfucker.

Ive been slowly receeding now for a while. So far I have been able to adapt more or less. It has dented my confidence and self esteem, and I have gone through depressive periods and still do due to hair loss, but by and large, I'm not taking it too badly at the moment.

But I realise that anything that I have got past so far is nothing. Thinning is the ultimate fuckery. Lots of my friends around 20 are thinning. Some seem to have started thinning in a very short time. There is one guy who might be obvoiusly bald in a year or so. Literally 6 months ago I never noticed any thinning, now its pretty obvoius. It just happens so quickly. I feel so sorry for these guys. Thinning is really what makes people look shitty. I just dont know how im going to cope with it. I know its kind of sad to moan about something that hasnt already happened, but the reality is that its more than likely to occur sooner or later.

Thinning can destroy looks. Completely destroy looks. Its fucked. Part of my preperation and philosophy is to 'expect the worst'. This way when sh*t hits the fan, your at least semi ready for the suffering to come. But still.

f*** me, life as a bald man depresses the sh*t into me. It really does. There is a chance it wont be too bad, but still, its going to be bad. Seroiusly. Bald for the rest of my life. Its just too much to comprehend sometimes. Even though I have been slowly receeding for a few years, the thought of thinning is something else.

I hate feeling like a freak ogre, like some despicable monster because of my hair loss. Some horrid abomination that no one wants to know. f***. f***. f***.

It can only get worse from this moment. Yay!

 

[Smooth]

your not alone there... that's all i can say, its fucked up, but who says that life has to be fair.... until (if at all) a cure comes out, stay in focus about things that hair loss doesn't effect, like school/job/health/friends/ family etc etc.. the only aspect that it really is a physical obstacle would be picking up chicks... thats the only *direct* thing it can actually has the potential to destroy.
Just remeber your not alone in the struggle, even if things will get worse keep reminding yourself that "at best" it will slow down picking chicks, other then that it really is nothing to be worried about.

 

[Gene_Fighter]

I feel for you man, I'm in the same exact boat. I would have to disagree on one point however: A receding hairline is the ultimate fuckery! Thinning and diffusion you can at least combat; with a receding hairline, if you really have male pattern baldness, you're simply fucked.

Honestly, I think Male Pattern Baldness is one of THE MOST UNDERRATED conditions effecting men, in that NO ONE outside of the balding community takes it seriously at all. They all just shrug, mask it over with dull jokes, unconsciously or knowingly lower their physical perception of you, and secretly say to themselves, "Well thank God that's not me, right?"

But look at it from a balding man's perspective: male pattern baldness COMPLETELY CHANGES THE WAY THE WORLD PERCEIVES YOU. Only the worst diseases known to humankind have a similar effect. Why then is male pattern baldness not taken more seriously as a potentially extremely-debilitating psychological condition? I believe it’s just because the majority of men out there don’t have to worry about male pattern baldness, so they can’t understand, and frankly: would rather not to; after all, why bother if it doesn’t concern you? And if it makes you feel a little better about yourself seeing someone with an imperfection, then all the better, right?

And I think particularly male pattern baldness can have its most traumatizing effect at any early age, say in your late teens and early twenties, when we are all just beginning to form crucially-important life relationships, and we might feel a little bit insecure and immature at this point, and highly-dependant on our physical appearance for confidence, and self-identity. Losing your hair at this age is in many ways like losing your identity: that aspiring image of yourself you have framed in your mind is quickly slipping away… At thirty, or forty—it’s different. Most of us by that age should have already solidified our identities and built the foundations for fulfilling, lasting relationships. But at nineteen, twenty… On top of everything else a young adult must deal with, it can be extremely emotionally taxing.

I hear you man. I’ve been there—and I’m still there, dealing with it any way I can. When I was sixteen-to-nineteen, I literally could have almost any girl I wanted (had I the emotional and social maturity to capitalize on every one); and I don’t exaggerate or self-grandize when I say that. Some of the chicks I dated I look back on now, four years later, and I can hardly believe it happened…

I’m twenty-three now, and in the four years since, my hair line has receded a solid inch-and-a-half at least. Regardless of my physical appearance (with a quick look you can easily tell I’m destined to be bald, but I think I look ok) my self-confidence has taken a serious toll. It is much harder for me to find a date now, and I also suffer from bouts of depression and a lowered self-esteem.

Can I see some hope for me now in recapturing my youthful self-image and youthful aspirations? Really, I can't see any hope at the moment—but I’m constantly searching, at least. My hair-loss pushes me to live this life to the fullest in any way I can—because I know I don’t have much time left to look the way I want while doing it. I take every step I can to stop my hair-loss, knowing full-well that in the long-run, it simply can’t be stopped. male pattern baldness at an early age does suck, yes it is sad, having a part of your youth stolen from you prematurely—I don’t deny any of this—but at the same time I try to make the best of male pattern baldness, instead of the other way around.

Don't completely despair man--I'm not going to say there is hope and your future is going to be exactly as you imagined it--but there can be understanding. Take it as it is and try to learn from it.

Btw how old are you, Hope4hair?

 

[Hope4hairRedux]

quote="birk"]Just curious, how old are you Hope4hairRedux?[/quote]

Im 20, too young for this sh*t. Life isnt meant to be 'fair' but still, having a large part of your looks taken away from you ranks pretty low on the list.

But look at it from a balding man's perspective: male pattern baldness COMPLETELY CHANGES THE WAY THE WORLD PERCEIVES YOU. Only the worst diseases known to humankind have a similar effect. Why then is male pattern baldness not taken more seriously as a potentially extremely-debilitating psychological condition? I believe it’s just because the majority of men out there don’t have to worry about male pattern baldness, so they can’t understand, and frankly: would rather not to; after all, why bother if it doesn’t concern you? And if it makes you feel a little better about yourself seeing someone with an imperfection, then all the better, right?

And I think particularly male pattern baldness can have its most traumatizing effect at any early age, say in your late teens and early twenties, when we are all just beginning to form crucially-important life relationships, and we might feel a little bit insecure and immature at this point, and highly-dependant on our physical appearance for confidence, and self-identity. Losing your hair at this age is in many ways like losing your identity: that aspiring image of yourself you have framed in your mind is quickly slipping away… At thirty, or forty—it’s different. Most of us by that age should have already solidified our identities and built the foundations for fulfilling, lasting relationships. But at nineteen, twenty… On top of everything else a young adult must deal with, it can be extremely emotionally taxing.

I hear you man. I’ve been there—and I’m still there, dealing with it any way I can. When I was sixteen-to-nineteen, I literally could have almost any girl I wanted (had I the emotional and social maturity to capitalize on every one); and I don’t exaggerate or self-grandize when I say that. Some of the chicks I dated I look back on now, four years later, and I can hardly believe it happened…

I’m twenty-three now, and in the four years since, my hair line has receded a solid inch-and-a-half at least. Regardless of my physical appearance (with a quick look you can easily tell I’m destined to be bald, but I think I look ok) my self-confidence has taken a serious toll. It is much harder for me to find a date now, and I also suffer from bouts of depression and a lowered self-esteem.

Can I see some hope for me now in recapturing my youthful self-image and youthful aspirations? Really, I can't see any hope at the moment—but I’m constantly searching, at least. My hair-loss pushes me to live this life to the fullest in any way I can—because I know I don’t have much time left to look the way I want while doing it. I take every step I can to stop my hair-loss, knowing full-well that in the long-run, it simply can’t be stopped. male pattern baldness at an early age does suck, yes it is sad, having a part of your youth stolen from you prematurely—I don’t deny any of this—but at the same time I try to make the best of male pattern baldness, instead of the other way around.

Don't completely despair man--I'm not going to say there is hope and your future is going to be exactly as you imagined it--but there can be understanding. Take it as it is and try to learn from it.

Btw how old are you, Hope4hair?

Very good post. I think the issue surrounding self identity is a massive if not the most important part of the suffering around hair loss. Our hair gives us a sense of individuality, a sense of this is me, that is you. Your hair can be different to everyone elses - it marks you in your own way. So male pattern baldness strips that all away. So your self identity is stripped.

I hate the sense that im running out of time. As you say you want to live life to the full until sh*t really hits the fan. Even when a girl compliments me on my looks - sure the compliment itself is ego fufilling and nice - but when its likely that 5 years down the line I may look compleltely different it almost increases my fears and adds to the stress of it.

I dont think I will ever completely dispair from hair loss, but the fact that I have already gone through many dark moments from just recession and still do - well when I start thinning, thats probably going to be a much harder pill to swallow. I am coping alright, and still feel moderately attractive. But I feel sad that already so much of my confidence in life overall and with girls has been stripped away. I am a very vain person, its just the way I have always been, even since a child. I have/had a lot of pride on my looks, and honestly, they were integral to my own self image, and now that im receeding, and if the normal male pattern baldness pattern continues - thinning will be the next stage, its just fuckery.

I think when thinning happens, or if its obvoius enough and its bothering you a lot, then its time to think about shaving it all of, or down. But its not exactly an easy or good option, its a last resort imo.

 

[cuebald]

Thinning is easier to conceal - you can use Toppik etc, plus minoxidil tends to thicken up diffused hair quite well.
Receeding on the other hand is impossible to conceal, and no treatments grow it back much.

Thin hair though looks much more "messy" and it makes its owner look ill. NW2 - NW3 recession doesn't look anywhere near as bad as a NW1 with diffused hair.
Once the Toppik is no longer enough - all you can do is shave it.

None of you guys above can shave ?

 

[Mens Rea]

its all a questin of degree

some guys have naturally thin hair and style it to look awesome. I personally have always had thinnish hair so it suits my look.

For me, ive went beyound that point im a Norwood 2.5 vertex. But i still see people with more hair than me but a brutal hairline. I can cover my hairline and make my front view of me look very much acceptable. A thick head of hair with a receding hairlne creates a strong strong contrast.

So its all relative. Both at advanced stages are equally sh*t although i would say thicker haired people are better hair transplant candidates.

 

[Hope4hairRedux]

It is all a question of degree - but essientally all hair loss paths lead to the same destination..

Recession is the beginning chapter, thinning the next. Generally speaking. Its not always in that suit but thats generally what happens to the average male pattern baldness sufferer. However I have a lot of friends my age who have minimal recession, some with none noticible but thinning on top noticably..It really does look horrible.

I find when I grow my hairout I serously just look ill. Its weird. As soon as I get it short it looks much better - but there is no one good boat to be in. Technically, my hair loss is still at a point where I could acceptably grow it out and probably still have some alright styles..However..I find that after a few weeks of a buzz cut, it just looks really unkempt and nasty, and I look ill. I would have to look like that for a few months as well. Generally I find longer hair especially the greasy messy look can look nasty even on some NW1s so I prefer to buzz.

I could make a simple observation and say that england simply isnt the place to go bald. Generally hotter places bald guys look better. Im not one who believes that everyone has to conform to the whole ripped tanned bald guy BS, but in my personal opinon, a bit of a tan on a bald guy can really make the difference. I have seen a higher % of better looking bald guys all around the world.

Bottom line is this - as long as you are not ugly, you can stay relativly attractive by staying in good shape, eating right, and taking care of your body. The good looking bald guys I see are the ones with look healthy, its as simple as that. good dress sense, good complexion, perhaps slightly darker/tanned, general confidence etc. It just goes to show how far our life is in our own hands despite hair loss. I sometimes think it would be easier to shave it of and just adjust - i think a lot of the pain is the long process. However, I think I want to savour my still fairly decent hairline.