26 years old, not sure if I’m losing it yet.

[PeakyBlinderRob]

Hey thanks for your reply! is miniturization pretty normal at this age to happen? I might hop on dutasteride but I’m just scared of the side effects I hear about! Also it’s only one side that looks like it has changed since I noticed it back when I was 19. My left side temple region has remained unchanged and it’s my good side I would say, Is it normal to only have change on one side of temple? I attached a pic of my good side of my forehead which I believe hasn’t changed.

For sure it is normal at 26. Miniaturization started happening for me at 19 years old. And it caught me off guard. I completely freaked out and panicked. But for me, from 19 to 37 it miniaturized VERY slowly over the years and kept it density. It wasn't until after 37 that some diffuse thinning began at the front hairline and slightly on the crown. And yes...sometimes it doesn't happen in a uniform style. One side of my hairline and front has diffused a lot more that the other side...which sucks lol. I am using Minoxidil for 3 years...and just got on Finasteride 2 months ago. I would suggest using a dermaroller and minoxodil along the hairline, it can work wonders for you.

 

[infamousrodi]

For sure it is normal at 26. Miniaturization started happening for me at 19 years old. And it caught me off guard. I completely freaked out and panicked. But for me, from 19 to 37 it miniaturized VERY slowly over the years and kept it density. It wasn't until after 37 that some diffuse thinning began at the front hairline and slightly on the crown. And yes...sometimes it doesn't happen in a uniform style. One side of my hairline and front has diffused a lot more that the other side...which sucks lol. I am using Minoxidil for 3 years...and just got on Finasteride 2 months ago. I would suggest using a dermaroller and minoxodil along the hairline, it can work wonders for you.

Yeah I think I would try minoxidil and dermarolling. The fact that the left side of my temple region hasn’t changed since 19 makes me think that my right side where I do have some minor recession/maturing hairline might be due to damage from a drug I took back in 2013 called accutane, it thinned my hair out for years, gave me Telogen Effluvium and it took a long time for it to Stop shedding a lot and regrow again thick. But I honestly don’t know. What Norwood are you?

 

[Norwoody]

Hey thanks for your reply! is miniturization pretty normal at this age to happen? I might hop on dutasteride but I’m just scared of the side effects I hear about! Also it’s only one side that looks like it has changed since I noticed it back when I was 19. My left side temple region has remained unchanged and it’s my good side I would say, Is it normal to only have change on one side of temple? I attached a pic of my good side of my forehead which I believe hasn’t changed.

At your age, and non-aggressive loss (and natural regrowth from cessation of accutane, likely due to stress/Telogen Effluvium) I wouldn't hop on anything just yet. Like a few have said, I would just keep an eye on it. If I were you, I would just give yourself a bit more time to see what happens. You might stabilize around the point you are at now. It's also possible you might lose just a couple millimeters, but it might stabilize naturally. If you notice a pattern going farther back, then there will still be time for you to regrow any losses. The important thing, which you've already done, is become aware and monitoring it. The other thing is, you don't know the exact role of DHT, T, or even E in your previous losses. It's possible the accutane affected one of those hormones, or a combination of those hormones, in a way that escalated its effect on your follicles for a temporary period of time. You have virtually perfect quality hair everywhere else, so it's also possible you may not be very sensitive to DHT. Some people like myself with only hairline thinning have follicles there that seem to be more sensitive to T. So I wouldn't jump the gun on a systemic 5ARI just yet. If you are unhappy where you are right now though, you could try some things like zix, minoxidil, stemoxydine, setipiprant, castor oil, dermarolling, fluridil. Those don't have systemic effects on your DHT/T/E, and have worked for many who don't have aggressive loss.

 

[jamesbooker1975]

omg, dicaprio pictures, really, this forums is now an official 15 years old teen groupie fan forum.
If you have hair loss, male pattern baldness, you will know it 100 % sure, you will not have a doubt, like you are impotence, you will know it for sure or if you loose a leg you will also know it .
Jesus, f*** assholes that want to have a hairline of a 10 years old boy asking if they are going bald and then all the pussies start to putting actors photos.

 

[PeakyBlinderRob]

omg, dicaprio pictures, really, this forums is now an official 15 years old teen groupie fan forum.
If you have hair loss, male pattern baldness, you will know it 100 % sure, you will not have a doubt, like you are impotence, you will know it for sure or if you loose a leg you will also know it .
Jesus, f*** assholes that want to have a hairline of a 10 years old boy asking if they are going bald and then all the pussies start to putting actors photos.

lol I literally typed in mature hairline on google images and attached that. I was posting their hairline for reference for that guy asking. You are about a 9 on the tension scale, James. I think the DHT is affecting your train of thought at this point

 

[infamousrodi]

At your age, and non-aggressive loss (and natural regrowth from cessation of accutane, likely due to stress/Telogen Effluvium) I wouldn't hop on anything just yet. Like a few have said, I would just keep an eye on it. If I were you, I would just give yourself a bit more time to see what happens. You might stabilize around the point you are at now. It's also possible you might lose just a couple millimeters, but it might stabilize naturally. If you notice a pattern going farther back, then there will still be time for you to regrow any losses. The important thing, which you've already done, is become aware and monitoring it. The other thing is, you don't know the exact role of DHT, T, or even E in your previous losses. It's possible the accutane affected one of those hormones, or a combination of those hormones, in a way that escalated its effect on your follicles for a temporary period of time. You have virtually perfect quality hair everywhere else, so it's also possible you may not be very sensitive to DHT. Some people like myself with only hairline thinning have follicles there that seem to be more sensitive to T. So I wouldn't jump the gun on a systemic 5ARI just yet. If you are unhappy where you are right now though, you could try some things like zix, minoxidil, stemoxydine, setipiprant, castor oil, dermarolling, fluridil. Those don't have systemic effects on your DHT/T/E, and have worked for many who don't have aggressive loss.

Thanks for your reply, very insightful stuff. I think for now I will keep monitoring it for any changes, I’m not sure where things will go from here but hopefully it will stabilize like you mentioned. My dad is bald so it freaks me out but he lost his hair when he was around 18/19. Would this still be considered Norwood 1.5, 2?

 

[Norwoody]

Thanks for your reply, very insightful stuff. I think for now I will keep monitoring it for any changes, I’m not sure where things will go from here but hopefully it will stabilize like you mentioned. My dad is bald so it freaks me out but he lost his hair when he was around 18/19. Would this still be considered Norwood 1.5, 2?

The Norwood scale is kind of tricky and doesn't apply to everyone equally, it's a spectrum for sure, but I would say you look like you're about a 1.5. If you go to a 2 and have density and no more signs of miniaturization, you're probably good for the long haul. However, if you reach 2 and you see the same signs of miniaturization, then I would definitely take action at that point.

 

[PeakyBlinderRob]

The Norwood scale is kind of tricky and doesn't apply to everyone equally, it's a spectrum for sure, but I would say you look like you're about a 1.5. If you go to a 2 and have density and no more signs of miniaturization, you're probably good for the long haul. However, if you reach 2 and you see the same signs of miniaturization, then I would definitely take action at that point.

and also avoid any and all advice from JamesBooker1975 going forward...

 

[jamesbooker1975]

and also avoid any and all advice from JamesBooker1975 going forward...

Loser

 

[jamesbooker1975]

Jesus , How to know if you have male pattern baldness :
1) You are going to shed a lot , but this need to be with :
A) Forehead getting bigger
B) Baldspot getting bigger
C) You are can see your scalp where before you couldn't

Isn't that hard, really, You don't need Dr House to diagnose it.

 

[infamousrodi]

The Norwood scale is kind of tricky and doesn't apply to everyone equally, it's a spectrum for sure, but I would say you look like you're about a 1.5. If you go to a 2 and have density and no more signs of miniaturization, you're probably good for the long haul. However, if you reach 2 and you see the same signs of miniaturization, then I would definitely take action at that point.

Ok I’ll keep that in mind. Is this here miniaturization? Is density just how thick the hairline is in general? I tried to take some good pics here of my hairline. So this would likely be Norwood 1.5 ?

 

[Norwoody]

Ok I’ll keep that in mind. Is this here miniaturization? Is density just how thick the hairline is in general? I tried to take some good pics here of my hairline. So this would likely be Norwood 1.5 ?

Essentially. With the term density I'm referring to how many follicles are in a given surface area. Keep in mind that some people have more natural/genetic density than others too. And yes, I would consider this a NW1.5 because you're between a 1 and a 2 (between a child and adult hairline in my eyes). Do you have any pics from before you ever noticed any loss?

Is this AA/male pattern baldness or just maturation? Hard to determine for certain right now. You could just be maturing into a Dicaprio/Jon Hamm/Keanu kind of hairline. Normally with AA/male pattern baldness you'll see a very large circular pattern developing out of a more square one. But yours seems still fairly square, not forming a pattern into a forelock. Additionally, the temporal hairline (on the side) doesn't appear to be rounding out - it just looks pretty straight in general. But like I said, I would just keep an eye on it for now. Only time will really tell.

 

[Will Be an Egg in 5 years]

Leo has a mature hairline...exactly like this image...

Only now I realized how badly he aged

 

[Will Be an Egg in 5 years]

Essentially. With the term density I'm referring to how many follicles are in a given surface area. Keep in mind that some people have more natural/genetic density than others too. And yes, I would consider this a NW1.5 because you're between a 1 and a 2 (between a child and adult hairline in my eyes). Do you have any pics from before you ever noticed any loss?

Is this AA/male pattern baldness or just maturation? Hard to determine for certain right now. You could just be maturing into a Dicaprio/Jon Hamm/Keanu kind of hairline. Normally with AA/male pattern baldness you'll see a very large circular pattern developing out of a more square one. But yours seems still fairly square, not forming a pattern into a forelock. Additionally, the temporal hairline (on the side) doesn't appear to be rounding out - it just looks pretty straight in general. But like I said, I would just keep an eye on it for now. Only time will really tell.

Your hair is thinning. Clearly hairline recession. Very slow, but it's happenning. Get on finasteride.

 

[infamousrodi]

Your hair is thinning. Clearly hairline recession. Very slow, but it's happenning. Get on finasteride.

Should I really? Others are saying to just keep on eye on it for now, hence I’m still in Norwood 1.5 territory. I just thought by 26 if I was balding it would be really bad by now. I just wish there was a definite answer.

 

[Will Be an Egg in 5 years]

Should I really? Others are saying to just keep on eye on it for now, hence I’m still in Norwood 1.5 territory. I just thought by 26 if I was balding it would be really bad by now. I just wish there was a definite answer.

Well, as I said previously maybe its just the classic recession most Men have. But If even a NW1.5-2 bugs you (my case) you should get in treatment. The sooner the better. I'm avoiding meds since I noticed thinning 17 months ago and I already regret It.

 

[infamousrodi]

Well, as I said previously maybe its just the classic recession most Men have. But If even a NW1.5-2 bugs you (my case) you should get in treatment. The aooner the better. I'm avoiding meds since I noticed thinning 17 months ago and I already regret If.

I’m just worried about the side effects, I might hold off for a bit just in case it’s just maturing. How old are you btw when did you start losing?

 

[Norwoody]

Like I said in a previous post, if you're worried then there's plenty of conservative treatments you can try that have been effective for many members on this forum.

Even if you decide to try finasteride, I would advise against jumping straight to the "standard" dose of 1mg/d. We are discussing this on another thread.

 

[sonictemples]

looks gud man

 

[infamousrodi]

Like I said in a previous post, if you're worried then there's plenty of conservative treatments you can try that have been effective for many members on this forum.

Even if you decide to try finasteride, I would advise against jumping straight to the "standard" dose of 1mg/d. We are discussing this on another thread.

I really want to try finasteride I just don’t want to risk my sex life, I don’t think I would do it. Best think for me is to just hope for the best.