Am I thinning?

[john511106]

21 year old football player with very fine,curly/wavy,greasy hair. I wear a football helmet all the time so lots of breakage on top and in front where the helmet rests probably aggravated by my poor washing habits(twice a day at times used way way too much shampoo) which dried it out into what resembled a wig. History of male pattern baldness on fathers side, but both parents think i'm fine and when i got my hair trimmed they said it would look fine except for all the breakage which is the golden sheen. Only reason besides family history that i'm alarmed is because my fringe/bangs wouldn't grow out which i was told was because of my poor washing and helmet wearing. Since the end of the season the look of my hair has improved and i've also started washing it less. No one has ever said anything to me besides one friend who jokes I'm thinning when my hairs all wet and slicked back/bunched up(Think Kyle Orton) which made me paranoid as well as my dad joking about losing it all soon. I've had a mature/recessed hairline since at least 16/17 if not earlier. I have never noticed any hair in the shower even though i'm aware that doesn't necessarily indicate balding. Been growing my hair out from a buzz and just over year and two months. Regardless of hair status i'm going to shave it all off back to buzz within next couple of years so not into the whole years down the road what could happen deal. Pictures in pitch dark with the flash on and in normal bathroom light.

 

[clayton]

are you thinning? that's a tough one since you have pretty long hair
honestly i would not say that you are not thinning... if i was you, i would just go for a "trichoscan" at a derm
the results will tell if you have more than 20% telogen hair, which would mean that Androgenetic Alopecia is progressing (no effluvium necessary for that)

another good adive since i also wash my hair twice a day from time to time: get yourself "urea 5%" shampoo and try to grab one without "sodium laureth sulfate"

 

[john511106]

I was under the impression that long hair made thinning way more obvious, anyhow I'm going to a derm in a couple of months. Another site said I had "aggressive male pattern baldness" but I also was dumb and took pictures under a really bright light with the flash also on.

 

[clayton]

yap, flash pictures do not give us a realistic impression
butter better do not waste your time and get yourself an appointment (i'd have to wait 3-6 weeks from now if i called tomorrow)

 

[john511106]

Thanks, if if find out in next couple months it is thinning i'm shaving it off like i said within couple of years so might decline treatment. I'm far less concerned now cause i have pictures of my buzzed head from high school and have temporal recessions to about the level of the sideburns, and the width of the part between is from the middle of each eye. The hairs in that parting/recession are kindof like guitar stringish. if i pull them out there still pretty long and they frizz up.

 

[LBerg12]

Seems as if you just have aggravation from the football helmet, which is making it seem like you're thinning. I would not shampoo as much (probably only do it 2-3 times a week depending on how greasy your hair gets), moisturize a lot, and start taking Biotin 1000mcg 1-2x a day to ensure thickness. Stress also adds to hair loss, so try not to stress too much about it! Good luck.

 

[der29]

that's a Norwood 2 with frontal thinning. by the time you're 25 you will have all of that frontal hair gone and wondering why you didnt get on finasteride immediately.

 

[john511106]

Ehh it's already looking better since I stopped wearing the helmet and washing it less, also as my hairdresser noticed that frontal thinning is right where the front of my helmet presses down. And if that turns out to be the case I'm shaving this at 22 anyhow. I went back and checked more pictures and I've had this same hairline since 16 at least for certain. Keep in mind I wear a very tight fitting helmet for 6 or more hours a day for at least half the year. And while I was growing it out it was incredibly dried out from overwashing.

- - - Updated - - -

These are pictures of my head buzzed/temple recession at 16/17,18,20,and 21 also one with what i'm assuming is damaged hair in my frontal area that is contributing to my lack of bangs in proportion to my hair length. touches shoulders in back/side and only a few bangs at my eye level. pictures aren't great but i don't notice much if any change in temple recession. Also theres really no point in me getting a trichoscan because propecia is not cool with NCAA.

 

[hermandolol]

From the last pictures it seems to me that you are indeed balding. Your hairline has changed from the age of 16 to the age of 21. If you are still in denial I would suggest a dermatologist appointment.

 

[john511106]

After looking I do notice a change from 16 to 18 but since then not so sure. From what I've seen and heard it's perfectly possibly it could stay like this for years. What I did notice with even more recent pictures is that the first 6 months I grew out my hair it only grew out on top and I had to comb it over. Since start of season it grew out on back and sides and broke/weakened on top. Has anyone else whose grown out there hair experienced this? I think my biggest problem right now is paranoia, I'm going to be more gentle with it and check Again in 6 months. Right now the whole top the shafts are broken, middle of hair to ends had a golden Sheen and top feels a bit thinner and more textured. It is way more noticeable when wet/slicked back or when it's bed head. After washing/combing it's hardly noticeable.