Can Someone Tell If I'm Balding Or Is It Just Thin Hair?

[Darkbrown1233]

Dear members,

I'm a 23 year old guy from the Netherlands and I'm very worried about my thin hair the last few weeks. I've always had thin hair but I'm starting to think that I'm going bald.. My dad still got all his hair and he's almost 60 years old.. My moms dad went bald pretty fast (I heard that's plays a role geneticly..). Since a few weeks I started paying extra attention to it until I almost got obsessed.. Every mirror I pass, I start looking if my hair gas gotten thinner..I keep combing my hair during the day to seee if I lose a lot of hairs (which is not the case). I'm thinking about starting minoxidil but I'm scared it will make things worse, since I'm not sure if I need it..I read a lot of stories where they shedded a lot and lost a lot of hair that didn't come back.. Can more experienced people here tell me their honest opinion? It would mean so much to me, as I can hardly think about anything else for the last days.. I keep hoping I just have thin hair and it's me who suddenly started to pay attention to something that has always been like that..

 

[Darkbrown1233]

Yes, you're thinning considerably at your crown. Get on the Big Three immediately.

Thanks for the reply! Can you tell me what u mean with the big three? Minoxidil, fina &..?

 

[ColeH]

IMO I think you should schedule an appointment with a derm or a hair loss expert before you get on any medication. Too many people on this site will tell you to jump on the big 3 RIGHT away. I can't really tell if you're thinning or not over the internet in a photo, the crown is interesting BUT lighting and the way you have it parted seems to be the biggest culprit there. I also have a very strange crown that I worried excessively about, I got it checked out this week at a hair loss clinic and it came back fine - it looks sort of like a cowlick on the photo.

These forums will scare you as much as they will help you - no one here can tell you whether or not this is balding, and very little people here are even qualified to tell you that.

 

[davesmith420]

Your crown isn't thinning IMO however you are starting to recede at the hair line

 

[g.i joey]

Seems like you're miniaturizing in the crown and hairline.

To your question the last part of the big 3 is nizoral. Which is also the least helpful in most cases. finasteride and minoxidil and you'll be fine imo

 

[Darkbrown1233]

I don't think you are thinking 'considerably ' however you will continue to get thinner at the back I predict.

Thank you for your reply!

 

[Darkbrown1233]

IMO I think you should schedule an appointment with a derm or a hair loss expert before you get on any medication. Too many people on this site will tell you to jump on the big 3 RIGHT away. I can't really tell if you're thinning or not over the internet in a photo, the crown is interesting BUT lighting and the way you have it parted seems to be the biggest culprit there. I also have a very strange crown that I worried excessively about, I got it checked out this week at a hair loss clinic and it came back fine - it looks sort of like a cowlick on the photo.

These forums will scare you as much as they will help you - no one here can tell you whether or not this is balding, and very little people here are even qualified to tell you that.

That'q true.. I guess everyone just wants to hear that it's fine and just thin hair, but it's good to hear other opinions even if they are bad news.. I definitaly make an appointment! Yes I tried to comb it in the worst way possible to really show the problem.. I normally comb it back and then the hair is just very thin and even then u can see my scalp sometimes, but not as good as in this picture.. Glad to hear your hair was fine, what did they say in the clinic?

 

[Darkbrown1233]

Seems like you're miniaturizing in the crown and hairline.

To your question the last part of the big 3 is nizoral. Which is also the least helpful in most cases. finasteride and minoxidil and you'll be fine imo

I'm a bit scared to take finasteride at such a young age.. That's why I wanted to be sure I have a balding problem. Thanks for the response!

 

[shookwun]

Hair whirl, and swirl is bullshit.

I had that squiggley X pattern on the crown with slight diffusion, after four 4 years of finasteride I have no visible swirl or hole on the crown. it's completely full of hair. I need to dig around to locate the crown, and feel the pattern.

 

[g.i joey]

Ketoconazole has a synergistic effect when used with the othe two; in fact, all of the Big Three work synergistically, so if you leave one out, you're leaving hair on the table. I mean, of all three, how hard is it to use a shampoo?

OP, see a derm, then get on the BiG Three. Don't let the hypochondriacs scare you - I and millions of others have been on finasteride for decades (I started at 20) and had no sides. It is critical to treat hair loss early.

I use nizoral once every 2 weeks. I have to use it on a day where I don't plan on being social/meeting with clients because I hate the way it leaves my hair; so lifeless and thin looking

 

[g.i joey]

I'm a bit scared to take finasteride at such a young age.. That's why I wanted to be sure I have a balding problem. Thanks for the response!

If it makes you feel any better, 23-25 is when majority of young adults (even the late bloomers) are done developing. So age shouldn't worry you, if sides do, well then that's a personal decision you gotta make

 

[michel sapin]

swoop; so for your crown propecia was enough to fill in?

 

[DoctorHouse]

swoop; so for your crown propecia was enough to fill in?

I think you meant Shook. I used to get the names Shook and Swoop mixed up too so don't feel so bad.

 

[Fleming_NO]

i think your crown looks perfectly normal, but seeing a dermatologist is an idea, i am receding noticeably in my hairline and i'm 25. i am also considering taking propecia but kind of scared to do so, i will speak to a dermatologist about it. best of luck to you man !

 

[ColeH]

Hair whirl, and swirl is bullshit.

I had that squiggley X pattern on the crown with slight diffusion, after four 4 years of finasteride I have no visible swirl or hole on the crown. it's completely full of hair. I need to dig around to locate the crown, and feel the pattern.

With all due respect I don't think you can say hair whirls on the crown is bullshit? You see these even in females with no hairloss. Noticing scalp on the crown isn't the issue if there is a cowlick / if it is parted, density is what is really key, and in OPs photo you can't really tell the density. Yeah it may be the start of hairloss, but it also may just be the way his hair parts on top of his head. By looking at the photo you can tell that it really does go in four different directions.

OP I really do encourage you to go to a derm, I have another appointment myself in March and if they notice anything I will jump on proscar.

 

[ColeH]

Also I do think you may be receding at the hairline BUT it could also be just a maturing hairline, which is still technically hairloss.

The fact that you are noticing this now is a blessing, keep an eye on it and you will never lose your hair if you start taking preventive steps now. I don't think anyone here would call this aggressive by any means if is male pattern baldness at all.

 

[Darkbrown1233]

i think your crown looks perfectly normal, but seeing a dermatologist is an idea, i am receding noticeably in my hairline and i'm 25. i am also considering taking propecia but kind of scared to do so, i will speak to a dermatologist about it. best of luck to you man !

Thank you so much for your comment man, you made my day. I will definitaly check a derma, Hope you will be fine as well!

 

[Darkbrown1233]

Also I do think you may be receding at the hairline BUT it could also be just a maturing hairline, which is still technically hairloss.

The fact that you are noticing this now is a blessing, keep an eye on it and you will never lose your hair if you start taking preventive steps now. I don't think anyone here would call this aggressive by any means if is male pattern baldness at all.

Thank you so much for the comment. It helped me to calm down a bit. You're probably right I should be happy i noticed it now and just check it out at a dermatologist.. i just hope things won't go too fast you know.. Again, thanks a lot!

 

[Darkbrown1233]

With all due respect I don't think you can say hair whirls on the crown is bullshit? You see these even in females with no hairloss. Noticing scalp on the crown isn't the issue if there is a cowlick / if it is parted, density is what is really key, and in OPs photo you can't really tell the density. Yeah it may be the start of hairloss, but it also may just be the way his hair parts on top of his head. By looking at the photo you can tell that it really does go in four different directions.

OP I really do encourage you to go to a derm, I have another appointment myself in March and if they notice anything I will jump on proscar.

Thanks a lot, wish you the best in March!

 

[GoldenMane]

Approaching NW2 hairline, density looks good still, nobody else would notice. Your crown is thinning but it's not noticeable to normal people. You caught it nice and early though, you'll be fine.