Shedding; Does This Equal Balding Please Help

[Danjellyman]

Hi folks, this is my first post. Please, any insight on this is EXTREMELY helpful.

2 years ago I suddenly noticed hair falling out ALL over the place (this was a few months after I went through a traumatic experience). I went to see a doctor because my head was ITCHING terribly and hair was falling out (100s of hairs per day / after showers there would be hair everywhere, in my sink, on my bed). The doctor said it was due to stress and shock and that it should calm down.

Well it didn't calm down, my stress basically continued and is still present but the hair shedding hasn't stopped either. I do notice that none of the shedding is on the side of my head, all on the top (which isn't a good sign).

No to minimal hairloss/balding in my family. My dad is 58, has some solid recession now but didn't start till about 50. His dad died with full head of hair, my dad's sisters have more hair than they need. My brother had a ton of hair (deceased now). I HAD a ton of hair. My mom's two brothers are 58/60 and have a TON of hair. My mom's dad died with hair (some thinning and recession but certainly not bald).

My crown is still perfectly fine hasn't changed since around 20, recession is extremely mild, hairline is pretty solid. The biggest issue is thinning.

I started rogaine but think i'm going to bail on it as I think it is causing shedding (and i'm not COMPLETELY sold this is male pattern baldness. I take supplements (nutrafol and bioton) as well.

So here is my question IS SHEDDING = to BALDING.
now I KNOW that the treatments CAUSE shedding (rogaine, propecia etc.) so if you begin balding and start treatment shedding will occur.

BUT what if you aren't on anything and your hair starts falling out? Does that mean i'm going bald?

 

[Alphalete]

If you're on minoxidil and you shed, it's normal. Usually last for a month or so.

If you're not on minoxidil or any other treatment you're most likely balding if you're constantly shedding

 

[Danjellyman]

Thanks for your insight

The shedding DID begin prior to any treatments - the shedding is the first thing I noticed in this whole fight against my hair! I had never even considered balding as I had sooooo much hair. Then one day I noticed hair all over my sink and the shedding continued for 2 years!

Any insight on WHY balding means you shed your hair? I can't make sense of it. Many people go bald and report to never noticing a hair fall out, just a gradual decline of balding.

Mine is itching, burning and falling out. for 2 years. Although I haven't had much recession, or crown loss, or hairline loss.

 

[Alphalete]

Thanks for your insight

The shedding DID begin prior to any treatments - the shedding is the first thing I noticed in this whole fight against my hair! I had never even considered balding as I had sooooo much hair. Then one day I noticed hair all over my sink and the shedding continued for 2 years!

Any insight on WHY balding means you shed your hair? I can't make sense of it. Many people go bald and report to never noticing a hair fall out, just a gradual decline of balding.

Mine is itching, burning and falling out. for 2 years. Although I haven't had much recession, or crown loss, or hairline loss.

Well, of course balding is a result of shedding> you simply lose out on your weak follicles for everyday that passes, til they are gone inevitably.
You might be having a scalp inflammation, but i'm not sure. Do you mind posting pictures of your hairline, crown, sides, etc?

 

[Danjellyman]

Here’s what my hair looks like.

Mind you I do have toppik in which helps thickness

The crown looks just as it did 6 plus years ago (I have a photo of my crown randomly from 2011.

 

[Alphalete]

Well, considering the fact that you use toppik, you might be a diffuse thinner? I assume you keep toppik on your temples, right? Got any pic wihout toppik btw?

Also, how old are you?

 

[Danjellyman]

Uhmmm no real pics without toppik.
I’m 30 years old.

I use it mainly on the front of my hairline and the temple / sides.

 

[Alphalete]

Nizoral shampoo can be great if you do infact have an inflammated scalp

 

[Danjellyman]

Okay, I’ll start there

It’s been two years of this itch, burn, shed.. little to no resolution. Just a ton of hairloss

 

[Alphalete]

Uhmmm no real pics without toppik.
I’m 30 years old.

I use it mainly on the front of my hairline and the temple / sides.

Well, you have good hair at your age. If I were you though, I'd ditch the toppik and just opt for finasteride instead. Could use Nizoral awell.

 

[Alphalete]

Okay, I’ll start there

It’s been two years of this itch, burn, shed.. little to no resolution. Just a ton of hairloss

Ever given Nizoral a try? Perilla leaves are also good according to Somebody Alex. You can google him.

 

[Danjellyman]

My big concern now is: treat it or don’t treat it.

If I start treating it I feel like A) there is no going back and B my body and hair could rely on these treatments...

If it is aggressive diffuse thinning then I do want to try to hold onto it as long as I can

 

[Alphalete]

My big concern now is: treat it or don’t treat it.

If I start treating it I feel like A) there is no going back and B my body and hair could rely on these treatments...

If it is aggressive diffuse thinning then I do want to try to hold onto it as long as I can

Well, since you're 30 and you're nw1.5 or so, I wouldn't really call it aggresive. But as you mentioned you've hid it with Toppik, so it's hard for me to tell. If you want to stay at your baseline now, finasteride would probably make you keep your hair for the rest of your life probably.

You could wait, but I know I've heard a lot of people that regret using it before it was too late. Your decision though.

 

[Danjellyman]

That’s good to hear, thanks.

One question I have is - could this diffused hair loss / sudden onset shedding be stress / anxiety... I get theoretically they say that can happen.. it just seems highly unlikely as far as I see it.... but it does correlate with exactly the time my world was thrown upside down.

 

[Danjellyman]

On stop of that. The hair loss isn’t isolated to my head. A ton of arm pit and eyebrow hair as well. So that leads me to think maybe it’s something else

 

[Danjellyman]

Here’s some no toppik pictures

Once again, the shedding I experience is massive! Out of the shower I find dozens of hairs if I run my hand through my hair

 

[meetjoeblack]

Hi folks, this is my first post. Please, any insight on this is EXTREMELY helpful.

2 years ago I suddenly noticed hair falling out ALL over the place (this was a few months after I went through a traumatic experience). I went to see a doctor because my head was ITCHING terribly and hair was falling out (100s of hairs per day / after showers there would be hair everywhere, in my sink, on my bed). The doctor said it was due to stress and shock and that it should calm down.

Well it didn't calm down, my stress basically continued and is still present but the hair shedding hasn't stopped either. I do notice that none of the shedding is on the side of my head, all on the top (which isn't a good sign).

No to minimal hairloss/balding in my family. My dad is 58, has some solid recession now but didn't start till about 50. His dad died with full head of hair, my dad's sisters have more hair than they need. My brother had a ton of hair (deceased now). I HAD a ton of hair. My mom's two brothers are 58/60 and have a TON of hair. My mom's dad died with hair (some thinning and recession but certainly not bald).

My crown is still perfectly fine hasn't changed since around 20, recession is extremely mild, hairline is pretty solid. The biggest issue is thinning.

I started rogaine but think i'm going to bail on it as I think it is causing shedding (and i'm not COMPLETELY sold this is male pattern baldness. I take supplements (nutrafol and bioton) as well.

So here is my question IS SHEDDING = to BALDING.
now I KNOW that the treatments CAUSE shedding (rogaine, propecia etc.) so if you begin balding and start treatment shedding will occur.

BUT what if you aren't on anything and your hair starts falling out? Does that mean i'm going bald?

You're issue likely is or isn't male pattern baldness. You can literally kill yourself with stress quicker than you are killing your hair. As shity as it may be, killing your health and erectile dysfunction is next if you don't chill out. This sh*t will cascade and amplify.

A lack of sleep causes cortisol the stress hormone. Take control of your life. Yes, a traumatic incident can be horrible. I've had many.

Do what you can to help your hair but take alternative and a holistic approach to help. Get eight hours of sleep, eat a clear diet, minimize junk food and sugar, exercise, do yoga to calm nerves, meditate. Use apps like headspace or calm. Do body scans. Seek space from form and thought.

When my hair goes, I will buzz, shave, bick my hair. Until then, I will grow it out, I will do an undercut, and maximize what I have. I recommend using the same precautions.