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Recently, I came to the realization that I am losing hair. I never really knew it until some people told me (how often do you see the back of your own head). Anyway, what do you guys thing?? Early MPB?? I reallllly hope not. I'm going home next week, and I'm gonna try and go see my dermotologist and get his opinion. This really does suck- and I think its only from recently too. I have pictures of me from behind from less than a year ago, and there was no bald spot!!
*dermatologist
Hi Weston,
I don't know a whole heck of a lot on the topic of MPB; but I do know that if either one of your parents have thinning or balding hair in their heredity (especially on your mother's side, as I remember), that it will most likely be passed down to you. For example: I have a receding hairline, myself, --- not "too" bad, considering my age (52). My father's hairline looked about the same when he was in his 50s, --- as well as my uncle on my mother's side of the family. It indents around the temples, whereas when I was in my teens & early 20s, my hairline went straight across my forehead. Most of my pics don't show it (I'm too vain to keep any bad pics of my hair!); but, trust me, my hair in front has not only receded, it is also a LOT thinner than it used to be. But where hair loss happens in one guy... on another guy's head, the hair loss might be experienced in a completely different location.
It's hard to say from the pic you sent in, because your hair also looks parted in back, --- as well as the fact that very light blonde hair makes it easier to see the scalp anyway. But your dermotologist will be able to give you a more accurate answer than any of us can, so it's a good thing to check it out with him.
Your hair looks great, regardless!
- Ken in San Francisco
hey weston, it doesn't look too bad but yes i think to be on the safe side a trip to the dermatologist would be wise. Remember, some hairloss is a result of factors other than MPB (e.g. diet)...as urbancowboy said, the dermatologist should give you a conclusive indication of what's happening.
Make sure to keep us posted about what he says.
Ryan
It doesn't look too positive. However your scalp seems extremely red to me which suggests it might well be something else. Take the others advice and see a dermetologist.
Weston,
That thin spot at the back of your head looks quite serious.
It is very large and noticeable. Your scalp looks very inflammed and pink in the photo, have you been brushing it like crazy near the roots?
I don't think MPB is going to kick in your early 20s so i wouldn't be too concerned about that. Most likely you have a vitamin deficiency or some other thing which is causing this.
Is MPB in your family's genes?
Keep us posted on the Dermatolegist's verdict.
Good luck.
PS : If it's any concelation to know, apart from this issue your hair is looking hands-down amazing.
Jean,
Didn't you once describe MPB as the work of the Devil? It's a description I agree with. In this case though, it could be just the swirl of the hair at the crown that causes it to look like more of a bald spot that there really is.
Jason
It is hard to tell if your hair looks like that because of the way it is parted or is actually a little thinner.
Either way, you hair still looks fantastic. Now, I do understand how you feel. I felt the same way when somebody says to me at work a few years ago, "Thinning out a little on top there?"
Well, I was like 'what', because I never look at the back of my head either. Anyway, I was upset. But, that has not stopped me from trying to grow hair otherwise. I finally came to the realization that that was how it was and that although it may be thinner than it was formerly, I was NOT going to cut it or fret about the situation and let it bring me down.
Now, a trip to the dermatologist might be helpful to allay your fears or if you so choose to take some sort of medicine to prevent hair loss, however the prognosis may turn out. Male pattern baldness can start as early as 18 or so. You just never know. While that probably is not what you want to hear, I cannot in good conscience tell you otherwise.
Finally, if you are indeed loosing hair, it is NOT the end of the hair growing/long hair journey, especially with your blond hair. I have seen at least a few guys out there with almost no to absolutely no hair on top who had blond hair, who had the rest at least past the shoulders, some rather young too, who still looked great with their hair long. Now, while you may be upset, and hard-pressed to imagine yourself in that situation, if you were to arrive there, I believe you would look just as handsome and striking as you do now with your long hair.
Good luck!
Hi Weston,
Really tough to see that, especially with you being so young. As for the redness, it may just be sun exposure, so I wouldn't run off to the doctor for that. Use sunscreen.
The bad news is that almost all men get some MPB eventually. It can be total loss of hair in areas or just thinning. (I've had thinning going on for the last twenty years.) The good news is that MPB's progression varies a lot from one guy to the next, and it can progress in fits and starts. You may lose a bit of hair in one area and then not lose any more for twenty years. The best way to approach the situation is to realize you are just on this journey called "life" for the ride. What will happen will happen.
One good thing about a touch of MPB - it gives you a very masculine look and any "you look like a girl" comments will cease, because they would make the commenter look either blind or silly. Lots of us older guys keep whatever manes we have, MPB or not, because that's what you're gonna get, and longhairs don't get haircuts. [big grin]
Good luck with your hair growth as you travel down life's road.
Bill
try not to stress about it. MPB is common in most males. stressing about it only makes the situation worse.
if you're concerned about thinning/balding then drink soy milk. it'll help strengthen your hair as well as help it grow better. you can also change your diet so that you take in more protein. if you eat eggs, fish, or yogurt then your hair will grow in a better condition. and try to get lots of rest.
also if you drink/smoke or drink caffeine alot, you should cut down on it (or stop altogether) because that can hinder hair growth as well as cease growing from what i understand.
I don't know if it's MPB since the thin part is off center and doesn't look to be on the vertex of the head. On the back of my head I have a huge vertex whorl off to the right. My hair grows in different directions and if I don't cover it up it looks like I have a wierd bald spot off to the left of my crown.
I've had it forever but when I started growing my hair out in 1993 it became more noticable if I didn't stay on top of it. My hair gets tangled anyways and I get a lot of breakage there. I've had people comment on it since I was 20 and now I'm 30 and it's still the same. My hair is actually raised around the area because insead of crowing wavy like the rest of my hair it grows in a spiral.
Here's an example of an 8 year old girl with it:
it tends to grow ina circular pattern so most people with short hair will often brush it like that. it's hard to tell when your hair is curly, but if it's short enough you'll notice it. i notice this on alot of people with short hair
The "bald spot" does indeed look a bit inflamed, but then the whole center part seems to be the same color - is this just a consequence of the photo, or is your scalp actually a bit red and agitated there?
I personally think it's because your center part goes back too far. Something similar happens with me when my hair is wet because my part line goes back just a bit too far, but in my case I know it's not MPB. If you get a mirror to see the back of your head, try combing more of your hair back to shorten the part line and see if that clears it up. It's not really "covering up" a problem, bad pun as that may be; I think it's actually the problem itself.
I would like to suggest the same thing...when I first started pulling my hair back, it was obviously too tight and pulled the part down lower (if that makes sense). After freaking out, I washed my hair and checked again and that was all it was.
My "spot" was quite as long (or red!), but it was the same pattern.
I had an Aunt, (now deceased) who "suddenly" out of the blue developed a loss of hair in one location. Looking very much as does yours. She went to a derm and was told it was brought about by nerves of all things! I am not sure if he gave her cream or something to put on the bald spot, but you know what? It grew back!
Perhaps a visit to a dermatologist might be best and set your mind at ease............the sooner the better so that you know exactly where you stand.
Good luck to you and I hope all ends-up well.
Hi Weston,
it's probably your best bet to see a good dermatologist. If you want, you can also ask a friend to take a high-resolution close-up image of the back of your head so that we can see more detail. Why don't you get back to us with your dermatologist's opinion and, perhaps, another picture.
If it is MPB, then vitamins may help to slow it down - eg one B-100 plus 5-10 mg biotin plus 2-5 mg folic acid plus 1000 mcg B-12, plus 20-60 mg Zinc plus some vitamin E and C, plus 400 mcg iodide (unless you have overproduction of thyreoid hormones) all taken twice weekly, the doses are high enough.
Let us know how it goes.
Best wishes, and may that "hair loss" chalice pass...
Hans-Uwe
Weston,
To be honest, I think that's normal. I have a similar "bald spot" as do most men with long hair. After careful analysis, I came to my current speculation that men have different hair lines then women, which is why you don't see these bald spots on women with hair of equal length. Men have more of a "Y" shaped part line, and women have more of a straight hairline. I notice that my scalp is only visible if I don't wash for 3+ days, when plenty of oil has collected. Most of us don't wash our hair more then 2x/week so of course you'll notice that bald spot more. The oil clumps the hair together, making the scalp more visible. My friend with shoulder length blonde hair (like yours) has a very visible scalp when he doesn't wash for a while.. so I think color also plays a role.
I don't lose any more hair then normal, so I know I'm not balding... the most hair i lose in a day is about 60 strands, and that's rare. on average it's about 30. The way I make my hairline less visible is by using a boar bristle brush. I comb my hair with it to distribute the oil so it doesn't all collect on my scalp... after that, my scalp is no longer visible. You can do test this by obtaining a small handheld mirror (a trick I learned from BRGallagher) so you can see what your head looks like as you comb it...
hope this helps man...
-Ardroth
hi,
well in the pic it seems that your scalp is quite red but that can also be a sunburn or a reaction of your scalp against a hair product ... (i don't think that you scratch so much on your head)
the bald spot must not mean that you suffer on mpb - it can also be a temporarely problem caused by too much stress of perhaps having the wrong eating behaviour (missing vitamins etc.) ...
these things can easily 'corrected' by changing the eating behaviour for example ...
do u lose more hairs than normal ? more than the average 100 hairs per day ?
i think and hope that it's nothing serious but i would also go to the dermotologist ...
good luck,
ALH
