Am I balding?

LegacyUser

Hello Boards.

I'm a young male (early 20s) and I think I might have a receding hairline. I usually slick my hair back, but today I thought I noticed that my hairline might be receding. It might just be the way my hair is as it's not something I usually check, or it might hair retreating northwards

I'm still not sure myself, but was wondering if any of you might be able to recognize it. It's not really noticeable unless I slick my hair, but I'd just like to make sure. I took a few photos of me holding my hair back just to see how it looks

Looks like classic male pattern baldness to me but so what?

Enjoy whatever hair you have on your head now. It may be with you for a log time, or it might all be gone in a matter of years (like me).

Either way it doesnt make a difference, if it starts to look really bad (yours look grand - great even) just shave it all off.

Nevyn

I would suggest mentioning it when next you are in getting your hair cut.

Bruce7

Looks like you have used too much gel in your hair and are standing directly beneath a light. Wash your hair thoroughly and dry it, then check your hair out in a mirror in a naturally lit room.

tenchi-fan

Even people who are balding can look well with gel, others look better without, and others look better with it all shaved off (i'm in this category!). Just get a barber's opinion.
Avoid the combover

Boskowski

Look, don't freak out over it. Some people just have a 'high' hairline. I looked like that when I was 18 and while I'm not having the same head of otherwise thick hair anymore it's still pretty good overall - just thinner hair basically - and my hairline is pretty much still the same too - twenty years later
And even if it doesn't work out for you like that, whether you're a cool looking guy or not depends on a lot more than your hairline.
Relax.

angelxx

It doesn't look like you are balding from what I can see, Have you noticed
a definite change? I think you should discuss it with a barber but I wouldn't
worry about it.

Jagera

Thaedydal wrote: »

I would suggest mentioning it when next you are in getting your hair cut.

Just out of interest, what would a barber do?

JonathanAnon

bw wrote: »

Just out of interest, what would a barber do?

He'll be above your head and able to see if ur balding or not ..

aDeener

bw wrote: »

Just out of interest, what would a barber do?

give a haircut that would best suit him, help to hide the lack of hair

jd83

From your photos you have plenty of hair so you should be fine for a few years Even if you do go bald who cares, just accept it and dont try comb overs or wigs or any of the other stupid treatments out there that make it look worse.

Find a good barber and get some advise and go with a style that suits you. Im going bald, nearly all the guys in my family are bald so i suppose the fact i knew it was coming has made it easier for me. But hey ill still have my amazing looks to get me by.

LegacyUser

Firstly, I don't think you're going bald just yet.
I think your hairline looks like that of a man who will eventually 'recede', but what's the biggie?

I'm a female and I just love bald men - there are many women like me. I've a young son who has a dad, and 6 uncles, all of whom are bald. Apparently, male pattern baldness comes from your mothers side - whether that's your actual mother (my mother had pretty thin hair) or her family (my bald brothers), so I guess my son, who even as a young kid, has your hairline, will go bald at some point in his life.
Honestly though, you have no control over it - so avoid the combovers (unlike one of my brothers!) and shave the hair pretty tight once it becomes more obvious. Nice head of hair on you now tho :-)

LighterGuy

Personally mate, i dont think you're balding. It looks like thats your hairline.
But here is how you know if you're balding.

1, is that the same hairline you've always had? cause if it is, you're not balding.

2, look at your dad. What age did he go bald? (if he has)
but more importantly if you take after your dad more than your mam. Thats a good indication.


For me as an example. My dad is in his 60s and still has his hair. Not even a bald spot. He has a high hairline. As do I. Doesnt mean i'll keep my hair till he does but its a good indication I will.
I worked with a guy when I was 17. His dad was bald at 40. He is now 25 (as I am too) his hair is receeding alright. It doesnt help him that he has a tight haircut tho.

MontgomeryClift

Only the first and last photos are clear, but it looks like the early stages of hair loss. If you're worried about it, it's best to treat it as a medical matter, and make an appointment at the appropriate place.

freakmagnet

It does look a little like you are receding a little bit. I began to lose my hair quite young - the honest truth it is that its not a pleasant expereince but the only way to confront it is, excuse the pun, head on. I'd approach it in two ways - one, be really open about it from day one, that way your confidence remains intact. Its not really hair loss that give you lack of confidence as such, its the worrying about it - if you acknowledge it from day one - make a joke to friends about it, and get a hair cut that suits it - then you're laughing - HONESTLY. That is genuinely my best piece of advise - i wish i had of done so much sooner myself. The second way is - if you felt like it of course, is by using some of the preventive medicines there are available. My brother is older than me and he has used some of them and they have been very effective and slowed down his process by many years. Its better doing that than trying to treat it afterwards...

Overall though - you have great hair at the moment and will most likely have it for years to come, but if you feel you are a hair loss candidate, like i say, just acknowledge it from day one - joke about it to your friends, get the hair cut that suits - totally confront it - honestly, it'll be the best thing you ever did (although i appreciate you might not feel like talking about such issues now - but keep it in mind!)

Supercell

How is this a PI?
I dont see the OP mentioning any issues with their balding or not.

For what its worth, yep OP you are starting to recede. So what?, you are a man, it goes with spots in teenage years etc.
I just shaved and saved a fortune on barbers and hair products over the years, congratulations!

LegacyUser

Hi OP, yeah it looks like male pattern baldness. As far as I know its normal for guys who are susceptible to it to start presenting at around 20-ish then it either continues or slows down/stops. Have a look at your relatives, particularity on your mothers side (this is the case with me but it may not be a hard and fast rule) to see whats in store for you.

Personally I am bald and have been since I was 20 and my advice to you is don't stress it, its only dead protein for gods sake. If you are really attached to it however then see your doctor and see what can be done, as far as I'm aware though treatments only prevent further hair loss and if its the worst case scenario for the love of god don't get hair plugs, they look ridiculous.

tenchi-fan

Supercell wrote: »

How is this a PI?
I dont see the OP mentioning any issues with their balding or not.

It's not hard to see how this may be a personal issue for someone.

Wibbs

LighterGuy wrote: »

Personally mate, i dont think you're balding. It looks like thats your hairline.
But here is how you know if you're balding.

1, is that the same hairline you've always had? cause if it is, you're not balding.

2, look at your dad. What age did he go bald? (if he has)
but more importantly if you take after your dad more than your mam. Thats a good indication.


For me as an example. My dad is in his 60s and still has his hair. Not even a bald spot. He has a high hairline. As do I. Doesnt mean i'll keep my hair till he does but its a good indication I will.

^^This. You might be balding, you may not be. Doesnt look like it to me anyway. The shape of the hairline seems to have feck all to do with it. I know guys with the widows peak hairline at 20 who are still haired up at 40 odd and guys with none who are smooth as billiard balls at 35. Women tend to retain a childs type hairline, whereas the adult male hairline is more V shaped anyway. You could look at your relatives but it's not a concrete way of judging. Like any genetic thing, it could go either way. I know a chap where all his other relatives on both sides are bald and go bald young. At family gatherings he's the only one with a full head of hair(both his brothers are bald).

In either case I'd not worry about it. Lets say you are going bald, well then "enjoy it while you have it" kinda thing. If you're not, you're gonna waste an awful lot of time worrying. Live in the moment and what you have at the moment. I recall reading something in the news a while ago, that baldness on the top of the head under 50, seemed to not be entirely genetic and was as much to do with lifestyle. So if you smoke, stop. If you're diet is crap, well change it. Get fitter. Hey it may make little diff to your hair but will be good for the rest of you.