Hair loss prevention

[timelovesahero]

As a 26-year-old guy, I am not exactly pleased that I've been losing my hair for the past couple of years. I've always been quite proud of my hair as it historically has been my most distinguishing feature, but now it is thinning on top just like my father's did (so it is genetic).

Anyways my question to the forum is: does anyone have any input one way or the other on hair loss prevention stuff? I'm all ears.

[jjhatch]

I have a similar issue. I'm only 24 and noticed that in the past few years my hair has thinned considerably on the top of my head. I didn't really care about my hair before (always got a flat top) but when I noticed I was losing it I was concerned.

Then a few months ago I just said "to hell with it" and shave it all off. Now while I don't keep it completely shaved, I cut it pretty close every 2 weeks and do it myself. Now I don't stress out about it and I save $15 a month on haircuts. I was a little afraid because I thought I had an oddly shaped head and it's a big change, but I like it now.

[Raincloak]

I don't think there is much you can really do about it, it's like getting lines on your face. It just happens. Hormone therapy might work, but you probably don't want to go that far. I know one lady who suffers from thin, fine hair, and she's tried every fancy shampoo and spray out there to thicken it up. Nothing works.

You can get a haircut that will hide it, or wear hats more. (So few guys these days really know how to rock a hat...) But keeping the actual hair? Good luck. You might as well embrace the distinguished mature look. At least men are allowed to look their age! Lots of sexy guys in Hollywood are bald, or balding. It's not that bad. I think it makes guys look more intelligent.

Shaved-head guys can look more intimidating, though that's not always a good thing. On skinny guys, it can look adorable. (I know one slightly obsessive athlete who shaved his head for, get this, more efficient heat loss. Probably lets him spend less time in the shower, too. But man, does it show off his jackrabbit ears.)

as a fair-skinned woman, I wish I could get away with a shaved head, because I hate fussing with my hair. I only keep mine long for the sake of public approval. I have this belief that it creates a more favorable impression, given my age and job. But obviously long hair on a guy is a whole different matter.

[curryfiend]

Usually for thinning hair, I like to cut it somewhat short and I cut using blunt lines (it makes the hair look thicker). Usually a styling paste will help make the hair feel more thick and it will hold the style pretty well (Paul Mitchell's Tea Tree Styling Paste and American Crew Forming Cream are my two favorites). There are also boosting powders out there that improve the texture and the look of fullness. So far, I know American Crew, Redken, and Big Sexy carry the powders. You might wanna go with Crew if you're interested only because that is a male-specific line. There is a shampoo/conditioning kit out there called Nioxin (they have a neat website) that cleanses the chemical DHT build-up and helps freshen the scalp so it promotes a healthy environment encouraging new hair growth. It also improves the texture and strength of the hair (my godmother and friend use it and they both love it) and is guaranteed in 30 days. So I say try that! Obviously, genetics will always win, but it could help slow down the hair loss and help you get some extra style out of your hair. I also encourage my clients to take multivitamins and biotin supplements, eat healthy, drink plenty of water and get exercise. What effort you put into your body reflects in your appearance!

Credibility: I am a cosmetologist.

[timelovesahero]

Usually for thinning hair, I like to cut it somewhat short and I cut using blunt lines (it makes the hair look thicker). Usually a styling paste will help make the hair feel more thick and it will hold the style pretty well (Paul Mitchell's Tea Tree Styling Paste and American Crew Forming Cream are my two favorites). There are also boosting powders out there that improve the texture and the look of fullness. So far, I know American Crew, Redken, and Big Sexy carry the powders. You might wanna go with Crew if you're interested only because that is a male-specific line. There is a shampoo/conditioning kit out there called Nioxin (they have a neat website) that cleanses the chemical DHT build-up and helps freshen the scalp so it promotes a healthy environment encouraging new hair growth. It also improves the texture and strength of the hair (my godmother and friend use it and they both love it) and is guaranteed in 30 days. So I say try that! Obviously, genetics will always win, but it could help slow down the hair loss and help you get some extra style out of your hair. I also encourage my clients to take multivitamins and biotin supplements, eat healthy, drink plenty of water and get exercise. What effort you put into your body reflects in your appearance!

Credibility: I am a cosmetologist.

Good info, thanks! I have tried Nioxin shampoo (the category II one for thinning hair) but never the conditioner. I might need to take a look at that.

[wildross]

I kept cutting mine shorter and shorter. Then just went for it and shaved it. Been like that for about 5 years now. (My profile picture is about 8 years old and I was still trying to cut it short. Eventually, it's not worth the effort)

[curryfiend]

Good info, thanks! I have tried Nioxin shampoo (the category II one for thinning hair) but never the conditioner. I might need to take a look at that.

You need to use the shampoo, conditioner, and scalp treatment in order to get the advertised results. The three work as a system. Conditioner is really important because it keeps the hair moisturized and protected (fine, thinning hair is often quite brittle). I think the starter kits are about $45-$50. They're only guaranteed (actual product) at a professional salon, but you know, Amazon works too (just note that it's not guaranteed that way).

Side note: The reason why I say products are not guaranteed unless bought at an actual salon is because salons order straight from the official distributor. The product is fresh and properly packaged. Retails stores like Wal-Mart and online vendors at Amazon may have product that is old, damaged, or not even the real thing.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

I'm like JJhatch, I used to have a flat-top then I realized I would go bald one day so I grew my hair out to enjoy it while it lasts. It's always been thin, and my wife has pointed out it is receeding. Once it goes though, out comes the razor.

[Anarchist]

Only what I heard from other people. Eat a handful of sprouts everyday. Use a natural oil on your hair atleast once a week - castor oil, coconut oil or olive oil. Ask your doctor to suggest some nutrition supplements. My dermatologist had to say something like this about hair-loss -

Stress and malnutrition are the major causes of hair loss in young people. Sometimes people get too stressed about hair-loss only to accelerate the problem. I think even though people complain a lot about losing hair, they rarely have the patience and motivation to repair it. It'll take a long time to fix - six months or so before we can notice anything.

So research well, make a plan and follow it patiently for a long time. I believe it's possible to save the hair if acted upon early and effectively.

[andygates]

Stress makes my beard shed faster.

Apart from that... being a baldy never hurt Bruce Willis any more than being grey hurt Sean Connery. Looking the best for what you have is awesome; fighting entropy, on the other hand, is kinda doomed. Anyway you can use the early-bald = testosterone meme to get chicks.

[Zeuel]

Can't you just take propecia or whatever medicine they have out there for hair loss?

[BFBuckner]

I'm doomed to this fate by a long family history, too. Fortunately, I've held on to more for longer than both my dad and grandfather!

Mine started at 23-24 when I got into grad school. I haven't quite determined if it was the stress of that first year or just the fate of my DNA, but--fortunately--I haven't lost any more (in 5 years) since the first wave.

In any case, since that time I have been using a 2-in-1 dandruff shampoo conditioner with zinc pyrithione which, I have read, slows the process down. It's been working--that and, as mentioned, the shorter haircuts. Again, don't know if I learned to handle life better, the hair loss genes took a few years off, or the shampoo did its bit.

So there's my anecdotal evidence!

[Bumblebee4]

Anyway you can use the early-bald = testosterone meme to get chicks.

That explains why I've always been attracted to bald guys! Oh that and Freud would say it's because my Dad was bald. But he fought it tooth and nail and put some type of hot pepper on it to make his scalp hot and supposedly more circulation would make hair grow. He also used a small suction cup on his scalp for quite a while and that actually seemed to give him some results. Hairs did start popping up on an otherwise shiny crown. I have seen scalp treatments out there with hot pepper in them for hair loss so maybe there is something to it.

[curryfiend]

My brain hurts so bad right now, lol.

[KAllen]

Can't you just take propecia or whatever medicine they have out there for hair loss?

Propecia makes the schmeckle not work!!!

I went w/ the crew cuts for several years, then my wife said "you need to shave your head".

I resisted for a few reasons:

1) I'm a Ginger. I have no soul so I don't tan. so my bald head is really white. Insert cue ball jokes.

2) My wife wanted to shave it w/ straight razor. She's Mexican, I don't exactly trust Mexicans around my head w/ straight razors.(it's an ongoing joke w/ me and my wife).

3) I still look back at my 80s pix when I had long ass red hair. I had Axl hair, before anybody knew who Axl was (and wish they didn't now). I look at them and go..."dang, I wish I could have that hair again, and also remember some of those Pantera weekends too!!!"

However, I eventually gave in and got it shaved off. Now, I'm cool with it. My wife uses a standard 4blade razor(still don't trust her w/ a straigt edge). I also look at it like this. Patrick Stewart not only commanded the USS Enterprise (NCC 1701 D & E), but also led the X-MEN and he's bald. Bruce Willis rocks it cool. I have a new Klingon headpiece that I rock the bald head with and I am TONS cooler at the Cons. Plus my wife digs the bald head thing, so I get extra rewards w/ that!!!

Sooooooo....give it a shot, if you don't like it let it grow out, or at least what you got grow out.

[TheOtherScott]

Just embrace it and rock a short 'do. It's basically the fountain of youth for men. Yes, you'll look 10 years older at first, but then you'll look 35 forever (if you take care of yourself otherwise).

Need more baldspiration? Check out these guys:

[Buliaros]

The Pharmacy pov:

There isn't really anything, short of expensive hair transplants, that will solve the problem of thinning hair/alopecia. There is a product called Regaine, which is a pharmaceutical foam that reduces the rate of hair loss and stimulates the follicles, but from personal experience of having used it for over a year, the results aren't exactly miraculous. Yes, there had been some hair growth, but not enough really to justify the price point (looking at 50-70 quid a box).

I started thinning at 16, it sucks, I know. But I recently shaved my head and it's...well, it's stopped bothering me. I've accepted it, and baldspiration goes a long way.

Look up China Mieville for one sexy ass bald dude. He's a little closer to our age than willis/stewart/harris.

Most importantly, don't worry so much about it. Thinning hair at a young age is surprisingly common, I've found

EDIT: Oh, and my profile picture was taken today, so you can see what I mean

[wildross]

However, I eventually gave in and got it shaved off. Now, I'm cool with it. My wife uses a standard 4blade razor(still don't trust her w/ a straigt edge). I also look at it like this. Patrick Stewart not only commanded the USS Enterprise (NCC 1701 D & E), but also led the X-MEN and he's bald. Bruce Willis rocks it cool. I have a new Klingon headpiece that I rock the bald head with and I am TONS cooler at the Cons. Plus my wife digs the bald head thing, so I get extra rewards w/ that!!!

My wife used this technique on me as well. She said Picard was sexier than Riker.

[SuperVillain]

Time for the Villain to chime in with a wall of text

I shaved my head at 26. Like you, my hair was a big part of my identity. I had bright blonde hair and always had a trendy haircut. I had taken propecia/minoxodil in hopes of hanging on. I would SERIOUSLY look in to the possible consequences of propecia, they are much more prevalent than the manufacturer would let on. There are people with permanent sexual side effects and the suppression of DHT can effect alot of other bodily symptoms. Sexually I didn't have any problems when I discontinued the drugs, but there even reports of it effecting your body composition negatively. I'm currently looking more in to that now. I know at 18 when I started on the drugs, I felt like I was willing to gamble, because the bald alternative seemed soooo terrible. But a little perspective I'd take bald and virile over flowing locks on an androgynous frame

Here is probably the scariest things you are seeing from everyone listed in the thread: pictures of patrick stewart and the word "wife." At 26, likely your biggest hang-up with this is worry about being able to attract the opposite sex.( If its the same sex you are interested in attracting, I don't have as much info. I did have a friend that didn't seem to have much trouble filling his social calender) And while Patrick Stewart is awesome, you can't see the women you want to sleep with going for Patrick Stewart right now and short of meeting your soulmate at 1/2 price drafts night, you still want to be able to attract multiple women so you can find one you like to be around. What about these guys?

I doubt any of them would have trouble attracting women. Some of them aren't even naturally bald, they just think the look is best for them. Why not you.

As for my experience, I'm an average looking guy. When I was 26 and shaved my head, I was in grad school. It was college town with most of the social life revolving around the undergrad scene. Most people would have considered it a tough scene to be bald and already out of place being older, but I was more successful with girls in my 2 years at my time there, than in 4 years of undergrad. My ex-girlfriend of 2.5 years was one of the best looking people I'd met in real life and had done some modeling back in Russia before she moved to the US. While it didn't work out, lack mutual attraction never played apart. The last girl I was involved with was 22 and if it really bothered her she didn't let on. This isn't meant to be a brag; the point is that if you told me at 22, with some much of my identity tied to the notion that bald=ugly, that any of this was possible for me there is no way I would have believed you.

Basically you will encounter rough breakdown like this:

20-25% of women: Find being bald is a huge turnoff/near dealbreaker

40-50% : View it as any other minor cosmetic imperfection

20%: Minimally affects their perception of your attractiveness

10%: Among their preferred hair style, naturally bald or not

5%: love it, specifically turned on by it.

80% of the female population still in play gives lots of options.

Before this starts to turn in to a pro-bald infomercial, the biggest negatives you will experience will be from men. My ex-girlfriend was significantly more attractive than me, but I never got a surprised look that we were together from women, only men. And Besides the typical ball busting among your buddies, there does seem to be some generational perceptions. Alot of the 40-50s crowd(unfortunately, boss age) that still have their hair seem to have this weird perception that its what make them a "winner."

(The thought occurred to me that if you are homosexual that much of my post would come off as irrelevant. I don't have a great perspective, but I did have a gay bald friend that didn't seem to have any trouble keeping his social calender full.)