I just turned 24, I have the face of an 18 year old (it runs in the family, on both sides they look very young and age well), I can't grow decent facial hair...and I'm going bald. I always had a very high hairline, like my father, and I always thought since he still has a full head of hair at 64 this wouldn't be an issue. Well, I should have known something was up when I'd constantly have hair fall out when I showered (thought it was natural). I guess I didn't pay close attention the last time I had short hair (about 3 months ago). The other day my friend said I was balding and I thought he was wrong, that maybe it was just my hairline. Well I got a very short haircut three days ago and I'm completely ******* bald. The hairline has receded a LOT on the sides, especially on the right side, making it appear lopsided. The hair all on my hairline, especially in the middle where it juts out, is very visibly thin, and I have lone hairs that stick out much farther down my head than the rest of my hairline.
Shaving it isn't an option as I'd look terrible. I'm very tall and skinny and young-looking and would just look awful with a shaved head. My blonde hair is my best physical quality, and my looks are about all I've got. I used to be nervous about going bald early, at age 30 perhaps. But I didn't care too much, as long as I had my 20's with a full head of hair I was fine. But 23/24? Jesus Christ. It's awful. Yes, I know I'm fortunate to have all of my limbs and not grow up starving in Africa. I know I'm whining and everyone hates a whiner. And that you can't get upset about things you have no control over. But it doesn't make me feel any better. I've been so depressed since I discovered this a few days ago, I can't even enjoy anything. I'm sitting here with a ticking clock on having a part of my body. I keep on putting my hand through the bald spots in my hair (which are very obvious) in disbelief. It's like waking up in the middle of a nightmare.
What bothers me is this is really the first thing I've encountered in life that I absolutely have no control over. It always seems like you have control over your life, that if you work hard you can make your own fate. If I get fired, whatever, I can work hard and find a new job. There's always the possibility of a car accident or something but I always drive slowly and carefully to the point where I get made fun of for it. Even physical appearance can be fixed with diet and exercise and good fashion and haircuts. You're supposed to be able to have at least SOME control over your fate. But this? I have zero control over it. It's a senseless part of human evolution that leaves us disfigured. I would not care at all about being completely 100% bald at 45. That's not what I'm worried about. It's that I had braces until I was 19 years old. I went to a tiny universities in the middle of nowhere with some of the worst girls (both in terms of looks and personality) in the country. I've just started my single career and although am a late bloomer was planning on really enjoying it in my 20's, working my *** off in whatever career I find in my 30's, and then marrying in my late thirties. Well now that's over before it really even started. Might as well kiss my youth goodbye since I'm now one of those guys you feel sorry for..."****, look at how young that bald guy is!"
I realize I'm being self-centered, spoiled, and immature, but I can't help it, I just feel awful. I was wondering if there are any other baldies here on the forum (most people here are very young but I know there are a few my age and older)...does anyone know anything about treatment? I did some research but it's so depressing. It's absolutely irreversible and there are few treatment options available. The problem is so simple (too much production of DHT, a hormone that attacks hair folicles), I'm amazed that modern science hasn't figured it out. One of them only works on baldness in the back of the head and not receding hairlines. I'm seriously thinking about hair plugs (Rooney's looked great) but I bet they are so expensive. And I'm a young recent college graduate who can't afford that. I'm seriously thinking of making career choices based around this, maybe even taking out a huge loan or something (everyone's in debt and with our government debasing the dollar, why not?).
I apologize for being pathetic but I just needed to rant. Any words of advice? For those of you with hair, run your hands through it and appreciate what you've got. It could disappear anytime soon.
Shaving it isn't an option as I'd look terrible. I'm very tall and skinny and young-looking and would just look awful with a shaved head. My blonde hair is my best physical quality, and my looks are about all I've got. I used to be nervous about going bald early, at age 30 perhaps. But I didn't care too much, as long as I had my 20's with a full head of hair I was fine. But 23/24? Jesus Christ. It's awful. Yes, I know I'm fortunate to have all of my limbs and not grow up starving in Africa. I know I'm whining and everyone hates a whiner. And that you can't get upset about things you have no control over. But it doesn't make me feel any better. I've been so depressed since I discovered this a few days ago, I can't even enjoy anything. I'm sitting here with a ticking clock on having a part of my body. I keep on putting my hand through the bald spots in my hair (which are very obvious) in disbelief. It's like waking up in the middle of a nightmare.
What bothers me is this is really the first thing I've encountered in life that I absolutely have no control over. It always seems like you have control over your life, that if you work hard you can make your own fate. If I get fired, whatever, I can work hard and find a new job. There's always the possibility of a car accident or something but I always drive slowly and carefully to the point where I get made fun of for it. Even physical appearance can be fixed with diet and exercise and good fashion and haircuts. You're supposed to be able to have at least SOME control over your fate. But this? I have zero control over it. It's a senseless part of human evolution that leaves us disfigured. I would not care at all about being completely 100% bald at 45. That's not what I'm worried about. It's that I had braces until I was 19 years old. I went to a tiny universities in the middle of nowhere with some of the worst girls (both in terms of looks and personality) in the country. I've just started my single career and although am a late bloomer was planning on really enjoying it in my 20's, working my *** off in whatever career I find in my 30's, and then marrying in my late thirties. Well now that's over before it really even started. Might as well kiss my youth goodbye since I'm now one of those guys you feel sorry for..."****, look at how young that bald guy is!"
I realize I'm being self-centered, spoiled, and immature, but I can't help it, I just feel awful. I was wondering if there are any other baldies here on the forum (most people here are very young but I know there are a few my age and older)...does anyone know anything about treatment? I did some research but it's so depressing. It's absolutely irreversible and there are few treatment options available. The problem is so simple (too much production of DHT, a hormone that attacks hair folicles), I'm amazed that modern science hasn't figured it out. One of them only works on baldness in the back of the head and not receding hairlines. I'm seriously thinking about hair plugs (Rooney's looked great) but I bet they are so expensive. And I'm a young recent college graduate who can't afford that. I'm seriously thinking of making career choices based around this, maybe even taking out a huge loan or something (everyone's in debt and with our government debasing the dollar, why not?).
I apologize for being pathetic but I just needed to rant. Any words of advice? For those of you with hair, run your hands through it and appreciate what you've got. It could disappear anytime soon.
Maybe ask Joss for help, he's not bald but he's got a stupid chin. I'm sure they overlap a bit.
