# Men's Hair Loss > Coping with Hair Loss in Everyday Life >  This disease.

## clandestine

This disease.

I wonder how many young men have been driven to suicide from this disease. Not that I'm any where near this mindset; but I wonder. 

It can be so taxing for a person, emotionally. So incredibly crushing, especially at a young age.

I wonder as well how men and women with alopecia totalis cope? Maybe they're better off, having never had hair at all to have lost.

This disease wages war on the spirit. Our options are so limited; I find the feeling of helplessness often overwhelms all.

This disease wages war on the spirit.

----------


## Notcoolanymore

This hair loss crap takes a lot out of you that's for sure.  I wonder how much time I waste every day looking in the mirror, on this site, etc.

----------


## VictimOfDHT

This curse, this cancer (hair loss) has completely ruined my life. I don't think there's a word that exists that I can use to describe what it's done to me. I live like a ghost. I almost don't exist if it weren't for the space I occupy.

----------


## 25 going on 65

This thread is ultimate.




> I wonder how many young men have been driven to suicide from this disease. Not that I'm any where near this mindset; but I wonder.


 Same. Ugliness kills, especially acquired from something like MPB....first the soul & then the body
Sometimes I see news stories about some guy who killed himself, or went on a killing spree & killed himself after. News people waste a bunch of time speculating about why he did it....but when they shows the guy's pic it is so blatantly obvious what made him snap
The mirror
What the f*ck is our society doing....creating foundations for diseases that affect 1 in every 100,000,000 people when this disease has disfigured billions of human faces

----------


## win200

I always wonder how the really young guys who have severe loss cope with it.  It was difficult enough for me to be a NW2 at age 30, which is nothing--_nothing_.  My heart breaks for some of the guys on here who are 20-24 and looking at NW4 territory.  I'm sure there are some guys whose self-esteem is durable enough to withstand that, but I don't know if I could have taken that.  It's one thing to be 35, 40 with hair like that--you'll have plenty of peers in the same boat.  But in your early 20s, you'll likely be alone, which is the worst thing imaginable.

----------


## fred970

NW5 and 24 here. And I'm indeed the only one. My friends aren't even showing any sign of thinning. I started to lose it at 17, I know it must sound horrible, and it has been. But like Spencer often said, there is life after hair loss. When I read that statement, back when I was 19, I didn't believe it. But 5 years later, I must say he was right.

How do I cope with it? I guess I was good looking to begin with, being 6"3' certainly helped. Minoxidil allowed me to keep a few hairs there and there, I think it makes a difference, that's why I would advise even someone who is NW5 to get on it. 

But my self-esteem was never really high and I spent most my teen years convinced I was below average in the looks department. Apparently this was not the case. Ironically, I've never been as confident about my looks as I am right now. It's just that yeah, I'm bald, at 24, and it's sometimes hard to accept.

----------


## greatjob!

> I always wonder how the really young guys who have severe loss cope with it.  It was difficult enough for me to be a NW2 at age 30, which is nothing--_nothing_.  My heart breaks for some of the guys on here who are 20-24 and looking at NW4 territory.  I'm sure there are some guys whose self-esteem is durable enough to withstand that, but I don't know if I could have taken that.  It's one thing to be 35, 40 with hair like that--you'll have plenty of peers in the same boat.  But in your early 20s, you'll likely be alone, which is the worst thing imaginable.


 Try being a NW 3 in high school. Luckily I was very athletic, I was the quarterback of the football team and played basketball as well, but it was hell. I eventually quite playing basketball because I couldn't stand being in front of so many people with my hair looking so terrible. Like someone else said there really are no words to describe how negatively this has effected my life, I could tell thousands of stories. I became angry, started drinking heavily, getting into fights, I can't say it all came from my hairloss, but I do think it is the main underlying issue. It's very hard to deal with hairloss when you're still developing mentally, I was around 12-13 years old when I started losing my hair.

----------


## Notcoolanymore

> I've never been as confident about my looks as I am right now.


 All the a$$ you are getting right now...Imagine how much action you would be getting if you had your hair.  You would have six pack abs from the sex alone.

----------


## fred970

I don't think it would be any different. I would probably get less had I kept my hair.

Losing my hair at 17 forced me to cultivate a good personality, a sense of humour and a sense of fashion.

Moreover, girls keep telling me how dorky I look with hair when they dig through my old photos albums on Facebook.

----------


## Notcoolanymore

> I don't think it would be any different. I would probably get less had I kept my hair.
> 
> Losing my hair at 17 forced me to cultivate a good personality, a sense of humour and a sense of fashion.
> 
> Moreover, girls keep telling me how dorky I look with hair when they dig through my old photos albums on Facebook.


 Good point.

----------


## DepressedByHairLoss

> This disease.
> 
> I wonder how many young men have been driven to suicide from this disease. Not that I'm any where near this mindset; but I wonder. 
> 
> It can be so taxing for a person, emotionally. So incredibly crushing, especially at a young age.
> 
> I wonder as well how men and women with alopecia totalis cope? Maybe they're better off, having never had hair at all to have lost.
> 
> This disease wages war on the spirit. Our options are so limited; I find the feeling of helplessness often overwhelms all.
> ...


 Clandestine, you're wise beyond your years and your posts are very eloquent and true.  People who do not suffer from hair loss (or suffer from extremely minimal hair loss) cannot comprehend the drastic and negative effects that hair loss has on a person's life.  As Spencer says, hair loss colors every aspect of our lives from our relationships with women to our motivation to achieve and succeed in life.  When a person's visual looks erode, it rages hell on their spirit.  

You're right about our options being so limited as well.  As I've said before, statistically only about 5-10 percent of people seek treatment for hair loss.  That's not because they're simply content in watching their looks deteriorate before their eyes, it's because today's treatment options are so limited and/or ineffective.  

Another thing that I can't stand is the state of the hair restoration industry today.  They seem to be perfectly content on making exorbitant amounts of money on hair transplants and wigs, while not doing much of anything to innovate to help out the majority of hair loss sufferers.  And the small innovations that they do make and pigeon-holed to hair transplantation and will never appeal to the majority of hair loss sufferers.  So-called innovations like an ARTAS robot or head tattooing will never even come close to appealing to the mainstream.

----------


## Henkeh91

So true! Im young and balding very bad (NW4)! I have mild suicidal thoughts that comes and goes and Im also crying now and than (which is unlike me) because of my damn hair loss!

I have to say that I admire young guys that doesn&#180;t care about their hair loss because I find it almost impossible to accept the fact that Im balding.

----------


## goldnt

It is very difficult, but i know i am definitely much stronger person emotionally after all this balding issue in my life.

----------


## VictimOfDHT

> So true! Im young and balding very bad (NW4)! I have mild suicidal thoughts that comes and goes and Im also crying now and than (which is unlike me) because of my damn hair loss!
> 
> I have to say that I admire young guys that doesn&#180;t care about their hair loss because I find it almost impossible to accept the fact that Im balding.


 This (hair loss) is a CURSE. No less. It's a cancer that destroys the soul. I wish I could ask god WHAT the purpose of this curse is. That's all I want to know.

5 1/2 hair transplants and over $22,000 and 13 years and my whole life on hold and I keep losing my transplanted hair. Soon I don't think I'll have any left, all thanks to a rare condition that causes the grafts to be rejected with time. Only 1 or 2&#37; of people have this curse and I happen to be one of those!! Thank  you god for this special gift that doesn't stop destroying.

Unfortunately suicide isn't an option because I don't to go to another hell. I've contemplated going homeless. It would be nice if the ground just opened up and swallowed me. I really don't know what to do with my life any more.

----------


## fred970

Damn that's harsh. Hang in there!

Just out of curiosity, what is this condition?

----------


## hairlessM

It ruined my life, without question. I shaved my head at 19/20 due to the worst hairline of any teenager in history. If you look down on me from above my hairline literally looked like this (''''I_I'''') and there is no hairstyle in the world that could even come close to covering that up, and now I look like that from behind. It ruined my confidence, self esteem, self worth, motivation, desire, ambition, it ruined everything because I always think whats the point as I don't want to look like this and there is nothing I can do about it.

I'm embarrassed to be bald.

The only time I ever feel suicidal is when I look in the mirror. I have no doubt many men have taken their lives over it and I think it's absurd that people brush it off and say "that has nothing to do with it". Still no one cares and nothing will be done about it because it's only "vanity".

----------


## clandestine

> It ruined my life, without question. I shaved my head at 19/20 due to the worst hairline of any teenager in history. If you look down on me from above my hairline literally looked like this (''''I_I'''') and there is no hairstyle in the world that could even come close to covering that up, and now I look like that from behind. It ruined my confidence, self esteem, self worth, motivation, desire, ambition, it ruined everything because I always think whats the point as I don't want to look like this and there is nothing I can do about it.
> 
> I'm embarrassed to be bald.
> 
> The only time I ever feel suicidal is when I look in the mirror. I have no doubt many men have taken their lives over it and I think it's absurd that people brush it off and say "that has nothing to do with it". Still no one cares and nothing will be done about it because it's only "vanity".


 I'm sorry.

I'm 21 destined for NW7.
Hair loss 'treatments' have exacerbated my hair loss, I'm NW4 almost 5.
I know how you feel.

I'm sorry, for us all.

----------


## lrocksmashtime

I'm with all of you. Started losing my hair at 17, now I'm 31 and I shave it everyday. I actually like the way I look with a shaved head, more or less, trouble is I'm the minority in a sea of tall, regular haired guys. Then the thought of all those years of sadness and pain just makes the cycle continue. All it would take is for one good girl to be a part of my life for it to be ok.

----------


## redy

being 6'2 or above makes you taller than like 98&#37; of the world.

there is no sea of tall people.

this is coming from someone who is 6'4 though

----------


## lrocksmashtime

> being 6'2 or above makes you taller than like 98% of the world.
> 
> there is no sea of tall people.
> 
> this is coming from someone who is 6'4 though


 Not sure if this is in response to my comment. In any case, I wish I was 6'2. I'm a modest 5'8. I feel like the bald short combination is the ultimate killer. I have to master the art of overcompensation in pretty much everything, which not only shapes my personality, but also how hard I work. Girls don't seem to notice that or if they do they really just don't give a shit. I hate them more than I hate myself.

----------


## redy

> Not sure if this is in response to my comment. In any case, I wish I was 6'2. I'm a modest 5'8. I feel like the bald short combination is the ultimate killer. I have to master the art of overcompensation in pretty much everything, which not only shapes my personality, but also how hard I work. Girls don't seem to notice that or if they do they really just don't give a shit. I hate them more than I hate myself.


 well, 

I've always been pretty good at getting attention from girls but I'm pretty awkward and shy when it comes down to talking and interaction. Not that I'm not confident in my looks but I'm just paralyzingly afraid of rejection in any way shape or form. I honestly think I got by a lot in life by just being 'that tall white guy that's cute' and now I feel like that world is crashing down around me. Like I didn't better myself in other ways or something because I didn't need to. I feel that other people are emotionally stronger than I am because I didn't really have to try outside of education.

I feel like when I have to buzz my head down, I'll still be pretty decent looking and I know some girls that specifically just go for tall guys because it makes them feel better about their own insecurities - but I'm still going to be me.. and whatever I do 'game' wise probably was not that much changed by hair.

----------


## PatientlyWaiting

> This disease.
> 
> I wonder how many young men have been driven to suicide from this disease. Not that I'm any where near this mindset; but I wonder. 
> 
> It can be so taxing for a person, emotionally. So incredibly crushing, especially at a young age.
> 
> I wonder as well how men and women with alopecia totalis cope? *Maybe they're better off*, having never had hair at all to have lost.
> 
> This disease wages war on the spirit. Our options are so limited; I find the feeling of helplessness often overwhelms all.
> ...


 Having alopecia areata I can tell you they are not better off. Hair loss is hair loss. They feel even less normal than we MPB sufferers do and they get much weirder looks than we do, and their social life is much worse.

----------


## PatientlyWaiting

> Try being a NW 3 in high school. Luckily I was very athletic, I was the quarterback of the football team and played basketball as well, but it was hell. I eventually quite playing basketball because I couldn't stand being in front of so many people with my hair looking so terrible. Like someone else said there really are no words to describe how negatively this has effected my life, I could tell thousands of stories. I became angry, started drinking heavily, getting into fights, I can't say it all came from my hairloss, but I do think it is the main underlying issue. It's very hard to deal with hairloss when you're still developing mentally, *I was around 12-13 years old when I started losing my hair.*


 That really sucks, I started at 15-16, but 12-13 is ridiculous. I am sorry to hear that.

----------


## PatientlyWaiting

> This (hair loss) is a CURSE. No less. It's a cancer that destroys the soul. I wish I could ask god WHAT the purpose of this curse is. That's all I want to know.
> 
> 5 1/2 hair transplants and over $22,000 and 13 years and my whole life on hold and I keep losing my transplanted hair. Soon I don't think I'll have any left, all thanks to a rare condition that causes the grafts to be rejected with time. Only 1 or 2% of people have this curse and I happen to be one of those!! Thank  you god for this special gift that doesn't stop destroying.
> 
> Unfortunately suicide isn't an option because I don't to go to another hell. I've contemplated going homeless. It would be nice if the ground just opened up and swallowed me. I really don't know what to do with my life any more.


 I don't mean to make this religious or bash religion, but I don't think an imaginary figure, created by primitive people who didn't know about the universe, has the answers for MPB. I am sorry, but "god" just doesn't exist. Sorry if I offend any one here. That is your answer, genes messed us up, not "god".

----------


## Notcoolanymore

I just had a really bad weekend dealing with this shit.  I am older (37 yo) than most here, but have been losing my hair since I was about 22, so I have been dealing with stuff for many years.  I don't like what it has done to my appearance, but usually I don't let it get to me very much anymore.  For some reason though this weekend was tough.  Thought about it way more than usual and that resulted in frustration and anger.  Some people get depressed when dealing with this crap, I get pissed off.  I usually try to not get too emotional about this stuff anymore, but was just in an overall bad mood.  I didn't even try to hide it with a hat or anything.  Buzzed it, like usual, but didn't wear a hat or anything.  Went out in day light and I was just like eff it.  

Everything about balding was/is pissing me off.  Mostly the stigma attached to it: being old, sick, placed in same category as letting myself go, and a bunch of other negative garbage.  It's just all bullshit and I am pissed.  So I will try not to jump off the deep end and piss any of you guys off, because afterall we are all pretty much in the same boat.

----------


## Hicks

> I just had a really bad weekend dealing with this shit.  I am older (37 yo) than most here, but have been losing my hair since I was about 22, so I have been dealing with stuff for many years.  I don't like what it has done to my appearance, but usually I don't let it get to me very much anymore.  For some reason though this weekend was tough.  Thought about it way more than usual and that resulted in frustration and anger.  Some people get depressed when dealing with this crap, I get pissed off.  I usually try to not get too emotional about this stuff anymore, but was just in an overall bad mood.  I didn't even try to hide it with a hat or anything.  Buzzed it, like usual, but didn't wear a hat or anything.  Went out in day light and I was just like eff it.  
> 
> Everything about balding was/is pissing me off.  Mostly the stigma attached to it: being old, sick, placed in same category as letting myself go, and a bunch of other negative garbage.  It's just all bullshit and I am pissed.  So I will try not to jump off the deep end and piss any of you guys off, because afterall we are all pretty much in the same boat.


 Have you looked into a HT?  I got pissed at first at my hairloss then got some facts and went from there.  1 year on meds and if that went good a HT. 2 year plan!  I'm 1.5 months out of my HT so not much to report on that end.

----------


## Notcoolanymore

> Have you looked into a HT?  I got pissed at first at my hairloss then got some facts and went from there.  1 year on meds and if that went good a HT. 2 year plan!  I'm 1.5 months out of my HT so not much to report on that end.


 I haven't seriously considered it, but I realize if I want improvement in my hair, I will need to get one.

----------


## Hicks

My advice is to start saving money and visit 3 surgeons to get a solid feel for what your up against.  Say in a year 2 things will happen:
1-You will know if a HT is right and you will have the money.
2-You will know a HT is *NOT* for you and you will have money.

Either way knowing you have a plan brings hope.  I honestly don't have faith on future treatments.  I hope I am wrong but I"m just a realist. 

I will most likely start getting PRP injections in the future.

----------


## Randomb

Yeah it's devastating for sure. I'm 19 and I have this small thin patch on my left temple that sometimes leads me to some real dark thoughts, for example, I sometimes wish I would have a freak accident that would end my life... Or wish that I had a terminal illness.

It weird to reminisce about myself as a 12 year old boy who pictured the future to be about what job I would have, what university I would go to... And now at 19 I'm more bothered about how to keep my hair. My 12 year old self was oblivious... Sad really  :Frown: 

The even more upsetting thing about hair loss is you are basically forced into medication because it is a condition that worsens and something you really don't have much control over at all.. And if all fails you are left to live your life with a hairline that is constantly creeping back effecting your self esteem CONSTANTLY.

----------


## clandestine

> Yeah it's devastating for sure. I'm 19 and I have this small thin patch on my left temple that sometimes leads me to some real dark thoughts, for example, I sometimes wish I would have a freak accident that would end my life... Or wish that I had a terminal illness.
> 
> It weird to reminisce about myself as a 12 year old boy who pictured the future to be about what job I would have, what university I would go to... And now at 19 I'm more bothered about how to keep my hair. My 12 year old self was oblivious... Sad really 
> 
> The even more upsetting thing about hair loss is you are basically forced into medication because it is a condition that worsens and something you really don't have much control over at all.. And if all fails you are left to live your life with a hairline that is constantly creeping back effecting your self esteem CONSTANTLY.


 Bro, from a 22 year old heading NW7 quick, if a thinning temple is bothering you that much, you better get over that shit, fast.

Much worse things are ahead, get your head right or you won't be able to handle the inevitable future.

----------


## Randomb

Not saying my thoughts are rational. I guess hair loss is just hitting me with depression, nothing I can do about it... Seemingly.

----------


## 25 going on 65

> Not saying my thoughts are rational. I guess hair loss is just hitting me with depression, nothing I can do about it... Seemingly.


 They are rational. Fixed by 35 on this forum once said "Depression is a normal and healthy reaction to hair loss"

----------


## Notcoolanymore

I get depressed every now and then because of this crap.  For the most part, I just get pissed off.

----------


## matlondon

I know how you guys feel, i've been thinking of HT for a while i a norwood 2 but have think hair, just have receding hair line. Sometimes I cry and just don't want to go out.

----------


## vcity

> Yeah it's devastating for sure. I'm 19 and I have this small thin patch on my left temple that sometimes leads me to some real dark thoughts, for example, I sometimes wish I would have a freak accident that would end my life... Or wish that I had a terminal illness.
> 
> It weird to reminisce about myself as a 12 year old boy who pictured the future to be about what job I would have, what university I would go to... And now at 19 I'm more bothered about how to keep my hair. My 12 year old self was oblivious... Sad really 
> 
> The even more upsetting thing about hair loss is you are basically forced into medication because it is a condition that worsens and something you really don't have much control over at all.. And if all fails you are left to live your life with a hairline that is constantly creeping back effecting your self esteem CONSTANTLY.


 Hey, I have a thin patch on my left temple as well - it randomly appeared during my senior year at high school. I recently figured out out that it's called triangular alopecia. The good news is, if that's all you have, it may not be progressive and just end there for you, nothing a small FUE can't fix. Unfortunately for me, however, I got both Triangular Alopecia and MPB at the same time .. At 16.

----------


## mazymake325125

Hair fall is common, and major problem. due to eat unhealthy diet we face hair fall problem.

----------


## Jcm800

I've been shedding like a dog lately.. Unbelievable for me. 
I've also been living on macdonalds and coke.. 
Eating crap.. I do wonder if there's a connection? 

Doubt it tho, as I see drunks with great heads of hair in town..

----------


## gainspotter

> I've been shedding like a dog lately.. Unbelievable for me. 
> I've also been living on macdonalds and coke.. 
> Eating crap.. I do wonder if there's a connection? 
> 
> Doubt it tho, as I see drunks with great heads of hair in town..


 I wouldn't buy into that hair loss/diet crap. It may improve quality of existing hair if you have a good diet but it can't change genetics. 
This shit is for life

----------


## BigThinker

> Hair fall is common, and major problem. due to eat unhealthy diet we face hair fall problem.


 Lol. Wow.

----------


## hellouser

> Hair fall is common, and major problem. due to eat unhealthy diet we face hair fall problem.


 Lies and ignorance is common, and major problem. Due to misinformation we face hair fall problem.

----------


## mariechin1234

Having no hair can affect your confidence but a lot of treatment are out there. The main treatment for Alopecia Totalis are therapies which focus on immunomodulation, such as glucocorticoid injections, anthralin, or glucocorticoids taken orally. We have heard reports from some that years of steroid therapy can put the condition into remission. Years of steroid therapy is not always enjoyable however, as there are side effects. It is important to comment that Rogaine (Minoxidil) is not effective for those with Alopecia Totalis. Some treatments which have been considered include Methotrexate, a treatment for autoimmune disorders, and corticosteroids have been proposed as treatments.

----------


## mariechin1234

I understand how you feel, Clandestine. There is every chance that your hair will grow back, but it may fall out again. No one can tell you when it might fall out or grow back. You may lose more hair, or your hair loss may stop. The hair you have lost may or may not grow back. Even a person who has lost all of his hair may grow all of his hair back. The disease varies from person to person.

----------


## RanDave

> Losing my hair at 17 forced me to cultivate a good personality, a sense of humour and a sense of fashion.


 Yes, the state of depression is possibly the most common for all of us. 
I know, it is hard to accept the fact that you are balding especially at the age of 20s. 
I agree with Fred that this 'hell' that is called hair loss can really encourage a man to become a strong person. The question is HOW?

----------

