Emma Schaible/Fourth Estate
You’re balding before you’ve even graduated. Now what?
BY TYLER MANDELL, STAFF WRITER
As a man in my early twenties, it was terrifying when I realized I was balding. I only noticed a little over a year ago, after I saw a bad photo exposing a bald spot at the top of my head. Afterwards, hair loss became a huge insecurity for me.
Male hair loss follows a typical process, called ‘male pattern baldness’ (MPB). It begins with the hair follicles on the temples gradually thinning, then losing density, and finally becoming entirely bald. The same pattern occurs at the crown of the head.
MPB can start as early as one’s teens, typically starting much later. Male pattern baldness occurs in 16% of ages 18-29, 30% of ages 30-39, 50% of ages 40-49, and 80% of ages 70-79, according to HairScience.
The New York Times reported that MPB comes from “an increase in an enzyme in the scalp that converts testosterone to a more potent form, called dihydrotestosterone (DHT).” Yet, dermatologists aren’t certain why some men have more DHT, but it’s believed to come from genetics and hormones. Balding starts at the temples and crown because they have increased activity levels of DHT.
The New York Times noted that dermatologists typically recommend the medications finasteride—under brands like Propecia and Proscar—and minoxidil—under brands like Rogaine and Loniten. Both complement each other as the finasteride counteracts the enzyme response for DHT, whereas minoxidil encourages hair regrowth. More drastic and expensive secondary treatments include hair transplant surgery or low-level laser light therapy.
While MPB has a process, individuals going through it don’t. Three men, from an online community about managing hair loss, shared their stories: Brett, 22, from Texas, Matt, 27, from England, and Martyn, 20, from Germany. Each began losing hair around their late teens; all believing their family genealogy was responsible.
Brett recalled his high school friends outlining his tall hairline with dry-erase markers. Martyn quickly started wearing more hats, and Matt noticed it at a barbershop.
Brett and Martyn looked into trying new medications. However, Matt embraced baldness and shaved. Being done with schooling, he didn’t feel any peer pressure impacting his decision.
“I think it’s the stage of life you’re at, especially when you’re younger. There’s more social pressure in school, but then when you go into the world of work… I think that [pressure] drops,” said Matt. “There’d be quite a difference if I shaved at 21 compared to after I left university.”
The other two, obviously felt that social pressure. While Martyn’s hair loss stopped completely by 18 using finasteride, Brett couldn’t find anything that worked and eventually embraced baldness.
“I just wanted to be in a static state,” Brett said. “Commitment was hard because I still wore a hat for two months, and that [first walk while bald] was so scary.”
As Brett, Martyn and Matt adjusted to their new looks and routines, they felt happier and more confident after moving past such insecurities.
“Your hair is only one part of who you are. If you’re balding, just put more energy elsewhere,” Matt said. “Dress better, grow a beard, get tattoos… As I get older, I realize that my confidence links to how I feel, not my looks.”
Brett echoed, “[Balding is] a time to experiment. Do something different because you’re losing your hair and aesthetic. Try on new clothes, see what other physical traits you can also identify with… You get more in touch with yourself when you can’t control your appearance… It’s made me more three-dimensional than before.”
As someone that experienced the same sentiments as Brett, Martyn and Matt, I found interviewing them to be a healing process. To know I’m not at all alone in my insecurities made me less ashamed of hair loss. As of today, I’m much happier with my hair after using minoxidil and finasteride. The bald spot that sparked my initial research into hair growth is almost completely filled in. However, I also understand now that my hair is just a small part of who I am. It doesn’t define anyone’s worth, and it shouldn’t stop you from being yourself.
