another H question - balding

[MrsPotatohead]

so... poor H is really distressed about his receding hairline.  He's known this was coming for a while since it slowly started to change in college but is only noticeable now (at 29).  I feel so bad for him because he's really self conscious and doesn't know what to do.  He's tried a bunch of topical products, but obviously nothing is really proven to work.  He's thinking about just shaving it off, which I'll admit is a little terrifying just because it will be such a huge change and who knows if he can pull it off.  I'll admit, probably flameful, that I'm a little sad about it since I really love his hair, but I know neither of us will look the same forever

any thoughts/suggestions/advice?  I mean, I know there isn't much to be done (although believe me, he would be tempted to try the transplant thing if we had the $!), but curious how any of your Hs have handled this.  It doesn't help that he has black hair so it's probably more obvious than if he had lighter hair.  He also doesn't know how short he should go.  Thanks!

[smucky]

If he stops using sulfates on his hair, that may help slow it a little. He could switch to "washing" with conditioner.

[MrsPotatohead]

oh that's a good idea, I should check about that (so stupid because I'm so particular about what I use and don't think about his stuff!)

[busybodyk]

A friend of mine who is balding is taking some sort of pill to stop it. He said he takes it daily. I'm not sure what it is called or what kind of doctor gave it to him but it might be worth looking into.

[aak0517]

Jul 8, 2014 11:21:32 GMT -5 busybodyk said:

A friend of mine who is balding is taking some sort of pill to stop it. He said he takes it daily. I'm not sure what it is called or what kind of doctor gave it to him but it might be worth looking into.

My H for years took Propecia (not sure how it's spelled) it's used primarily for something else, but docs prescribe it for hair retention in men. BUt it has bad side effects and eventually we decided to ween him off of it. It can effect his ability to have children someday (i think it lowers sperm count?)- and since we're hoping to start a family in the next 1.5-2 years it was time to stop taking it. We've noticed his hairline changing since stopping it and it really bothers him. BUt in the end we decided his health and our future of wanting a family was more important. So I'm interested in hearing what other recommend as other options that I could tell him about as well.

[veruca5839]

My DH uses Rogaine foam. I think he applies it once a day. He has noticed regrowth, but it takes a few months to see a difference.

[MrsPotatohead]

Jul 8, 2014 11:26:27 GMT -5 aak0517 said:

Jul 8, 2014 11:21:32 GMT -5 busybodyk said:

A friend of mine who is balding is taking some sort of pill to stop it. He said he takes it daily. I'm not sure what it is called or what kind of doctor gave it to him but it might be worth looking into.

My H for years took Propecia (not sure how it's spelled) it's used primarily for something else, but docs prescribe it for hair retention in men. BUt it has bad side effects and eventually we decided to ween him off of it. It can effect his ability to have children someday (i think it lowers sperm count?)- and since we're hoping to start a family in the next 1.5-2 years it was time to stop taking it. We've noticed his hairline changing since stopping it and it really bothers him. BUt in the end we decided his health and our future of wanting a family was more important. So I'm interested in hearing what other recommend as other options that I could tell him about as well.

oh ok, thanks for the info.  Yeah, having kids is definitely more important to us as well! 

[melaniesc]

I'd say shave it off, when ready. Our best man had hair issues for years. He finally wound up shaving it to a very close crew cut. The balding made him look way older than he was and I think with the close cut he looks much more his age now.

[MrsPotatohead]

Jul 8, 2014 11:59:16 GMT -5 melaniesc said:

I'd say shave it off, when ready. Our best man had hair issues for years. He finally wound up shaving it to a very close crew cut. The balding made him look way older than he was and I think with the close cut he looks much more his age now.

I think he's feeling upset/discouraged enough right now that he really wants to do it, but I won't lie and say I'm not nervous!  I think he still wants to do something in addition though in case there is something else he could do to slow it down since his hairline is so obvious.  We're texting right now and I guess he might want to do it this weekend... he did want me to go with him though, it's such a big step in our relationship, lol

[melaniesc]

aww, tell DH to hang in there MrsPotatohead. Every guy I know that has a close crew cut (whether that's their style or they did it due to hair issues)looks nice with it. Maybe he could just go for a consultation this weekend and see what the stylist would recommend? Then that way he can think it over a little before going for the cut. And maybe if/when he does it you could make a night of it with dinner/drinks at his favorite spot? make it a celebration of the new look, not a goodbye to the old one.

[MrsPotatohead]

Jul 8, 2014 12:41:16 GMT -5 melaniesc said:

aww, tell DH to hang in there MrsPotatohead. Every guy I know that has a close crew cut (whether that's their style or they did it due to hair issues)looks nice with it. Maybe he could just go for a consultation this weekend and see what the stylist would recommend? Then that way he can think it over a little before going for the cut. And maybe if/when he does it you could make a night of it with dinner/drinks at his favorite spot? make it a celebration of the new look, not a goodbye to the old one.

that's a great idea, thanks

[pooh8402]

DH just deals with it. He's been balding for years, since before I met him, and doesn't do anything to try to stop or slow it. He wears a hat when he's not working, and keeps his hair cropped close (I go over it once or twice a month with a clipper and #4 blade, sometimes I'll use the scissors on top). He shaved it once. I laughed, his friends laughed, his coworkers laughed... it was not good. Never again.

[Deleted]

I say "own it". There is nothing more un-flattering than a guy who tries to hide the fact that he is balding.

[Deleted]

Agree to own it. BF is balding and I wouldn't love a shaved head on him.

I think he's sweet and cute, and it just doesn't bother me one bit.

[MrsPotatohead]

Jul 8, 2014 14:25:10 GMT -5 @gypsy said:

Agree to own it. BF is balding and I wouldn't love a shaved head on him.

I think he's sweet and cute, and it just doesn't bother me one bit.

yeah, I'm actually not bothered by the balding right now (although like I said, a little sad about it eventually), IMO it's still not even that bad.  I think it is becoming more noticeable in pictures, which is what he has seen a bunch of recently so he's feeling really self conscious.  I wish he'd stop worrying about it, at least for a little while longer, but I also know what it's like to feel really self conscious about things and the frustration of wanting to fix it.

[holdingthestars]

My H has had thinning hair in the back since before we started dating. He uses clippers every two weeks to make it into a very close cut, but not completely shaved.

I had a guy friend awhile back that got some kind of plugs put in to cover his receding hairline.

[meij]

Mine just keeps getting shorter and shorter haircuts. Looking back at pictures it was really noticeable when his hair was a bit longer.

He says he will shave it when it gets really bad but he is nervous about that. His brother is 30 and recently started doing a combover. It looks BAD. It ages him ten years.

[MrsPotatohead]

Jul 8, 2014 14:51:09 GMT -5 meij said:

Mine just keeps getting shorter and shorter haircuts. Looking back at pictures it was really noticeable when his hair was a bit longer.

He says he will shave it when it gets really bad but he is nervous about that. His brother is 30 and recently started doing a combover. It looks BAD. It ages him ten years.

oh good grief, at least I know he won't do that!

I was thinking of suggesting maybe he just try going a little shorter (he has it so that he uses hair stuff to make it go up a little right now) to start out with and not go too crazy all at once in case he really hates it.

[Deleted]

Jul 8, 2014 11:26:27 GMT -5 aak0517 said:

Jul 8, 2014 11:21:32 GMT -5 busybodyk said:

A friend of mine who is balding is taking some sort of pill to stop it. He said he takes it daily. I'm not sure what it is called or what kind of doctor gave it to him but it might be worth looking into.

My H for years took Propecia (not sure how it's spelled) it's used primarily for something else, but docs prescribe it for hair retention in men. BUt it has bad side effects and eventually we decided to ween him off of it. It can effect his ability to have children someday (i think it lowers sperm count?)- and since we're hoping to start a family in the next 1.5-2 years it was time to stop taking it. We've noticed his hairline changing since stopping it and it really bothers him. BUt in the end we decided his health and our future of wanting a family was more important. So I'm interested in hearing what other recommend as other options that I could tell him about as well.

This makes sense.  Hair loss in men is linked to testosterone, so it seems logical that lowering testosterone (and thus virility) will slow down hair loss.  I don't think men should be embarrassed or ashamed to be balding, though.  Most men have some degree of balding.  My H has less hair than he did when I met him, and it doesn't bother me.  I say "own it" and just wear a hat in the sun so the bald spot doesn't get burned!

[sixtwelve]

Jul 8, 2014 11:26:27 GMT -5 aak0517 said:

Jul 8, 2014 11:21:32 GMT -5 busybodyk said:

A friend of mine who is balding is taking some sort of pill to stop it. He said he takes it daily. I'm not sure what it is called or what kind of doctor gave it to him but it might be worth looking into.

My H for years took Propecia (not sure how it's spelled) it's used primarily for something else, but docs prescribe it for hair retention in men. BUt it has bad side effects and eventually we decided to ween him off of it. It can effect his ability to have children someday (i think it lowers sperm count?)- and since we're hoping to start a family in the next 1.5-2 years it was time to stop taking it. We've noticed his hairline changing since stopping it and it really bothers him. BUt in the end we decided his health and our future of wanting a family was more important. So I'm interested in hearing what other recommend as other options that I could tell him about as well.

My Husband takes Propecia as well. It is actually the same drug (different dose) that is used to treat prostate issues.  He sometimes does not take it every day because of the side effects. I don't know about it lowering sperm count I thought it just lowered the ability to "perform" and/or desire to have relations.  We have two kids and one on the way so it did not affect my husband in regards to the ability to have kids.  Maybe it does for some people.  He seems to think it helps with the hair loss (he took it before we started dating but then stoped because of the side effects - he thinks that he lost more hair during that period. He started it up again sometime after we got married.)

[audry80]

My H is also balding and he started shaving his hair about a year ago. It looks so much better now that he is shaving it and makes the balding look less severe. His Dr told him that balding men have more testosterone and are better in bed! LOL

[MrsPotatohead]

Jul 8, 2014 17:46:25 GMT -5 audry80 said:

My H is also balding and he started shaving his hair about a year ago. It looks so much better now that he is shaving it and makes the balding look less severe. His Dr told him that balding men have more testosterone and are better in bed! LOL

LOL  yeah, I'll just remind him about this

[mrspost08]

DH shaves his head. He was balding prior to Iraq but after that all the hair on top of his stopped growing. I always tell him we save so much money bc he shaved his own head. Sometimes he will mention he wishes he had hair. I like his bald head.

[blondemoment123]

I'm so glad you posted this. Bald is a 4 letter word in our house. H's hair is thinning and he acts like it's the end of the world. ::googles all the options::


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[frannyr]

DH doesn't like the direction his thinning hair takes but deals with it because in the end, why fight it? He gets much shorter haircuts and is usually in a baseball hat anyway (which is actually bad for thinning hair). Doesn't bother me and anytime he is down about it I try to encourage him and tell him no one is noticing (they're not but usually because of the hat!) and now I can see his handsome face even better.

[treedimensional]

Jul 8, 2014 11:12:33 GMT -5 MrsPotatohead said:

H is really distressed about his receding hairline. He's tried a bunch of topical products, but obviously nothing is really proven to work. 

Rogaine is clinically proven to work, right?

My H is so thin and wispy on top I WISH he'd just keep it cropped close (a la Matt Lauer) but he lets it go and it looks bad.

[Deleted]

My DH totally shaves his head and looks good.

I vote your husband to quite short, see how it feels. He can fully shave it if he wants to. It'll grow back if he doesn't end up liking it.

[MrsPotatohead]

Jul 8, 2014 20:20:14 GMT -5 treedimensional said:

Jul 8, 2014 11:12:33 GMT -5 MrsPotatohead said:

H is really distressed about his receding hairline. He's tried a bunch of topical products, but obviously nothing is really proven to work. 

Rogaine is clinically proven to work, right?

My H is so thin and wispy on top I WISH he'd just keep it cropped close (a la Matt Lauer) but he lets it go and it looks bad.

so Rogaine is clinically proven to help with male pattern baldness, which is probably what your H has (when it thins on top), but it is NOT proven for a receding hairline, which is apparently different...?  (yes, my H has researched this)

ironically there was a local news story about a place that does hair tattoos, basically to give the illusion of fuller hair

[MrsPotatohead]

also, a friend recently told me that Joel McHale got a hair transplant?! his hair looks pretty amazing...

[pooh8402]

Jul 9, 2014 10:51:05 GMT -5 MrsPotatohead said:

Jul 8, 2014 20:20:14 GMT -5 treedimensional said:

Rogaine is clinically proven to work, right?

My H is so thin and wispy on top I WISH he'd just keep it cropped close (a la Matt Lauer) but he lets it go and it looks bad.

so Rogaine is clinically proven to help with male pattern baldness, which is probably what your H has (when it thins on top), but it is NOT proven for a receding hairline, which is apparently different...?  (yes, my H has researched this)

ironically there was a local news story about a place that does hair tattoos, basically to give the illusion of fuller hair

  :?  ^o)