Receding hairline. Is it a big deal?

So I'm 22 and have a pretty significant receding hairline. I also have the problem of having very thin/blonde hair, so I've always tried to have long hair for most of my life to cover up the receding hairline. But now its getting so significant that I have very clear see-through spots in my bangs and I fear the loss of my hair is imminent. My question to you duders is it a big deal to have a receding hairline? It feels like the end of the world to me. So much so that I'm getting frustrated and angry and borderline tempted to just shave it all off in frustration. Any wise words for an insecure me?

P.S. My head is too fat to wear hats.

Depends on what you're going for. If you're generally a masculine dude, my attitude has always been to not fight the inevitable (and don't go for all the dorky patchwork measures to try to regrow/hide it). Once it gets to a certain point, shave it off. There will eventually be a full-on cure, but it isn't here yet.

I have long hair and more complicated reasons for wanting to keep it, but if my hairline starts to fight me, I'm still just going the full bald route.

Edit because pics: I think you'd pull off bald just fine, but there's no such thing as a head too fat for any kind of hat. Join me and get something along this line.

Also, I'd still give it awhile and see how things go. The hairline thing can also stop at a certain point.

If you shave it off, you should totally grow a beard. That wouldn't look half bad.

I can't grow a beard, but I can grow a mustache. Though that might look pretty bad.

Shaved my head this summer for similar reasons. As AndrewB said, no point in the fighting the inevitable. You'll stress yourself out and waste a ton of money fighting a losing battle. Just rock a badass bald head and never look back.

Do it.

Your hair looks fine to me. Plenty to style.

Maybe you'll just have to change it up a bit. Ask a hairdresser about better style for your shape.

@rongalaxy said:

@acidbrandon18 said:

@achaemenid said:

If you shave it off, you should totally grow a beard. That wouldn't look half bad.

I can't grow a beard, but I can grow a mustache. Though that might look pretty bad.

Do it.

Now it's a very tempting proposition!

@acidbrandon18: I dunno... "just a mustache" has always been creepy to me. Even the holy grail which is the handlebar.

Duder, I'm right there with ya. I'm 21 and the same amount of recession. I kept my hair buzzed for a while which I actually liked, just got a little lazy and didn't shave it so now I'm back to full head. After you buzz it you sort of feel liberated in a sense that you open yourself to trying so many different styles because, well, you already took the most extreme move. With our hairlines I've found that a real high and tight (borderline Mohawk) is the best. And if you don't like that just try something else. Then when you get bored grow it back out. Best part about buzzing is you get to practice so many times on styling different ways and if you ever mess up you just go back to a clean slate with no worries.

With your long hair though I would say it's not a big deal for you. I think most of the time people in our situations make it a way bigger deal than it really is. Your long hair really works great with your hairline the way it is. Don't psyche yourself out man!

Coming from a family plagued with the hair-loss curse, I'd say the best you can do is wear it proud. My cousin has spent a shitload of money on recovery, but a few years later and it's back to what it was before.

You have years before you have to worry about it. Right now, it just makes you look a bit older and tbqh, I bet 9/10 people don't even notice it's receding.

Shave the head, grow a beard. Honestly you look like you'll be doing fine for a long time coming from the two pictures, but if it eventually comes down to it, shave the head and grow a beard.

Mine's a bit worse than yours and I'm 24. It's really speeding up now. I can just run my hand through my scalp and come up with a dozen hairs every time. I'm sure I'll have to shave it in a year.

It's a bummer. It's the end of an era. No more hair styles. You get pretty much 1 hair style after you reach the breaking point, and that hair style is not all that appealing. For me, and for you, it seems, it is a message of "congrats, you will now look like every other bald white man."

It could be worse, though. There are certain hairlines that are less appealing than others.

Also, don't shave it. Your hair is still plenty long. Most women (assuming that's your preference) will probably not even be able to recognize what it is that makes you look adult. Most men won't even realize it. One thing, though. Your hairstyle lends to accentuating the fact that you're balding. It's thinning on top, but your sides are still thick and poofy. It's like you're shining a spotlight on your absent hairline (even though it's not that bad at all yet). I'd recommend looking up more fitting hairstyles and going for that. I personally keep the sides short and let the top grow a bit longer, and it looks fine. I really don't think many people would be able to tell I'm going bald, unless they themselves are too (because, let's face it, no one actually pays attention to that until it's them it's happening to).

People who say to not let it bother you are annoying, and women who say it's more attractive are either lying or the rarest thing in the world. It's a myth that high testosterone leads to hairloss. I'd rather people tell me I look like I'm 80 than say these three things.

Anyways, your hair looks plenty long still. I imagine it will be for a couple years at least. Get a good hairstyle and hit the dating scene hard before you regret it.

I've had a very prominent widow's peak since my late teens and it's never bothered me. When I get my hair cut short I dig the villain look it lends itself to.

See a dermatologist and ask what they suggest. I'd ask about Rogaine, but wouldn't spend money on anything much more expensive than that. Aside from that, keep what you have until it gets to a point where it looks bad, and then shave it.

Speaking of hair loss, does anyone know what Jeff has been doing? His hair looks considerably better lately than I remember it looking in the recent past.

I'd never say "don't let it bother you," but it's more of a "make the best of it" situation if it does happen. There are also totally people who like bald (usually young and bald, and not entirely because of old age) but you're right that it puts you in more of a niche (but what doesn't?).

I'm 20 and in the same situation. I even have a similar hairstyle. Not much else to say except you're not alone. It sucks but it's something you can't really fight so I'd say just try not to think about it to much, most people won't care.

Its a big deal because its a part of you thats missing, but you can't really fight it. My hairline was going missing when i was about twenty and by the age of 22 i trimmed it to a short haircut, it just looks better / less messy. Now i just grow a beard to be not completely boring, luckily that doesnt look bad on me, but sometimes it just feels like making something up for the missing hair on top.

However, by the looks of your hair you still have a few years to go to cover it up. Just make sure you keep the sides short and your hair long on top. But please shave/trim it one time in the future. Rather a bald dude than an insecure dude.

I have that; I'm also thinning which sucks but such is life. I'm also 29 so there's that.

My hairline started receding noticeably already in my late teens (I'm 29 now) but at some point it slowed down, seemingly almost completely, which it apparently can (?). Anyway, I was obviously really concerned by it back then, but now at age 29 I'm okay with it. Once it starts looking bad I'll just shave it off. I already went with a shaved head for a period of about four years and I didn't look half bad, which is nice to know. It's grown out right now and it still looks fine.

@kindofblue: Sounds like me, except I'm 28. I noticed it late teens and I really freaked out about it, but over the years it's slowed right down. It's still gonna go - my dad's bald, it's inevitable - but you have to take it as it comes. I'm fortunate that I look ok with a shaved head and a short beard, but I have my hair grown out right now while I can. As long as you keep it looking respectable through the process, it's not a bad thing.

Having said all that, you have plenty right now. I imagine it'll take you into your 30s at least.

Just enjoy your hair while you still have it. Right now it still seems reasonable enough. There's nothing particularly awful about a widow's peak.

It seems fine in my opinion. My hairline is receding aswell, but people would compliment me saying I have good hair. My mom is half black,half white, and half Indian. I look nothing like her, but even she would say I probably got my hair from her side of the family. The only person that looks like my mom is my oldest brother. He's light skin, me and my other brothers are brown skin and look like are father.

It will bother you until you buzz it down. After a day or two of walking around with 1/4 or 1/3 inch hair, you will get to acceptance sooner. Feel free to weep though! I let it bug me for a couple of years until the choices were buzz, combover or old man baldspot.

You're doomed, go buy a toupe now while you still can.

You have really good coverage on the top of your head so you shouldn't be so worried. If you start getting really thin or a slight bald patch on the very top, that's when you know for sure.

i think you dont need to buzz just yet but make no mistake, it will happen. I was balding badly by 24, and i think i waited too long to buzz it (i really liked my hair), when you see a true bald spot its over, you'll just look better shaved.

Also if you can grow a beard, a mustache, Brad level side burns, etc... do it, i have plenty of fun changing my beard style from time to time (although it would look cooler with my head full of hair... but i digress)

Anyway, enjoy it while it lasts and when its gone, dont look back!

Its not that bad. You can probably wait 2-5 years before you shave it off.

I've been rocking a huge forehead and a really gnarly widow's peak for around the last 8 or so years probably. I'm not sure I'm actually balding as my hair line does not seem to be receding, but a lot of people assume. Whatever you do, you just gotta own it and not let it get to you, it's something that's largely out of your control.

I've had that hairline my entire life. In my opinion, growing it out is the opposite of what you should be doing. Trying to cover it up just makes it look like you're trying to cover it up. I shave my head with clippers and a #1 blade guard. I used to do it every few months, but I've recently started doing it every week or so. Eventually I may start shaving with a proper razor.

Just own it, dude. How often do you actually find yourself judging somebody because of their hairline? Be you.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. Remember, a bald head is a solar panel for a sex machine.

I had very long hair for many years in my late teens. I had shaved in past and was not alien to it. However after a Mohawk I shaved it off for a job and then it was realised my front would never grow as thick to gain a mohawk of respect again. I had been window's peaking much like yourself for years and it was not until the front thinned I went bald.

I alway have been bald since and the only thing I must say is buy hats! Not to cover your baldness but to protect your head from the sun, even in winter you can get it sunburnt.

I'll tell you what is a problem: Coming to a family reunion and getting a set of pictures taken with the grand father and the adult men of the family and notice that you and your brother are the only ones with hair. You kind of stick out.

Me and Vinny say nope.

I have a slightly worse hairline, and had that at 13. It's been hard, not having cool hair. Making fun of it myself has been a big help but really... I don't know. I still hate it.

Mine's about same as yours Im 25, Didn't think i had a receding hairline. Meh, you can't do anything about it so why worry. Shave it, and grow a sick moustache

Too fat for hats! Although trust me, that's better than having a head too thin for hats, microcephaly is a bitch.

There's stuff out there if it bothers you that much, rogaine, nizoral(shampoo) and the nuclear option(propecia) but honestly I think you look fine and could pull of the shaved head look. Which is always the best option once it get's to a certain point, Tywin Lannister was right about hairloss. It's worth noting any treatments work better the earlier you start, it's easier to slow the rate of progression than it is to regrow hair.

Nah, it's just the weird transition period that makes it seem weird. Like anything else, once you get used to it, it's kind of just part of who you are. I have a friend who is a couple years younger than me, he used to have really long hair, and now he keeps his head shaved because of how thin it got. Looking back at college pictures, it's weird seeing him with shoulder length hair.

listen to Joe Rogan my good man

Shave that shit. Life's too short, hair isn't that important.

Mine was receeding really bad for a few years but seems to have stopped for some reason, or maybe just slower. If it really gets bbad on the top though away it all goes.

Own it, don't deny it.

The only issue I have with the whole shaving thing is, you have to do it all the fucking time or you end up looking like mr burns or Lynch from kane and lynch. I guess there's no option to be lazy about it when your hairs going anyway though. Thus is life

Oh you're fine dude. You can ignore it and pretend it doesnt exist for awhile now.

Both of my brothers started getting pretty big bald spots in the back of their heads in their early 20's. I'm well past that age so i think it skipped me since i still have a thick full head of hair. Genetics be wack yo!

Don't beat yourself up too much about feeling insecure about it, I'd probably be the same way. If mine started going I'd shave it off. I dunno if you're totally there yet, it looks alright at least from those pictures. Or do the Fifth Element Bruce Willis.

Yeah you should totally do this. And get a gun.

Honestly its not noticeable on you right now and you're probably the only one who notices. Mines about the same as yours, and I used to have long hippy hair, it bothered me initially but I got over it(started later than 22 though) But if it bothers you just shave it, doesn't have to be shaved smooth. Shave mine about twice a week, takes two minutes, and thats the only time I ever think about my hair. Now I never want long hair again and wish I could stop it from growing.