Let`s talk Mental Health and depression due to hair loss

[Teh Daddeh]

I've heard of Andy's Man Club I believe they are based near me in Dewsbury as far as I know? Great post thanks for sharing.

On the topic of Depression related to hair loss I read a news article a few days back talking about how the actor who plays David Platt was going to quit Coronation Street because of the depression he suffered due to his hairloss.....apparently hes feeling much better these days thanks to his Transplants and is glad he didn't quit but it just shows no matter what walk of life you have it can affect you the the same as the next man or women.

I think they have clubs all over the country.

Well, well worth exploring if anyone on here is having challenges in life.

They are non - judgmental and welcome all men from all walks of life.

Like I said before, I know someone who goes every week to one up north and he views the group as his family - more than his actual family, in fact.

 

[zakaria sabbahi]

Hi guys, speaking from experience I was extremely depressed when I started to loose my hair at such a young age, this was made even worse when I rushed into a transplant with the local butcher who made my situation a 1000 times worse.
My depression became so bad I would go out in the early hours of the morning to the local park on foot and sit and cry for hours so my family didnt see....I tried to take my life on 3 separate occasions wich fortunately didn't work.

I did seek help through a psychologist and was in a much better place when I got repaired by Shapiro Medical.

To those who think a transplant is a good idea and will fix all their problems then I would like to express caution because if your not in the right mind set or suffering with mental health prior to having a HT then your probably not going to by happy or satisfied with your results....its crucial you get the mental health side under control before you have a HT so you have realistic expectations and can enjoy your new hair......must be so hard for a doctor as well who gives a patient a great result but due to the patients health it doesnt make them happy.

All I'm saying guys is take care of your mental health it's important... then get a HT.

Has anyone else got any stories of their mental health issues and how their hair loss has affected them and their lives.

thats true , i know how all men want their hair back and will do everything to make it happen, and i know it destroyed you when you found that the result its bad it totaly make you down and sad and its also could make you fall into deep depression , i saw that many times ,we know that the look become so important and one of the most bad thing its when you cant live with the idea that you are bald ,what i wanna say here to you who have bad experince dont think about it and try to push your self from that circle dont be in more pain and try love yourself the way you are . thats will help you alot , and to you guys who gonna do hair transplant in futuer do your shearch and be careful .

 

[HairHunter]

One other interesting point is I think some of the clinics posting insane looking results on Instagram (a lot of which I find hard to believe) are building guys hopes up for results that are unachievable. Resulting in disappointment even with decent results as Joe touched on earlier.

There is even times I find myself asking are these Mill Clinics ahead of the game or am I missing a trick!

 

[zakaria sabbahi]

One other interesting point is I think some of the clinics posting insane looking results on instagram (alot of which i find hard to believe) are building guys Hope's up for results that are unachievable. Resulting in disappointment even with decent results as Joe touched on earlier.

There is even times I find myself asking are these Mill Clinics ahead of the game or am I missing a trick!

problem now you find most people believe in social media

 

[Bigmac]

One other interesting point is I think some of the clinics posting insane looking results on Instagram (a lot of which I find hard to believe) are building guys hopes up for results that are unachievable. Resulting in disappointment even with decent results as Joe touched on earlier.

There is even times I find myself asking are these Mill Clinics ahead of the game or am I missing a trick!

You are correct. Lots of images are taken in certain lighting conditions and angles to make it look better than it really is. Some will add concealers or other products. Then the average person who hasn`t really researched sees these results and believes they can get the same. Just another factor that leads to disappointment and the potential to cause depression.

 

[Herr Loss]

I really do feel for people who struggle to mentally come to terms with balding, it's particularly sad when I read guys on reddit in their late teens early 20's talking about how hair loss is destroying their confidence and mental health.

I'd say I've become more self-conscious during lockdown just because I've had more time to think about it and little else to plan towards. In a way it has been a good thing as it's given me the drive to do something about it.

I've never let it get me down to the point of depression but I can understand how it could affect people in this way, especially in this age of social media and influencers and their seemingly perfect looks (and locks), which is why I give all that a miss.

What annoys me most about being aware of my own hair loss is that I can't help but analyse everybody elses hair!

 

[GregoryHeera]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to the site but definitely feel the need to be here. I've been suffering from anxiety and depression because of my hair loss, it's been falling out noticeably the past 2 years I have lost a huge amount of hair and this has sent me into a downward spiral of depression that I feel I can't get out of. I think the onslaught of my hair loss is causing me to despair over my appearance. I`ve completely dropped out of the social scene. My obsessive thoughts about my hair and appearance mean I sit at home almost every day. I'm considering just shaving it off completely but am so worried that I`ll regret it. I don`t have the cash for a hair transplant or the monthly cost of prevention medicines. That`s my story, short and to the point, and thanks to everyone for sharing their thoughts

 

[Coopman]

Gregory

I know everyones circumstances are different but you can get a months supply of Finasteride 1mg per day for around 20 UK pounds. Probably cheaper from some sources.

You could retain what hair you have left and even regrow a sufficient amount that allows you to have a reasonable styled haircut.

Some people have maintained their hair for over 10 years on Finasteride alone.

 

[HairHunter]

Gregory,

Have a look on YouTube search a channel called Baldcafe.

Hopefully some of the videos from those guys might help you

 

[Hoping_for_hair]

Gregory,

Have a look on YouTube search a channel called Baldcafe.

Hopefully some of the videos from those guys might help you

Baldcafe is a great channel!

 

[GregoryHeera]

Appreciate the heads up on the YouTube channel which I`ve watched for several hours. Some of the guys on there have been brave embracing their baldness but for me, I`m still very much seeing it as a last resort. I just wish I had enough for a hair transplant because my facial features aren`t suitable to pull off the shaved look. I think I`ll stick around here for a while as everyone seems very helpful and supportive, plus we all want more hair.

 

[GregoryHeera]

Gregory

I know everyones circumstances are different but you can get a months supply of Finasteride 1mg per day for around 20 UK pounds. Probably cheaper from some sources.

You could retain what hair you have left and even regrow a sufficient amount that allows you to have a reasonable styled haircut.

Some people have maintained their hair for over 10 years on Finasteride alone.

Are there any reputable outlets you can recommend for that price or less? Do you think I could grow hair back with it?

 

[Coopman]

I have ordered from a few different sources, recently it has been assuredpharmacy which is £85 plus postage for 6 month supply Of generic Finasteride. The shop on this website is a similar price if you order the 5mg Finasteride tablets and have 1-1.25mg per day. (You only need 1mg of Finasteride per day).

Expect to wait up to 6 months to notice results, even if you get no regrowth it may stop your hair loss. There are reported side effects in about 2% of users so it is worth reading up on that too.
If you do start treatment then take a photo diary of your hair once a month as improvements are difficult to spot as you look at your hair every day.
I had amazing results but my first clue was that i did not need as much hair concealer as i did previously and some comments from friends.

You also have Minoxidil Foam which can regrow quite a reasonable amount of hair. You can probably get 3month supply of Kirkland Minoxidil Foam for less than £30 these days.

If you go ahead with treatment and decide not to immediately shave it all off. Nothing wrong with shaving it all off as it means being closer to acceptance and you can move on with life. It may be worth using a hair concealer To provide a improvement to the visual appearance of your hair. a fibre based product is best eg nanogen fibres or toppik fibres. A 30g container is about £30 but could last you 4 months. Only use a little as less is best and you do not want it to become noticeable To others. Check out some of the YouTube videos.

Good luck with your journey And best wishes for maintaining your hair and hopefully a little regrowth too.

Do i think you could regrow hair? Absolutely but you need to seize the moment and start asap. There are some great results on hair loss forums from people who have Finasteride documented with photos.

 

[Bigmac]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to the site but definitely feel the need to be here. I've been suffering from anxiety and depression because of my hair loss, it's been falling out noticeably the past 2 years I have lost a huge amount of hair and this has sent me into a downward spiral of depression that I feel I can't get out of. I think the onslaught of my hair loss is causing me to despair over my appearance. I`ve completely dropped out of the social scene. My obsessive thoughts about my hair and appearance mean I sit at home almost every day. I'm considering just shaving it off completely but am so worried that I`ll regret it. I don`t have the cash for a hair transplant or the monthly cost of prevention medicines. That`s my story, short and to the point, and thanks to everyone for sharing their thoughts

Hi Gregory, I`m sorry to hear about how your hair loss is affecting you. I suggest you address your depression first by going to see your family doctor who should be able to help and could refer you to a specialist. Being alone and cutting yourself off from people is not good for your well being. I have sent you a private message.
You`re unsure about a shaved look. I`d hate for you to shave it and immediately regret it, so I`d say just get it cut shorter than you normally do and see how it looks. There are hair concealers you can add which help cover up the thinning areas.

As Coopman points out, Finasteride and Minoxidil are the proven treatments for hair loss. Read up on them, they could possibly reverse enough of your loss to leave you happy and that's the goal.

Wishing you well and please do seek some help for the depression.

 

[Kevboy]

Gregory. Some great advice from the guys. Stick around because the support this site gives is second to none. It really helped me when I was at a low point.

 

[Herr Loss]

Hi Gregory, take solace in the knowledge that most of us experiencing balding have been in a bad place with it at some point and please seek help if you're suffering from depression. Just talking to someone face to face will help you immeasurably.

If money is a big issue for you, many people have great results on 1mg every other day, halving your monthly costs. Just the feeling that you are doing something to combat your hair loss can make you feel a whole lot better about it and at least buy you time to save if you do want a transplant further down the line.

I would also advise you check out The Bald Truth on Youtube as the guys over there have some great advice regarding the medications and the other options available to you. It's also interesting to hear from others who are in a similar situation.

Remember, you're not alone in this and try to focus on what you can do rather than what you can't.

 

[lemedwellnesslko]

I totally agree with you. Mental health is a serious issue.

 

[SeanFUE]

Mental health is important. But if a surgeon damages you, that too can play a negative impact. Put me in a tough situation that I continue to struggle. Even made promises and guarantees that failed.

 

[smokeybacon]

I´ve been thinking about this and researching for years now. It´s in the back of my head that if I´m not happy how would I deal with it. I´m a realistic to the consequences and even good clinics have the odd failure.

 

[deetona]

I knew from an early age that i would end up bald at an early age. My fathers side were generally bald by their 30s and my mothers side, i have cousins and uncles whom were NW7 in their early to mid 20s.
I guess this helped with my mental health as i always knew as an infant that this would be my destiny, so i was well prepared.

Sure enough at 13/14 i remember washing my hair and seeing hairs floating on top of my bath water not just a few dozen, but well in excess of a hundred. The inevitable had arrived.

Careful styling made me get to 20 without the extent of my hair loss being noticeable to others provided i avoided bright lights. But at 21 it got to the stage NW3 with crown vertex thinning and things were going downhill fast. Mentally it made it tough to form relationships with girls as i always kept the extent of my hair loss secret. Usually after a month relationships would just filter away as i dreaded the hair ruffle and it controlled my life.

Researching hair loss in those days was extremely difficult, the internet was in its infancy and lad mags GQ, FHM and Loaded were the only viable research tool for hair loss. Hair transplants for strip, micrografting and scalp reduction were abundant in various media advertisements. I decided at 21 that i needed a hair transplant and arranged consultations with a few clinics. I did not feel comfortable in any of these consultations and just knew it was not for me. My head was telling me my destiny was NW7 at 25 and i simply would not have enough hair to keep my head warm with what i had left on my back and sides. One surgeon who sensed my desperation during a consultation told me do not have a HT and told me to buy some thickening spray. I was then off to New Cavendish Street, London to buy some hair in a can and bloody hell did it work wonders.

In 30 seconds i had a full head of hair and after a bit of practic9ng it was virtually undetectable. I bought 12 cans of the stuff and learnt quite quickly less is best. A little spray at the hairline and to the crown area had amazing results.

In the next 2-3 years the effects of the hair concealer were becoming difficult to hide. A can went from lasting 2 months to 3 weeks and something had to be done. Luckily i still had a NW3 hairline with thinning in crown and vertex but knew in 3 years i would be NW6-7.
So at 24 from memory i bought 6 months supply of Proscar and had incredible results. After 9 months i did not need any more concealor.

Fast forward 19 years my hair has barely changed since i was 24. I have been extremely lucky, it is not quite as thick but it is adequate and i can still pull off a reasonable trendy haircut. I keep saying to myself i will get 1000 grafts to reinforce my hairline a bit but i never seem to veto through with it as i now have a reasonable head of hair for a 43 yo.

From a mental health perspective other than difficulties in maintaining relationships in my early 20s as i did not want my hair loss exposed, The results i got from Finasteride resolved any Mental wellbeing issues i had.

Bullitnut: just read your story again and its a remarkable read for others. Im glad you are on a different path now.

Hi Coopman, thanks for sharing your story. Glad to hear you're in a good place with your hair. I just had a question, you said: "In the next 2-3 years the effects of the hair concealer were becoming difficult to hide" did the hair concealer cause more hair loss?