Transitioning from a Juvenile to Mature Hairline — Is That Considered Balding?

Dear Doc,

I’m 21 years old and have 2 questions.

1. if someone had slight miniaturization only between his former juvenile and his (strong appearing) mature hairline without further thinning, would he be considered balding?

2. you earlier stated that, in the transition from juvenile to mature, you wouldn’t expect the frontal hair to thin before falling out. My juvenile hairline disappeared all at once (within months) without thinning, but some of these hairs returned as finer and shorter hairs. Could this be an effect of propecia, since maturing still is DHT related and medication would give these hairs one last cycle? Thanks

Transitioning from a juvenile hairline to a mature hairline is not balding. Sometimes the hair in the zone between the mature hairline and the juvenile hairline will fall out and die quickly. This process is called apoptosis.

Get a good doctor to examine you. The diagnosis is not that difficult in the hands of an expert and it sounds like an expert is what you need.