Tips on looking more youthful....at 23

[aniym]

Can't believe I'm writing this, but here goes:

I'm 23, and I'll be graduating from college in roughly 6 months. My years there have been very stressful, as I realized soon after enrolling that I wasn't really prepared for such an academically rigorous institution in the first place (it's a pretty good school, and I really didn't deserve to get in). My hair started falling out maybe a month before enrollment, and it accelerated very quickly after that.

I guess I'm lucky that I still have hair (it covers a good portion of my head), but it's very thin, and doesn't grow much (up to a #2 cut, I'd say), so it's very very obvious that I'm losing my hair, and fast. I was looking for people's advice on how to look a bit younger, or at least pull off a more distinguished look with it. Some people I hadn't seen in a few years recently commented that I looked like their dad

My first question, I guess is: is it possible to lose fat from the face if you're not necessarily fat yourself? I kind of have a large face/head, and it really shows with the hair loss, as I never even noticed it before, back when i had a full head of hair. I'm 5'11, 160lbs, but not in the best shape I could be (skinny-fat, I think is the term). If I were to try and get into better shape (put on lean muscle mass, strengthen shoulders and cut down on body fat), is there a chance that my face would reflect the change as well? The only time I've ever thought I had cheekbones was about 5 years ago, but I was suffering from anorexia at the time, so I probably wouldn't want to go that far again

Any tips on looking and feeling younger would also be appreciated. I hope I don't sound like a douche, as I am only 23, but academic struggle has really taken it out of me, and I honestly look and feel like I've aged 15 years since I enrolled. Thanks.

 

[Young Scrappy]

With a tough schedule, you have prioritize. You can't slip because you're will grades will suffer and have stay up late nights catching up. I had the same problem as far as a hectic schedule but you put yourself first and can't try to please everybody. By that mean, they'll be lot of situations where you can't hang out with your people.

1. Get 8 hours sleeps
2. Minimize your drinking and smoking
3. Propecia/Minoxidil for hair
4. Monthly Medical Facials
5. Change your diet
6. Get a girlfriend
7. Get a Lean mass workout

 

[aniym]

Originally Posted by Young Scrappy

With a tough schedule, you have prioritize. You can't slip because you're will grades will suffer and have stay up late nights catching up. I had the same problem as far as a hectic schedule but you put yourself first and can't try to please everybody. By that mean, they'll be lot of situations where you can't hang out with your people.

1. Get 8 hours sleeps
2. Minimize your drinking and smoking
3. Propecia/Minoxidil for hair
4. Monthly Medical Facials
5. Change your diet
6. Get a girlfriend
7. Get a Lean mass workout

Thanks for the tips. You're right, 7/8 hrs is absolutely necessary, but I find that I don't even get that during my summer internships, so that's definitely something I should work on. I rarely smoke, though last year was something of an exception, as work pressure had me off to the store every week or so to buy a pack. I've all but stopped for the summer (2 cigs in about 7 weeks), and will go cold turkey in the fall. I've always hated the smell it left on my clothes anyway.

I tend to eat pretty healthy, due to having bad acne when I was younger (all cleared up now, but with the occasional very minor breakout), so that shouldn't be a problem. Maybe I'll try one of the hair treatment things when I line up a job (that's what the internship is for).

Haha, the girlfriend thing. Well, I won't deny it, the baldness has definitely resulted in lower self-esteem, and that's pretty much stopped me from trying. I need to work on that, but I'm not sure where to start.

I'll look into what you've said about a 'lean mass' workout, as I haven't come across the term before. Thanks! Can someone in a similar situation tell me how they worked through their problems?

 

[KBW]

yeah young scrappy pretty much knocked it out with his list. If your face is bad I'd do a daily facial treatment (lotions of some sort hard to tell you exactly what though without seeing you)

 

[brissyboy]

If you get into an exercise regime and put on muscle or slim down your face will naturally start to square out.

I had the same problem when I was really skinny I still had a fat roundy sort of head, for some reason the fat liked to stay there. I found I did lose it when I went to an all salad diet no carbs no fat but that is not recommended as its not healthy.

The other alternative is to build muscle by going to the gym or taking up running, walking. Your body starts to build this system where your metabolism speeds up and everything starts to run well. This is highly recommended in your 20's because it sets up your body for the latter years when you're not so young.

Also, by exercising more, your body becomes more proportioned from the muscle you build, this will help offset the size of your head, which is what worked for me.

But it's also important to maintain a healthy diet as this maintains your progress that you make from the exercise. This includes 2 litres a water a day.


Hope this helps

 

[eidolon]

Agree with dropping your body fat in general, predominately just by getting on a basic split or total body program program, doing some more basic cardio work and eating cleaner.

I'd also consider shaving your head if you're really, really thinning out/receding on top, and I'd try to keep your face clean shaven if you're trying to look more youthful.

 

[dimshum]

All of the above. Also, I would work on cleaning up your diet, that changes everything. Remember, it's not a temporary diet, it's a lifestyle. Start drinking only water instead of juice/coffee/alcohol/coke; if, up until now, you've only drank the latter, it's a good way to drop a quick 5-10 pounds in a healthy fashion. Eat unrefined/unpocessed whole foods and start going to the gym. Eventually you will shape out more proportionally and your self-esteem will grow. And, once you have the gym thing down, if the hai doesn't work out, you can always shave it for a cleaner look, ala Saucemaster.

 

[changed]

just for the record, you can't lose fat in just one area of the body (ie. the face)

5'11 160 is skinny. you just need to get a lot of protein supplements, start working out, shave the head if you are balding, and you'll turn your luck around soon enough.

 

[Antonio Centeno]

Originally Posted by Young Scrappy

With a tough schedule, you have prioritize. You can't slip because you're will grades will suffer and have stay up late nights catching up. I had the same problem as far as a hectic schedule but you put yourself first and can't try to please everybody. By that mean, they'll be lot of situations where you can't hang out with your people.

1. Get 8 hours sleeps
2. Minimize your drinking and smoking
3. Propecia/Minoxidil for hair
4. Monthly Medical Facials
5. Change your diet
6. Get a girlfriend
7. Get a Lean mass workout

Great advice, especially about the sleep and diet.

 

[aniym]

I'd like to thank everyone for their extremely useful advice. It's my first thread, so everyone has been extremely helpful and non-judgmental, and I appreciate that

About the hair:
While it's thinning, it still covers my head for the most part, though it's pretty obvious that I'm balding. I shaved my head a couple of years ago, and decided that it wasn't for me, especially as I have LARGE, prominent ears, which the baldness REALLY brought out. I'm hoping to keep it at a #2 length and work on other parts of my body to accentuate it.

Face:
it's a relief to know that one of the benefits of a fitness program could be a more square-ish face. I'll look into some of the other threads on this forum to figure out how to get started on one.

Body:
I was not aware that 5'11 160lb was considered skinny. I consider myself skinny-fat, in the sense that my relatively low muscle mass in my arms and shoulders are offset by the body fat I have lying around on my stomach (not too much, but I'd like to get rid of it) and maybe my butt.

Thanks, everyone.

 

[manofstyle]

Get your ears pinned

Start taking propecia/proscar and get a hair transplant

Work out at least twice a week

 

[Lucky7]

Also, get yourself ready for the fact that your professional life is just beginning. Depending on the field you are shooting for, you may find yourself working many hours more than the "9-5." Try to relax, and not sweat the small stuff...in the end it's all small stuff. I think after you start working out you will feel much better, and maybe have the confidence for the ladies. As for the hair goes, it's all about attitude man. I have plenty of hair-less friends..and they all seem to do well with the ladies.

 

[JesseJB]

My brother has way less hair than me and he easily pulls more tail. It all depends on the shape of your head though.


BTW how does having a girlfriend make you more youthful? Most girlfriendy-guys I know get sloppy and gross after a few months. Im seeing a girl right now and Im scared shitless of letting myself go and getting lazy.

 

[dfagdfsh]

Make sure you are always keep yourself clean shaven

 

[gungadin25]

Hair can fall out for stress related reasons. I had this happen to me a few years ago, but as soon as the stress was gone then the hair started to grow back. I think it is called telogen effluvium. Are the follicles getting thinner (i.e., wispy)? Do you have a family history of baldness? If no to these questions, then you probably are just suffering from stress induced hair loss. Even if you are going bald, try to work on your overall appearance and regaining your confidence and self-esteem.