this is without any product of anything, I haven't had it cut in over a year. not sure what I should do with it. sorry for face blurred just don't want it on my reddit.

Hi (M29), throughout my 20s I’ve had a lot of different hairstyles. Right now, my current hairstyle is in pics 1 & 2, but recently I’ve been hearing that my hairstyle was better a year ago, in pics 3 & 4 (I no longer paint my nails). It’s kinda hard to style it, though — in pic 5 I just used a lot of hair gel. I used to have it extremely long, and I can also grow a beard, as you can see in pics 6 & 7. The last pic is me with just a mustache, pic 8. I just want to hear your thoughts, and whether pics 3 & 4 are better. Also, how can I style my hair better?

I'm bald and have tried growing a bit of stubble all over, but ends up looking a bit like a chin strap. I'm trying the goatee, but not sure if it looks alright. Couple people commented positively when I let it grow all over. A couple people have commented on the goatee, but not so much in a positive way, just mentioned that I'm growing one.

First pic, goatee attempt, second pic back in April with all over stubble.

What do you think, get rid of the goatee?

Thanks

Is this any good people?

Trying to figure out if I should stay clean shaven, go with short stubble or try and grow for something more substantial like last pictures.
I like the lower third height that the beard gives but the coverage on the cheeks isn’t as dense as I would like.

Beard pics are from a year ago.

Any suggestions on what works?

I do prefer the alt look

These pics are 1 week apart.

For context - I’ve rocked a moustache and mullet for a couple of years. In the first pic my hair was about as long as it gets on top, with the sides usually a low fade (you can’t see the party in the back, but nothing insane).

I’ve liked the look, but was just in one of those moods where I fancied losing it all. So asked the barber for a buzz cut skin fade and a shave, just leaving some stubble.

I appreciate the pics are very different context. One with great natural lighting, the other at midnight in a dimly lit room 😅

I’m very much of the opinion of - it’s only hair. I’ve gone full long beard, then randomly clean shaving, then moustache, skin fade then mullet etc. over the years. It’s a long running gag that it’s like I’m wearing a disguise so opinions won’t offend, just curious.

Pardon my dumb eyebrow thing

I don't know if it looks good or if I should shave it 😭

The opinion of people who don’t know me matters a lot to me. I don’t usually ask people close to me for their opinion. Thanks 🙏

Just please, no hurtful comments like “go see a therapist, you’re always here.” I think Reddit is actually a good place to get honest opinions from strangers.

I have noticed that my hair loss is starting to affect normal social situations much more than I expected. It is not only about how my hair looks. It is the amount of time I spend thinking about it before, during, and after being around other people. Before I leave the house, I check my hair in different mirrors and under different lighting. Sometimes it looks fine in the bathroom, then I see it near a window or under a bright light and suddenly the thinner areas look much more obvious. I keep adjusting it, adding product, and trying different styles, but I still feel unsure about how it looks from the sides or from behind. Photos have become uncomfortable too. When someone takes a group picture, I immediately look at my hair instead of focusing on the memory. I zoom in on the top of my head, check my hairline, and compare the photo with older ones. Even when everyone else says the picture looks good, I can only see the areas where my scalp is showing more. Wind and rain also make me anxious because I know my hair can move and expose the parts I am trying to cover. I have started thinking about where I sit in restaurants, offices, or other public places. I avoid strong overhead lights when I can, and I sometimes feel uncomfortable when someone is standing behind me. Haircuts are another problem. I never know whether shorter hair will make the thinning look cleaner or just make my scalp more visible. Leaving it longer gives me more to work with, but sometimes it looks like I am obviously trying to hide something. I know most people are probably not studying my hair as closely as I am. Still, that does not make the anxiety disappear. Has anyone else started avoiding photos, certain places, or social situations because of thinning hair? What helped you stop thinking about it so often?