First up, take a breath and remind yourself that it’s not actually the end of the world. We totally understand that the first stages of ‘going bald’ sucks. But trust us when we say it could very well be the making of you.
You might have noticed some hair on your pillow, around your basin, inside your t-shirts, in your food…pretty much everywhere but where it’s supposed to be. Chances are others have noticed it too – they’re just too chicken to point it out to you tactfully.
If you’ve read our other article ‘Holy Shit. Am I Going Bald?’ you’ll have seen the list of false alarms that are often confused with permanent balding.
But if your hair is falling out consistently and uniformly, check it against these four key indicators:
Family History
Have you ever heard the saying ‘the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’? It basically means that if your dad is bald, and you have uncles, brothers, grandparents and cousins who are bald, chances are you’re joining the club. Apples are also bald – so it’s the perfect phrase for explaining the hereditary nature of baldness.
Receding Hairline
A.KA Lengthening Forehead. As mentioned in ‘Holy Shit. Am I Going Bald?’ a receding hairline is a receded hairline that doesn’t know when to stop. If your hairline is retreating at a noticeable rate, there’s a fair chance it’s leaving for good – especially if there’s a family history of chrome domery.
Thinning of the Crown
This is where the hair around the top/back of your head is going thin to the point where you can see a lot of scalp. It’s the most obvious sign that you’re going bald. It’s also the one we’re most likely to ignore, deny and comb-over. This could be due to the fact that we’ll be told about this by others before we notice it ourselves. If this sounds like you, read our guide to balding & thinning at the crown.
Tingling of the Scalp
This one is less scientific and more anecdotal – but some people have reported a noticeable tingling sensation on their scalp during the early stages of hair loss. Is your scalp really tingling? Or is your sensitive scalp just seeing more sun than its used to? Either way, it’s another sign.
So how do you feel? Are you still unsure? Confused? If you’re pretty sure your hair is on the way out, there are plenty of positive steps you can take from here. We’re here to get you through it and to make sure you don’t do anything stupid in desperation.
