Many of the most effective treatments for hair loss have better results when they are started as early as possible. But identifying when to start that treatment requires noticing the early stages of balding. Like many unpleasantries, the key to early treatment is early detection – and that means knowing what to look for.
Balding generally begins without any fanfare or billboards telling you that your hair is falling out. Since we shed hair regularly in preparation for the next growth cycle, it can be difficult to determine when that shedding moves from the expected 50 to 100 hairs per day to a problem.
What Is the First Stage of Balding?
The earliest signs of balding, especially genetic hair loss like androgenic alopecia, begin with a receding hairline and hair loss along the crown of the head. For some people (especially men), hair loss on the crown is first noticed when a bald spot appears near the top and rear of your head.
This often happens so gradually that people aren’t aware of it. The first person to notice might be a loved one or a hair care professional since most of us do not actively look at the rear and top of our head on a regular basis. That means the first sign people see for themselves is usually a receding hairline.
Many doctors will explain hair loss using the Norwood Scale (sometimes called the Hamilton-Norwood Scale). On this seven-point scale, most people do not even detect hair loss until they get to stage 2, the receding hairline. When you reach stage 2 on the Norwood Scale, you may have already begun to notice thinning at the temples and a pronounced widow’s peak or M-shape along the top of your forehead.
The Norwood Scale is often used as a sort of shorthand for doctors, a way to clearly explain to patients how severe their hair loss is and to offer a visual representation of what might be coming next.
Are Cowlicks a Sign of Balding?
After the receding hairline, the next sign of early hair loss and balding is often a round spot near the top of your head and sometimes toward the rear of it. Because the hair follicles may continue to try to grow some hair in the region – though less than before – this area may be covered or lightly covered with short new hairs.
This new growth is one of the reasons people sometimes confuse a cowlick with early balding even though the two are not related.
A cowlick is a naturally occurring pattern of hair growth that also usually occurs near the crown of the head. When a person has a cowlick, they are usually born with it. The hair in that spot grows in a different direction than the other hairs on your head, causing it to lay differently. It is sort of like that one tree in the forest that grows toward the east when all the other trees are leaning west. It is noticeable, but there is nothing wrong with the tree.
“A cowlick is one of those things in which a cute name belies the experience of actually living with one. The word originated in the 1590s because a cow mother grooms their calf by licking upwards and, well, it kind of does look like a cow licked that one patch of your head,” explains Pilot.com.au.
Sometimes when a person has a cowlick, styling efforts to make the hair there “go along” with the rest of your hair, along with the hair’s natural growth pattern, can make the hair appear to stick straight out. This behavior often mimics the early signs of a bald spot, but the hair there is still growing strong. The easiest way to differentiate between a cowlick and a balding spot is how long you have had it. If you grew up having it, you likely have a cowlick and not a hair loss problem.
Precision Hair Restoration Treats Early Balding
When you notice something that you think could be an early sign of balding, it is time to reach out to the team at Precision Hair Restoration. Early treatments like topical creams, Alma TED, or LLLT may help delay or prevent future hair loss. If you missed the early signs, that is OK, too. We can also help you explore the options to restore that lost hair. Contact us today to get started.