You’re in good company if you dread looking in the mirror because you have male-pattern baldness. According to the American Hair Loss Association, at least 95% of hair loss in American men results from male pattern baldness. While 85% of most men experience hair loss by age 50, at least 25% experience it as young as 21.
Do you have male pattern baldness and feel your self-esteem being affected by this issue? While everyone is unique, there are seven stages that most guys go through on their hair loss journey. Here are what generally happens in each stage and why hair restoration may be your answer.
Stage One
The first stage is practically unnoticeable because your hair loss is so light. However, you may become aware of thinning hair around your temples. Another sign of the first stage is your hairline recedes slightly. For some guys, the signs are so minimal that they don’t know if they are beginning to lose their hair or not. It might be easy for you to ignore rather than face the facts.
Stage Two
There’re more signs of male pattern baldness once you reach the second stage. You’ll have a definite receding hairline around your temples and upper eyebrows. Many men in this stage develop a tell-tale widow’s peak. It may become more apparent if you already have a widow’s peak.
Suppose you develop the unwanted classic horseshoe or M-shape that’s most common on balding men’s hairlines. Although your hairline is notably changed, you still might have minimal hair loss at this stage. However, it’s your clue that your locks are thinning and it’s only going to get worse.
Stage Three
Perhaps you’ve gone through the first two stages in complete denial, and it’s understandable. Nobody wants to face looking older than your age because of a receding hairline or almost total baldness. Denial isn’t possible once you’ve gone from the second stage to the third.
In the third stage, you’ll notice visible bald patches on your scalp, and your temples may be completely bald. Often, guys develop thin patches on top of their heads in a circle pattern. At this point, you can face hair loss with dignity or decide to do something about it.
You can only do a combover for so long until there’s not enough hair to disguise your bald spots. Maybe you’ve tried products like hair-thickening fibers as a remedy. It may work for a while, but unfortunately, it’s not a permanent solution.
Stage Four
By the time you reach the fourth stage, you may be coming to terms with male-pattern baldness. The patches on your scalp may have thinned until they are completely bare. Most men in stage four often feel self-conscience, and some guys prefer to wear a hat or some type of covering.
You’ll probably have a wider bald spot on your crown that further highlights the horseshoe or M-shape of your dwindling hairline. It’s so noticeable that you may get insensitive comments from others as if you didn’t know you were losing your hair.
Stage Five
Male pattern baldness in the fifth stage is even more pronounced. You may have thinner hair between your receding hairline and a bald circle on your crown. Such patterns are usually hallmarks of middle-aged men. However, if thinning hair runs in your family, it can happen to you in your early twenties.
You might follow the example of countless other guys who completely shave their heads and grow facial hair to compensate. If you shave your head at an earlier stage, folks may not even know you are going bald. It may boost your confidence and help you look younger instead of appearing older than your age.
Stage Six
By this stage, you’ll have no more thin bridge of hair in the front, and your crown will usually be completely bald, except for a few tiny hairs. You’ll have that classic ring of hair that goes around the back of your head from temple to temple. If you had an M-shape hairline, it would have been reduced to this horseshoe shape.
Any attempt to conceal your thinning hair won’t work unless you always wear hats. Men in the sixth stage who haven’t already shaved their heads usually resort to doing so. They don’t want to cope with a completely bald crown that significantly ages them.
Stage Seven
The seventh and final stage of male pattern hair loss is devastating. Nothing is usually left but a thin hair ring around the back of your head.
Since the skin of the scalp is so delicate and sensitive, it may burn quickly in the sun. It depends on your genetics on how long you’ll spend going from stage one to stage seven. It could be a couple of years, or it might takes several. Many guys may stop at the fourth or fifth stage, while some may reach the seventh rapidly.
Is Transplant Surgery an Option for Pattern Baldness?
Male pattern baldness can crush your ego and destroy your self-esteem. Regardless of which stage you’re in, AZ Hair Restoration Clinic in Raleigh, NC, can help. Dr. Arthur Zacco would like to discuss restoration options with you. Call us today for a consultation appointment and to see if our treatments are the answer to your receding hair problem.