Am I going bald or is it my parting?

Author: Dorian Johnston Jr.  |  Last update: Saturday, November 15, 2025

However, if you have noticed a widening in your midline parting with time, especially if it came on suddenly (during the course of the past few months) and it is accompanied by more hair shedding than usual, it is likely to be an initial sign of hair thinning.

Am I balding or is my hair breaking?

Remember, the primary difference is that hair fall happens when hair sheds off from its root, and hair breakage is when there is a breakage anywhere in the length of your hair shaft!

Am I balding or is it a cowlick?

Progression: Cowlicks remain consistent, whereas balding areas will continue to thin and expand. Location: Cowlicks can appear anywhere but are most common at the crown or hairline, while balding often starts at the temples, crown, or hairline and spreads.

Am I balding or is it just my hair?

Am I balding or just losing hair? Shedding 50-100 hairs daily is normal. But consistent loss beyond that coupled with seeing more scalp indicates balding, especially in the frontal and top areas for male and female patterns.

Am I balding or is my hairline weird?

The hairline is only about one to 1.5 inches above your highest wrinkle. This is typically as far as a mature hairline will recede. If your hairline is about the width of your finger above the top wrinkle, you probably have a mature hairline. If it's receding onto your scalp, it may mean balding. Yes.

The Early Signs Of Balding (Causes and 6 Signs)

Is parting hair balding?

There are hair researchers who believe that a parting spread of more than 1 cm is a clear indicator of patterned hair loss [3], but there is no wide scientific consensus about this value.

What can be mistaken for balding?

Common conditions that mimic androgenetic alopecia include thyroid disease, iron deficiency anemia, and malnutrition. Treatment is based on patient preference. Topical minoxidil (2% or 5% solution) is approved for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in men.

Can thin hair become thick again?

Yes, absolutely! Stress, excessive heat styling, age and even genetics can deplete your hair's thickness. Keeping your scalp and roots healthy is how you can promote the growth of thick hair. You can do the same by oiling regularly, refraining from wearing tight hairstyles and following a nourishing hair care routine.

Is it possible to regrow hair on a bald spot?

You might be able to reverse hair loss, or at least slow it. With some conditions, such as patchy hair loss (alopecia areata), hair may regrow without treatment within a year. Treatments for hair loss include medications and surgery.

Am I balding or am I paranoid?

So try not to stress out about a few individual strands of lost hair on your hair tie. If you're concerned that you're shedding more hair than this, or you've noticed substantial hair loss when you wash or brush your hair, you're probably not paranoid. This may be the first sign of sustained hair loss.

Where do you first notice balding?

The typical pattern of male baldness begins at the hairline in the front of the head.

Is it a swirl or bald spot?

A cowlick typically occurs when hair grows in a different direction, often creating a swirl or tuft that stands out from the surrounding hair. In contrast, balding is characterized by a decrease in hair density, leading to more visible scalp areas.

How do I check if I'm balding?

Signs and symptoms of hair loss may include:
  1. Gradual thinning on top of head. This is the most common type of hair loss, affecting people as they age. ...
  2. Circular or patchy bald spots. ...
  3. Sudden loosening of hair. ...
  4. Full-body hair loss. ...
  5. Patches of scaling that spread over the scalp.

How to tell the difference between hair breakage and regrowth?

Stylists say the easiest way to do this is by examining the ends. “Breakage often appears frayed or split at the end, while new growth tends to have a smooth, tapered tip,” says Ona Diaz-Santin, the owner of 5 Salon & Spa in Fort Lee, New Jersey.

Am I stressed or balding?

But how can you know for sure? One of the key indicators is that your hair starts excessively shedding after a stressful event. People experiencing stress-related hair loss also don't have any defined bald spot pattern. Once you get your stress under control, you might see an improvement in your hair growth.

How to know if hair follicles are dead?

So dead hair follicles can look like a smooth, bald patch of skin or like a scar. A trichologist may be able to get a better view of your follicles by using a microscope or other trichological tools.

Can bald hairline grow back?

Reversing a Receding Hairline with Hairline Restoration Treatments. If your hairline is receding due to male pattern baldness, ageing or other genetic conditions, your hair won't regrow naturally. However, there are treatments available to reverse the process and restore your hair to its former glory.

How long does it take to go bald once you start thinning?

It usually takes 15-25 years to go bald, but can be quicker. Typically, at first the hair begins to thin (recede) at the sides (temples). At the same time, the hair usually becomes thin on the top of the head. A bald patch gradually develops in the middle of the scalp.

Why is my hair so thin I can see my scalp?

A visible scalp through your hair can be a sign that it's thinning (but not always). The factors that contribute to thinning hair (and thus a visible scalp) include stress, diet, vitamin deficiency and ageing.

What is a hair pull test?

This simple test measures the severity of hair loss. During a pull test, a dermatologist grasps small sections of hair, about 40 strands, from different parts of the scalp and gently tugs. If six or more strands fall out, you have what's known as active hair loss.

What does hair loss from stress look like?

Stress hair loss, or telogen effluvium, looks like hair falling out quickly from combing, washing, or even just touching the hair. The hair on the scalp may be thinning, but the scalp looks healthy and does not have scales or rashes.

Previous article
Is shaving ok for a 14-year-old?
Next article
How do you push through an ice bath?