Last Updated on May 20, 2020 by Robert Price

Your hair follicles are like ticking time bombs. 

They’re probably going to go off (and fall out) at some point in your life. That’s just the unfortunate reality.

And if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance your hair is in jeopardy as we speak! But it’s okay, you’re not alone and you’ve come to the right place. Here are the top 10 things you absolutely MUST do when you realize you’re losing your hair…

1. Don’t Panic

Freaking out about hair loss is counter-productive. I know it’s easier said than done, but try to avoid panicking if possible. Hair loss happens to about 80% of men. It’s not a disease and it’s generally treatable, if you want to go that route. Buzz cuts are en-vogue right now, too. That means if you follow your old man’s path and end up horseshoe bald, at least you won’t have to rock the Dr. Phil hairstyle.

2. Calmly Assess Your Loss

Figure out where you sit on the Norwood Scale. Assess how badly you’re thinning.

How much hair is coming out in the shower? How many hairs do you find on your pillow in the morning? Don’t spend too much time trying to answer that question! If hair is really flying off your head in clumps, then you probably have an aggressive case of male pattern baldness.

On the other hand, it’s possible your hairline is simply maturing.

The key is simple: Don’t go crazy!

You don’t need to be overly thorough when you evaluate the extent of your hair loss. You just want to get a general idea of what you’re dealing with.

Also, if you can, try to review your family’s hair loss history. Hair loss can come from either side of the family, or both sides. Men seem to have a tendency to inherit their father’s hair loss genes, for better or worse — and of course, the maternal side is worth reviewing as well.

3. Consider Just Letting it Go

Honestly, even though I run a hair loss blog, I believe acceptance is the best course for many men. I have a whole section of articles dedicated to embracing hair loss, which should be a good place to start for you. Many men look good bald, as Joe Rogan says, and the buzzed look has never been cooler. By simply letting your locks fall out naturally, you could save yourself from years of unnecessary worry and frustration.

The Sexiest Man Alive! Seriously, he’s won that award multiple times if I’m not mistaken. Bald, in-shape guys often look terrific, particularly if they have a solid beard game.

4. Review Your Treatment Options

It’s 2020, and unlike Dr. Phil, you probably have a variety of treatment options for your hair loss. Assuming you’re not of the “embrace hair loss” philosophy, it’s time to evaluate those options.

There are the tried-and-true treatments, like Propecia and Minoxidil. Good hair transplants are completely undetectable (bad ones are another story). You could even possibly look into natural remedies such as rosemary oil and saw palmetto, but I wouldn’t recommend doing that unless your hair loss is on the mild end of the scale.

To aid you in your research, I wrote this post covering the 7 best ways to attack balding in 2020.

5. Avoid Negative Emotion/Obsession Triggers

What makes you obsess over your hair loss?

Is it that mirror in your downstairs bathroom with the crazy-good lighting? Just avoid it for awhile — that could be an easy solution.

Or, perhaps, you’re finding yourself taking pictures of your hairline and/or crown obsessively…

Just knock it off! It’s not as hard as you think. Whatever the item or thought is that’s leading down the road to crazy town, avoid it. Wear a hat if you have to! Your obsession will diminish with time.

6. See a Specialist

You want to determine the extent of your hair loss, and you won’t be able to do that unless you get checked out by a professional. They can do miniaturization testing, which will show how much active hair thinning is occurring on your scalp. Your doctor may even be able to predict your eventual class on the Norwood scale, based on the degree and rate of your hair loss, as well as your genetics.

Related article – Should I See a Dermatologist or Hair Restoration Surgeon? 

7. Make a Plan

You’ll want to create both a treatment plan, along with emotional health/wellness plan. I know that sounds a bit extreme and excessive. But, a significant percentage of men become really obsessed with hair loss for awhile, especially in the early stages of the process, when shock and eventually depression set in. Your plan should address the following:

• What Treatments You’re Going to Use
• How Long You’ll Use Them for
• What You’ll do in the Event Your Treatment is Unsuccessful
• How to Maintain Your Sanity and Stop Obsessing Over Hair Loss

“Plans are of little importance, but planning is essential.”
― Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill, one of the most influential people of the 20th century and a member of my bald hall of fame.

8. Follow the Plan

This step is so easy it doesn’t need an explanation, really.

But yeah, put one foot in front of the other and do your best to execute your plan. When you need to make adjustments, make them.

9. Get Action (Move!)

As I point out in my 12 steps to dating success article for bald and balding men, getting in shape is the great equalizer for follicly challenged fellows. Hair loss is stressful for most of us, at least at first — and there are few, if any, greater natural remedies for stress than exercise. Depressed people have been using exercise to combat a wide range of mental-health issues since the dawn of man, practically.

BS is everywhere. Stay fit, stay busy. It will help you stay sane and deal with the trials and tribulations of everyday life, along with your hair loss. Below is one of my favorite Teddy Roosevelt quotes, to hopefully give you some inspiration.

Roosevelt suffered from severe asthma throughout his life and was genetically prone to depression. He refused to let either of his conditions slow him down and sought action as a way to cope with his dark moods and insecurities.

10. Move on with Your Life!

Don’t become one of those guys who spends every waking moment worrying and fixating on hair loss. Don’t join every hair loss forum and drown in that sea of pity and desperation. Take up a new hobby.

Or take a cue from Jeff Bezos, another bald hall of fame member, and shift all your energy away from hair loss to your work. Focus on getting rich. When you get rich, hair won’t matter. Or, you can do what Elon Musk did, and go out and buy yourself some new hair with a hair transplant.

What to Do When You Realize You’re Balding – Closing Thoughts

There is life after hair loss. Brooding about it a little bit is fine. But becoming a slave to hair loss isn’t cool, so don’t go down that road.

Those were my top 10 things you should do when you realize you’re balding. Again, you should avoid panicking, assess the loss, consider letting it go, and if that’s not viable, review your treatment options. You should also avoid negative emotion triggers, see a specialist, make and follow a plan, literally move around, and then finally, move on with your life!

If you have anything to add or an experience to share, feel free to make a contribution in the comment section.

Robert Price

Robert Price is a writer, consumer advocate, and hair loss researcher with thousands of hours of experience in the field. His goal is to keep you out of the hair loss rabbit hole, underworld, or whatever you want to call it. He founded Hair Loss Daily, the unbiased hair loss blog, in 2016. You can learn more about Robert in the my story section of this website.