Hair is an integral part of our personality. It reflects how we look and present ourselves in front of others.

Think about waking up, washing your hair, and noticing a swirl or a few hair strands that just won’t behave and move apart from others, that is what we call Cowlick.

On the other side, observing thinning of hair or receding hairline indicates Baldness.

While both traits are different but affect how our hair looks.

Balding and Cowlick happen in both men and women. 

People often confuse these two hair traits and cannot rectify the situation appropriately.

To address the hair issue correctly, you need clarity on what you are going through.

Let’s dive in depth together in this guide. Read the article to know whether you have balding or cowlick.

Understanding Cowlick

Have you ever thought of a hairstyle and were all set to go, but then, surprise, guess what?

That one part of the hair stands up as if he is the showstopper. 

It can be irritating to experience Cowlicks, especially when we want to style our hair in a particular way, but it doesn’t work out. 

Don’t worry. It is not something that is only happening to you. We have all faced situations like this once in a lifetime.

Cowlick is a naturally occurring growth pattern commonly found in a spiral pattern, sometimes called a hair whorl.

It usually happens when a patch of hair falls in another direction from the hair around it.

Note:
You might be curious to know why it is called cowlick. The hair patch is called by this name because it seems to have been licked upwardly by a mother cow, which mothers do to their calves to groom them.

Cowlick is not due to hair loss. It is a natural growth pattern, and genetics plays a role here.

A study supports that genes play a role in the inheritance of human scalp hair whorl orientation.

It suggests that right-handed people with cowlicks are more likely to be in the clockwise direction.

Other researchers have concluded that there is no substantial evidence to link the whorl orientation with handedness.

What is Balding

Balding
Balding

Generally, people observe hair loss in their 30s and 40s.

Balding occurs when hair follicles start to shrink, hairs get thin daily, and eventually, growth stops.

It refers to excessive hair falling from the scalp, leaving a visible spot.

Spotting can lead to a lack of hair growth. It can be a partial or complete loss of hair.

Balding is caused by loss of hair. Many factors, such as stress, the natural aging process, genes, hormonal levels, and medications, contribute to this.

The usual male balding pattern begins at the hairline.

The hairline recedes (moves backward) and produces an “M” shape.

Over time, a circular area on the back of the skull (vertex) often thins and expands in size.

A journal published by the National Institutes of Health shows an association of genes in Male Pattern Baldness.

The research concluded that health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, Prostate Cancer, and certain genetic factors intervene and potentially increase the risk of hair loss.

There is no such cure or miracle remedy which can grow back your hair, although treatment and surgeries are there. 

Before opting for any treatment, make sure that you have balding or not.

Once you opt for a plan and go down that route, it is impossible to bring back that hair. 

Is there any correlation between cowlick and balding

Cowlick and Balding are both different. There is no such correlation between them.

People usually refer to Cowlick be an early sign of balding. But it is not the truth.

In cowlick, hair growth happens in the different direction than the rest of the hair.

Most people with thin hair misinterpret cowlick as being bald as it forms in a spiral or whorl pattern that leaves an impression of a bald spot.

But, Bald spots are different. This problem occurs when the hair follicles shrink, resulting in a few thin strands that cannot pass through the scalp after a while.

How to tell if Cowlick or Balding

It might be frustrating not to know what you are going through. Don’t panic.

We will provide enough ways to identify what you have Cowlick or Balding.

Signs of Cowlick

Here are a few indications of Cowlick mentioned below:

  • Look at the top, middle, and side of your scalp. If you observe any hair whorl, then you have a Cowlick
  • Visible area with small exposed skin
  • No loss of hair involved, just a spiral pattern formulation. 
  • Get an appearance of thin hair because of a natural hair growth pattern

If you have a Cowlick and it suddenly starts to disappear, or your hair looks flat, it is a sign that you are about to get bald soon.

Signs of Balding

A few ways to check out the Balding symptoms are listed here:

  • Large exposed areas or visible spots
  • Suddenly very thin hair or almost no hair
  • If the other parts of the hair are also thinning and you can easily spot the hair-receding line
  • The Hairline gradually moves backward and forms M shape
  • Experiencing more hair fall than usual repetitively

How to treat Cowlick

Buzz cut hairstyle
Getting buzz cut hairstyle

There is no way to cure Cowlick permanently, but you can style it or hide it so that it never feels like an issue.

A professional hairstylist can guide you with better tips and tricks on how to style your hair accordingly.

An excellent haircut depending on your hair type is also beneficial for adequately styling your hair with Cowlicks.

You can also leave it just the way they are. 

Sometimes the natural curls and flares leave an impactful mark on your personality. So, keep it honest and embrace what you have.

How to treat Balding

Most types of baldness have no such cure. In a few cases, baldness goes way on its own.

There are treatment options available for hair regrowth.

Certain medications, such as Finasteride or Minoxidil, are recommended by medical experts. 

These drugs promote the growth of hair.

Hair replacement techniques are available. It is not for entirely bald people.

It is for people with healthy hair growth on the side or back of the head.

Hair Transplantation is the most common and has two types: Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) and Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) surgery.

During an FUE treatment, hair follicles are extracted and implanted elsewhere on the scalp.

During a FUT surgery, a large strip of the scalp is removed, and the follicles are separated and then transplanted.

You can also be natural and rock the authentic look with pride and confidence.

Try styling it with caps, facial hairstyles, or the clean shave look with well-groomed attire.

Warning:
If you are thinking of having hair transplantation, seek a professional consult and ensure the surgeon is an expert in their field. If not transplanted carefully, it may have outcomes like bleeding, infection, and extreme pain.

Conclusion

By the end, we know that Balding and Cowlick are entirely different.

Cowlick is not an early sign of Balding, and genes play a vital role in both types.

We can identify Cowlick from the crown of our head or the side, whereas Balding from the thinning or disappearing hair strands.

There are no such permanent treatments for Cowlick and complete baldness.

You can still style them with the correct hair products and techniques.

Confidence is the key. Initially, it may be a challenge.

However, making a conscious effort to reflect positively will also motivate other people like you to do the same.

Frequently Asked Questions

Citations:
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