Unfortunately your appearance directly impacts your quality of life. People judge you by your appearance; most just learn after high school not to say it to your face. It impacts your earnings, your romantic/work relationships, how friendly people are to you... hell even your lifespan according to this study:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223354260_Facial_attractiveness_predicts_longevity#:~:text=Henderson%20and%20Anglin%20(2003)%20found,surviving%20in%20a%20competitive%20environment.
Humans are shallow and quick to judge. Most of us are just monkeys in clothes. It just makes sense to optimize your appearance within reason to make our lives easier/more rewarding. I wish our culture was different, but to deny it puts you at a disadvantage.
When I was in my thirties and the hairline was receding, sometimes it would fall the right way after washing it, and I would have a 'good hair day' and women would actually look at me. On a bad hair day, not.
Or, maybe on a 'good hair day' I exuded more confidence, maybe made eye contact myself, on purpose. In either case, hair loss was a huge deal for me.
I have been using minoxidil since age about 35 and I think it has slowed the hair loss. Now am 69 and the top of the head is getting alarmingly thin, as in seeing scalp when sunlight is on it. Also graying.
I'm thinking about keeping on with the minox, but starting with topical finasteride on the scalp, but hesitant, due to side effects, which I haven't researched yet.
Other options are a 'comb forward' or a shorter haircut made for a balding guy.
And don't forget, some guys look good bald or partly bald. Depends on the face, the head, the hair style, etc.
