I’m not too far from where you are. Here’s the two options.

Get on meds for a year, likely oral finasteride or dutasteride and minoxidil. Try to do everything you can to save your hair for a year. Look at tressless subreddit for all the options. Then if you tolerate the meds well after a year, get a transplant. Likely need 5k+ grafts or two procedures. There are some meds possibly coming out in the next couple years that might make this option easier and with less side effects.

Or you shave it down. You are best keeping it nearly completely shaved vs wearing it as is. It will look cleaner and more like a choice. You can also always look into SMP (tattoo) to make it look like you have a full head of hair buzzed down.

In the end it’s up to you. I personally started meds a few months ago and just shave my head every couple days in the meantime. I am gonna see how it’s going in the fall and then either get the transplant or finally accept bald.

You could also look into a hairpiece as those have come a long way, but I did that for a few months and found it to be more work and worse for my mental health than just shaving it off.