Why Men Lose Hair and What Can Be Done to Prevent It
Hair is considered as the crown of beauty. But what happens when it is starting to lose grip on your scalp?
Men’s hair loss is a common thing that most guys worry about. If you are starting to see a receding hairline and thinning crown, there is actually something happening that causes your hair to fall. But worry no more; there are ways to reverse it to bring back the glory of your hair.
The Main Cause
Most of the cases in men losing hair or going bald are because of androgenetic alopecia. It is a hereditary condition that runs through genes. People also call it male pattern baldness. This condition is the leading cause of 95 percent of men suffering from hair loss, as per the American Hair Loss Association.
In this kind of condition, hair loss most commonly follows a particular pattern. The two most typical hair loss patterns are when:
The hair starts to become thinner on the top part and around the temples. Eventually, the pattern will mark a horseshoe, with hair going around the sides and back of the head and bald on top.
The hair begins receding from the front part of the hairline, pushing it back on the head.
In terms of the age when men start to lose their hair, it depends. The American Hair Loss Association states that baldness may start at different stages of life but most commonly begins at their adulthood
In general, their statistics say that around 25 percent who suffer from androgenetic alopecia may start losing their hair before 21. At age 35, about 66 percent of those men will have some degree of hair loss. When they turn 50, around 85 percent of them will undoubtedly have much thinner hair.
The Other Causes
While the main cause of baldness among men is the genetic male pattern baldness, there are possible other causes. This time, other symptoms might be more noticeable aside from thinning of hair, unlike in androgenetic alopecia. The pattern of hair loss or baldness can be unpredictable on these other causes as well.
One of these other causes is the alopecia areata. It is an autoimmune disorder that mistakenly raids hair follicles. This condition usually results in unpredictable, patchy hair loss. The hair loss may only be in small patches, but it can also go extreme. Cases of complete baldness, not only on the scalp but in the entire body, have also been recorded.
Another cause of hair loss is the telogen effluvium. This condition can result in excessive hair shedding after some shock to the system. The typical triggers include accident, surgical operation, psychological stress, childbirth, chronic illness, and many more. Although there is no treatment for this condition, it can be corrected by avoiding vigorous combing, gentle handling of hair, a healthy diet, and correcting problems in thyroid functions.
Nutritional deficiency can also contribute to hair loss. In fact, hair needs certain vitamins to have healthy hair growth, such as optimal levels of Vitamin A, B vitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Vitamin E, iron, and protein. Hence, take these vitamins on your diet to avoid hair loss.
Medications That Can Cause Baldness
You should know that some medications can result in massive hair loss or baldness. However, this might be temporary most of the time. Your hair will grow again once you stop taking those medications. Some of these medicines are:
• Chemotherapy meds
• High dose of Vitamin A
• Medication for acne, specifically isotretinoin (Accutane) and tretinoin (Retin-A)
• Immunosuppressants
• Antidepressants and mood stabilizers
• Testosterone replacement therapy in treating low testosterone
• Anticoagulants
• Blood pressure medications
If you have been on these medications, you can talk to your doctor. They can opt for another medicine that does not result in hair loss. They may also advise you to refrain from taking the meds for a few months.
Hair Loss Treatments
BuzzRx overview on hair loss provides information on how to treat hair loss or baldness. But there is more. Hair loss treatment can be widely varied through some medications, laser treatment, or even surgical procedures like hair transplant.
For medications, finasteride and minoxidil are proven and tested to be effective as a hair treatment. The former can be in pill form and comes with a prescription, while the latter is a topical treatment and can be bought over the counter.
Meanwhile, laser treatment aims to stimulate the scalp and the hair follicles. It is a newly discovered treatment but is entirely safe. Research reveals positive results on hair growth using laser treatment.
Lastly, a hair transplant is an invasive surgery to do. This procedure can be follicular unit transplantation (FUT) or follicular unit extraction (FUE). The former removes a strip of skin in removing groups of hair to be moved on the plagued area, while the latter extracts individual follicular units directly from the scalp and inserts them on the hairless part of the scalp.
The Prevention
While some causes are genetic, baldness among men is preventable from the other causes. You may start massaging your scalp regularly that can vitalize hair growth. Manage your stress through physical activities and meditations. A well-balanced diet also contributes to your hair growth. Lastly, refrain from smoking.
Written by Meredith Hayes for beezzly.com
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