How & Why Hair Loss Happens
Hair loss can occur for a variety of reasons, from stress to nutritional deficiencies, medications, illnesses and more.
However, the majority of hair loss in men is the result of androgenetic alopecia, or male pattern baldness.
Although most people associate male pattern baldness with men in their 20s, 30s and 40s, the reality is that hair loss can start at any age, including in your mid to late teens.
In fact, research shows that around 16 percent of males aged between 15 and 17 are affected by some degree of male pattern baldness.
When male pattern baldness starts during your teens, its sometimes referred to as adolescent androgenetic alopecia.
In short, if youre in your mid to late teens and have started to notice that your hair is thinning or receding, youre not alone.
Contrary to popular belief, hair loss doesnt happen because of wearing a hat, using lots of hair products or other common but inaccurate theories. Weve talked about these more in our guide to popular hair loss myths.
Male pattern baldness occurs due to a combination of your genetics and your bodys production of certain male sex hormones.
More specifically, hair loss occurs when a hormone called dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, binds to receptors in your hair follicles and causes damage to your hair.
Arguably the most well-known androgen hormone is testosterone. As a man, testosterone plays a major role in almost all of the factors that make you masculine.
Why Am I Losing My Hair Is It Genetic
If you have male pattern baldness, you are losing your hair because your body is becoming increasingly sensitive to male sex hormones called androgens. The extent to which your scalp is affected by this process is hereditary.
You can also lose your hair because of illness or surgical procedures, stressful circumstances, changes in hormone levels and scalp infections. But in many cases hair loss is not permanent.
Maintain A Healthy Lifestyle
It will come as no surprise that leading a healthy, active lifestyle will also significantly benefit your hairline. Stress reduction is an important component to managing hair loss, says Turner. Stress can come from bad behaviors, like smoking, drug use, alcohol consumption, high sugar intake, poor rest, dehydration, malnutrition, and more. You can even consider adding hair-friendly supplements to your regimen, many of which even target hair growth specifically.
Most of us are depleted in vitamin D, James points out. Vitamin D has proven to be very beneficial in helping with hair loss and strengthening hair. So are B-complex vitamins, which contribute to hair density and quality of the hair shaft. And thats to name a few. Turner adds Biotin to the roster of good supplements since it can fortify hair and help it grow faster and stronger. He also tells his patients about the potential benefits of essential oil application: Peppermint oil has some limited data that it may stimulate hair growth by increasing blood flow to the area. In addition, rosemary oil, lavender oil, and tea tree oil have limited evidence as natural options to help regrow hair for those looking for alternative options.
Also Check: How To Treat Itchy Scalp And Hair Loss
How Effective Is Minoxidil
Here are the facts based on data from clinical studies:
- For about 66% of men, minoxidil stops hair loss.
- About 52% of men enjoyed moderate hair regrowth when applying minoxidil at the crown and top of head areas.
- About 20% of men enjoyed very significant hair regrowth applying minoxidil in these areas.
How To Treat Thinning Hair
This article was medically reviewed by Courtney Foster. Courtney Foster is a Licensed Cosmetologist, Certified Hair Loss Practitioner, and Cosmetology Educator based out of New York City. Courtney runs Courtney Foster Beauty, LLC and her work has been featured on The Wendy Williams Show, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, and in East/West Magazine. She received her Cosmetology License from the State of New York after training at the Empire Beauty School – Manhattan.There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 16 testimonials and 100% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 1,552,878 times.
Thinning hair can be caused by a variety of factors, including stress or hormonal issues. If your hair is thinning, do not fret. There are a number of things you can do to treat thinning hair, such as changing your hairstyle, using gentle hair products, and eating more protein and omega-3s.
Don’t Miss: Can Collagen Help With Hair Loss
Is Male Pattern Baldness Related To Androgenic Alopecia
Yes! In fact, its the exact same condition. Androgenic alopecia is just the more scientific name for male pattern baldness .
Its important to note though, that while Keeps is all about helping men with their hair loss, androgenic alopecia is not just a condition that affects men. Women can also suffer from androgenic alopecia, and in that case its unsurprisingly called female pattern hair loss. Harvard has a great article on the topic that dives more deeply into it.
What Are The Side Effects Of Taking Finasteride
In rare cases finasteride may cause a skin rash, erectile dysfunction, less desire for sex or tenderness in the nipple area. If you do experience these side effects, they may well disappear quickly as your body gets used to finasteride. If you are at all concerned about the side effects you should stop taking the treatment and consult a doctor.
For more information on solutions for hair loss, visit our blog article on hair growth treatment.
References
Read Also: What Are The Reasons For Female Hair Loss
How Effective Is Finasteride In Stopping Hair Loss
Finasteride helps prevent hair loss and increase hair growth. It is particularly effective among those who show mild to moderate hair loss.
While the effectiveness of finasteride often depends on the length of time it is taken, the available evidence suggests that two thirds of men who use it see some hair regrowth.
Will Stress Make Me Go Bald Quicker
Stress can cause hair loss but hair loss caused by stress is rarely permanent. Whether stress speeds up the process of hereditary baldness is unknown.
There is a form of hair loss that can be caused by severe stress called telogen effluvium, which interrupts the growth cycle of your hair follicles causing hair to shed. But in the long term this process should correct itself.
Recommended Reading: Will Cutting My Hair Help With Hair Loss
Hairstyles For Men With Thinning Hair
Ok, now that we’ve established ways to deal with hair loss, let’s talk about the hairstyle options you have. Many guys are quick to rush to the “shave it off” option when they start losing their hair. The thing is, you don’t have to do that.
Because thinning hair is so common, there are a lot of hair styles that work for balding hair and a good barber will work with you to find a hairstyle that works for you. Find other guys who are having a similar balding style as you and use that as inspiration. Here’s a short list of famous guys with thinning hair to get you started:
Keep in mind that these people make money with their image, so it’s likely they’ve treated their hair loss with one of the solutions above. The biggest thing with thinning hair is to own it and not hide it. There’s a difference between getting a hairstyle that looks good with MPB and one that is trying to cover up the baldness.
Men basically experience hair loss in three different ways: Youll lose hair from the crown of your head, from your temples, or from a general overall thinning of your scalp. Lets take a look at hair styles you can rock depending on what type of hair loss you experience:
The worst thing you can do with balding is the comb over! That being said, I’ve seen some guys who have thick curly hair and their thinning temples are covered up naturally without looking weird. We are all different, so there is no one perfect solution.
How Can We Help Men With Thinning Hair
- Tags:
Hair loss in men is so common that as many as 85% of all men will experience considerable thinning or balding before the age of 50. While anyone can experience hair loss, its more typical in men than women. Unfortunately, many men will keep their hair loss hidden under hats or let it go untreated. It is important to remember that there are solutions that really work. Get the facts so you can make the right decision when it comes to restoring your hair.
Don’t Miss: Why Is My Hair Thinning
Analyzing The Price And Our Recommendation
The main downside of LLLT devices is a big, up-front price. These devices are not cheap. Our top recommended LLLT device has a regular price of $799, though there is currently a deal for $50 in savings and frequently you can find sales of up to $100 off on this item because it is one of the companys most popular devices. There are a few reasons why we recommend this device over other high-quality laser hair devices.
- There is a 2-year warranty and, very importantly, a 6-month money-back return policy.
- The device is much cheaper than some other options, which cost up to $3k. Its also much cheaper than the HairMax laser hair cap, which costs almost $2k.
- The clever design of the LaserBand device allows it to deliver robust laser therapy into your scalp for all of the therapeutic value it can deliver, but at a much lower price. Its a smaller device and relies on you moving it along your scalp at timed intervals dictated by the device itself. It has far more lasers than any laser comb laser density is on par with top-level caps and helmets but it does feature comb teeth that part your hairs to allow the therapeutic laser energy to get to your scalp rather than being blocked to an extent by hair. Laser caps and helmets lack the comb teeth, requiring more energy and in many cases much longer sessions of treatment.
- Not only was HairMax one of the first to market, but it has also been studied longer and in more clinical trials than any other device.
What Causes Hair Loss
Now, here’s the thing, male pattern baldness is caused by your sensitivity to dihydrotestosterone and it’s totally determined by your genetics. A boost in DHT will help with the growth of your beard, but it’ll also hinder your ability to keep your hair. This is why you see a lot of guys who are losing their hair, but have great beards.
So, almost every man goes through hair loss or male pattern baldness. Off the top of my head, I think 50% of men will see MPB by their 40’s and 67% of men will see it by their 60’s. When and the degree it affects you is up to your genetics. While your mother’s father will play a role into your hair loss, it’s not a 100% indicator. Ultimately, if a bunch of people in your family are bald, chances are it’ll happen to you, too.
I’d like for you to think of your hair loss like any other genetic factor – such as your height, eye color, or skin color. There are things you can do to work with it, but at the root of the issue, you’ll have to love the person looking back at you in the mirror. IE, you’re going to have to be cool with balding because that’s part of what makes you, you!
Don’t Miss: Can Thin Hair Become Thick Again
Say Hello To Supplements And Self
The simplest way to explain androgen alopecia or hair thinning is something that happens with time, said Ona Diaz-Santi, celebrity hairstylist, curl expert and owner of 5 Salon & Spa in Fort Lee, New Jersey. Excess hair shedding can be due to an imbalance or deficiency in areas like iron, thyroid, zinc and more.
If you experience excessive hair shedding or are simply looking to elevate your nutrient intake, consider adding a supplement packed with nourishing vitamins and minerals for healthier hair and whole-body wellness. One to try is GRO Biotin Gummies. Just one gummy per day includes your daily value of biotin, along with folic acid, Vitamins A, C and E, plus B-5, -6 and -12, zinc and more key minerals.
Here are some other ideas to promote hair and overall wellness:
My Hair Is Thinning Will It Grow Back
Losing hair is a natural process that happens to everyone, every day. We all lose an average of 80 hair strands a day, but our hair is continually growing in cycles to replenish itself. However, if you have been noticing an unusual amount of hair loss, you might be worried you are going bald.
Many men will notice their hair thinning when they are still in their 20s or 30s. Some of the most common signs of balding include a receding hairline, more hair appearing in the sink and shower, and a sudden change in how your hair reacts to brushing.
Don’t panic. Hair thinning and baldness are two different things, and both have multiple treatment options.
Read Also: Why Does Lupus Cause Hair Loss
When To See A Doctor
See your doctor if you dont see any progress with the use of home or over-the-counter treatments for thinning hair, especially if your hair loss is causing you stress or disrupting your daily life.
Seek medical help as soon as possible if you notice any of the following along with thinning hair:
- losing large amounts of hair elsewhere on your body
- losing hair in large patches or chunks
- losing or gaining an abnormal amount of weight without any major diet or lifestyle changes
- unusual symptoms like fever, chills, or fatigue
Does Finasteride Increase Hair Thickness
Finasteride is a DHT blocker and prescription-only oral medication that blocks DHT from entering the hair follicle. It proved to reduce hair loss however, it has also been linked to several side effects, including:
- Impotence
- Loss of interest in sex
- Erectile dysfunction
Again, this seems like a lot of side effects to endure to help with hair loss.
Luckily some natural remedies and treatments do not cause such side effects.
These are the best ways to try to combat thinning hair.
Don’t Miss: Is Roman Hair Loss Legit