How To Stop Hair Loss: 15 Working Methods To Prevent Balding For Men
- 14 mins read
Nobody wants to lose their hair, the part of their body that completes their charisma.
Yet, at some point in our lives, most of us notice our hair thinning and our hairline receding. Its completely normal.
Nothings meant to last forever, right? You can just accept the fact that youre going to end up like your elderly relatives and move on.
You can do something to stop it.
But before we dig deeper into what you can do to stop hair loss, its better if we see what hair loss actually is:
What Are The Causes Of Hair Loss
Your hair goes through a predictable pattern of growth, shedding, and resting. Most people lose approximately 100 hairs per day. Sudden loss, especially in patches or thinning overall may require medical attention from your doctor to diagnose the underlying condition causing the excessive hair shedding. Some types of temporary shedding respond well to dietary changes while others are more permanent and do not stop until an underlying condition is treated.
Hereditary hair loss, including androgenic alopecia , affects nearly 50 percent of men and 15% of women.
What Causes Hair To Thin
Any number of lifestyle factors, genetics, recent life events , or medical conditions can cause your hair to thin.
Lifestyle factors could include using certain hair products, wearing your hair up too tightly, experiencing high stress levels, or not getting enough of certain vitamins and minerals in your diet.
People who have immune system deficiencies could also have thinning hair.
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Hair Loss Prevention Tips From Experts Who Know
You can lose hair for a variety of reasons, ranging from your genes to your diet to health issues and more. Thatâs why itâs important to see a dermatologist. They can pinpoint the cause and let you know if you need medical treatments.
They may also recommend certain lifestyle changes to help you prevent more hair loss. These expert tips help some men get thicker, healthier hair.
Tips For Hair Loss Or Thinning
- Use gentle hair products such as baby shampoos.
- Don’t use perms or hair colours on thinning hair colours may not take well and perms can damage the hair.
- Use a soft baby brush and comb thinning hair gently.
- Avoid using hair dryers, curling tongs, hair straighteners and curlers on thinning hair and pat your hair dry after washing.
- If your scalp flakes or itches this means it is dry use oil or moisturiser, not dandruff shampoo.
- Protect your scalp by covering your head in the sun.
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A Change In Your Hairline
The most obvious of the stages of hair loss is a noticeable change in your hairline that you can clearly see.
Baldness often begins in the hairline, with the flat or mildly receded hairline you previously had turned into a more obvious M-shaped hairline basically, bald with hair on sides.
For most people, this begins with hair thinning at the crown of the head and temples, and often starts with thinning hair rather than total hair loss.
If you can compare two photos taken years apart and see a clear balding hairline or that your hairline has clearly receded, its an obvious sign that youre suffering from hair loss.
One important thing to be aware of is that lighting conditions can affect the appearance of your hairline.
Hair may appear thinner in bright downlighting .
This makes it important to compare photos with similar lighting conditions, not one photo taken in natural light and another taken in bright artificial light.
If youre really concerned about hair loss, you can photograph your hairline or the top of your head every few months in the same lighting conditions to see if your hairline is receding.
Over the course of a year or two, you should be able to determine whether or not youre losing hair around your hairline.
If you notice hair loss, its important that you take action as soon as possible to prevent it from getting worse. You may not be able to stop hair loss completely, but there are things you can do to slow it down and stop it from getting worse.
How Do Dermatologists Diagnose Alopecia Areata
Your dermatologist will examine the area with hair loss carefully and look at your nails. Your dermatologist will also ask some questions. This may be enough to diagnose you.
Because there are so many reasons for hair loss, testing is sometimes necessary to make sure alopecia areata is the cause of your hair loss.
A blood test can look for other diseases caused by the immune system. Sometimes, other tests are necessary.
If you have alopecia areata, your dermatologist will talk with you about how the disease is affecting your life and whether treatment is recommended.
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Can Thinning Hair Grow Back
Thinning hair can grow back depending on what caused it to thin in the first place. Individuals who experience thinning hair due to nutrient deficiencies, stress, pregnancy, and other non-genetic reasons could experience regrowth.
If youre experiencing new hair loss or hair thinning, its best to consult your doctor. Some medical conditions can be associated with thinning hair.
How To Prevent Hair Loss During Chemo
Chemotherapy works by attacking cancer cells in your body. As a side effect, chemotherapy kills the cells that make your hair grow. Hair usually begins falling out within 2 to 4 weeks after treatment.
Some people choose to prepare for this side effect by shaving their hair off before treatment starts. Many people are more comfortable with this choice. But not everyone who undergoes chemotherapy will lose all of their hair as a result. Sometimes hair simply thins out or recedes.
You may also ask your doctor about scalp cooling treatments. These treatments, which include a scalp cooling cap, slow blood flow to your scalp during treatments. While its not completely effective, scalp cooling can help you retain more of your hair. The average cost is about
Here are the answers to common hair loss questions.
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Is Hair Loss A Disease
Hair loss is one of the common problems in men. There could be many causes of hair loss that including diet, mineral deficiency, medications, stress, pollution, and genetics. Hair loss without scalp is a very common skin condition and affects most people at some time in their lives. Alopecia areata is a form of hair loss produced by the autoimmune destruction of hair follicles in localized areas of the skin.
There are two types of non-scarring hair loss.
- Patchy hair loss – common causes are alopecia areata, traction alopecia, trichotillomania, tinea capitis, and secondary syphilis
- Diffuse hair loss – common causes are pattern alopecia, drug-induced alopecia, protein malnutrition, and systemic disease-induced alopecia.
What Causes Hair Loss
Contrary to what you may hear, male pattern baldness nothing to do with wearing hats, or masturbating too much, or not using the right type of shampoo.
It has to do with your genetics. Male pattern baldness is a chronic condition that occurs when your hair follicles have a genetic sensitivity to a male hormone called dihydrotestosterone . This sensitivity affects your hairs growth cycle. Or, to put it more simply, its why your hair falls out and doesnt get replaced by healthy hair.
This is a chronic condition that doesnt currently have a cure .
Before you curse your genes, know that hair loss happens to most of ustwo out of three guys will start to lose their hair by the age of 35, and 85% of American men have significantly thinning hair by the time theyre 50.
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How Long Does It Take To Go Bald
If youre going bald, dont expect to see major changes overnight. Balding can happen across a span of decades and will slowly make itself present by hairline thinning and and your scalp receding hair over time.
Depending on how much your body reacts to your DHT levels, the faster or slower your rate of hair loss will be. That being said, there is no definite amount of time it will take for you to go bald.
Do Hot Showers Cause Hair Loss
Extremely hot water can break down keratin, the substance that makes up hair strands. It might also remove natural oils like sebum from your scalp and hair, causing dryness and inflammation.
Overwashing your hair, especially with hot water, can lead to breakage. To maintain healthy strands, wash with cool or lukewarm water and avoid brushing or stretching wet hair. Finger-comb your hair with conditioner when you are in the shower to help remove tangles. Additionally, use a deep conditioner regularly.
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Different Types Of Hair Loss
There are lots of different types of hair loss. It can take the form of “thinning” or involve a total loss of hair. It can be gradual or sudden it can affect the old and the young.
Hair loss can be genetic, or as a result of extreme stress, a medical condition or treatment.
Hair loss is a well-known side effect of chemotherapy. It’s also common for women to lose more hair than usual up to 3 months after they’ve given birth.
Why Is My Hair Suddenly Thinning
Suddenly thinning hair could be caused by a variety of reasons, such as a period of extreme stress, pregnancy, discontinuing birth control pill use, hormonal changes, a high fever, or pulling at your hair.
Sudden hair thinning thats persistent or hair falling out in clumps could be the sign of an underlying medical condition. Talk with your doctor if this occurs.
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Use A Shampoo Thats Mild And Suited For Your Hair
The purpose of shampoo is to cleanse your hair of dirt and excess oil. Overwashing with shampoo can potentially harm your hair. Sulfates and some other ingredients have been linked to frizz, scalp dryness, and fragile hair.
Theres no evidence that any specific ingredients in shampoo cause hair loss, but they might contribute to less than ideal hair health. If you notice your hair is overly dry or frizzy, try a shampoo thats as close to all-natural as possible.
Most shampoos for hair loss cost less than about $30 and arent covered by insurance.
Limit Brushing For Healthy Hair
Dermatologists say that vigorous grooming of your hair such as following the old recommendation to brush it 100 strokes every night can damage your hair and cause it to break off. If you excessively brush your hair and it appears thin or shaggy, try limiting how much you brush your hair. Often, the best way to improve the health of your hair is to leave it alone as much as possible.
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Do Hair Transplants Help Hair Loss
Transplants are the process of transplanting hair from one region of the scalp to another. Depending on the cause of hair loss, transplants might be successful for some individuals. However, you’ll need sufficient donor hair and will have to wait several months before your new hairs develop. 10% to 80% of transplanted hair may return in 3 to 4 months after transplantation. To determine if a hair transplant is appropriate for you, talk with a dermatologist or a hair restoration expert.
Alopecia Treatments That Work
Healthy diet
A poor diet can cause nutrient imbalances and inflammation, affecting hair follicle structure. According to a 2018 study published in Dermatology and Therapy, you need key nutrients in your diet to prevent hair loss.
A 2017 study published inThe Archives of Dermatological Research concluded that following a Mediterranean diet, which is rich in vitamins and minerals, decreases the risk of androgenetic alopecia in males. The corticosteroids or topical immunotherapeutics , and topical minoxidil which is used to help male-pattern baldness.
Breakthrough treatments include âoral minoxidil for androgenetic alopecia and oral for alopecia areataâ, King says.
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Noticeable Thinning Of Your Hair
Not all people experience hairline hair loss. Some men experience whats called diffuse thinning a type of hair loss that either affects the entire scalp or specific areas like the top of the head resulting in baldness that starts from the back or top, rather than from the hairline.
Just like a receding hairline, the easiest way to spot diffuse thinning is to compare photos from different time periods.
If you notice that your hair looks thinner now than it does in photos taken several years ago, theres a chance that its the result of male pattern baldness.
Since you dont normally take photos from behind you, the easiest way to compare the level of thickness in your hair over time is to take photos every two to three months in your bathroom mirror.
If you notice crown hair loss, its worth taking action to prevent hair loss further.
Can Hair Loss Be Reversed
Yes and no. It depends on what type of hair loss youre experiencing.
Some types, like cicatricial alopecia, are permanent, while others that may be caused by stress or a medical condition are temporary. Once the cause has been identified and eliminated, your hair should start growing back.
Generally speaking, if the trigger goes away or whatever caused the injury to the hair follicle, then the hair will recover over a period of four to six months to a year, says Dr. Bergfeld.
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Does Smoking Cause Hair Loss
Not only does smoking damage your health, but it may also lead to hair loss. In 2020, a study of 500 smokers and 500 non-smokers found that smoking correlates with an increased likelihood of hair loss. The chemicals in nicotine might be involved in accelerated hair loss, but more research is needed for confirmation. Additionally, smoking creates more free radicalsmolecules that react with others and can harm cellular DNA .
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.
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Does Caffeine Stop Hair Loss
Some research suggests that caffeine might help with hair growth and loss prevention. A 2007 study found that when tested on male subjects, caffeine blocked the hormone dihydrotestosterone from causing hair follicle lossa problem all genders face. The caffeinated rinse also widened each subject’s hair root width while prolonging the full growth phase of their hairs. When female subjects were given the same test, it was shown to have comparable growing effects on their scalps as well. Caffeine is known as a vasodilator, meaning that one of its properties is opening blood vessels wide: this may be how it helps improve blood flow to the scalp and sustainably promote hair growth over time. You can make a do-it-yourself coffee or green tea rinse at home for fresh healthy locks!
Hormonal Imbalance Hair Loss
A hormonal imbalance can lead to multitude of annoying health and beauty issues, from adult acne to weight gain. If your hormones are out of whack the effects will radiate throughout the whole body .
“Hormones play a huge role in regulating the hair growth cycle” explains Anabel. “Oestrogens are ‘hair friendly’ and help to keep hairs in their growth phase for the optimal length of time. Androgens are not very hair friendly, and can shorten the hair growth cycle.”
“An excess of androgens can cause hair loss. The extent of this is often down to genes – If you have a genetic predisposition to follicle sensitivity, a hormonal imbalance can affect your hair more than it would someone who does not have a predisposition.”
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Signs Of Balding: How To Stop Hair Loss
Medically reviewed by Kristin Hall, FNP
Like most signs of aging, androgenetic alopecia, also known as male pattern baldness, doesnt happen overnight. In fact, for most men, going bald is a gradual process.
If youre wondering how to avoid hair loss, one of the keys is learning about the common signs of baldness and taking action as early as possible. Simply put, the earlier you take action to prevent hair loss, the more hair youll be able to save.
Unfortunately, identifying hair loss isnt always easy. With many myths about balding circling the internet, it is easy to mistake normal hair loss for male pattern baldness.
Luckily, there are some real signs of male pattern hair loss that you can use to identify and deal with hair loss.