How Is A Receding Hairline Diagnosed
To understand the type of hair loss youre experiencing and its cause, you should see a dermatologist. Your doctor will ask for your personal and family medical history.
One test your doctor may perform is called a pull test. They will gently pull on a few hairs to see how many fall out, or how easily they fall out.
A biopsy of scalp tissue or hairs may also be helpful to determine if there is a scalp infection causing hair loss. With a biopsy, your doctor removes a small amount of tissue from the affected part of the body. The tissue sample will be tested in a lab for signs of infection or disease.
You may also have a blood test to look for conditions such as thyroid disease that may be contributing to your hair loss.
If your receding hairline is simply an age-related development and not the result of an infection or other medical problem, you wont need treatment. If a medical condition is causing the hair loss, medication may be necessary.
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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.
Other Treatments For Hair Loss
These are the most common solutions for balding that deal directly with cosmetically or physically altering your appearance:
- Hair Transplants. Anesthesia is given during this surgery where healthy hair follicles from a particular body part called the donor site are moved to the balding parts. This process is surgical, it can take many procedures before results become permanent, because hair loss still occurs several times before the skin grows more hair permanently. And the recovery time can be extensive. Its also expensive, but results can be done quickly.
- Wigs. These are a more temporary solution but less expensive and versatile. Wigs that are synthetic are generally cheaper when compared to human hair wigs. Human hair wigs look more natural and are easier to style and maintain because polymers hold the structure longer and better under natural fibers.
- Hats. Many men tend to wear hats as the most comfortable, versatile and least expensive way to manage their hair loss with zero side effects.
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Alternative Hair Loss Remedies
One word: boondoggle. From saw palmetto to zinc, a vast array of tinctures, supplements, and shampoos promise to do what the FDA-approved treatments do — only cheaper and perhaps even better because of some âlittle-known ancient wisdom.â Turns out that FDA approval isn’t for nothing.
“There’s never been a single study to show they work,” Bernstein says of the alternative remedies. “It’s conceivable that some might have some minor impact. But the real problem is that people waste valuable time experimenting with them when they’d be much better off spending their money on something proven to work. The window for Propecia passes, and if you’ve spent two years with this herbal thing instead, that can make a big difference in the results you ultimately get.”
George Cotserelis, MD, is director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Hair and Scalp Clinic. He agrees that there’s no evidence these alternative hair loss treatments have any effect. “If any of it did work,” he says, “I’d be very worried about using that product. The fact that itâs working would mean it’s doing something to the testosterone and could be having adverse effects.”
Whats Minoxidil Not As Great For
Its not ideal for receding hairlines sorry, guys. To be clear, minoxidil can trigger hair growth here as well, but for this purpose, we dont recommend it as highly as other treatments. Why?
For one thing, receding hairline often signals an underlying hormonal shift that naturally occurs in men, in which testosterone converts to DHT. Minoxidil wont stop that at all.
And from a practical standpoint, theres a good reason why you need to wash your hands thoroughly after applying minoxidil to your scalp and also why you need to wait several hours before touching your application area or going to bed after applying it. The reason is, until its totally dry, minoxidil can spread and absorb in places where it will cause unwanted hair to grow. Think facial hair, for instance, but in unconventional places. Minoxidil has that potential, if small amounts end up absorbing in a place you didnt intend to apply it.
Now consider your natural hairline before it began receding. Do you remember what it looked like? If you dont know where to stop applying the minoxidil, you could end up with strange patchy hair growth along your hairline, and you risk the minoxidil trickling down over your forehead or ending up in places you dont want. It can be messy.
Minoxidil was studied, approved and recommended initially for hair loss at the crown and along the top of the scalp. And thats where it is best, to this day.
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Follow The Mediterranean Diet
Eating fruits, vegetables and protein the main ingredients in the Mediterranean diet can be helpful, especially compared to other trendy diets.
When you go on these restrictive diets, you may lose weight but its probably something you cant maintain, says Dr. Bergfeld. And theyre usually lacking in something that your hair follicles need.
Which Hair Loss Treatment Is Best For Me
Talk with your doctor to figure out which hair loss treatment may be best for you. While OTC and home remedies may work for some, they arent for everyone.
If your hair loss is caused by an underlying medical issue, or if its a side effect from a medication youre taking, OTC treatments might not work.
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A Change In Your Hairline
The most obvious first sign of balding 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.
For most people, this begins around the temples and the crown and often starts with thinning hair rather than total hair loss.
If you can compare two photos taken years apart and see that your hairline has 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.
The Definitive Guide To Hair Loss And Hair Thinning Hair In Men
Its the thing no guy ever wants to talk about: hair loss. But the reality is that 85% of men have significant hair loss by the time they turn 50. Thats according to the American Hair Loss Association.
They report that most men who suffer from male pattern baldness are extremely unhappy with their situation and would do anything to change it. Hair loss affects every aspect of the hair loss sufferer’s life. It affects interpersonal relationships as well as the professional lives of those suffering. It is not uncommon for men to change their career paths because of their hair loss.
Hair loss sucks. Nobody likes it. But since the significant majority of men will experience at least some hair loss and thinning during their lifetime, do the smart thing and educate yourself.
A better understanding of your hair, how hair loss happens, and what you can do about it will empower you to confidently look your best – no matter what stage youre at in your experience with hair thinning and loss.
In this guide well break down how your hair works, common myths about hair loss, and how to prevent, treat, and deal with the reality of thinning and hair loss. Read on – or jump to the section that interests you most.
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Complications Of Hair Transplantation Surgery
Complications of hair transplant surgery can include:
- Infection this can occur because the skin is broken to perform the procedure. It can be treated with antibiotics.
- Bleeding this is usually controlled through careful post-operative care.
- Scarring this may occur at the site of removal of the donor follicles.
- Temporary, operation-induced hair loss known as telogen effluvium, can occur with hair transplantation, as well as some other operations. It occurs in approximately five per cent of people.
- Unacceptable cosmetic results scarring and poor cosmetic results are more common when hair transplants are carried out by inexperienced practitioners.
Many hair clinics offer hair transplantation. Specialist dermatologists are best qualified to properly advise about this surgery and have the most knowledge about hair in health and disease.
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.
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You Have A Thyroid Condition
Thyroid conditionslike hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidismcan cause a range of hair issues, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.
Those include: thinning or missing eyebrows , soft and fine hair with lots of shedding, thinning hair, and less hair on other body parts.
Of course, if you have experienced hair loss with a thyroid issue, the best bet is to speak with your doctor about treatment possibilitiesbut usually, treating the underlying cause first is essential to treating any other associated issues.
What Men Can Do About Hair Loss
What are the main causes of male hair loss?
The most common cause is androgenic alopecia. This is an inherited genetic condition, also known as male pattern hair loss, and it gets worse with age. Another form of hair loss, which tends not to be permanent, is alopecia areata, which is spot hair loss in specific areas. Telogen effluvium is a temporary form of hair loss that occurs when the normal hair growth cycle is interrupted and is seen in all age ranges.
Can lifestyle factors contribute to hair loss?
They can have a huge impact. Telogen effluvium can be caused by stress, or low iron and vitamin levels. Alopecia areata, although genetic, can be exacerbated by stress and recreational drug use. If you have long hair and use a tight band or clip, that can place undue traction on the hair follicles and contribute to hair loss. To slow the rate of loss, reduce stress and dont overuse products such as wax and gel. Diet can also have a great impact. Ensure you are not deficient in vitamins, particularly biotin.
What advances in treatment have you seen recently?
Whats on the horizon for hair loss treatment?
The hot topic is hair cloning. We are certainly close now. Currently in hair transplant surgery there is a limit to the amount of hair one can transplant. With hair cloning we will not need to worry about this. When it does arrive there will still be a need for surgery but patients will finally not be limited in their expectations.
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What Are The Signs Of Balding
There are several different signs that you might be starting to experience hair loss .
From thinning hair all over your head to a receding hairline, male pattern baldness comes in many forms.
Recognizing the signs of male pattern baldness is an important part of the treatment or prevention process.
Because male pattern baldness occurs in stages, it may be possible to recognize the signs early enough to reverse hair loss or prevent any further damage to your hairline.
Below, weve listed three warning signs that you should be aware of, as well as simple but effective ways that you can take action to prevent your hair loss from getting worse.