For men, a receding hairline or balding at the crown can make anyone anxious and self conscious. But once you’re armed with the knowledge and facts about this condition, it will give you the confidence to make an informed decision on the next steps to take. Here are some of the most common questions you might have around hair loss in men…
1. Why Am I Losing My Hair?
Ah yes, the million dollar question. Unfortunately, there’s no single answer, as not all hair loss is the same. Understanding why you’re losing your hair is the most important factor in determining how you can treat it.
Male pattern baldness is the most common reason that men lose their hair. It occurs in a more regular receding pattern, usually from the temples and crown of the head. Basically, you are losing your hair because your body is becoming increasingly sensitive to male sex hormones called androgens.
One of the biggest myths about male pattern baldness is that it’s passed down from your mother’s side of the family. The truth is that hair loss genes can come from either or both biological parents, not just the mother.
You can also lose your hair as a result of many other different reasons – especially if your hair is falling out in clumps. This can be the result of a trigger like stress, scalp infections, hormonal changes, and surgical procedures – and not because of a genetic predisposition. We delve into all the different reasons of hair loss in another blog post, so be sure to check out the common causes & myths of hair loss.
2. How Much Hair Loss Is Normal?
It’s normal to lose 50–100 strands of hair a day, due to the natural hair growth cycle. If you’re losing more than 100 hairs a day, this is a red flag that needs to be checked out.
3. How Quickly Will I Lose My Hair?
It’s almost impossible to put a timeframe on it. But generally speaking, male pattern baldness usually starts in the twenties, and can take 15 – 25 years to go bald. However, some men go bald in less than five years.
4. How Common Is Male Hair Loss?
More common than you’d think! By the age of 35, two thirds of men will experience some obvious hair loss and thinning, and by the age of 50, approximately 85% of men will lose a significant amount of their hair.
5. Will The Rest Of My Hair On My Body Fall Out Too?
With male pattern baldness, only the hairs on your head are affected. Other areas such as the beard and armpits might be affected by alopecia.
6. How Can I Treat Hair Loss?
As we mentioned earlier, getting to the underlying root cause of your hair loss is crucial to ensuring the treatment is effective. Having said that, there are some easy ways to help hair grow faster, longer and fuller. And with the right treatment, you can slow down or even stop thinning hair.
The treatments for hair loss include using high quality professional haircare products formulated to prevent hair loss (such as Nioxin), a change in diet, A collagen supplement, as well as various medications and medical treatments. For an in-depth look at these treatments, be sure to read our article on Best Hair Loss Treatments and Products.
Last Words
There are so many reasons why you could be losing hair, and just as many treatment options available. Whether you’re noticing a gradual loss of hair or sudden clumps in the shower drain, the best thing to do is to reach out to us and we can help find the correct treatment plan for you. The most important thing to remember at the end of the day, hair loss in men is very normal, and in most cases treatable.
