The Complete Guide to Hair Loss
Hair loss is a topic that no man ever likes to bring up. However, the truth is that by the time they reach the age of 50, 85% of men experience noticeable hair loss, according to the American Hair Loss Association.
Hair loss is awful. No one enjoys it. But given that the vast majority of men (which most likely includes you) will experience hair thinning and loss at some point in their lives, be wise and arm yourself with knowledge.
No matter what point you’re at in your experience with hair thinning and loss, having a greater understanding of your hair, how hair loss occurs, and what you can do about it can give you the confidence to always look your best.
Continue reading and see how we’ll debunk popular hair loss myths and explain how to prevent, cure, and manage hair thinning and loss in real life. Early treatment is important in preventing possible permanent hair loss.
What is hair loss?
Alopecia, or hair loss, can be temporary or permanent and can affect just your scalp or the entirety of your body. It could be brought on by hereditary factors, hormonal changes, illnesses, or a natural aspect of aging. Even though anyone can lose hair on their head, men are more likely to do so. Both men and women develop this type of hair loss, which is the most common cause of sudden hair loss worldwide. In men, it’s called male pattern hair loss. Women get female pattern hair loss. Regardless of whether it develops in a man or woman, the medical term is androgenic alopecia.
Baldness often refers to a significant loss of scalp hair. The most frequent cause of baldness is hereditary hair loss as people age. Some people would rather let their hair loss progress naturally without treatment or camouflage. Others may disguise it with hats, scarves, makeup, or hairstyles. Others decide to use one of the treatments on offer to stop additional hair loss or encourage growth.
Types of Hair Loss
Your treatment options and the chance of their success may vary based on the type of hair loss you’re experiencing, as the root causes are varied and can impact your hair at different times and for different reasons.
Telogen Effluvium
If more than 10% of your hair follicles are in the telogen phase, you may be experiencing telogen effluvium, a condition characterized by an abnormally high percentage of resting hair follicles.
Because telogen effluvium often affects the entire scalp uniformly, it usually results in thinning hair rather than a patchwork appearance.
There are a variety of reasons for telogen effluvium, but they all point to a recent physical trauma or stressor.
Traction Alopecia
Hair loss brought on either abrupt or persistent wounds to the scalp and hair follicles is known as traction alopecia. Although a serious head injury would undoubtedly result in some follicular damage, hairstyles are more frequently to blame for this type of alopecia.
Traumatic alopecia can be permanent if the damage is severe and sustained over a long period of time, and it can be brought on by everything from bleaching to straightening to coloring to wearing cornrows or the man bun.
Alopecia Areata
Alopecia areata is a condition that results in hair loss when the immune system destroys hair follicles. The parts of the skin that produce hair are called hair follicles. Despite the fact that hair loss can occur everywhere on the body, alopecia areata typically impacts the head and face.
Androgenic Alopecia
Androgenic alopecia is the most typical type of hair loss in men, and if you’re reading this, you probably have it. Men can experience the onset of androgenic alopecia as early as their 20s; however, it will take time for symptoms to manifest.
Male pattern baldness signs such as receding or thinned hairline edges or thinning hair on the crown are the hallmarks of androgenic alopecia. Women can also have it, but it affects them less frequently because of age, hormones, and heredity.
There’s also Cicatricial Alopecia, also known as scarring alopecia, is a rare type of hair loss in which inflammation destroys hair follicles and causes scar tissue to form in their place.
Signs of hair loss
Depending on what is causing it, there are many distinct ways that hair loss can manifest. It can affect only your scalp or the entire body, and it can start off suddenly or gradually.
Hair loss symptoms and signs might include:
Gradual Thinning On Top Of The Head
It is increasingly common for people to experience this type of patchy hair loss as they age. Men’s hair frequently begins to recede at the forehead hairline. Women typically have broader hair portions than males do. An increasingly common hair loss trend in older women is a receding hairline (frontal fibrosing alopecia).
Circular Or Patchy Bald Spots
Some persons experience bald patches or circular thinning of the scalp, beard, or eyebrows. Before hair loss occurs, you may experience itchy or painful skin.
Sudden Loosening Of Hair
Hair can become more unkempt after experiencing a traumatic event. You may lose handfuls of hair when you wash, comb, or gently tug at your hair. The hair may thin out all over, although this is just temporary hair loss.
Full-Body Hair Loss
There are medical diseases and treatments, such as chemotherapy for cancer, that can cause whole-body hair loss. As a general rule, in these cases, hair regrows after the treatments end.
Patches Of Scaling That Spread Over The Scalp
This is a ringworm symptom. Broken hair, redness, swelling, and occasionally leaking may also be present.
What Causes Hair Loss?
It could be brought on by hereditary factors, hormonal changes, illnesses, or a natural aspect of aging. Even though anyone can lose hair on their head, men are more likely to do so. Baldness often refers to a significant loss of scalp hair. The most frequent cause of baldness is hereditary hair loss as people age. Sometimes, if you’re a woman, hormone changes caused by pregnancy, menopause, or birth control pills.
Common Myths About Hair Loss, Debunked
Many of the myths and stories that circulate regarding the reasons for hair loss are simply untrue. Ten hair loss misconceptions that you should ignore are examined in this article.
Myth: Hair Care Routines Don’t Prevent Hair Loss
The way your hair looks and feels tomorrow depends on the care you give it today. That’s why it’s essential to use the finest natural hair products for men. Problems could arise if you settle for anything less.
Avoid using harsh chemical detergents and opt instead for a shampoo with natural cleansers. These eliminate the hair’s protective oils, rendering the hair weak and unhealthy.
In addition, know that hair care products, including mousse, hairspray, and gel, do not promote hair loss, so feel free to use them as much as you wish.
Myth: You Should Shampoo Your Hair Every Day
But what can actually damage your hair is too much shampoo. Washing your hair frequently, especially with certain types of hair loss shampoo, could lead to damage from DHT.
How frequently should you cleanse your hair? The American Academy of Dermatology says that there is no universally agreed-upon interval of time between washes.
Instead, you should calculate how often you wash your hair in relation to the amount of oil your scalp produces. You may need to wash your hair and scalp every day if you notice that they produce excess oil.
Myth: Stress Causes Hair Loss
Telogen effluvium and alopecia are two hair loss diseases that can be triggered by stress. However, pattern baldness, the most prevalent kind of hair loss, is not caused by stress but rather is an inherited trait.
Myth: Wearing Hats Every Day Causes Hair Loss
Although you may have heard this from your grandparents or other elderly relatives, it’s not true that wearing a hat can cause hair loss unless it’s so tight that it prevents blood flow to your hair follicles.
Myth: Hair Loss Can’t Be Prevented or Reversed
Last but not least, a widespread misconception regarding baldness and other forms of hair loss is that once it’s gone, it’s gone for good.
This myth is partially accurate, like many others. The consequences of male pattern baldness are permanent over time, so if you lose hair around your hairline or on top of your head, it won’t grow back, but only if you don’t do anything about it.
What Can You Do to Prevent and Treat Hair Loss?
Hair loss may generally be treated. Male pattern baldness is the most prevalent type, though. If you have it, you can utilize a number of therapies to stop future hair loss and, in some cases, to regrow part or all of your “lost” hair. You may improve your hair’s general health and even stop hair loss by adhering to a few hair hygiene suggestions.
To grow new hair strands and keep hair follicles healthy, the body needs nutrients. The likelihood of hair loss might be increased by poor nutrition, insufficient protein intake, and vitamin deficiencies.
Researchers have discovered that individuals with hair loss and other hair abnormalities have low amounts of the following nutrients:
- Protein
- Iron
- Nutrients D
- Biotin
- Zinc
- Niacin, or vitamin B3,
- Fibral acid
- Selenium
You may also need to do some blood tests to to check for any nutrient deficiencies or signs of an underlying condition.
What To Do When Hair Loss First Starts
A receding hairline is the first sign of hair loss for many men. Even if you have thick hair, this can still occur. But in males who already have a V-shaped hairline, it is most obvious. Your hair loss will appear more prominent the more pronounced the V is.
A little length (and perhaps the genetic benefit of a natural wave) can help decrease the look of hair loss in its early stages. If you don’t naturally have curly hair, the correct styling aid, such as our texturizing pomade, can help cover up some thinning. What can you do when this happens?
Build Volume
The majority of hairstyle modifications are made to add greater volume. Although it’s simpler to pull off if you have thicker hair, males with thin hair can still pull it off.
What if your hair is receding back and thinning around your temples? More coverage can be achieved without looking like a combover by growing the hair behind that spot a little longer and pushing it forward. The greatest appearance is a tousled one since it gives your style more volume. Even if it’s a messier style, it may still be executed in a way that makes you look polished.
Beware of Too Much Length
While lengthening your hair may increase volume, the benefits can quickly dwindle. This is due to the weight and difficulty in shaping lengthy hair. It defies your styling attempts and can seem completely out of place all too quickly.
When that occurs, the thin areas you are attempting to conceal can stand out more. Try out different lengths because every man’s hair is unique.
When hair loss becomes severe enough for many men, cutting it off is the best option. With a buzz cut, you may embrace the fact that you are losing hair while avoiding the unflattering looks that come with combovers.
Because it is effective, this is a typical response to hair loss. You may take pride in your appearance and return to being a successful, self-assured man by projecting confidence with your appearance rather than worrying about spotty areas or frantically hoping your hair remains in place.
Does Hair Grow Back?
Hair grows back! Your hair will regrow if you hurt your hair follicles after an injury since they may heal by themselves. Depending on the extent of your injury, it can take up to four years before you start to notice new hair growing from damaged hair follicles.
Non-Surgical Hair Loss Treatment Options
PRP therapy
Injections of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) have shown promise in treating male-pattern baldness by inhibiting further hair loss and stimulating the creation of new hair. Additionally, PRP can help stimulate hair growth following a hair transplant.
Mesotherapy for hair loss
A scalp “vitamin boost” injection that works to increase blood flow while also feeding the hair follicles
Low level light (LLL) therapy
LLL therapy is thought to reverse hair loss in 85% of cases and stimulate new hair growth in 55% of cases by using red light to enhance blood flow in the scalp.
Scalp micropigmentation
Scalp micropigmentation conceals the appearance of hair loss by tattooing into the dermis. Both men and women can gain.
Regenera Activa
To promote hair development, Regenera Activa makes use of your body’s own stem cells and growth hormones.
CALECIM®
In just six weeks, a cutting-edge new hair treatment has been clinically shown to increase hair growth and decrease shedding.
Topical Finasteride
Topical finasteride is well tolerated and greatly increases hair count when compared to a placebo. Although topical Finasteride may reduce the risk of complications compared to oral Finasteride, oral Finasteride is still the clinically most effective alternative. Even so, the adverse effects of oral Finasteride are extremely uncommon.
Minoxidil Solution
Minoxidil is available in 2% or 5% concentrations. Direct application of the product is made to thinning hair patches.
The improvement in hair growth may take six to twelve months, although hair loss will return if the treatment is stopped. Potential negative consequences include:
- Dermatitis from touch
- Skin sensitivity
- The face and other parts of the body experience excessive hair growth
Finasteride & Minoxidil
When used alone to treat hair loss, minoxidil, and finasteride are typically safe and efficient drugs. They can be used simultaneously without risk, according to research.
Oral Finasteride
Oral finasteride’s brand name is Propecia. If minoxidil hasn’t worked for you and you’re between the ages of adolescence and menopause or andropause, your doctor may prescribe this medication to help hair growth
Minoxidil Foam
Minoxidil Cream, Lotion, or Foam for the Hair. Hereditary hair loss can be treated with minoxidil, a drug that stimulates hair growth. This foam or solution can be applied directly to the scalp to stimulate hair growth.
Surgical Hair Loss Treatment (Hair Transplant)
Surgery for hair transplantation is a common method of dealing with baldness. Hair transplants can be performed using a variety of methods, but they all entail removing hair-bearing skin from one area of the scalp and grafting it to bald, thinning, or otherwise damaged parts of the scalp.
FUE
In this technique, hair follicles are removed from the back of the head using micro punches and inserted into the balding area without the need for sutures. The donor area at the back of the head is shaved on the day of operation to a length of 1-2 mm.
FUT
Follicular Unit Transplantation, often known as the “strip method,” involves the surgical removal of a long, narrow strip of tissue from the back of the scalp. The strip is subsequently dissected into individual follicular units using a stereo microscope.
RenewMD Medical Spa is a distinguished wellness and aesthetic center with a results-driven approach to overall wellness revitalization using top-of-the-line technology and practices. If you are experiencing hair loss, get in contact with our team, and we’ll find the perfect solution for you and your budget!
