Socially, having a full head of hair is important for looks. Your hairstyle compliments your style and the way you look. It’s normal for a person to want to have a full head of hair for as long as possible throughout life. Different factors can contribute to hair loss. Hair loss differentiates in men and women. Some men can maintain a full head of hair until they are in their 60s, while other’s may start losing hair in their early 20s. Today, we will take a closer look at the causes and different types of hair loss in men.
If you’re going bald, you’re not alone. Everyone loses up to 100 hairs a day. 25% of men show signs of hair loss by age 30, and 50% at age 50. Contributing factors to hair loss are, medications, stress, mechanical causes, and diseases. Medications such as birth control, anabolic steroids, antidepressants, and tranquilizers may cause hair loss.
Stress may contribute to hair loss in individuals who are genetically predisposed to it, or sudden hair loss may happen due to telogen effluvium. Telogen Effluvium is defined as diffuse telogen hair loss that lasts more than 6 months. Signs are noticeable hair loss after shampooing, or brushing hair. In some cases, if the body is under extreme stress, as much as 70% of hair can enter the telogen phase and begin to fall, causing noticeable hair loss.
Mechanical hair loss causes can occur by external forces such as rubber banding, turbans, tight braiding, and wearing hats. Hair loss occurs because there is strain and stress on your hair. Diseases like Auto Immune diseases can cause patchy hair loss. Thyroid Disease, and Anemia can also cause hair loss. These types of diseases may cause hair loss due to fluctuations in hormonal levels.
Lastly, genetic hair loss (Androgenetic Alopecia), may be inherited by either your mother or father. This gene is commonly passed down from generation to generation. This does not mean that you’ll be bald if a family member has this gene. Occasionally, this gene skips a generation. In men, this type of hair loss can be seen when the hair recession begins at the hairline and temples in the M shape. Advanced stages can be seen in a horseshoe pattern.
If you’re losing hair and are afraid of going completely bald, don’t stress to hard. It normally takes 15-25 years to go completely bald. Although hair loss is a natural process, there are preventative measures that may slow down hair loss.
