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How to Stop Hair Loss explores the causes and solutions to baldness among men. Hair loss is a topic that no guy takes lightly, but with all of the products out there, how do you know which one really works? Don't believe in a miracle cure: baldness can be tough to prevent. But this page will give you a good idea of why you might be feeling the breeze on your scalp, and what your options are for getting your hair back.
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Introduction
- It's every man's nightmare: going bald. The fear of discovering your mane is thinning haunts men around the world. Losing hair can hurt a man's self-esteem no matter what age it begins. Unfortunately, ignoring it won't make it go away; inevitably, you will catch a reflection of yourself in the Starbucks window and be reminded of your plight. Since earlier is better when starting the fight against hair loss, now is the time to take action. But how do you stop it? What are your options? And what makes your hair start to fall out in the first place?
Causes of Hair Loss
- The first step to stopping hair loss (also known as Alopecia) is learning a little bit about what causes it in the first place. There is a normal amount of hair loss that everyone experiences daily (normally about 50-100 hairs lost per day). But if you find that your coif is vanishing at an accelerated rate, it may be caused by a number of factors.
Genetics
- One of the most common reasons for hair loss in men is simple heredity.
- Your genes can cause "male-pattern baldness," characterized by a receding hairline with baldness on the top back of your head.
- If this happens at an earlier age, you are more likely to lose more hair than if it started later.
- Contrary to popular belief, baldness can be inherited from either side of the family.
- Many people think that you can determine your chances of going bald by looking at the males on your mother's side, but this is a myth.
Hormones
- A hormonal imbalance can lead to hair loss.
- When testosterone levels begin increasing in males who have gone through puberty, the hormone DHT increases as well.
- DHT is an androgen that controls hair growth in men.
- Too big an increase in DHT can cause an imbalance that throws off the normal process of regrowing hair.[1]
- This causes hair follicles to shrink and even die.
Other Factors
- Although hormones and genetics account for the vast majority of typical hair loss cases in men, there are several other causes that can contribute. Luckily, most other causes of hair loss are not permanent and usually require simple action (or none at all) to remedy.
- The stress caused by a major injury or surgery can cause temporary excessive hair loss. [1]
- A fungal infection of the scalp can cause temporary hair loss. [2] This usually occurs with children.
- Illnesses, such as Thyroid disease, can cause hair loss. [3] This can usually be reversed with simple medication.
- Certain medications can cause hair loss, but it is usually temporary.[4]
- Chemotherapy is well known for stopping the body's ability to grow hair and nails. Luckily, months after treatment is finished, hair typically starts growing again.
- Hair loss can be caused by a deficiency of iron and/or protein. This can be simply reversed by adding more protein or iron to your diet.[5]
- People who style their hair in tight ponytails, cornrows, braids, etc. can suffer from traction alopecia, which is potentially permanent hair loss caused by the constant pulling of the hair.[6]
What Doesn't Cause Hair Loss
- There are plenty of myths about going bald, as well. These things won't make your cranium bare:
- Hats
- Day-to-day stress
- Sweat-clogged follicles
- HairLossTalk.com says that the rule of thumb for determining the cause of a receding hairline is "if it didn't make you bald when you were 15, it's probably not making you bald now." Obviously, that doesn't apply to genetics!
- Another hair loss myth is that you won't lose hair if it hasn't started by age 40. This is not true—you can start losing your hair at just about any age.
How to Stop It
- Unfortunately, fighting baldness is not an easy battle to win. But you do have some options before you resort to the universally-dreaded (and panned) combover.
See Your Doctor
- At the first sign of hair loss, you should see your doctor.
- The earlier you catch it, the better off you'll be.
- Since hair loss is such a tough thing to stop, doing what you can to at least slow it down before it gets even worse is your best bet.
- Your doctor can help you pinpoint exactly why you are losing your hair.
- They will ask you a series of questions about your medical history and other details to figure out what is likely causing your hair loss.
- Once you've deciphered the cause, you can go over all of your treatment options.
Transplant
- Hair transplants are becoming more and more common.
- Transplants involve a series of surgical procedures.
- In each surgery, doctors take pieces of your scalp that successfully grow hair and implant them into the balding areas.
- There is a recovery time involved, and the end result can often take a year or two to achieve.
- Transplants can be expensive: about $4,000 - $20,000.
- Not all surgeries are the exact same process. There are actually several surgical procedures to choose from, such as scalp reduction.
Medication
- If surgery isn't your thing, you might want to try taking hair-loss medication regularly. There are two major types to choose from.
- Finasteride
- Finasteride reduces the DHT levels in men.[1]
- This can allow follicles to function normally again and possibly regrow hair.
- It is taken in pill form.
- The American Hair Loss Association recommends finasteride as a first choice for hair loss treatment.
- Example: Propecia.
Propecia: The Hair-Growth Breakthrough (Sponsored)
- Minoxidil
- Minoxidil was originally prescribed to lower blood pressure in patients.
- First drug approved by FDA for male-pattern baldness.[2]
- It has been known to have success with stopping hair loss and sometimes regrowing hair.[3]
- It is a topical solution.
- Example: Rogaine. (Available without a prescription.)
Other Options
- Many products exist that claim they'll cure your baldness, but be careful—many of them are scams. For example, the FDA says that hair-thickening shampoos don't really work.
- A good way to determine if something is a scam or not is to look at how it claims to cure baldness.
- If it has something to do with an actual hair loss factor (like DHT), that's at least a good start.
- If it is capitalizing on an old wives tale (like "unclogging" dirt and sweat from your follicles), kick it to the curb!
A Note on Regrowing Hair
- As if stopping hair loss wasn't hard enough, regrowing hair is even harder! Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any surefire way to restart hair growth. Some medications might get it growing again, but there's no guarantee. If you really want to guarantee that new hair appears in your bald areas, transplants and toupées are some of the only options.
If You Can't Beat 'Em
- Fighting hair loss can be enough to frustrate even the most determined men. (And, medical procedures and prescriptions can cost a lot of money!) If you can't seem to come out on top, or you're just tired of trying, there are other options for you.
- Toupée: If you really have to have that thick-haired look back, you can always get a toupée to cover up the hair loss.
- Hairstyle: Many men can work around a bald spot with a strategic hairstyle that makes it less obvious.
- Hat: Wearing a hat can cover up what you don't want the world to see. Plus, it can make a fashion statement!
- Shave: Some men opt to finish what nature started. Grab a razor and say hello to your new look!
- Fuggedaboutit: Hey, you've tried your best to fight it. Luckily for men, baldness is a common enough affliction that lots of guys just go with.
Resources for How to Stop Hair Loss
- American Hair Loss Association: AmericanHairLoss.org
- Howstuffworks: How Hair Replacement Works | Hair Loss
- Familydoctor.org: Hair Loss and Its Causes
- HealthScout.com (USA Today): Hair Loss
- Hairlosstalk.com: Hair Loss Consumer Information & Support
- Wikipedia: Baldness | Alopecia | Androgens | Traction Alopecia | Toupée
- About.com: Saw Palmetto and Hair Loss
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