Causes of Hair Loss for Men
What’s causing your hair loss? For men who’ve noticed their hairline starting to recede, or a bald spot forming on their head, this is a critical question to consider. There are a few different causes of male hair loss, and only after you isolate your specific cause can you take effective action to stop hair loss in its tracks.
Male Pattern Baldness
Before getting into male hair loss reasons, it’s helpful to understand how healthy hair growth is supposed to happen. Each follicle on your head alternates between a growth stage and a rest stage. The growth stage is when new hairs are generated, while the rest stage involves you shedding older hairs to make room for new ones. Some shedding is perfectly normal, and at any given time, you may have as many as 10 percent of your follicles in the rest stage.
Problems occur when your growth stage is stymied and made less productive, or when the rest stage is elongated. Many of the common causes of male baldness work along one of these two tracks, and sometimes they result in both happening at the same time.
That’s the case with androgenetic alopecia, more commonly known as male pattern hair loss. This is by far the most common cause of hair loss in men, accounting for more than 90 percent of all men’s hair loss cases. Androgenetic alopecia is associated with DHT, a testosterone byproduct that interferes with your follicles’ growth/rest cycle. It’s generally assumed to be a genetic condition, and while it cannot be “cured,” there are plenty of robust solutions for curbing its effects, restoring both your hair and your self-confidence.
Medical Related Hair Loss
Some men lose their hair due to complications from medical treatment. It’s well-known that radiation and chemotherapy can lead to hair loss, but so can certain prescription medications. It’s always worth asking your doctor about whether or not hair loss is one of the side effects of your prescribed medication.
For some men, lifestyle may play a factor. Over time, poor nutrition may contribute to hair loss. Additionally, it’s possible for intense stress to play a role in men losing their hair. The way you wear your hair may also be a factor. For example, the “man bun,” as well as tight ponytails, can result in traction alopecia, where there’s so much pulling on the hair that it actually scars the follicles.
As you consider what’s causing your hair loss, there are a number of factors to consider. Our stylists are here to help you make an informed estimation of why your hair has started to thin. From there, we can work with you to develop a customized solution to help you once again look and feel like yourself.