Have you noticed excessive hair strands on your pillow every time you wake up?
If so, chances are high that this could be an early warning sign of a receding hairline.
Studies conducted by the AHLA (American Hair Loss Association) prove that before reaching the age of 35, hair loss is experienced by more than two-thirds of men.
The prime reason for hair loss in men is due to male pattern baldness or androgenic alopecia. By 50, more than 85% of men would have experienced thinning of hair due to this.
The factors that cause hair loss in men range from various medical conditions to hormonal issues, and the rate of hair loss can vary from person to person.
For some, it happens gradually without them even noticing, while for others, it occurs as a sudden loosening of hair.
What are the top reasons for hair loss in men?
Here are some of the key reasons for male hair loss:
1. Nutritional deficiency
If you are suffering from a deficiency of essential nutrients, hair loss will be a common sign.
Nutrients such as iron, zinc, vitamin D, Vitamin B12 and proteins play a vital role in healthy hair growth.
2. Imbalance in hormones
One of the most common reasons for hair fall in men is caused by the hormone DHT, which is derived from testosterone.
People who have male pattern baldness have high levels of DHT in their bloodstream.
3. Genetics
If you face early hair fall in your life, it could be due to the genes you might have inherited from your ancestors.
Depending on the family history, hair loss can commence as early as teens. However, scientists are baffled as to why the hair loss pattern is similar in men belonging to all ethnicities and why certain hormonal changes cause shrinkage of hair follicles.
4. Improper hair care
Sometimes hair loss might not be due to hormonal or genetic issues but due to improper hair care.
This might come as a surprise to most of you, but do you realise that oil, dust and dirt present in your hair can result in hair fall?
Make sure that you thoroughly clean your hair with shampoo at least twice every week.
Avoid vigorous rubbing while cleaning off the dirt as it could damage the hair roots.
5. Physical damage to the scalp
Chemical-based hair styling products can cause allergies, thereby damaging the scalp.
Physical damage to the hair follicles can result in intense hair fall. Besides, specific hairstyling techniques that require the hair to be pulled forcibly can also cause hair fall.
6. Intense stress
It is common for people to undergo a short period of intense hair loss after experiencing a traumatic event or physical shock. This happens mainly due to the excess production of stress hormones in the body.
7. Reaction of certain medicines
Certain medications such as beta-blockers, amphetamines, anticoagulants can trigger hair loss for some people.
Some other medications that induce hair loss include medication for a heart condition, depression—high blood pressure, arthritis etc.
Chemotherapy, a well-known treatment for killing cancer cells, can induce sudden hair fall in most people. However, the effects are temporary, and hair growth is restored after stopping the treatment.
8. Autoimmune disorders
This is a specific medical condition in which the body’s immune system mistakes other body parts as foreign objects and releases antibodies to destroy the healthy cells.
Alopecia areata is a specific condition in which healthy hair follicles get attacked by the immune system.
9. Underlying medical issue
Health issues such as thyroid disorder, ringworm etc., can disturb the hormonal balance of the body, causing hair loss.
Health problems such as diabetes can also affect the immune system resulting in hair loss. In addition, specific pathological issues such as trichotillomania (hair-pulling disorder) can also result in temporary balding.
10. Following an unhealthy lifestyle
If you don’t have any of the problems mentioned above, the root cause of your hair fall must be in your lifestyle.
This includes consuming excess alcohol, dieting with poor nutrients, excessive smoking etc.
Reason for hair loss in men in their 20s
Here are some of the main reasons adult men start to lose their hair as early as in their twenties.
- Hormonal issues
- Stress and anxiety
- Autoimmune problems
- The reaction of certain drugs
- Improper care of hair
- Deficiency in vital nutrients
- Physical damage to hair
At what age receding hairline starts to appear?
A receding hairline can appear in men even in their early twenties, depending on the family history and general health condition.
As men reach the age of 30 years, the receding hairline will be visible above the temples and progress backwards as they age.
Treatment of hair loss in men
1. Laser therapy
Lasers are popular in the medical world for their extensive application in skin care and the treatment of various diseases. In laser therapy, laser beams of wavelength 600 nm are shown over the scalp region to induce hair growth. Laser beams help enlarge the hair follicles and help to minimise hair loss to a large extent.
2. Hair transplantation
This is a guaranteed way to restore your lost hair. Hair follicles that are present in the back portion of the head are highly resistant to DHT.
In this procedure, the hair follicles from the back portion are removed and implanted into the other areas of hair loss.
3. Essential oils
For centuries essential oils have been known to have a positive impact on hair growth. For example, oils such as lavender, peppermint and rosemary can help to have a positive impact on hair growth and reduce hair fall.
Before application on the scalp region, the essential oils have to be mixed with carriers such as coconut oil or almond oil.
4. Therapies
The type of hair growth therapy differs from person to person. In this method, a unique blend of ointments, growth creams, and medications induce hair growth.
5. Changes in nutrition
Many of you might have heard about antioxidants, the chemical compounds that help to remove oxidative stress causing your hair to fall.
Antioxidant-rich food includes kidney beans, almonds, blueberries, walnuts etc. A diet rich in antioxidant foods helps to ensure that your hair grows thicker and stronger.
Additionally, Biotin tablets (consumed as directed by your physician) can help to boost hair growth.
6. Use medicated shampoos
Medicated Shampoos help clear stubborn dandruff from your scalp and heal your scalp from infections and other issues.
In addition, shampoos also help to remove pathogens, dust, dirt and oil.
Natural ingredients like Saw Palmetto, Caffeine, Argan when included in shampoos can induce hair growth.
Check out the thickening shampoo with natural ingredients.
7. Massaging the scalp region
Having a regular scalp massage helps to ensure that nutrient and oxygen-rich blood quickly runs through the surrounding tissue and heals your scalp portion.
This also helps to ensure that your hair grows stronger and shinier.
Medications for hair loss
Although there are various medications for hair loss, the suitability of a particular medicine for a person depends on his age, scalp condition, general health and allergic reaction to any medicines.
Minoxidil
This is a common drug used for hair loss treatment by skin care professionals.
This drug positively impacts the hair follicles and makes them grow thicker and more robust.
In addition, people who use minoxidil have reported that their hair loss has stopped immediately after its use.
Minoxidil is available in liquid form and has to be directly applied over the affected area in the scalp. This product is also available in spray form making its application much more effortless.
Finasteride
Originally intended to treat prostate cancer, its application for hair loss treatment was discovered accidentally.
Finasteride helps reduce the hair loss causing hormone-DHT in the scalp region, which will help reduce hair loss in that area.
Corticosteroid medications
Usually, corticosteroids are combined with other forms of medication to combat hair loss.
The drug works by reducing inflammation around the hair follicles and improving the blood circulation to the surrounding area causing hair fall stoppage. This is not a routinely used treatment because of the side effects associated with steroids.
Is it possible to grow your lost hair?
As mentioned in the article, numerous factors contribute to hair loss.
These range from hormonal issues to acute medical conditions. Hair loss can be easily reversed if it is caused due to any temporary condition such as stress, the effect of specific medication, hormonal imbalance, nutrient deficiency etc.
However, there is no known cure for male pattern baldness. But medications such as Finasteride, Anthralin, Minoxidil, etc., can slow down the rate of hair fall and help you grow new hair.
The problem might, however, reoccur, when you stop using the medications.
Common myths that are surrounding hair fall
Myth 1: Hair fall is only a problem for elderly adults.
Myth 2: Masturbation results in hair loss.
Myth 3: Hair Loss is only a problem with men.
Myth 4: Exposure to direct sunlight causes hair loss.
Myth 5: Wearing a hat can cause hair to fall.
Myth 6: Too much supplement consumption causes hair loss.
Myth 7: Using a shampoo causes hair loss.
Myth 8: Men with hair loss have too much testosterone.
Myth 9: Hair loss is permanent.
Concluding Words
Hair loss often affects the self-confidence of men if it starts at an earlier age. Many end up comparing their hair with elderly adults who have strong and healthy hair.
But understand that you are living in a different time compared to people of the previous generation. Alterations in food, atmospheric pollution and too much exposure to chemicals can trigger hair loss at an early age.
Be ready to consult a medical professional before you try out any hair loss medications mentioned in this article.
Speak to our team of medical professionals to find a suitable treatment for hair loss here.
References
Taro Koyama,Kazuhiro Kobayashi,Takanori Hama,Kasumi Murakami,and Rei Ogawa(25 Jan 2016)Standardized Scalp Massage Results in Increased Hair Thickness by Inducing Stretching Forces to Dermal Papilla Cells in the Subcutaneous Tissue, Available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4740347/ [Accessed 29 Oct 2021]
Pinar Avci,Gaurav K. Gupta,Jason Clark,Norbert Wikonkal and Michael R. Hamblin(23 Aug 2013)Low-Level Laser (Light) Therapy (LLLT) for Treatment of Hair Loss, Available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3944668/ [Accessed 29 Oct 2021]
