Hair fall, a common complaint among men of all ages, can be temporary or permanent. While there is no one main reason for hair fall in males, it can be brought upon by several hormonal changes, hereditary factors, medical conditions, or aging. Clinically referred to as Alopecia, excessive hair loss from the scalp can lead to baldness. While age combined with hereditary influences can be the primary reason for excessive hair fall in males, your physician can perform a thorough diagnosis followed by treatments. Hair loss treatment can prove to be most effective when it starts early. Hair loss usually develops gradually, it may occur in patches or all over. Over 50% of men over 50 experience hair loss. Some men prefer to allow baldness to naturally run its course and leave it untreated, some may cover it with hats or hairstyles, and others may opt for treatment. Before deciding on the course of your hair loss treatment, you must discuss with your doctor the reasons for your hair loss and the various treatment options available.
What is Hair Loss?
Hair loss is a very common disorder dermatologists diagnose and treat; its medical term is Alopecia. Spot baldness, also known as Alopecia Areata, is a condition where bald patches occur due to hair loss. Hair loss happens in the scalp or even the face. This condition occurs when the body’s defence mechanism doesn’t function properly and attacks the hair cells. This condition mostly heals by itself; if not, proper treatment must be taken to avoid permanent hair loss. This could be a physically and mentally disturbing condition, but the good news is that hair loss treatment methods are available and effective.
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Signs and Symptoms of Hair Loss in Males
Typically, male baldness begins at the front of the head, at the hairline and gradually moves backward. A circular area at the back of the head thins and increases in size over time. Eventually, the hair thins, becomes short, and forms a U-shaped pattern around the sides of the head. The typical symptoms of hair loss are:
- Sudden hair loss, usually in patches
- Unusual hair fall and hair loss just on touch.
- Itching or burning sensation on the hair scalp
Reasons for Hair Loss in Males
There may be several reasons for hair fall in men; the main ones are:
Hereditary
Hair loss is primarily inherited and influenced by both maternal and paternal genes. The AR gene on the X chromosome affects hair follicle sensitivity to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), causing miniaturization. Increased DHT levels shorten the hair growth cycle, leading to gradual thinning and baldness.
Hormonal Changes
A wide range of hormonal conditions can cause temporary or permanent hair loss in men. While hormonal changes such as pregnancy, childbirth, etc. cause hair fall in women, hormonal changes can also be a reason for hair fall in male members. These can be high levels of DHT or dihydrotestosterone that can over-stimulate hair follicles. This can make the hair smaller, lighter, and finer, eventually leading to hair loss patterns.
Medical Conditions
Certain medical conditions, such as thyroid or anemia, can be a significant reason for hair fall in males. Your risk for hair loss also increases if you have diabetes or lupus. You are also likely to experience greater hair fall if you have Cancer, Arthritis, Depression, High Blood Pressure, Heart Ailments as the drugs prescribed for these conditions can be a main reason for hair fall in males.
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Telogen Effluvium
Stress is yet another reason for hair fall in males. Stress hormones can cause stunted growth of hair follicles, not allowing new hair to grow. This condition is called Telogen effluvium. Stress can be due to physical or emotional factors. Physical stress can occur in patients suffering from long-term ailments such as typhoid, recovery from surgery, high fever, sudden blood loss, severe infection, etc. Other reasons for stress can be lack of sleep, crash diets, emotional turmoil, and aftereffects of certain drugs and antibiotics. Stress can also result from nutritional insufficiency due to an unbalanced diet or hormonal imbalance.
In this condition, the hair goes through a cyclic rotation of growing phase and falling phase. When affected by Telogen Effluvium, growing hair can suddenly enter the falling phase when triggered by stress. Mostly, hair loss is temporary, and you can see new hair growth within a year if you find ways to deal with stressful conditions and take health supplements.
Nutritional Deficiency
A diet low in protein and iron is a main reason for excessive hair fall in males. Hairs mainly constitute a type of protein called keratin. Hence, a protein-rich diet can facilitate hair growth and good health. Since hair cells are one of the fastest growing cells in your body, they require plenty of energy to grow and thrive. Therefore, a healthy diet with the right amounts of vitamins, minerals, iron and protein is essential to obtain and retain glossy, thick hair. Including fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts regularly in your food can help maintain a balanced diet.
Several deficiencies can also be a reason for hair fall in male. B-Complex vitamins, especially B5, B12, and B7, are very important for healthy hair. Vitamins C, D, iron, and zinc also contribute to hair density and overall health. It is advisable to consult your physician to get blood tests done and correct any deficiencies by taking nutritional supplements to reduce hair loss and maintain good-quality hair.
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Medication and Certain Treatments
Patients dealing with cancer have several battles to fight apart from the disease itself. Chemotherapy and radiation done as a part of cancer treatment can come with several side effects, including hair loss. Anagen Effluvium refers to the condition where hair is lost during its growth phase itself, because of chemotherapy and radiation.
Some patients are put on beta-blockers to treat hypertension, blood-thinners for heart conditions, and long-term antibiotics. All these medications can be a reason for hair fall in males. This hair loss will be temporary and will stop once the medication is discontinued.
Skin Ailment
Some skin ailments can be a primary reason for hair fall in males. Certain skin diseases such as ringworm infections and psoriasis may negatively impact the scalp skin, leading to dry skin, scaling skin, and dandruff development. These conditions must be diagnosed and treated early to avoid bald patches in the hair, leading to eventual hair loss.
Hairstyling
Extreme hairstyling that involves pulling your hair tight can cause hair loss due to a condition called traction alopecia. Permanents and hot oil hair treatments can also lead to hair fall. Permanent hair loss can occur due to scarring.
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Treatment
If your hair loss is a result of thyroid disease, diet or hormonal imbalance, your health provider will address the reason for hair fall in males and devise treatment methods to correct the underlying issue. Mostly, correcting the basic problem is all that is required to mitigate hair loss. The most common treatment methods that can help with male androgenic alopecia (pattern hair loss) are:
Medication: Over-the-counter topical medicines that you can apply on your scalp (such as minoxidil or Rogaine) are typically the first course of treatment suggested for thinning hair. A prescription for oral medication (finasteride or Propecia) is also commonly prescribed to treat male pattern baldness.
- Minoxidil is a solution that can be directly applied to the scalp to activate the hair follicles. While it slows down hair loss for most men, it promotes new hair growth in others. Hair loss can recur once you stop using this medicine.
- Finasteride is a pill that inhibits the secretion of an active form of testosterone that is associated with baldness. This can decelerate hair loss and is proven to yield slightly better results than minoxidil. Hair loss can recur once you stop this medication.
- Dutasteride is also sometimes prescribed, which is similar to finasteride in treating hair loss, but can be more effective.
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Hair Transplant: In this procedure, your physician will carefully remove some strands of hair from where it is the densest. Then, he will transplant these strands and embed them into your scalp where your hair is the thinnest.
Platelet rich Plasma (PRP): Your doctor will first draw your blood. Then, he will separate out the plasma and inject this platelet rich plasma into your scalp. PRP treatment can help promote new hair growth and slow down hair loss.
Laser: Lasers or light caps or helmets are used to stimulate the hair follicles and encourage hair growth.
Prevention
There is a myriad of reasons for hair loss or male pattern baldness and genetic ones are the most common. While hereditary hair loss cannot be prevented, the following tips can help prevent hair loss due to other factors:
- Handle your hair gently. Avoid tugging while brushing and combing, especially when hair is wet. Use wide-toothed combs and harsh hair treatments.
- Check with your physician if the side-effects of any medicine that you take can be hair loss.
- Protect your hair from sources of ultra-violet light and too much direct sunlight.
- Avoid smoking as some studies have suggested a correlation between smoking and hair fall in men.
The Final Word
While there is no one main reason for hair fall in males, there are several influential factors as discussed above. Hair loss can be physically and emotionally impairing for some men, but it is treatable if diagnosed early. Certain medication and lifestyle changes can help you regrow healthy and lustrous hair in no time.
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FAQs
How many hairs falling is considered normal?
Losing about 50 to 100 hairs a day in men or women is considered normal and not a serious condition.
What is the difference between female pattern baldness and male pattern baldness?
Men typically experience baldness on the crown apart from a receding hairline that can lead to complete baldness. Women experience thinning of hair across the scalp, with less recession at the hairline. Women do not usually go completely bald.
What gene is responsible for hair loss in men?
The AR gene present in the X chromosome determines the sensitivity of the body to androgens, which are responsible for hair loss.
How do you emotionally cope with hair loss?
Firstly, you must accept the situation and focus on the good aspects of yourself. You can seek support from family and friends or talk to a therapist.
What are the treatments for early and late stages of hair fall in men?
If diagnosed early, hair fall in men can be treated with lifestyle and diet changes, and topical or over-the-counter medications. If diagnosed late, you will need to go for a hair transplant.
At what age does hair stop growing in men?
Men can begin exhibiting signs of baldness by the time they are even 30. Most men become bald by age 60. Usually, male-pattern baldness is linked to the function of the male hormone, testosterone.
What food products are usually recommended for hair growth?
Eggs, Spinach, Carrot, Avocado, Seeds, Walnuts, Berries, and Sweet Potatoes, and some super foods that can help care for your hair health and promote its growth.
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