The Main Causes Of Hair Loss In Men Revealed & What You Can Do About It?

The life changing moment when us men starts to lose our hair…why me? What’s causing my hair loss? What can I do about it?

The unfortunate truth is that men aren’t educated enough on the truth. In fact, in a recent study carried out by LloydsPharmacy, 1 in 5 men thought that wearing a hat could cause hair loss while 40% of men aged 18-34 thought that stress was the main cause of hair loss. The truth is that wearing a hat doesn’t cause hair loss and only very rare forms of hair loss can be attributed to stress. 

So what is the truth? Let’s take a look at the real causes of hair loss in men.

Hair Worn Too Tightly 

While wearing a hat doesn’t cause hair loss, your hairstyle could play a part. Man buns, cornrows and tight braids can damage the roots of your hair which in turn can lead to hair loss.

Try to avoid damaging your hair by avoiding any hairstyles that pull your hair too tight. It is tempting to keep up with the latest trends in hairstyles but you need to make sure you take care of your hair at the same time. Make sure you use good quality shampoo and conditioner and don’t dye your hair too much without giving it a break every so often.

Getting Older

Sometimes, our hair doesn’t stand the test of time and the truth is that men (and women) can experience hair loss as they get older. Around the age of 30, men can experience thinning hair and it is just a case of nature taking it’s course. When you’re getting a little older, it can be a bit easier to embrace the look and adapt your hairstyle.

If you don’t want to embrace hair loss just yet, then you can speak to your doctor about prescription tablets such as Propecia or you can consider a hair transplant which can be effective in up to 96% of men. In fact, a hair transplant is the most effective treatment for hair loss at the moment.

Your Genetics 

Our genetics are actually the most common cause of hair loss. You know that “U” shape that forms on a man’s hairline sometimes? This is called “male pattern baldness” and while many believe that stress can cause this type of baldness, it is actually our genes which cause it.

While there isn’t anything we can do about our genetics, there are treatments available to help slow down and even stop male pattern baldness. One such treatment is Propecia which has been found to be successful in up to 90% of men.

Stress 

As mentioned earlier, many people wrongly believe that stress is a main cause of hair loss. However it’s only a cause in very rare cases. One case is a condition called “telogen effluvium” and can be caused by intense emotional or physical stress. In cases like this, it is actually a case of hair thinning as opposed to receding.

Figuring out and removing the root cause of the stress is the key thing you can do here but if, for some reason, that isn’t possible, you can look at options such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and combining this with regular exercise to try and help reduce stress levels.

If you’d like to learn more about the real causes of hair loss, you can read more about the above and more causes in our infographic on the topic.