Hair loss in men has become the biggest nightmare of the male population. When men approach a certain age, the chance to encounter hair loss is getting higher.

Read more: What Experts Say About Hair Loss And Testosterone

We know how depressing things could be. That’s why you need to understand thoroughly about this phenomenon. Let’s us help you to expose the types of hair loss, causes as well as all questions regarding this matter.

Let’s dive in

Hair loss in men: How many types are there?

To understand hair loss in men, we need to go through some basics about hair loss.

Human hair

Human body accommodates hair almost everywhere except our palms. Hair and follicles are made up of the same protein called keratin. Our follicles create new keratin every day. The dead follicle cells accumulate and grow out of the scalp.

This is the formation of hair as we know. Generally, each has over 100,000 to 150,000 hair strands. The number is never exact because we will lose about 100 strands every day.

We have over 100,000 to 150,000 hair strands.

90% of our hair is growing. Each strand comes out with a different rate. As we grow old, the growth becomes slowlier.

Types of hair loss

When it comes to the kinds of hair loss, there seven different types

Involutional alopecia

This is a natural occurrence of hair loss. People with age experience involutional alopecia since most of their hair enter the resting phase. What’s more, their body functions are sluggish. Thus hair doesn’t receive enough nutrients.

Androgenic alopecia

Unlike involutional alopecia, androgenic al alopecia is a genetic condition. This condition causes male pattern baldness. Those whose father or grandfather had androgenic alopecia can suffer from premature baldness as early as the 20s.

This condition causes the hairline to recede. After a while, hair around the crown area also disappears. In women, this condition doesn’t appear until they enter the 40s.

Alopecia areata

This is a medical condition in children and young adults. It causes patchy hair loss at first. Some people even encounter complete baldness after a while. However, this condition isn’t alarming because hair can return within a year or two.

Alopecia Universalis

This condition causes hair from all over the body to fall out.

Trichotillomania

This is a psychological disorder happening in children. Children develop an unexplainable tendency to pull out their hair.

Telogen effluvium

Any trivial changes during the hair growth cycle can cause telogen effluvium. People with this condition experience hair thinning and excessive hair loss over a period. With proper care and medication, hair can be restored and come back in full volume.

Scarring alopecias

This condition addresses permanent hair loss. Things such as inflammatory skin conditions and skin disorders can result in broken follicles.

 

 

What are the causes of hair loss in men?

You can attribute your hair loss to any of these causes.

Hormones

The abnormal levels of male hormones such as androgens can lead to hair loss.

Genes

If you are pre-dispositioned to hair loss, you can’t escape faith.

Stress and illness

These two conditions result in impermanent hair loss. Fungal infection over the scalp is one of the examples.

Stress can cause hair loss. 

Drugs

Any kind of chemotherapy medication for cancer treatment is the main root for hair loss.

Burns or injuries

Some burns and injuries on our scalp can cause temporary or permanent hair loss. If the scar is developed after the injuries, your hair can’t grow anymore.

Autoimmune disease

This condition is caused by the immune system, which acts up for unknown motives. As a result, people with the autoimmune disease will experience excessive hair loss within a short period. The hair will eventually grow up; however, due to the lack of figment, it will look lighter in colour.

Medical reasons

There are many medical conditions that result in hair loss, such as thyroid disease, lupus, diabetes, iron deficiency and eating disorders.

Diet

If you consume little to no protein, there would be not enough keratin to nurture the follicles. Your hair will tend to fall and shed more than usual.

Also, some people who apply calorie-restricted diet also report a long period of hair loss.

Q&A about hair loss in men

What are the early signs of baldness?

Hair loss and male pattern baldness aren’t the same things. The first condition will result in hair loss in random places around the head. You will find patches of hair loss. Other states, such as alopecia, also have autoimmune components.

In male pattern baldness, your hair doesn’t fall off all at once or in patches. You will find your hair sheds more often around the temples and recess in the crown area.

How long for male pattern baldness to develop?

Many men find themselves losing hair in the early twenties. Once you develop male pattern baldness, you will not lose all your hair at once. This condition takes years to build, typically from 15 to 25 years.

However, some people experience accelerating baldness. Within five years, they go completely bald. Therefore, it is quite impossible to figure out how long this pattern takes to develop.

Does emotional stress or sexual frustration cause baldness?

It is true that emotional stress and sexual frustration are two mains cause for hair loss in men. However, baldness has a genetic reason, which means if your father or grandfather didn’t have it, you would not have it either.

If you feel uncertain about the cause of your hair loss, have a check-up.

Will stress quicken the balding process?

The good news is stress doesn’t hasten the hair loss caused by male pattern baldness. What we can be sure is stress does cause hair loss. However, this condition is only temporary.

That being said, stress sometimes can cause severe hair loss, which is known as telogen effluvium. This condition interrupts the hair growth cycle and finally causes your hair to shed. Though, this condition will not last for long.

What are the psychological side effects of going or being bald?

The fear of going or being bald can affect you mentally. Some men even experience severe stress, lack of confidence and reduced sex desire. The worst case is you will develop depression due to hair loss.

However, since you can’t escape the fate of baldness, it is better to understand the cause and accept the new version of you.

The bottom line

There are many types and causes of hair loss in men. Understanding the root of your problem will lead to proper treatment and self-acceptance.

For more information on this matter, please visit our blog at Layla Hair.