If there is one thing you are not eager to see when you look in the mirror, it is thinning hair. However, if you’re like many guys, that’s exactly what you may be experiencing. While hair loss generally begins after age 50 for many men, it is not uncommon for it to occur in young men who are 30 years old or even younger.
Remember that 25% of all men start balding by age 30. Hair loss usually does not mean you are ill, but it should still be taken seriously. Here’s all you need to know about why you need to care about hair thinning and how to take action once it starts.
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Too Much or Too Little Testosterone
Testosterone is a hormone that plays a crucial role in the growth and maintenance of hair. However, when testosterone levels become imbalanced, it can lead to hair thinning or loss. Too much testosterone can cause hair loss by converting to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which can shrink hair follicles and shorten the hair growth cycle.
On the other hand, low testosterone levels can also cause hair loss, leading to decreased hair growth, thinning, and breakage. Both low and high levels of testosterone can affect your hair health. Proper hormone regulation through medical intervention and lifestyle changes can help prevent hair loss or promote hair regrowth.
Lifestyle Changes
Your lifestyle can impact whether or not you have thinning hair. Some factors that can affect your hair loss include:
- Lack of sleep
- Chronic or intense temporary stress
- Overuse of hair products
- Tight hairstyles like ponytails
- Losing 20 or more pounds too quickly.
If you become obsessed with your thinning hair and turn to sprays, gels, and other products that contain numerous chemicals, you’re damaging your hair rather than helping to stop your hair loss. Since many of these lifestyle factors can be corrected, doing so may help you start to see a larger amount of hair on your head.
All Guys Lose Some Hair
No matter who you are, you can expect to lose some of your hair as you age. However, this does not necessarily mean you will go completely bald in your thirties. In fact, chances are that unless your family has a history of bald men, you’ll only experience a certain degree of thinning hair. Should you think balding will be inevitable, remember that the average man takes 20-25 years to go completely bald, so you’ve still got time to enjoy the hair you have and use a receding hairline treatment to slow down the process.
Busting the Myths
There are a variety of hair loss myths that may concern you about certain things you do regularly. For example, some people think wearing a baseball cap regularly will cause you to lose your hair, while others swear that running your fingers through your hair will do more harm than good.
In reality, no studies have shown that either will lead to hair loss. If you are concerned about your thinning hair, paying a visit to your doctor will help put these and other myths to rest while at the same time helping you discover exactly what is behind your thinning hair.
What Can You Do?
You can do plenty of things along the way when you have thinning hair. If balding is your destiny, you can consider buying a wig. Today’s toupees are stylish and very durable, made with real hair that can be customized to match your existing hair. In some cases, men with thinning hair suffer from a vitamin deficiency.
Should this be your problem, your doctor may suggest you add a multivitamin to your diet since nutrients such as zinc, folic acid, and iron are linked to helping hair grow thick and full.
Prescription medications and treatments may also be available, including topical creams, oral medications, and even laser therapy, which beams light particles into your hair follicles to help them grow.
Natural hair care solutions to prevent hair thinning for men are also a good option. Such treatments include maintaining a healthy diet, reducing stress, avoiding harsh chemical treatments, and using natural hair products. Regular scalp massages, essential oils, sunflower oil, natural hair masks, or herbal supplements can also improve hair health and promote growth.
Final Thoughts
Since a combination of factors may be causing your thinning hair, it is always best to visit your doctor for a complete checkup. Once you do, you can discuss various treatment options that may help slow down or even reverse the process, giving you a full head of hair for years to come.