Male hair loss is a common affliction faced by most men. Fortunately, there are different hair loss treatments available for men so they do not have to lose all hope. The first step is to pinpoint the exact causes of hair loss for men so that hair loss professionals can determine which treatments will work best in each individual case. There are many causes of hair loss in men. Although genetics might have something to do with it, you can’t place all the blame of thinning hair on mom and dad. Androgenic alopecia, otherwise known as male pattern baldness, is responsible for the majority of hair loss in men. However, there are a variety of other reasons for hair loss in men, including illness, medications, and genes etc.
Certain illnesses and diseases do not necessarily directly affect hair loss in men, but their symptoms are often the culprits. Many men who suffer from autoimmune diseases, in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy and fast growing cells in the body, including hair follicles, can attest to this. Even though the hair was going to fall out as part of its natural life cycle anyway, certain illnesses can facilitate and even prevent the growth of new hair strands. Additionally, the emotional and physical stress of being ill can also be a leading contributor to male baldness.
Another major cause for hair loss in men is medications and radiation therapy. Although medications are meant to help heal patients or, at the very least, help lessen the symptoms of their illnesses, sometimes they can also cause severe hair loss in men. In some cases, the hair loss can be permanent, but for the most part, the hair does grow back. Besides, men who have undergone radiation therapy to the head may also suffer from male baldness due to the harsh effects of the radiation.
Besides, skin disorders, such as lupus and psoriasis of the scalp, can indirectly cause hair loss in men. Psoriasis itself does not cause male hair loss, but the scaly patches on the scalp are extremely itchy and harsh, so scratching can severely damage the hair follicles, causing hair to fall out. In addition, different hair styles can also cause hair to become drier, thinner, and even to fall out at a much faster rate than usual. Constant brushing, dyeing, straightening, curling, and tying hair in tight ponytails can severely damage hair follicles.
Furthermore, genes and age are two factors that cannot be ignored. Male pattern baldness is polygenic, so there’s just as much chance you will inherit it from your mother as you would do from your father. In fact, you have a higher chance of inheriting it from your mom, due to the presence of an androgen receptor gene commonly associated with the X, or female, chromosome. As men get older, hair follicles may shrink, leading to hair loss. Even hair found in the permanent zone—the back and sides of the scalp—may start to thin out. Luckily, some men retain enough hair in these areas that they can undergo procedures, such as hair transplant.
