Hair loss is considered a natural part of ageing for men. Most will develop male pattern baldness at some point in their lives, so when the hair does start to become thinner and falls out, it’s shrugged off as a natural occurrence.
However, did you know that there are actually many different types of hair loss? While androgenetic alopecia is the most common, it’s important to rule out other potential causes. Below you’ll discover more about the different hair loss types and why determining the cause matters.
Common causes of hair loss
So you already know that genetics and ageing could be the issue. However, some other causes you should consider include:
- High levels of stress
- Hormonal changes
- Underlying medical conditions
- Hair styles
Stress can cause a variety of health issues and hair loss is one of them. It’s actually tied in with hormone related hair loss as increased stress causes the hormones to change. Other hormonal indicators in men include a decrease in testosterone levels.
It could even be down to an underlying medical condition, such as issues with the thyroid. Or, in rare cases how you wear your hair could be the problem.
Men with longer hair who regularly tie it back into a tight ponytail, or “man bun”, could develop what is known as traction alopecia. It’s where the hair follicles become damaged and pulled out due to particularly tight hair styles.
Why determining the cause matters
Without knowing what is causing your hair loss, it’s going to prove very difficult to treat. Establishing the cause early on gives you a lot more options and increases the chance of slowing it, or stopping it completely.
It’s especially important to determine whether it’s a medical issue causing the problem. If it is and you don’t get it treated, you potentially face much bigger problems than just hair loss!
Establishing the cause of your hair loss enables you to find the correct treatment. If you assume it’s just down to old age, you risk wasting a lot of money on treatments that aren’t going to work, or treatment that you may not even need.
