Why Is My Hair falling Out? Causes Of Hair Loss
As a man, you can pretty much guarantee that you’re going to start losing hair at some point or another. This is dreadful and something that many men want to avoid at all costs.
Unfortunately, it may not always be possible to prevent hair loss. However, there are some known causes of hair loss.
By familiarizing yourself with them, you may be able to slow down the hair loss to some degree. So, what causes hair loss? You’ll be able to find out in the informative guide below.
What Is Hair Loss?
Hair loss is pretty normal. If you didn’t know, hair grows everywhere on your skin. It won’t grow on the soles of your feet or your palms. Many hairs are so tiny that they’re impossible to see with the naked eye.
Hair consists of a protein called keratin. This protein is produced in hair follicles on the skin’s outer layer.
Male Pattern Baldness (Androgenic Alopecia)
Did you know that by the time most men reach the age of 50 they will be affected with what is known as male pattern baldness?
This condition is also known as androgenic alopecia and it is pretty shocking when you look at the statistics.
So, what exactly causes this condition? Well, the best well-known cause of this condition is genetics.
If you have a family history of baldness there is a good chance that you are going to be affected as well. Some of this can also be attributed to a hormone known as androgens.
Not only are androgens a male sex hormone that has a lot of functions, but also one of those functions is regulating the growth of hair.
Every single hair on your head should be thought of like a blade of grass, as it has its independent growth cycle.
When male pattern baldness starts to take effect it with cause the growth cycle of the hairs to weaken, which in return shrinks the follicles.
This will eventually cause the hair to grow shorter and finer until there is simply nothing left
. At some point, the cycle for each of those hairs will reach their ending point and that will be it for the growth of new hair.
While this condition might be undesired and unwanted by many men, there are haven’t been any other negative side effects related to this condition.
Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean that baldness can’t be related to other serious conditions like cancer development and thyroid conditions.
There have even been some reported cases of male pattern baldness taking effect as early as the teenage years.
The condition is more common in older adults due to the eroding growth factors of the hair, but genetics can also play a huge role in the early developmental stages as well.
Enduring Physical Stress (Telogen Effluvium)
Just about every male encounters stress at some point in his life. Some might deal with it better; while others might experience is at a higher rate earlier on in life.
Whatever the situation is, it isn’t a big secret that stress can be related to a variety of different negative effects on the body.
Some individuals are even surprised to learn that one of these negative effects can include hair loss.
Stress from physical trauma, surgery, car accidents, or severe illnesses can cause what is known as a temporary hair loss. This condition is known as Telogen Effluvium.
What happens during this condition is that the physical stress is so great it interrupts and shocks the hair growth cycle.
During this process, it causes more of the hair to go into the shedding phase. Sometimes it can take anywhere three to six months before the effects of the hair loss are noticeable, but they will be noticeable.
Too Little Protein
Protein is essential to the proper development of the body. Without the right amount of protein, your body just won’t function and it will eventually shut down.
If you aren’t getting enough protein in your diet, your body can try to compensate and draw the protein from other parts of the body.
There have been many reported cases and studies that have shown the body compensating from loss of protein by shutting down the hair growth cycle and drawing it from there.
This can occur anywhere from about two to three months after the protein intake in the body drops.
The best way to prevent something like this from happening to you is by ensuring that you are always consuming the proper amounts of protein.
Some excellent sources of proper are fish, meat, and eggs. In addition to this, tons of protein supplements and drinks can provide you with more protein if needed.
Overdoing It With Vitamin A
Vitamin A is another nutrient essential to the proper function of the body. Unfortunately, there can be such a thing as too much vitamin A.
If you are overdoing it with vitamin A supplements or medications it can trigger hair loss.
However, the good thing about this condition is that once you stop consuming too much vitamin A it should reverse itself and you slowly start to nothing the regrowth of new hair.
For adult males and male children over the age of 4, you should be consuming 5,000 units of vitamin A per day.
Some over the counter supplements can contain as much as 2,500 to 10,000 units of vitamin A, so be extremely careful when you are consuming these products.
Lacking In Vitamin B
Vitamin B deficiency leading to hair loss in men is extremely rare in the United States of America, but they’re still have been some reported cases.
Thankfully, the correction for this condition is fairly easy and simple, as all you have to do is seek out the proper supplementation. Making the proper dietary changes can help as well. Eat more fish, meats, starchy vegetables, and non-citrus fruits.
Exploring Hypothyroidism
The thyroid gland is a little gland located in the neck and it is responsible for producing hormones that are essential to the growth and development of the metabolism.
You have probably heard of some individuals suffering from overactive thyroids or thyroids conditions.
Well, hypothyroidism is the opposite, as it just means that you have an underactive thyroid gland.
The gland won’t be able to produce and pump out the essential hormones that your body needs, which can lead to a variety of health conditions, including hair loss.
There are a variety of synthetic thyroid medications available on the open market that can return the levels to normal.
Once the levels reach normal conditions, you should notice reproduction in the hair follicles.
Overuse Of Hair Products and Too Much Styling
Some men will spend just as much time on their hair as women. They will comb it, style it, permit, and wash it constantly. While this might look good and make you feel good, it can be detrimental to the hair.
Tight braids, cornrows, and chemical relaxers can be extremely harsh on the hair because they attack the root, which could potentially kill out the follicles and cause the hair not to reproduce.
Just make sure that you are avoiding these harsh styling treatments and shampooing and conditioning your hair daily.