No matter who you are, chances are good that if you’re a man, you will experience some degree of hair loss by the time you reach 60 years of age. For others, the process may begin as early as their teen years. Some men are almost completely bald by their 30s. While the symptoms are the same – a receding hairline and thinning hair – the reasons for male hair loss differ. In fact, there are 10 different reasons that you may experience hair loss.
1. Androgenetic Alopecia
The most common cause of male hair loss is androgenetic alopecia or hereditary hair loss. Simply put, it’s a genetic trait passed through your family from father to son. Once, it was thought that it was passed through the mother’s DNA, but science has since disproven that.
2. Medications and Medical Conditions
Two other common causes of male hair loss are medications and medical treatments. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are prime examples, but there are many others. Also, underlying medical conditions can affect hair loss, including heart disease and hypertension.
3. Steroids
Steroid use can affect hair loss, as well as other parts of the body. Note that this applies primarily to performance-enhancing steroids, not the type prescribed by doctors for swelling and inflammation.
4. Mental Health
A wide range of mental health factors affect hair health and can accelerate hair loss. These include anxiety and depression, as well as many others. Chronic stress also has a pronounced impact on hair follicle health.
5. Diet
For some men, you may need to look no further than your diet for one of the reasons for male hair loss. Without adequate vitamins and minerals, hair growth suffers. Supplements can help, but the best option is to get most of your nutrition from the foods you eat.
6. Hormone Imbalance
Hormones control most of your body’s functions, and that includes hair growth. If your hormones are not balanced, hair growth will suffer. A prime example is the reaction of hair follicles to dihydrotestosterone (the prime driver of male pattern baldness).
7. Sleep Health
Too often, we downplay the importance of sleep to our health. The truth is that even a minor lack of sleep can cause major problems, including reduced cognitive capabilities, increased chance of heart disease, and hair loss.
8. Too Much Care
You love to look good. However, if you take your hair care regimen to the extreme, it can cause hair loss. Overusing product, too much brushing, too much washing, and/or high heat – these are just some of the factors that affect hair loss.
9. Autoimmune Diseases
Your immune system is supposed to protect against foreign invaders, but sometimes it becomes confused and attacks the body instead. Hair loss can be a symptom of an autoimmune condition.
10. Smoking
Finally, smoking is one of the most common reasons for male hair loss. It reduces the heart’s ability to pump blood throughout the body, starving hair follicles of nutrients and oxygen.
These are the most common reasons for male hair loss. The good news is that they can all be treated with the right combination of methods.
