7 common reasons for hairloss in men

Hairloss is of several types’ and baldness is the commonest and a matter of great concern. Baldness is also called alopecia. Baldness results when hair is missing in a place where it would usually grow. It could be because of a normal biological process or due to some disease.

Below we are highlighting the most common reasons of hairloss which we as doctors see in our day to day practice.

1)  Positive Family History (Hereditary):

Even one relative on either side of the parent is sufficient to give you a positive genetic history. Hair loss caused due to hereditary factor is known as AGA or Androgenetic Alopecia. Hairloss is primarily a result of excess male hormone (testosterone). Sounds a little technical but put simply, Testosterone + 5 Alpha Reductase (an enzyme) gets converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a major cause of hairloss in men. DHT reduces the growing phase and extends the resting phase of hair. This results in Male Pattern Baldness.

2)  Stress:

  50% of are happiness is determined by our genes, 10% by our life circumstances and 40% by our daily activities. Happiness adds a bright shiny look to our overall confidence and also behavior. Stress has just the opposite effect. Our day to day life too has its allocation of stress: marital, financial and work stress. If human would not have the power to return to the original state after suffering of illness or depression or any adversities of life then stress would have probably knocked us out or made us dead. Chronic stress can cause substantial damage to your hair sometimes leading to permanent baldness.

3)  Consumption of Certain Conventional Medicines

Certain conventional medicines used for treating high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, depression, anxiety, sleeping problems, thyroid diseases are known to cause hair loss. These medicines disrupt the hair cycle and shorten the growing phase of hair causing the hair to go into a resting phase and fall out prematurely.

4)  Chemical Treatments:

Frequent usage of hair dyes, perming, straightening damage the hair shaft and make the hair weak. One good option is using a colour or dye with no ammonia.

5)  Nutritional Deficiency:

Protein, iron, vitamin B12, folic acid and biotin. Hair follicles contain ferritin- the protein that stores iron. Whenever there is iron-deficiency in the body, ferritin from the hair follicles is moved and used up for more essential body functions, lack of ferritin in the hair follicles affects the hair’s ability to grow. A low zinc level in the body is another cause of hair fragility, weakness and breakage that is often overlooked. Zinc deficiency can affect the hair on your scalp as well as the eyebrows and eyelashes.

6)  Habits:

Smoking and Alcohol are known to accelerate hair thinning.

7)  Sleep Disturbances:

Disturbed sleep and Insomnia is a known triggering factor for hair loss.

Most cases of hair loss require long term treatment for hair fall (often for years). Hair growth cycle is of 3-7years. It is important not to lose patience during treatment because impatience and resulting stress will slow down the process of recovery.

Consider it a lifestyle illness, much like high blood pressure or diabetes where you keep taking pills for all your life to keep them under control. This holds good for progressive hair loss. You have to keep taking medicines for a long time, but then it’s worth your time and effort.