What Causes Male Hair Loss?

There are a number of reasons why men lose their hair, be it high levels of stress or as a result of hereditary genes. But what causes men’s hair to fall out? What can be done to prevent/treat hair loss in the long term? Let’s find out.

What causes hair to fall out? 

Inherited male pattern hair loss is the number one leading cause of hair loss in men. This occurs as a result of genetic susceptibility to the androgen hormone DHT, which is a by-product of testosterone. In spite of its contribution to hair growth in some parts of your body, DHT can cause significant damage to the hair follicles on your head. It does this by binding to your hair and eliminating its capacity to grow. When left untreated, DHT causes miniaturisation, which leads to finer, shorter hair. Any man who is genetically susceptible to DHT is much more likely to suffer from male pattern baldness as a result.

Another thing that’s important to realise is that your hair naturally sheds. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, most men lose between 50 and 100 hairs every single day. When you consider the fact that most men have approximately 100,000 hairs on their scalp, those naturally shed daily only account for up to 0.1%. Shedding your hair is actually a crucial stage of its growth cycle as it replenishes your hair follicles, providing you with a healthy head of hair in the long run.

What can be done to prevent/treat hair loss? 

The best way to combat your thinning scalp is to undergo hair loss treatment. Minoxidil and Finasteride are both licensed treatments for hair loss. Even though male pattern baldness is a natural condition, it doesn’t mean you have to accept it. Both these treatments are clinically-proven and safe treatments for hair loss.

Although hair loss is mainly caused by genetics, you can still take steps to prevent it from taking hold. If you have any questions about any of our hair loss treatments, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

All of our blog articles are reviewed for medical accuracy by our Medical Director before publication.

Posted in: All, Hair loss, Science