It’s a certified fact that almost half of all Caucasian men will lose their hair by middle-age. The problem is further increasing among Black and Asian men, as well.
You may be asking, “Why am I going bald? Can I do anything to stop it?”
You’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll cover three common reasons why you or folks you know are going bald, and how to combat the rising balding problem.
Table of Contents
1. Androgenetic Alopecia
Androgenetic alopecia, referred to most often as “Common male pattern baldness”, accounts for the majority of hair loss in men. This affects around 95% of all balding males.
And it starts early, at age 35. By this time, almost two-thirds of all men will experience some degree of hair loss. This magnifies when men get around 50 years of age, with the percentage reaching a staggering 85% of adult males.
This isn’t to say they’ll all be bald. Rather, these men will have lost at least some hair due to common male pattern baldness and aging.
If you’re saying, “But I’m not 50! I’m not even 35!” and are experiencing hair loss, that’s because a hefty 25% of all men experience this before they reach 21 years of age.
It can be a sad and stressful time if you suffer from common male pattern baldness. Fortunately, there are some FDA-approved medications to help, as well as hair transplants, should you choose them.
2. Telogen Effluvium
This is a fancy term for “excess hair shedding.” This occurs after a particularly stressful or traumatic event and can occur months after the event took place.
It’s important to deal with whatever trauma occurred, as hair growth will often restart a few months after the initial shedding.
3. Poor Diet
To maintain healthy hair, one needs to have a strong diet full of iron, protein, and vitamin D.
Protein is found in meats and legumes. Leafy greens, such as spinach, are rich in iron. And vitamin D is found through the sun!
Though milk and orange juice are often fortified with vitamin D as well. If you’ve recently gone on a specific diet, you may lack these essential nutrients for healthy hair growth.
How Do I Stop Balding?
The balding problem is one that increases in difficulty to combat as the years go on. As of writing, there are only two products approved by the FDA to combat or slow the hair loss process.
One product, minoxidil (previously branded as Rogaine), is an over-the-counter medication that helps slow balding. It is a topical medication that is applied routinely to the head and scalp.
The second product is Propecia, or finasteride, which is an oral drug. It is an inhibitor for dihydrotestosterone, which damages hair follicles and progresses male pattern baldness.
Propecia stops dihydrotestosterone, thus slowing the balding process.
As with any medication, consult a doctor to fully know the side effects and if either option is right for you.
Going Bald Is OK
Despite what you may be feeling, going bald is a part of life. It’s natural, it’s normal, and it’s not the end of the world.
Though the process is a stressful one, there are options to push through. And if you should choose, you can always cut it all off early.
Make the decision that’s right for you. And if you like this content, check out our related lifestyle content.