What causes baldness in men?

What causes baldness in men?
Steve Hinson, PhD - Life Sciences Published : Feb 04, 2024 Last Updated : Feb 07, 2024

You may wonder why your hairline or crown is getting thinner. You might wonder if this is something you can change. Find out what can cause hair loss in males and what treatments may help slow it down.

What causes baldness in men?

Most men who go bald have androgenetic alopecia or male pattern baldness. The AHLA says that 95% of male hair loss is caused by androgenetic alopecia. Due to genetic susceptibility to dihydrotestosterone, a testosterone derivative, this trait causes the hairline to recede and the crown to thin (DHT).

How can this hormone make you lose your hair?

Over time, sensitive hair follicles become less sensitive. When hair follicles get smaller, hair grows slower. When the follicles are hurt, they stop making hair, or at least not your usual kind. With male pattern baldness, hair loss happens traditionally. Some patterns of hair loss are:

  • Thin hair on the top and temples. This style might leave a horseshoe-shaped ring of hair around the head.
  • The front hairline gets thinner, which moves the hairline back.
  • The Norwood system is a way to measure how bald a man is. Seven levels describe the amount and pattern of what can cause hair loss in males.

When do men lose hair?

You're not the only one whose hair is getting thinner. Most men get bald in a certain way.

From the AHA:

  • By age 21, 25% of men have baldness that runs in their families.
  • By age 35, 66% of men will have lost hair.
  • By age 50, 85% of men will have thin hair.

Why do men lose their hair

  • Most men lose their hair because of male pattern baldness, but there are other reasons too. Male pattern baldness causes hair loss. Different causes of hair loss can cause other symptoms.
  • Male pattern baldness is the only kind of hair loss that can be predicted. Instead, hair loss happens all over or in certain places.
  • Many things can cause hair loss. Some hair loss can't be fixed, but other kinds can.

Baldness

 The immune system attacks healthy hair follicles by accident, which leads to hair loss. Some places on the head and body lose hair. You might have bald spots in your beard, eyelashes, or eyebrows. Hair might grow back.

TE.

After 2 to 3 months of a shock or stressful event, you might lose a lot of hair. Hair loss can be caused by an accident, surgery, illness, losing weight, or stress. Between 2 and 6 months, hair grows back.

Malnutrition.

 Iron and other minerals are important for general health and hair growth. Hair stays healthy with the help of protein, vitamin D, and other vitamins. One or more of these nutrients could cause you to lose a lot of hair.

Medications that cause hair loss

When people stop taking drugs, their hair usually starts to grow back. Some medicines for hair loss are:

Chemotherapy

Acne medicines like isotretinoin (Accutane), antifungals like voriconazole, Anticoagulants like heparin and warfarin, immunosuppressants like beta blockers and ACE inhibitors, cholesterol-lowering medicines like simvastatin (Zocor) and atorvastatin (Lipitor), and antidepressants like sertraline (Zoloft) and fluoxetine (Prozac) are some of the best treatments Treatments for male pattern baldness range from topical medications to surgery to help hair grow back or replace hair that has been lost.

Here are some effective ways to treat baldness.

Medication:

  • Both prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs can cure male pattern baldness.
  • Finasteride (Propecia, Proscar) and minoxidil can stop hair loss in men with a certain pattern (Rogaine, Ioniten). Finasteride is a drug that can only be bought with a doctor's prescription. Minoxidil is a topical drug that you can buy without a prescription. Finasteride is another FDA-approved medicine. However, minoxidil and finasteride must be taken orally. It slows down androgenetic hair loss and promotes new growth.
  • Either therapy might not work for six months.
  • Lasers-Low-level laser treatment increases the scalp's blood flow and wakes hair follicles. This new drug is safe and easy for people to take.

Transplantation

FUT and FUE are two common ways to transplant hair (FUE). FUT takes away some of the skin on the scalp where hair grows. This skin is cut into pieces called grafts. They are put in places where hair isn't growing. With FUE, the surgeon takes healthy hair follicles from the scalp and puts them where hair isn't growing.

Are you keeping from going bald?

Genes usually cause male pattern baldness. Loss of hair from this condition is hard to stop without surgery. When hair loss starts, it might be possible to stop it. Finasteride and Rogaine may stop hair loss caused by androgenetic alopecia. If you stop taking these drugs, you might start losing hair again. Talk to your doctor about these medicines.

Do the following to stop hair loss:

  • Massages might make hair grow faster.
  • Tobacco-free. Previous studies Trusted Source says that smoking may cause hair loss.
  • Stress can be reduced through exercise, meditation, and deep breathing.
  • Eat a protein-rich, vitamin-rich diet.
  • Change drugs. Talk to your doctor if you think your medicine is making you lose hair.
  • Summary
  • Bald spots and receding hairlines are likely caused by genes.
  • Androgenetic alopecia, also called "male pattern baldness," is the cause of 95% of hair loss. Men of any age, even younger than 21, can get it.
  • Male pattern baldness can be slowed down in some ways. Finasteride, minoxidil (Propecia and Proscar), laser therapy, and hair transplant surgery are all options.
  • Talk to your doctor or dermatologist if you're worried about going bald. They'll help you pick the right medicine.