Hair Loss Causes in Men

For men suffering from hair loss, causes range from hereditary traits to underlying medical conditions to lifestyle choices and more. Should you notice a receding hairline or thinning hair at the crown of your head, the first thing to remember is that you’re far from alone. In fact, studies suggest that approximately 85% of men experience significantly thinning hair by the age of 50. Nevertheless, you might still be wondering: what causes baldness in the first place? Here’s everything you need to know.

6 Top Hair Loss Causes

For the majority of adult males, hair loss is more or less a fact of life. That’s because genetics play the biggest role and by a fairly wide margin. However, don’t take that to mean there aren’t other factors to consider. Here are 6 common hair loss causes in men.

1. Hereditary Traits

What causes baldness? You ask. The answer is most often your ancestors. Indeed, a family history of hair loss doesn’t bode well for your follicles as you age.

2. Underlying Medical Conditions

Certain medical conditions such as ringworm or thyroid disease can upset your hormonal balance and lead to sudden hair loss as a result. Some diseases (such as specific types of lupus) can create scarring on the scalp, thereby enabling permanent hair loss.

Conditions such as diabetes can damage the immune system, leading to hair loss causes like alopecia areata. There’s also a hair-pulling disorder known as trichotillomania, which can yield temporary balding (presuming the follicles aren’t damaged).

3. Medications and Treatments

Certain types of medications and treatments include hair loss as a potential side effect. That includes medications for diseases or conditions such as cancer, high blood pressure, arthritis, depression, and heart problems. Radiation therapy (chemotherapy, etc) has long been associated with hair loss.

4. Extreme Stress

In the wake of a physical shock or traumatic event, many people experience temporary hair loss. This is essentially due to the relationship between stress and hormone production.

5. Lifestyle Choices

Diets lacking in protein, iron, and key vitamins and nutrients have been linked to thinning hair, while smoking has been purported to accelerate the symptoms of male pattern baldness. According to some studies, both excessive weight gain and rapid weight loss can produce certain deficiencies, thereby causing hair loss.

6. Improper Haircare

If you employ a hairstyle that consistently pulls at the roots (pigtails, cornrows, etc), it can lead to a hair loss cause known as traction alopecia. Should your bleaching routine or hot oil hair treatment inflame or damage the follicles, that can likewise generate hair loss.