Male Hair Loss – Causes and Solutions for Thinning Hair in Men
On average, an adult has around 100,000 to 150,000 strands of hair, and tends to lose them at a rate of about 100 hairs per day. Generally, up to 90% of the hair on a person’s head is growing at a time, but as people age, hair follicles can start to become inactive. This is a natural part of the aging process for most people.
Men tend to experience one of a few different type of male hair loss. The medical term for hair loss is alopecia, and there are multiple types that can cause both male and female hair loss.
Involutional alopecia
As we age, hair gradually starts to thin, with hair follicles entering a phase known as telogen, where the follicle rests and sheds the existing hair.
Androgenic alopecia
A result of genetics, this form of baldness results in a receding hairline. Loss tends to be focused mainly on the crown of the head and the frontal region of the scalp. Men can experience this as early as their teens, or sometimes in their 20’s.
These types of hair loss tend to be permanent, though temporary hair loss in men can also occur, either due to medical conditions or other factors. Alopecia areata is a less common form of hair loss that falls into this category. It tends to happen in young adults, or even children, and results in patchy areas of baldness. However, for most people, the loss is temporary, and hair comes back in just a few years.
While thinning hair in men is a natural occurrence in most instances, it is not without its own impacts on self-confidence, and studies suggest that many men still desire a full head of hair, experiencing some understandable anxiety over its loss. Many men seek treatments or hair replacement alternatives in order to restore feelings of comfort with their appearances.
