Why Do Men Go Bald?

It is pretty common to see several bald men everywhere. In fact, some men started to like being bald nowadays. But this should bring us to ask some questions. Why do men go bald and women don’t? What is male pattern baldness? Is there any way to prevent male pattern baldness? In this article by GOMEDIRAN, we try to discuss this issue, present the main causes of male baldness and give some advice to avoid it.

What is baldness?

Before looking into the reasons for male baldness, we should know what baldness is. By definition, baldness is when the scalp lacks hair growth completely or moderately.

The causes of male baldness

Men can start losing their hair for several reasons. Some of them can gradually lose hair; others may cause faster hair loss. The main causes are:

1- Genetic reasons

Most bald men lose their hair due to their genes. Many men have an inherited condition called male pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia). Male pattern baldness seems to be the main cause of baldness for men. Around 95% of hair loss among men is due to androgenetic alopecia.

This type of baldness is common among men because it is linked to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) sensitivity, a byproduct of testosterone. When your body has more DHT, sensitive hair follicles respond by shrinking. The shrinking reduces the life span of your hair and causes more hair fall.

The most common sign of androgenetic alopecia has a receding hairline, but sometimes it is possible to have a thinning crown. Since androgenetic alopecia is genetic, people with bald family members have greater chances of going bald.

2- Stress and strong emotions

A lot of men can experience sudden hair loss when they go through stressful events and hard times. Stressing events can cause more hair follicles to be shed. Therefore, more hair will begin to fall.

This kind of baldness is usually temporary and only lasts for a short period. When you deal with your stress and manage it, your hair will begin to return to its normal condition.

3- The normal aging process

Hair loss is a natural part of aging. Many men start experiencing hair loss at the beginning of their twenties, and most men will have some hair loss after the age of fifty.

As we age, our hair gradually thins over time, and the velocity of the hair regeneration process gets slower. Since the cells die faster than they regenerate, your hair starts to thin and even goes bald depending on the speed of the process.

4- The way you groom your hair

Although they can be attractive, some hairstyles can cause some damage to your hair. Hairstyles such as ponytails and cornrows can increase the tension on the hair follicles and weaken them, causing more hair loss and thinner hair.

These hairstyles usually cause temporary damage. However, if you continue to increase the tension on your hair, the damage and hair loss can be permanent.

5- Smoking

Smoking has a bad influence on your health in several aspects, including your hair’s health. Smoking can decrease the amount of oxygen in your hair follicles, thus causing your hair to fall faster.

According to statistics, the numbers of male smokers are around four times that of female smokers.

6- Nutritional deficiencies

Sometimes what you do not eat can make you lose your hair. Your hair needs some nutrients to grow and remain healthy. To do so, you need to have a good diet that provides all that your body needs.

On the other hand, not having a balanced diet can deprive your body of essential nutrients causing nutritional deficiencies. Nutrients such as omega-three fatty acids, vitamins A, E, B6, and B12, and Zinc are important for the health of your hair. They play an important role in hair growth.

7- Medications

The medication you take to treat some diseases can have a harmful effect on your hair, including hair thinning and even baldness. The medications that can cause hair loss include:

• antifungal drugs,
• Some blood thinners like heparin and warfarin,
• Drugs that are used during chemotherapy,
• Drugs that are used to lower cholesterol levels,
• Drugs that are used to control blood pressure,
• Drugs that are used to treat skin conditions like isotretinoin.

8- Medical issues

Sometimes, losing your hair can indicate that you have an underlying medical problem. Several medical issues can affect your hair follicles and hair growth, such as:

• Thyroid problems,
• Anemia,
• Diabetes,
• Autoimmune diseases like lupus.

9- Physical trauma

Sometimes, experiencing traumatic physical events can hurt your hair. Patients can start losing hair after certain shocking events such as accidents, surgery, sudden weight loss, etc.

The hair loss from these events does not usually last long. It can generally go away after a few months.

10- Infections

There is a possibility that some kind of infection influences your hair loss. Bacteria and yeast can infect the scalp, weakening hair follicles and causing your hair to fall. The damage depends on how fast you treat the infection. If left without treatment, these infections can cause permanent hair loss.

Why do men go bald and women don’t?

The fact that baldness is more common among men than women is linked to the fact that men’s bodies produce more testosterone. The increase in testosterone levels in men’s bodies raises the risks of baldness because some of the testosterone is converted into DHT, which negatively affects hair follicles.

How to stop male pattern baldness?

To this day, we do not have any treatment that can stop male pattern baldness. You can try to slow down hair loss by using certain medications and changing some lifestyles. Here are some of the things that can help you slow down male pattern baldness:

1- Quit smoking.

2- Have a balanced diet and take some supplements if you have any nutrient deficiencies.

3- Avoid grooming your hair in ways that increase the tension on your hair.

4- Have a hair restoration treatment such as hair transplantation.

5- Undergo a laser treatment to stimulate follicle growth.

Conclusion

Men can go bald for a variety of reasons. The most common one is genetic hair loss. However, other causes can make the matter worse and speed up the hair fall. Male pattern baldness cannot be stopped. However, some measures can be taken to decrease its speed and avoid complete baldness. In addition, hair restoration processes such as hair transplants are considered an effective way to regain your hair after hair loss.