Our hair plays a vital role in how we look and feel. So if you find yourself hiding your thinning hair, or worrying about hair loss, it’s normal to feel a little worried or paranoid. Hair loss can have a significant impact on your life, self confidence and self-esteem.
25% of men start to lose their hair by the age of 21, while 40% of women experience hair loss by age 40 [1]. But for many people experiencing thinning hair or hair loss, the process happens gradually, so may not be noticeable at the initial stages. This often means that in many sufferers the symptoms go unnoticed for a long time, until they have lost nearly half of their hair density [2].
So is your hair really thinning — or are you just paranoid? Find out about the causes and types of hair loss and hair thinning, and find out when you should speak to a trichologist.
There are many reasons people begin to lose their hair, including:
Genetics is the number one cause of hair loss [3]. So it’s inevitable that those with a family history of male or female pattern baldness will be more aware of the higher potential for significant hair loss or thinning hair. If other people in your family are susceptible to pattern balding, you may well experience male or female pattern hair loss, too.
If you lose hair as a result of genetics, you’ll need medical intervention to restore your hair. Find out about FUE surgery and how this hair transplant procedure helps with thinning hair.
Everyone loses hair. It’s all part of the natural hair growth cycle. Most people lose around 50-100 hairs every day [4]. This may sound like a lot, but it’s based on an average follicle count of 100,000, so 99.9% of your hair continues to grow. So try not to stress out about a few individual strands of lost hair on your hair tie.
If you’re concerned that you’re shedding more hair than this, or you’ve noticed substantial hair loss when you wash or brush your hair, you’re probably not paranoid. This may be the first sign of sustained hair loss. Find out more about hair loss vs hair shedding.
Lifestyle aspects such as stress, diet and hairstyling habits can affect your hair [5]. A stressful lifestyle can affect the rate at which your hair grows, and it can also cause excessive shedding, or hair falling out in clumps. Diet can also influence the health of your hair follicles and scalp, which can affect hair loss.
Vigorous shampooing or styling can lead to dry brittle hair, which in turn makes the hair appear thinner. Eventually, this leads to hair shedding, which can make the scalp visible through your thinning hair. In addition, tightly-pulled hairstyles such as ponytails or buns can have the same effect. Changing these aspects and monitoring the difference can help you figure out if they are causing your hair loss.
Hair loss is a recognised side-effect of some health problems, such as thyroid disorders, autoimmune issues, or skin conditions such as psoriasis. It’s likely that other symptoms would alert you to these types of health concerns, but if you believe your hair loss is not related to any of the factors mentioned above, it could be worth getting it checked, as it may help to identify an underlying issue sooner.
Some medications used to treat various health conditions can also sometimes cause hair loss as a side-effect. Even some male hair loss treatments like Finasteride can cause hair shedding. Discuss this with your doctor or pharmacist if it might be applicable to you.
Start by asking those close to you if they think your hair is looking thinner. While this may be an embarrassing topic to discuss, it’s the easiest way to get some honest advice. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to friends and family, there are also numerous hair loss advice forums, where men and women ask questions about their own hair loss experiences.
If you’re not ready to discuss your hair loss with others, consider performing a home hair density test. While these aren’t super-accurate, they may give you some idea of whether your hair is actually thinning (and how quickly).
But there’s no substitute for professional advice. So if you’re at all concerned your hair is looking thinner or that you have excessive hair loss, it’s time to get some expert help and maybe even consider a hair loss treatment.
Even if you’re doubting yourself and feel like you may just be paranoid, it’s important to ask a professional trichologist. Addressing the issue sooner can give you the opportunity to:
If you need a hair transplant to increase hair density, you can find out about surgical options, too.
When male pattern baldness starts, you don’t have to accept hair loss, or spend months doubting whether you’re really losing hair. Even if you’re in the early stages of hair loss and it’s too soon for a hair transplant, there are lots of ways to manage the condition like learning about hairstyles to cover up a receding hairline for both men and women.
By finding the right treatment sooner rather than later, you can tackle the problem head on and ensure that you maintain a full head of healthy looking thick hair.
Book an appointment with a trichologist at the Wimpole Clinic on Harley Street to start your hair restoration journey.
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