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 signs of balding 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.
Hair loss such as female or male pattern baldness often happens in stages rather than all at once. It’s easy to ignore the earliest signs of hair loss but the sooner you notice them, the quicker you can tackle them and prevent further hair loss.
Some of the common first signs of balding include:
A lot of our self-confidence is tied to our physical appearance, which includes our hair. It can be a very stressful experience when hair loss occurs and you start to notice your hair thinning out or bald spots appearing.
Catching hair loss early gives you the greatest chances of stopping and even reversing it. Here are some early signs of balding to look out for.
On average, we lose around 100 hairs a day [3]. But if you start to notice that your hair is falling out more than usual, or that large clumps of your hair are starting to fall out, this may be a sign of male or female pattern baldness (also known as androgenetic alopecia).
Check your hair and scalp under a bright light to get a better view of the top of your head. The thinner it gets, the easier it will be for you to see your scalp.
Hair shedding of varying degrees.
One of the most common changes that people suffering from balding will notice is a change in their hairline.
It’s normal for your hairline to change as you mature, but if you notice any drastic hairline recession when comparing old photographs, it could be an early sign of balding. There are many different types of hairlines, including M-shaped hairlines, that start off straight before receding over time. Usually hair recession becomes noticeable around the temples.
Take a picture of your hair on a monthly basis in similar light conditions to track the progression of any hair loss.
A receding hairline is not the only telltale sign of balding. Diffuse thinning affects all areas of your head, not just the hairline.This type of hair thinning is more commonly observed in women than in men.
Sometimes thinning affects one side of your head, though for others it impacts the whole scalp. The easiest way to spot this is by documenting pictures of your scalp on a monthly basis or comparing your hair with older photos of yourself.
Many men who go on to experience hair loss start to notice bald spots on their crown, while others discover bald patches on other parts of their scalp. Crown hair loss is often indicative of progressive male pattern baldness.
Other times, bald spots are a sign of alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder. It develops in random locations across the scalp, not just areas that are typically affected by male or female pattern hair loss.
Not all balding is permanent. Temporary hair loss can be caused by a range of different factors, including:
Although there are many reasons why you may be losing more hair than usual, you should never rule out the possibility that it could be balding. Even if it just begins as losing a few hairs here and there, it can quickly turn into a receding hairline or significant hair loss.
The earlier you’re able to notice the signs of hair loss and rule out some of the causes that we’ve mentioned above, the quicker you will be able to find a solution that prevents any further hair thinning or balding.
Changes in the way your hair and scalp look and feel don’t always mean that you’re heading toward full-scale balding.
Here are some symptoms that may be seen as signs of balding but, in reality, are not always clear indicators of hair loss.
Though it’s possible for an itchy scalp to progress to hair loss, this isn’t usually the case. For many people, having an itchy scalp can be a sign that your scalp is dry, is producing too much sebum, or you have a common scalp condition like dandruff. Learn more about the causes of an itchy scalp.
If you’ve just got out of the shower or swimming, your hair will clump together which can make it look like your hair is thinner than normal. However, in most cases, your hair will go back to normal once it’s dried.
A widow’s peak hairline is a morphogenetic trait [4]. This hairline is caused by genetics and not an indicator of hair loss.
We all lose hair every day, so it’s not uncommon to see some hair on your pillow or at the bottom of the shower.
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 hair loss 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 [3]. 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. 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. 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 scalp 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 temporary 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.
Learn more about how to tell if your hair is thinning in these frequently asked questions.
The best way is to get advice from an impartial professional. Most hair loss clinics — including the Wimpole Clinic — offer free consultations, so you can seek an expert opinion without any upfront payment.
Photos can be good indicators of hair thinning, especially if you have several photographs to compare. Measurements are less reliable if you’re taking them yourself, as it’s very difficult to see and measure your own areas of scalp hair loss.
For the most accurate diagnosis, it’s best to see a professional trichologist.
If there are no objective visual changes to your hair or scalp and you’re only losing around 100 hairs a day, it’s possible you’re worrying about your hair unduly. But to be on the safe side, you can seek expert advice. Our hair loss specialists can support you with a preventative hair loss treatment plan if it’s needed in the future.
It depends on the cause. Many types of alopecia — including traction alopecia and telogen effluvium — will stop and reverse without treatment if you tackle the underlying cause. However, the most common types of hair loss (namely, male and female pattern hair loss) are irreversible without treatment.
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