Are you becoming follicly challenged? Is your hair starting to thin, is your hairline receding, or are bare patches starting to show on your scalp?
Many men may experience changes in the fullness and distribution of the hair on their head as they age, for some these changes are accommodated and embraced, for others though, male hair loss and baldness has a hugely detrimental impact on their self-concept and even their mental health.
Facts About Hair Loss or Baldness
According to the WebMD website by age 35, two-thirds of men will have some degree of appreciable hair loss, and by age 50 approximately 85% of men have significantly thinning hair.
The Healthline website notes about a quarter of those males who have inherited male pattern baldness start losing their hair before the age of 21.
The Lloyds Pharmacy Online Doctor website reports that male hair loss affects approximately 6.5million men in the UK, yet only 11% of those affected visit a professional for support when they first start to experience hair loss.
What Can Contribute to Hair Loss or Baldness
The Daily Mail website reports that 95 percent of hair loss in men is caused by androgenetic alopecia, also known as male-pattern baldness. This is an inherited trait that gives men a receding hairline and thinning crown. It's caused by a genetic sensitivity to a byproduct in testosterone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Hair follicles sensitive to DHT shrink over time, slashing the lifespan of each hair until the follicles stop producing hair altogether.
A 2019 review in the journal Dermatology and Therapy suggested that deficiencies in vitamins B12 and D, biotin, riboflavin, and iron can also be responsible for hampering hair growth.
The Harley Street Hair Transplant Clinics website notes that external stresses can also be a major contributor to temporary or permanent hair loss.
It can also be the case that a side effect of taking certain medications could be hair loss. This would usually be temporary and only last for as long as you are taking the medication.
Impact of Hair Loss or Baldness
A survey on male hair loss carried out by Lloyds Pharmacy Online Doctor reported that nearly half of males experience hair loss feel self-conscious or stressed about it, and nearly a third felt less attractive as a result.
The Patient website notes many men become psychologically (mentally and emotionally) distressed when they experience hair loss as they see it as reflective or their levels of youthfulness, virility and masculinity.
The Guardian website highlights that premature/early balding has been linked to experiences of depression and anxiety in males.
The Medical News Today website highlights that the psychological impacts of hair loss can even include social withdrawal and decreased work and sexual performance.
What Can Be Done About Hair Loss or Baldness
The Harley Street Hair Transplant Clinics website recommends the following actions can help to limit levels of hair loss (though they will not totally prevent it):
- Avoid extremely hot showers: These can be a major cause of shock to your scalp, stripping your hair of natural oils.
- Avoid using chemical hair products: Many hair gels and waxes contain chemicals that can, in fact, damage your hair and scalp.
- Avoid nutrient deficiencies: Your hair loss can be due to a lack of vitamin B12, zinc, and iron in their diet.
- Reduce stress: One of the key things men can do to limit their hair loss is to limit the amount of stress in their lives.
Medication: The NHS website notes finasteride and minoxidil are the main medication treatments for male pattern baldness. However these treatments:
- Do not work for everyone.
- Only work for as long as they're used.
- Are not available on the NHS.
- Can be expensive.
Wigs and Toupees: The Simply Wigs website explains the difference between a wig and a toupee and highlights the advantages and disadvantages of both as a means to respond to male pattern baldness.
Hair Transplants: The NHS website gives an overview of what is involved in getting a hair transplant. It is not available on the NHS as it is deemed cosmetic surgery. In the UK a hair transplant can cost anything from £1000 to £30,000 depending on the extent of hair loss, and the procedure used.
Embrace the New Look: If you cannot halt the process of hair loss, and you do not want to engage in the use of a hairpiece or splash out for a hair transplant, the option left open to you is to come to terms with your changing appearance, and embrace your new look and make the most of it. There are many people who find bald males very attractive, often the most sexy thing about you will be that you have embraced who you are, and are confident in your style.
How MANN uP Can Help
If you are struggling to adjust to changes in your hairline, or notice that your self-esteem is being damaged by going bald, taking part in a personal programme can give you a confidential and respectful space in which to explore your feelings and options.
Your personal programme can help you mentally and emotionally adjust to this change in your appearance, and if needed, help you reframe your beliefs about what makes for an attractive male, to help you restore confidence in your appearance and appeal to others.