The idea of full, thick hair is ingrained in society’s image of what a man should look like. From superheroes to newscasters, men with lush locks inundate the airwaves. But for millions of American men, thinning hair becomes a fact of life as early as their late twenties. Men facing hair loss and thinning often struggle with confidence and image. Let’s take a look at three causes of men’s hair loss and what can be done to help you get your confidence back.
Male Pattern Baldness
The official name for this common nuisance is androgenic alopecia. Male pattern baldness is so common that more than 50% of men will be affected by it eventually. It can strike at any age, and it looks different from one person to the next. In most men, it shows up as a baldness or thinning on the top and front of the head. In others, it can just mean thinning of the hair all around and a wider part.
It’s in Your Genes
If you’re losing your hair, there’s a good chance it was written into your DNA before you ever drew your first breath. Modern wisdom says you can place the blame squarely on your mom. Whatever hair pattern gene your mom’s dad carried will likely be the one you inherit. While it’s true that the gene for male pattern baldness is carried by a female parent, there is plenty of evidence to show that men with fathers who have male pattern baldness are more likely to lose their hair. If anything, this demonstrates the genetic factors for baldness may be much more complex than we previously understood.
Hormonal Hijinks
The disappearance of your luscious locks can also be blamed on a pesky little hormone called DHT (dihydrotestosterone–say that three times fast). DHT is the sex steroid and chemical derivative of testosterone responsible for making men manly. In fact, it’s the chemical responsible for creating all those male parts your parents first saw on the sonogram before deciding to paint the nursery blue. If you’ve got a thick, manly chest full of hair, you can thank DHT. Unfortunately, if your genetics signed you up for male pattern baldness, that same hormone binds to receptors in your scalp, kicking hair loss into high gear.
Normal Aging
The last item in the three-ingredient recipe for male pattern baldness is normal aging. For some men, male pattern baldness can kick in as early as their early twenties. But for most, it tends to worsen as they get older. About a quarter of men begin to lose their hair by their thirties, and this number increases to two-thirds of all men by age 60. The good news is that while hair loss in your younger years can be pretty frustrating, it tends to slow down as you get older.
Men’s Hair Loss Clinic in Oklahoma
If you’re like many men, taking control of thinning hair and male pattern baldness can give you confidence and help you feel like yourself again. At Oklahoma Men’s Clinic, we can help. Using PRP treatment and minimally invasive Neograft technology, we can restore your hairline and help you create the image you wish to project once more. Give us a call at 405.400.9915, or contact us online here to set up your free consultation.