Baldness myths: 5 things that may or may not be causing hair loss

July 12, 2014  17:41

With all of the genetic, hormonal, and environmental aspects of baldness, pinpointing a specific cause of hair loss is hard to determine. The most common form of hair loss for both men and women is androgenetic alopecia, also known as male or female pattern baldness. It is estimated that over 95 percent of men suffering from hair loss are affected by male pattern baldness, Medical Daily reported.

Although many people associate hair loss only with men, around 40 percent of people suffering from hair loss in the United States are women. Before we get into some of the myths surrounding hair loss, we do, in fact, lose 50 to 100 hair follicles a day, but with over 100,000 strands of hairs on the average person’s scalp, that amount of hair loss tends to go unnoticed. Here are five common myths that a majority of hair loss sufferers attribute their baldness to:

1. Wearing A Hat Will Cause Hair Loss

Unless you’re wearing a hat so tight that it cuts off circulation to hair follicles, you can wear hats as often as you like without experiencing hair loss. Traction alopecia, a condition caused by damage to hair follicles and dermal papilla that is the result of constant pulling or tension, is what most people associate hair loss due to wearing a hat with. While wearing a hat may not result in traction alopecia, braids, tight buns, and other hairstyle that cause the hairline to recede may result in gradual baldness.

2. Hair Loss Is Passed Down From Your Mother’s Side

Genetics do play a major role in hair loss. However, you are just as likely to share the baldness trait with someone from your father’s side of the family as much as your mother’s side. Prior research has suggested that the so-called “hair loss gene” is passed down via the X chromosome we receive from our mother. More recent studies have identified a number of “hair loss genes” that are located on both the X and Y chromosomes.

3. Hair Loss Is Irreversible

Above all other causes of gradual hair loss, hormonal changes are considered to be the main culprit among hair restoration experts. An extension of the male hormone testosterone known as Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) has come up in the majority of recent studies investigating direct causes of hair loss. While testosterone is considered the male hormone, it does show up scarcely among some women. Research shows that women with larger amounts of testosterone are more likely to suffer from hair loss. The hormonal change of testosterone to DHT can have a devastating effect on hair follicles. Thanks to hair loss treatments like Propecia and Rogaine that effectively reduce levels of hair follicle shrinking hormones, the progression of hair loss can be prevented and in some cases even reversed.

Hair loss can begin as early the teenage years for men, and the 20s for women. 

5. Stress Causes Hair Loss

Stress can cause hair loss, but it’s not the typical stresses of everyday life that many experience: a difficult boss, a stressful job, or financial insecurity. Stress-related hair loss tends to be associated with very emotionally powerful events, such as the loss of a loved one. It is the type of event that causes a person to lose sleep, or changes a person’s appetite and significantly raise the level of stress hormones.

Follow NEWS.am Medicine on Facebook and Twitter


 
  • Video
 
 
  • Event calendar
 
 
  • Archive