On average, there are approximately 100,000 hairs on a human head. An individual normally sheds between 50 and 100 strands of hair daily, as hair moves through the stages of the hair growth cycle. Hair shedding involves losing normal amounts of hair, while hair loss entails losing abnormal amounts of hair. If you’re losing more than 100 hairs per day or noticing that your scalp is becoming more visible, then you might be experiencing hair loss.
Hair loss is a very common condition that affects around 80 million people in the U.S alone. Both men and women can experience hair loss, and it can be a stressful ordeal. In this article, we’ll discuss the main causes of hair loss, the differences between male and female pattern baldness, and treatment options. Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Causes of Hair Loss
A number of things can cause hair loss. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), these are the top six causes of hair loss:
- Genetics
- Age
- Medical conditions
- Stress
- Medications or cancer treatment
- Improper hair care (i.e. strong chemicals and tight hairstyles)
While many factors contribute, genetics is the number one cause of hair loss. Genetic hair loss has been found to affect approximately 67% of men and 24% of women.
Bonus Information: Alopecia is the proper medical term for hair loss. There are many different types of alopecia that you can read about here if you’re interested.
Temporary vs. Permanent Hair Loss
Whether hair loss is reversible or irreversible largely depends on the particular cause. Hair loss caused by certain conditions, medications, and hair products can usually be reversed if treated promptly. However, hair loss due to genetic factors cannot be reversed – only slowed down or stopped with certain medication and/or treatments.
In the rest of this article, I’m going to focus on androgenetic alopecia – a form of progressive, genetic hair loss caused by DHT hormone that affects both men and women. Given its genetic component, androgenetic alopecia is permanent. However, if treated early, the hair loss process can be significantly delayed.
Male Pattern Baldness vs. Female Pattern Baldness
Not only does androgenetic alopecia affect more men than women, but genetic hair loss also presents differently in men and women. In these next two sections, we’ll talk about the differences in appearance between male and female pattern baldness. This way, you can better assess and know what to look for if you’re concerned about genetic hair loss.
Male Pattern Baldness
Male pattern baldness usually follows distinct patterns and affects specific areas on the scalp. There are three letters used to describe male pattern baldness:
- M-shape: Receding hairline forms an “M” shape
- O-shape: Hair thinning at the crown forms an “O” shape
- U-shape: Both M- and O-shaped hair loss combined leaves a “U-shape” with hair only left in the back and at the sides of the head
Female Pattern Baldness
Female pattern baldness typically involves more evenly-spaced hair loss at the top and crown of the head, decreasing the overall appearance of thickness. In women, hair loss is often first noticed where the hair is parted.
Treatments for Hair Loss
If you’re experiencing hair loss, then you should reach out to a doctor – the earlier, the better. The type of doctor that you’ll want to see for hair loss is a dermatologist. Dermatologists are mostly known for treating skin. However, they are also experts in conditions related to hair and nails.
A dermatologist can help you determine the most likely cause(s) of your hair loss and recommend the best course of treatment. For some, treatment may be as simple as adjusting medications and changing habits. For others, particularly those whose hair loss is caused by genetics and aging, more extensive treatment is usually considered.
Here are the top six treatments for genetic and age-related hair loss, from least to most permanent/invasive:
- Minoxidil (Rogaine): an over-the-counter topical medication for hair loss
- Finasteride (Propecia): a prescription oral medication for hair loss
- Low-level light therapy (LLLT): stimulates hair growth; often in the form of a laser cap
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP): a substance obtained from the patient’s own blood that is injected into the scalp to stimulate hair growth
- Scalp micropigmentation (SMP): a cosmetic procedure in which ink is deposited into the scalp to give the appearance of hair; hair tattoo
- Hair transplant surgery: a surgical procedure in which hair is harvested from non-thinning areas of the head and transplanted into thinning areas
Pro Tip: For more advanced cases of hair loss, speaking with a hair transplant surgeon can be beneficial, even if you’re not considering surgery. Hair surgeons aren’t just licensed to perform hair transplants but also non-invasive hair restoration procedures as well.
Conclusion
That’s it for this article! I hope that I was able to help you out. Hair restoration is a big part of my medical background, and I just wanted to share with you some things that I learned along the way. My goal with this article is to help you better understand hair loss so you can feel empowered to make the best choice for your health. 🙂
For more on hair loss, hair transplant, and treatment options, be sure to check out some of my other articles on hair restoration. In each article, I include lots of information that you won’t be able to find anywhere else. By the end, you’ll be a mini expert! 😉 See you in the next article. As always, stay healthy and keep learning.