When it comes to hair loss, it can be difficult to know who to listen to. Everyone has a say on the matter, whether them being a professional or not. It doesn’t help that when you first start noticing thinning strands, everything seems to be the culprit. The impact of wrong information can be detrimental to someone looking for the proper guidance to better their personal situation. We’ve gone over the top 5 common causes of hair loss, yet it is also important to know what is considered false information on the subject. For this week, we will cover the top 5 common myths about hair loss.
Myth #1: Hats Cause Baldness
The common belief behind this myth is that a hat can restrict the blood flow circulation to the hair follicles. In reality, you would need to wear your hat so unnecessarily tight for this to occur. Naturally, this is very unlikely to happen as it would be greatly uncomfortable to wear such an accessory like that. Typical day-to-day hat wearing will not play a role in losing one’s hair.
A safety measure that is valid, however, is making sure your favorite hat is washed regularly. The oil and bacteria that can end up growing in the hat can (over time) negatively impact the health of your hair. Just as you would normally wash other clothes and personals, your hat should be treated in the same manner. In turn, keeping a hat from getting dirty will help you avoid scalp infections from dirt and sweat, thus improving your hair’s quality. Making sure that the hat does not cause much friction will minimize irritation to the hair follicles and scalp.
Myth #2: Elevated Levels Of Testosterone Are The Enemy
For many years, it was thought that the root cause (no pun intended) for androgenetic alopecia, the most common form of hair loss, stemmed from a predominance of the male sex hormone, testosterone, which women also have in trace amounts under normal conditions. But while testosterone is at the core of the balding process, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is now thought to be the main culprit.
DHT, a derivative of the male hormone testosterone, is the enemy of hair follicles on your head. In other words, under certain conditions DHT wants those follicles dead. This is the main source of hair loss for most cases out there.
The hormonal process that converts Testosterone to DHT can happen in both men and women. Even though women generally have very small levels of testosterone, this amount can still be enough to trigger hair loss for some women. When it comes to hormones, there really is no set standard that can fit and explain everyone. The impact certain hormonal changes can have on someone are specific to them. Hormones are cyclical. Testosterone levels can drop by 10% for some men each decade after age 30. As for women, their hormone levels decline as menopause approaches and drop sharply during menopause and beyond. The cyclic nature of both our hair and hormones is one reason hair loss can increase in the short term even when you are having a long-term slowdown/increase of hair loss while on a treatment for hair loss.
MYTH #3: This Disorder Affects Only Older Men
The idea that hair loss only affects those approaching the older years has been greatly disproven. Chances are you may know someone in their 20s who is already showing signs of a receding hairline. Although hair loss due to male pattern baldness can occur at any age after puberty, it most often starts in the mid-twenties. Due to the gradual nature of hair loss, it does take many years to reach the more advanced stages. But the earlier the hair loss starts, the more the final result is likely to be severe.
According to a study done by Tsinghua University, 60 percent of the young study participants reported they were losing significant amounts of hair. While 25 percent of respondents said they didn’t notice the hair loss until they were told by friends or family, 40 percent responded they were quite aware of their receding hairlines. The results of this study also translate similarly to young adults in the United States.
Interestingly, a key factor aside from hereditary reasons that could contribute to premature hair loss among the youth can be traced to the popularity of adopting vegan and vegetarian diets. Due to the restricted nature of these diets, it is very easy to end up deficient in certain vitamins that contribute to healthy hair growth. Severely reduced protein consumption as well as deficiencies in zinc, vitamin D, and other nutrients can negatively affect hair growth.
If you’re interested in knowing more about the best vitamins for hair growth, you can check out our article on that right here.
Myth #4: Chlorine and Salt Water Leads To Baldness
The reasoning behind this is commonly-believed myth is that the chlorine can dry out the hair strands, thus making them brittle. While it is true that hair can become dry from chlorine, it requires more than the average exposure to chlorine to really impact the hair. Even then, the dryness/coarseness associated with chlorine exposure does not directly correlate to hair loss.
One method to remove the chlorine from your hair is to make a paste using baking soda. Apply the paste to damp hair and massage it from your scalp to your ends. Then, rinse out the paste using clean water and shampoo. The baking soda will help neutralize the chlorine and lift out any green color the chlorine deposited.
If chlorine exposure, such as in swimming, is a part of your daily activities, it would be a good idea to adopt a healthy habit of proper conditioning. Before and after swimming, condition your hair to maintain its moisture. Moreover, rinsing your hair with tap water to reduce how many chemicals (such as chlorine) are absorbed will also help the health of your hair.
MYTH #5: Hair Loss Treatments Don’t Work
Treatments such as hair grafts and some medication available in pharmacies can be very effective. These medications can help slow hair loss and, in some cases, even stimulate regrowth. However, there are many products and treatments on the market whose true effectiveness has not been proven because they haven’t been tested in serious studies.
Hair restoration methods have very much improved since its introduction in the 60s. At that time, your best bet was a quality wig. In the 70s, came hair plugs which absolutely did not capture natural results. For quite a while, a hair transplant method known as Strip Surgery became very popular. However, the issue with this route was that it would leave an unsightly strip scar from the procedure permanently on the back of the head of the patient. This was then generally replaced by Handheld FUE hair restoration, which is still very popular. In this procedure, a physician uses a handheld device to extract the individual hair follicles.
The evolution of hair transplantation methods are constantly ever-evolving. At this point, the method that outperforms all previous methods is Artas iX Robotic Hair Restoration. Here at Hair By Dr. Max, Restoration Center, Dr. Max is highly proficient in the Artas Robotic Hair Restoration technology. With more than 20 years of surgical experience, Dr. Max is an experienced surgeon and progressive thinker who brings the newest, most effective technologies to his clients. He was designated as a Platinum ARTAS® provider based on the highest level of clinical expertise. Dr. Chumak incorporates the most recent innovations into hair restoration. At Hair By Dr. Max, Restoration Center, we will work with you to create a personalized treatment plan, based on your unique goals and preferences. After thorough, collaborative consultation and planning, he will utilize hair transplant technology to achieve the most optimal results possible in cosmetic medicine today.
Disclaimer: The material on this website is provided for informational purposes only and should not be used in place of medical advice. Always consult your physician before beginning any therapy program or treatment plan.
