Is it just your imagination or has your hair been thinning lately? What is all that hair in the shower drain? You looked like one of the Beatles in their heyday and now you can even see your scalp! Hair thinning is a common problem, as is baldness. There are several types of alopecia, and certain signs can clearly indicate if you are going bald. However, if that's your problem, don't worry - there are a few ways to treat and manage baldness.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Assess for Hair Loss
Step 1. Look closely at your head in front of the mirror
Just because you see hair on your pillow or shower drain doesn't mean you're going bald. Look at your hair. Hairline recession may indicate baldness, while patchy loss may be due to other factors. It is important to carefully evaluate every possible cause, because hair loss could be a symptom of another health problem.
Step 2. Realize that hair falls out all the time
Most people lose 50 to 100 hairs every day. If you are concerned that you have recently noticed this phenomenon, the information in this article will calm you down. Know that there are several reasons for hair loss.
- Assess your situation. One or more factors can contribute to hair loss. The most common are age and genetic makeup. If you've hit puberty and your hair is gradually but steadily thinning, that's perfectly normal.
- The most common cause of hair loss is genetic in nature. Cases of alopecia in the family can tell you if you are going to face baldness problems.
- 95% of hair loss in men is due to androgenetic alopecia.
- 40% of men lose their hair especially after the age of 35.
- Most female pattern baldness occurs after menopause.
- Half of men over the age of 50 experience hair loss.
Step 3. Assess your stress level
Stress can lead to hair loss both directly and indirectly through a number of biological mechanisms. By keeping it at bay, you have a chance to reduce associated hair loss. If uncontrolled, it becomes a health threat. This advice is not about the small stressors in everyday life, it is about what impairs sleep or causes big changes in appetite. Try meditating, running, team sports, or yoga to manage stress.
- A common cause of baldness is the level of testosterone in the body, which can depend on genetic makeup and stress. Try to try your hand at some activity that frees you from psychophysical tensions, or spend qualitatively important moments with your family. This type of commitment has been shown to slow down the process of baldness.
- Shock is another factor that can lead to hair loss. The body is not a set of parts that are separated and assembled one by one. If you've recently experienced a traumatic event, such as a sudden lifestyle change, the loss of a family member, or the loss of an important job, it is normal for your hair to fall out within a few months.
- According to research, oxidative stress, caused by the body's exposure to free radicals, contributes to hair loss. Antioxidants, such as those found in various foods (such as blueberries, acai berries, and green tea) can help minimize this type of stress on the body.
Step 4. Stop hair loss caused by bad habits
Don't abuse your hair. In some cases, the loss may be due to recurring wrong actions. Various hairstyles and many treatments can cause serious damage to the hair and scalp. Therefore, be very careful not to go bald to follow the fashion.
- By tying your hair too tight, you risk tearing it slowly at the roots. If you like braids or elaborate hair, try loosening the rubber bands a little; in this way you will decrease the tension exerted on the roots. This type of fall is called traction alopecia.
- Excessive use of treatments, dyes and perms risks weakening the hair until it falls out.
Step 5. Pay attention to other physical changes that may indicate hormonal fluctuations
Hair loss can be associated with hereditary baldness, or caused by hormonal factors. A doctor can help calculate hormone levels.
- Male and female pattern baldness are linked to sex hormones that cause permanent hair loss.
- Other factors that can cause this phenomenon, albeit temporarily, are those caused by hormonal imbalances during pregnancy, childbirth, menopause or the suspension of birth control pills.
Step 6. Look out for other conditions
There are also other health factors that can trigger hair loss - temporary or permanent - depending on the type of problem and its severity.
- Thyroid problems can result in hormonal imbalances that cause hair loss.
- "Alopecia areata" is a disease of the immune system that causes the body to attack the hair follicles. If you notice that the leak is characterized by even, circular-shaped patches, this could be the cause.
- Malnutrition;
- Scalp infections, such as ringworm, can lead to hair loss, although treating them can cause them to grow back.
- If you suspect that any of these problems are causing your baldness, see a doctor.
Step 7. Watch out for medications
If you are being treated for a chronic medical condition such as high blood pressure, a heart problem, depression, arthritis or cancer, the medications prescribed for the treatment can lead to hair loss. If you are concerned that this is the case, discuss with your doctor about prescribing other medications - it is possible to find drug solutions that have other side effects.
Step 8. Check your power supply
A diet low in iron and protein risks weakening the scalp, making hair thinner. In fact, by eating poorly, we do not allow the body to function properly. Poor nutrient intake can be a direct cause of hair loss. Therefore, it is possible that this phenomenon is related to nutrition, but it can be resolved by taking supplements.
- Eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia can lead to hair loss.
- Crash diets are another factor in hair loss, which is accompanied by poor nutrition and some sort of physical trauma. The body simply communicates this with hunger.
Part 2 of 2: Treating Baldness
Step 1. Seek medical help
Once you have no more doubts that you are going bald and that you have no control over the underlying cause (if, for example, it is genetic in nature), you have two solutions: accept your body as it is or try to solve the problem. The effectiveness of the treatments depends on your genetic makeup and your financial resources.
- Minoxidil is a chemical compound found in some over-the-counter medications intended to treat certain types of baldness. It has some success in slowing or even regenerating hair growth. However, it is only effective on hair that falls on the back of the head, not the front. Side effects include irritation and unwanted facial hair growth.
- Finasteride is a prescription pill to be taken daily for the treatment of male pattern baldness. Among the results it offers are the reduction of hair loss and, in some cases, the regrowth of hair. Side effects, on the other hand, include depression, decreased libido and sexual function, and a low, albeit present, risk of rapidly developing prostate cancer. It is not recommended for women of childbearing age.
- Hair transplantation involves transplanting small pieces of skin, each of which contains hair, taken from the back or sides of the scalp. They are then inserted into the bald areas of the scalp. This remedy does not stop baldness and, in some cases, may involve further treatment as the hair loss progresses.
- Scalp reduction (detonsuration or scalp reduction) consists in surgically removing an area prone to baldness from the head. The hairless area is removed and the scalp takes the place of the removed part.
Step 2. Put on a wig
Chances are you don't want to suffer from the transplant or be unsure whether your hair will grow back. If you are undergoing chemotherapy, you may be suffering from temporary hair loss. In these cases, there is a real and proven alternative that men and women have been using for centuries: a simple wig.
- Wigs come in all shapes, styles, colors and materials. You can buy some at a low price to find out which designs and colors are right for you, or you could look for a company that makes custom wigs and can create one according to your personal tastes, so that it looks perfectly natural.
- There are also real hair wigs on the market, they can be aesthetically pleasing without costing too much.
- Some charities give wigs to children suffering from permanent alopecia. They are made with real hair and, as needed, are available for free or at affordable prices to a limited number of recipients. To fund the charities, they also sell retail wigs. It could be a great solution if you want to buy a real hair wig and support a good cause at the same time.
Step 3. Accept it
Choose a style that suits your baldness, maybe go for a completely shaved head. Think about how many famous people used that look: Bruce Willis, Michael Jordan, Vin Diesel, Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Stewart, Larry David, Jason Statham, Andre Agassi … there are so many who have made baldness their style without breaking up. discourage. It sure didn't stop Sean Connery from being named the Sexiest Man by People Magazine in 1989.
According to a socio-psychological study, completely bald men appear to be more masculine and strong than those with hair
Advice
- Minimize the unnatural causes of this problem by treating your hair well: do not dye it if it is fragile and do not tie it too tightly, otherwise it will tear at the roots.
- If hair loss is hereditary, remember that the image of the bald man is sexy nowadays.
