No matter who you are, chances are good that if you’re a man, you will experience some degree of hair loss by the time you reach 60 years of age. For others, the process may begin as early as their teen years. Some men are almost completely bald by their 30s. While the symptoms are the same – a receding hairline and thinning hair – the reasons for male hair loss differ. In fact, there are 10 different reasons that you may experience hair loss.

1. Androgenetic Alopecia

The most common cause of male hair loss is androgenetic alopecia or hereditary hair loss. Simply put, it’s a genetic trait passed through your family from father to son. Once, it was thought that it was passed through the mother’s DNA, but science has since disproven that.

2. Medications and Medical Conditions

Two other common causes of male hair loss are medications and medical treatments. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are prime examples, but there are many others. Also, underlying medical conditions can affect hair loss, including heart disease and hypertension.

3. Steroids

Steroid use can affect hair loss, as well as other parts of the body. Note that this applies primarily to performance-enhancing steroids, not the type prescribed by doctors for swelling and inflammation.

4. Mental Health

A wide range of mental health factors affect hair health and can accelerate hair loss. These include anxiety and depression, as well as many others. Chronic stress also has a pronounced impact on hair follicle health.

5. Diet

For some men, you may need to look no further than your diet for one of the reasons for male hair loss. Without adequate vitamins and minerals, hair growth suffers. Supplements can help, but the best option is to get most of your nutrition from the foods you eat.

6. Hormone Imbalance

Hormones control most of your body’s functions, and that includes hair growth. If your hormones are not balanced, hair growth will suffer. A prime example is the reaction of hair follicles to dihydrotestosterone (the prime driver of male pattern baldness).

7. Sleep Health

Too often, we downplay the importance of sleep to our health. The truth is that even a minor lack of sleep can cause major problems, including reduced cognitive capabilities, increased chance of heart disease, and hair loss.

8. Too Much Care

You love to look good. However, if you take your hair care regimen to the extreme, it can cause hair loss. Overusing product, too much brushing, too much washing, and/or high heat – these are just some of the factors that affect hair loss.

9. Autoimmune Diseases

Your immune system is supposed to protect against foreign invaders, but sometimes it becomes confused and attacks the body instead. Hair loss can be a symptom of an autoimmune condition.

10. Smoking

Finally, smoking is one of the most common reasons for male hair loss. It reduces the heart’s ability to pump blood throughout the body, starving hair follicles of nutrients and oxygen.

These are the most common reasons for male hair loss. The good news is that they can all be treated with the right combination of methods.

Hair transplant surgery offers you the chance to regain your self-confidence and once more enjoy a healthy, full head of natural hair. Today’s procedures are far more effective, less painful, and require far less recovery time than they once did. However, there are still things that you will need to know to ensure a successful hair transplant recovery process.

1. Downtime Matters

First and foremost, make sure you get plenty of downtime. The first 24 hours are critical – you should have no activity during this period. After the first day or so, you can begin to resume some of your normal activities, but your doctor will probably recommend that you limit your more strenuous activities for a bit longer.

2. Avoid Exercise and Strenuous Activities

While the first 72 hours of recovery after a hair transplant procedure are the most critical, you will need to take it easy for some time to come. Most doctors recommend avoiding exercise and other strenuous activities for about two weeks after a hair transplant. The point is to avoid increasing blood flow to the scalp too much during this time, so you’ll want to avoid certain activities and even physical motions, such as:

• Bending at the waist (bend at the knees, instead)
• Jogging or running
• Sit-ups or push-ups

Any activity that increases blood pressure in the scalp or that leads to significant sweating should be avoided during this period.

3. Don’t Wash Up Just Yet

You will need to avoid washing your hair for the first 72 hours after the hair transplant procedure. This gives your scalp time to heal. Once that period is over, you can wash your hair gently. Don’t apply the shampoo directly to your head, though. Put a few drops of shampoo in a cup, add water, shake it to mix and lather it up, then pour that over your scalp before rinsing with clean water. During the first week after the procedure, keep your head out of the direct spray from the showerhead, as well.

4. Skip the Headwear

Yes, it’s natural to want to put a hat on, but you need to avoid that for the first seven days or so. After that period, you can wear a loose-fitting hat, but avoid anything that fits tightly. After five days, you can wear any type of headwear you want.

5. Alcohol and Nicotine

Alcohol thins the blood, so it’s important to avoid it for the first five days or so after the procedure. For nicotine, you need to be smoke-free for about four weeks before and after the procedure due to the effect that nicotine has on blood pressure and decreasing blood flow.

6. Scratching/Itching and Sunlight

Your scalp will itch during the healing process. Do not scratch it. You need to let the scabs form and the healing process to proceed naturally. For the same reason, keep your scalp out of direct sunlight for about two weeks.

As you can see, the recovery process for today’s hair transplant procedures is not all that grueling. Follow the basic tips above and you’ll be able to enjoy a healthy, full head of hair in no time at all.

Call or message us to book a consult, or learn more about hair transplantation here.