10 Myths About Hair Loss

Androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness) will affect two-thirds of men by the age of 35 and 86% of men by the age of 50. When hair loss becomes noticeable, a minimum of 50% of your follicles will have already been lost. There are many myths that circulate as to what causes hair loss. We are going to dispel the top 10 of them here:

Myth #1: Shampooing causes hair loss

False. Sorry, but clean hair is healthy hair. You may shed a few follicles when sudsing up, but this is normal. Our bodies naturally shed 80 to 120 hair follicles per day as part of the normal growth cycle.

Myth #2: Hair loss is inherited from your mother’s side of the family

False. Genetics is the primary cause of androgenic alopecia, and you can inherit the baldness trait from either or both sides of your family.

Myth #3: High testosterone levels cause androgenic alopecia

False. Testosterone is not the cause of your hair loss. Instead, a derivative of testosterone, DHT, is the primary cause of androgenic alopecia. Treatments directed at preserving your remaining hair focus on decreasing your DHT levels. Oral and topical finasteride have both been shown to be effective at decreasing DHT levels and helping to preserve your hair.

Myth #4: Stress is causing you to go bald

False. High levels of physical and emotional stress can contribute to temporary hair loss. However, androgenic alopecia is a permanent medical condition. So, no, stress is not the cause of your baldness.

Myth #5: Wearing a hat will cause baldness

False. Wearing a hat will have no effect on whether you go bald or not. On the other hand, some may speculate that you’re wearing that hat to conceal your hair loss.

Myth #6: Sunshine will damage your hair

False. While the sun may damage your skin, its effects on your hair are minimal, and it will not contribute to you going bald. In fact, sunshine is essential to maintaining healthy levels of Vitamin D in your body, which is essential for healthy hair.

Myth #7: There is no cure for baldness

False. There is no product on the market that can regrow your lost hair follicles. Treatments with PRP (platelet-rich plasma) have been shown to increase the number and diameter of follicles in both men and women. Hair transplants with the ARTAS robotic technology can move permanent follicles from the back of your scalp to areas of hair loss, giving a lifetime cure for baldness in the areas transplanted.

Myth #8: Brushing or combing your hair causes hair loss

False. Follicles that may be pulled out by aggressive brushing or combing your hair will grow back. This is not the cause of your baldness. An increase in the number of follicles seen in your brush, however, may be indicative of your underlying androgenic alopecia.

Myth #9: Only men will experience hair loss

False. Up to 40% of women will experience thinning hair and hair loss during their lifetime.

Myth #10: Hair restoration never looks natural

False. The picture you have in mind is what’s referred to as hair plugs – the results of the older, more invasive strip surgery. However, there are many newer, less invasive procedures on the market today, including follicular unit extraction (FUE) and the ARTAS robotic technology procedure.

These procedures leave minimal scarring in the donor area that is barely visible to the naked eye, and the transplanted hair looks completely natural. With modern hair restoration techniques, patient satisfaction following a hair transplant is 96%.

The Edge For Men now offers the world’s only robotic hair restoration procedure – Artas iX – to help you attain a fuller head of hair. To learn more about your options for preserving and restoring your hair, contact The Edge For Men at (314) 736-4MEN to schedule your consultation.