What Causes Baldness? 6 Hair Loss Myths Debunked
August is National Hair Loss Month, a time for discussing a health condition that affects more than 85 percent of men over 50 and 40 percent of women. For such a common condition, there are a lot of myths floating around about what causes hair loss and what can be done to prevent it. Here are 6 of those myths debunked.
There Is Nothing You Can Do About Hair Loss
While it’s true that hair loss is common and we’ve yet to find a cure for it, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing you can do. According to Bill Edwards, a Hair Loss Specialist and the CEO of Regenix, in an email to Medical Daily, there are a number of ways to enhance the hair you have and techniques to prevent future hair loss. For example, there are two FDA-approved drugs to treat hair loss; Minoxidil (Rogaine) and Finasteride (Propecia). In addition, there are also surgical solutions, such as hair transplants and hair plugs, WebMD reported.
Read: Hair Loss Treatment 2016: Breakthrough Drug Restores More Than 90% Of Lost Hair In Most Patients
Washing Hair Too Frequently Causes Hair Loss
On average we lose about 50 to 100 strands of hair a day, and on days when hair is washed, we can lose up to 250 strands, WebMD reported. However, this doesn’t mean that you should wash your hair any less; washing too infrequently can also cause hair health problems such as itchiness and irritation, InStyle reported. It’s best to stick to your normal schedule.
Hair Loss Is A Male Problem
While hair loss is far more common among men, the problem also affects a large number of women. Hair loss in women may be caused by several reasons, varying from genetics to medical conditions such as pregnancy, thyroid disorders, and anemia, WebMD reported. Hair loss in women can also be caused by certain hairstyles, such as tight cornrows or damage caused by chemical treatments.
Having A Bald Father Or Grandfather Means You’ll Be Bald As Well
Hair loss is a polygenetic trait, which means that it's not caused by one gene by rather by a random combination of many genes from both immediate and extended family members, Prevention reported. Although hair loss is more likely if the trait runs in your family, it's nearly impossible to predict whether or not you will experience it.
Wearing A Hat Will Cause Hair Loss
It’s a common idea that wearing a hat will lead to hair loss. This is based on the concept that a hat will put extra strain on your follicles, leading to extra loss. US News reported that hats cause no harm to your head, except if they are especially dirty. Then they may cause an infection. You should probably be more concerned about your hair style than whether you're going to lose hair from a hat.
Hair Loss Only Happens With Age
We may associate hair loss with the elderly, but nearly a quarter of all men that experience hair loss will first notice signs of the problem in their early 20s. Unfortunately, US Health also reported that the earlier that hair loss begins, the more severe it is likely to be.
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