As male hair loss is more commonly a symptom rather than a condition in itself, it is important to know the main causes of hair thinning and loss to ensure that you find the treatment that is right for you.
The first is being sure that you are indeed suffering from excessive hair loss. Most people can lose up to 100 hairs a day without noticing, according to the NHS and most of the time this hair loss grows back as part of a natural cycle.
However, some very common habits can contribute to hair thinning, where hair is lost gradually, leading to wider partings and finer hair follicles.
Here are some common habits that can contribute to thinning hair and hair loss.
Worrying Too Much
Many of us have a lot of worries on our mind, from anxieties over our career to relationship troubles and worries about the wider world. All of these concerns can add up and make us feel more stressed, which has both physiological and psychological effects.
The effects on your head of hair include grey hairs, thinning hair and telogen effluvium, which is when the hair growth cycle is disturbed and hair falls out early.
Thankfully, stress-based hair loss is rarely permanent, and prioritising your mental health can help to restore your head of hair as well. Mindfulness exercises, therapy, or sharing your concerns with others can go a long way to help.
If you are worried about your hair loss, however, please consult your doctor to ensure there is no underlying condition that may be contributing to a loss of hair.
Using Too Many Products
Many people arguably wash their hair too much and with too many products, with most people not actually needing to wash their hair every day. Sometimes people can get away with not washing their hair every other day even.
Overwashing, as well as using curling tongs, hair straighteners, different strong products and colour treatments can strip the hair of its protective oils, weaken the follicles and damage them in the long run.
If you are worried that you are over-washing your hair, try extending the time between washes by a day, so if you shampoo your hair daily, try doing so every other day, and extend the time until you like how your shampoo feels, or use alternative, less detergent-heavy shampoos and conditioners.
One aspect to bear in mind is that you need to give your scalp time to adjust to any major changes to your cleaning schedule, so give any changes at least a month before writing them off.
Eating An Unbalanced Diet
Your hair relies on a varied range of vitamins and minerals to maintain its shimmer and strength alongside the amino acids that form its building blocks. These include vitamin D as well as vitamin B-12, alongside selenium, iron, folic acid and zinc.
Most of these can be found in meat, eggs, bread and nuts, and often have other health benefits and boosts to your immune system.