Hair – whether you have it or not – is the one sure thing everyone notices about a person when meeting them. For men, going bald has different meanings. Maybe you’re a man whose motto is, “bald is beautiful,” or maybe it’s, “I wish I had my hair back.”
However, today many men are not as fearful of losing their hair as in the past. Years ago, quite a few balding men chose to wear a toupee, fortunately an outdated hair piece that did few men any appearance favors. Nowadays, men who naturally go bald are embracing this hot trend (some men deliberately shave their heads bald) and are no longer making attempts to cover up their hairless scalp. In fact, many women find bald men very attractive and sexy, particularly if the man displays self-confidence and candor.
Determining a specific cause of hair loss in men is not easy to do. It’s likely a combination of genetic, hormonal and environmental aspects involved. The most common form of hair loss for men (and women) is androgenetic alopecia, also known as male or female pattern baldness. It is estimated that over 95 percent of men with hair loss are affected by male pattern baldness.
With more than 50 percent of men over the age of 50 who have some form of hair loss, many of them want to know what the truth behind their baldness is. Since misinformation runs the gamut on male hair loss, it’s to time to expose the truth behind the myths of losing your hair:
Myth 1 – Baldness comes from your mother’s side
This is a common myth that has circulated over the years. But the truth is that the fate of your hair is determined by genes from both sides of your family and likely you have ended up with a mix of both parent’s hair genes. It is not limited to just the maternal side of the family.
The gene that causes baldness is on the X chromosome, which men get only from their mothers, but there are other contributing factors. While the hereditary factor is slightly more dominant on the woman’s side, research suggests that men who have a bald father are more likely to develop baldness as genetics do play a major role in hair loss.
Myth 2 – Wearing a hat makes hair fall out
There is no proof that men who wear a hat are more likely to experience hair loss. A more likely cause of hair loss in some men could be due to traction alopecia, a condition caused by damage to hair follicle and dermal papilla as a result of constant pulling or tension. Wearing a hat unlikely will cause traction alopecia, but men with long hair who frequently wear braids or have their hair pulled back tightly, could cause their hair to recede leading to gradual baldness.
Myth 3 – Going bald only happens during old age
Wishful thought but hair loss or signs of balding can already be seen in some men as young as their late teens or early 20s. Go to your 10-year high school class reunion and notice how many of the guys are showing signs of losing hair.
Myth 4 – Shampooing hair too frequently causes hair loss
Shampoo frequency and balding are not related, so the number of times you shampoo will not determine if you will lose hair. If shampooing everyday allows your hair and scalp to remain healthy, that is fine.
Myth 5 – Men should not use dry shampoos
Men can use dry shampoos if they want and do not have an effect on causing baldness. These products help to minimize oiliness of the hair and restore a fresh scent to the hair. They can prolong the time between shampoos but they do not clean the hair and scalp as regular shampoos do.
Dr. David Samadi is the Director of Men’s Health and Urologic Oncology at St. Francis Hospital in Long Island. He’s a renowned and highly successful board certified Urologic Oncologist Expert and Robotic Surgeon in New York City, regarded as one of the leading prostate surgeons in the U.S., with a vast expertise in prostate cancer treatment and Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy. Dr. Samadi is a medical contributor to NewsMax TV and is also the author of The Ultimate MANual, Dr. Samadi’s Guide to Men’s Health and Wellness, available online both on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Visit Dr. Samadi’s websites at robotic oncolo gy and prostate cancer 911.
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