Losing hair is a natural process that happens to everyone, every day. We all lose an average of 80 hair strands a day, but our hair is continually growing in cycles to replenish itself. However, if you have been noticing an unusual amount of hair loss, you might be worried you are going bald.
Many men will notice their hair thinning when they are still in their 20s or 30s. Some of the most common signs of balding include a receding hairline, more hair appearing in the sink and shower, and a sudden change in how your hair reacts to brushing. About half of all women will experience hair loss at some time in their lives. Most female begin to notice it in their 50s or 60s, but it can happen at any age and for many reasons.
Don’t panic. Hair thinning and baldness are two different things, and both have multiple treatment options. But how to tell if your hair is thinning or going bald? This article helps you determine if your hair loss is causing baldness or thinning hair, so you know how to treat it properly.
Age Factor
If you are entering your silver years, your hair may be experiencing thinning, which is a normal part of the aging process. If you are a woman approaching menopause, hair thinning is often a normal symptom.
However, if you are under 35, hair loss could be a sign of baldness.
Where is The Hair Loss?
If you notice a receding or falling hairline, especially at the crown of your head, this could be a sign of baldness. A more random or patchy hair loss pattern is usually an indicator of thinning hair.
If your hair appears to be falling out, you may have alopecia, a condition that causes a person to lose some hair. Consult a professional if you think this is the case.
Does Hair Loss Run in The Family?
Look into your family’s history of hair loss. Male Pattern Baldness is usually a genetic condition, so your first step in determining whether you are experiencing baldness is to find out if you are genetically susceptible to baldness.
If you have a family history of male pattern baldness, chances are your hair loss is not caused by stress or other factors. It’s probably caused by genetics, and there’s not much you can do about it.
You should consult a skin doctor to discuss your hair restoration options. There is a lot of information you can find online, but the internet is also full of half-truths and myths. The only way to get good information you can trust is to see a medical expert in person who can review your hair loss.
Your Hair Loss Is Related to Stress
Excessive levels of stress can cause hair loss in men and women. Many people don’t realize that stress can have a physical effect on your body. Severe stress that lasts a long time can cause extreme fatigue during the day and hair loss.
If you start to notice your hair thinning, de-stressing is a good first step. You can do more of the activities you enjoy and try to reduce the number of extreme stress triggers in your life. If stress is the cause of your hair loss, then when your stress levels decrease, it is more likely that your hair will grow back.
Other factors for hair thinning
There are many factors that cause your hair to become thin. Please observe whether you have recently experienced any of the following triggers:
- Hormonal or Chemical Imbalance
Thinning hair can occur when your hormones are produced in different amounts. Think: new medications, discontinuing prescriptions, etc.
- Thyroid Issues
If you also experience memory loss, depression, sudden weight gain, dry skin, or fatigue and frequent muscle aches, your hair thinning may be caused by a thyroid problem.
- Deficiency of Vitamin B or Iron
Thinning hair may occur if you don’t get enough of certain vitamins.
- Dramatic Weight Loss
Thinning hair is normal if you have drastically lost a lot of weight.
- New Hair Products
If you use new hair products, they may be too harsh for your hair.
Remember, hair grows in cycles, so if you’re only noticing serious hair loss now, the cause may have occurred three months earlier.
If you can link one or more of these factors to your hair loss, it’s likely that your hair is simply thinning, and you likely won’t experience baldness.
Because hair is constantly falling out and growing, hair loss often goes unnoticed. You’re more likely to notice it when multiple hairs enter the resting phase at the same time or if the hair roots are damaged during the growth process.
Things that disrupt the growth cycle — such as medications, illnesses, infections, or chemicals — have the potential to stop hair from forming the right way. In addition, age, hormones, stress, and even the way you style your hair can also cause hair loss.
