8 Hair Loss Myths: Which one is true and which one is not?
Losing hair is a distressing experience for anyone who experiences it. Although everybody loses 50 to 100 hairs each day, if you’re losing more than this, it’s natural to be concerned.
It doesn’t help that there are countless theories about hair loss that have no basis but cause extra worry to people who are struggling with the problem. Here, we look at some of the most common myths surrounding hair loss, so you can sort fact from fiction.
What Is Hair Loss?
Sometimes called baldness or alopecia, hair loss can occur from the body, head, or both. While hair loss varies in severity, people who live with the condition often experience psychological distress. Both men and women can suffer from hair loss, and the problem may be permanent or temporary depending on the cause. Some doctors trusted hair loss treatments can help to slow down or reverse the progress of the condition.
Some of the reasons for hair loss include:
- Female or male pattern baldness
- Medications
- Trauma
- Pregnancy
- Autoimmune or other health conditions
8 Myths of Hair Loss and Debunking Those
Hair loss is blamed on several causes, but most are myths and include:
Hair loss is inherited from your mother’s side
If your relatives on your mother’s side are balding, some people might say your hair might eventually thin because of your maternal genes. Hair loss can be inherited from either parent, grandparents, or great-grandparents, and baldness can even skip generations.
High intake of testosterone
Despite an enduring belief that too much testosterone causes both men and women to lose their hair, the truth is a little more complex. In the human body, testosterone is converted into DHT (or dihydrotestosterone), and during the process, the hair follicles become miniaturized, and eventually no longer show through the skin’s surface. The more efficiently your body processes the sex steroid, the more likely you are to suffer from hair loss.
Stress causes hair to fall out
While there is a link between stress and hair loss, it isn’t as simple as saying that stress directly causes baldness. Hair loss is usually genetic, and if you are genetically predisposed to baldness, encountering stressful situations may trigger a reaction.
Hair loss caused by birth control pills
Women suffering from hair loss often worry their birth control pills are the cause. While progesterone in contraceptives can act like male androgen hormones and make hair finer and thinner, oral contraceptives have been developed to minimize these side effects. Some birth control pills are even prescribed to combat hair loss.
Over styling can lead to hair loss
Over styling can cause your hair to break or snap. Check whether your hair is falling out or simply breaking by looking at the ends. Broken hair ends are split or blunt while new hairs have tapered ends. Although over styling may not cause baldness, wearing your hair regularly in styles that pull on the hair follicles, such as buns or tight ponytails, can result in traction alopecia. It’s also a good idea to allow your hair to dry naturally occasionally.
Age causes hair thinning
Most people think hair thinning is something that comes with age, but this is a myth. You can begin to go bald at any age since genes play the biggest role in hair loss. Conversely, those with the right genes can find themselves sporting long, thick hair well into their autumn years.
Wearing a hat can cause hair fall
If you’re trying to hide your thinning hair by wearing a hat but worry that donning your favorite beanie might make your problem worse, there’s no need to fret. Even if you wore a tight hat all day long, your hair wouldn’t be affected.
Frequent shampooing damages your hair
Even though some celebrities have recently hit the headlines with their claims that by foregoing shampoo can make hair thicker and healthier, there’s no evidence the number of times you shampoo your hair has any impact on hair loss. If you give up shampoo, your hair could suffer as a result since shampoo cleans away the excess oil on your scalp. These oils can retain dirt, bacteria, and hormones that might cause hair loss.
Guest Author Bio:
The article is contributed by Aspiration London Ltd– Arguably the first hair loss and hair replacement super-center in the UK. Their Aspiration Hair Centre offers Hair Loss Treatments In London and is conveniently located in Central London’s London Bridge area (right next to London Bridge Tube Station)–it is another UK industry “first” from Aspiration.
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