Why do men and women go bald?

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The most common cause of male hair loss is androgenic alopecia, otherwise known as male-pattern baldness, states the American Hair Loss Association. Sufferers of this condition have hair follicles with a genetic sensitivity to a substance called Dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, which causes the hair’s life cycle to shorten prematurely, leading to thinning and falling hair. Other causes of hair loss in men include illness, old age, and lifestyle habits.

For certain types of male hair loss, various treatments exist. Mayo Clinic lists the two most prominent FDA-approved hair loss medications minoxidil and finasteride. Minoxidil, marketed as Rogaine, is an over-the-counter liquid or foam that is applied to the scalp and works by inhibiting the effects of DHT. Finasteride, under the brand name Propecia, is an oral medication that does the same thing internally. Both medications are shown to be effective but not without some possible side effects, such as diminished sex drive, scalp irritation, and increased risk of prostate cancer.

Another solution to hair loss is surgical hair transplants, says the Mayo Clinic. During this procedure, a doctor takes small portions of skin and hair from the back and sides of the head and transplants them to the front and top to conceal balding areas. This option can be expensive and painful and comes with a risk of infection and permanent scarring. If medication or surgery is not an option, wigs, and hairpieces can help conceal hair loss.

Stages of Hair Loss                                               

Hair Loss in Men and Women

All men lose their hair progressively as they grow older.  For some, the loss is barely noticeable.  For others it is obvious, and when hair loss is severe or occurs at a young age can be very distressing.

The hallmark of male pattern balding is that hair loss progresses in a distinctive and highly reproducible pattern.  While this sounds straightforward, in fact, there are three main areas of the scalp that lose hair preferentially, and the relative loss in each of these areas produces variations in the pattern of progression of the hair loss.

These are:

1.  Hair loss in the temple starts at the anterior hairline and moves backward.  It occurs to some degree in all boys as they transition from adolescence to manhood.  Fewer than 5% of adult males retain the straight anterior hairline seen in young boys. Generally, the loss in this area is mild.  Some men develop noticeable bitemporal recession and this may precede hair loss elsewhere on the scalp by many years.

2. Hair loss on the crown starts around the whorl (at the back of the head), and spreads outwards in all directions to produce circular baldness.  A second, smaller focus of balding occurs at the 6 o’clock border in some men.

3.  General diffuse thinning over the mid-frontal scalp (at the top of the head) is often first noticed as a widening of the central part line.  This pattern is most prominent in Asian men.  It is also the hallmark of female pattern hair loss – the female equivalent of a male pattern that affects over 75% of women as they age.

One fascinating aspect of this is the way hair loss spreads from hair follicles to hair follicles without skipping over areas.  The effect is that the bitemporal recession produces a slowly expanding triangle of hair loss over each temple, without sparing any of the follicles within the affected zone.  The same occurs over the vertex.  No individual hairs are spared.

While this observation might lead one to speculate on a hair loss chemical moving from one damaged follicle to the next, no such chemical has ever been identified.

Even more baffling is the observation that when hairs adjacent to an enlarging bald patch are transplanted to a different part of the body they still miniaturize on schedule as if they were still growing the scalp.  This pretty much rules out a diffusible chemical and suggests the process of hair miniaturization that shrinks the hairs to fluff is already programmed into the hair follicle DNA.

In addition to the obvious pattern of hair loss that we are all accustomed to seeing, we discovered a second, invisible pattern of hair loss that produces the hair thinning that precedes the balding. The hair on the scalp is different from hair elsewhere on the body.  It grows in follicular units that produce tufts of between 2 and 5 hairs that emerge from a single pore. Each follicular unit has primary hair that is present at or shortly after birth. Secondary hairs develop around the age of 2-3.  This is why hair in babies is fine and light and downy but becomes thick and bushy by school time.

When androgenetic alopecia first starts it preferentially shrinks the secondary hairs, so that the follicular units on the affected scalp only produce one terminal hair rather than a tuft of hairs.  It is only when the primary hair – the last remaining fiber from the tuft disappears that a bald scalp emerges.

Overall hair volume can be reduced by 50% without any visible bald spot.  Women tend to notice that their ponytail thickness is reduced or that their hair shedding has increased long before baldness becomes apparent.  As men tend to have shorter hair and might be less observant, they may not notice the hair loss until an actual bald spot has developed.  A sunburnt scalp is the first clue they are going bald for some men.

The factors that control these two patterns of hair loss progression appear to be hereditary in that identical twins generally lose their hair at the same age, at the same rate, and in the same pattern.  Genetic and epigenetic factors seem to be involved in this.  The actual mechanics of these factors producing hair loss are still yet to be worked out, but this has not stopped doctors from working the pattern of patterned hair loss to their patient’s advantage.

The flip side of having scalp regions that lose hair preferentially is that there are also scalp regions that do not lose hair – namely the back of the head (or occipital scalp).  Knowing that hairs can be shifted around the scalp while retaining their pre-programmed preference to bald or not to bald is the basis of hair transplantation surgery.  Many thousands of men and women around the world have been able to conceal their baldness by borrowing hairs from the back of their heads to fill in gaps on the front.

Combining new medical therapies for hair loss together with surgery means that for some men, going bald is now optional.

Top Causes of Hair Loss in Men

1. Heredity

Male-pattern baldness, or androgenetic alopecia, is one of the leading causes of hair loss in men. It is a genetically determined disorder where the hair is lost in a well-defined manner, and the hairline recedes in a characteristic M-shape. Approximately 70 percent of men have hair loss by the time they are in their 60s. Androgens are the hormones responsible for initiating hair thinning, and while there are treatments, the results may be unsatisfactory.

2. Tight Hairstyles

Excessive styling or shampooing can damage your hair. A lot of men are into the combed-back look, man buns, ponytails, and tight braids, particularly cornrows and dreadlocks. Any hairstyle that puts stress on your scalp can result in hair thinning and, eventually, balding. Hair treatments and styling aids such as keratin and blow-drying can also cause damage. Men should be cautious when it comes to styling their hair — some style trends come with a price.

3. Lifestyle

Men who drink excessively may experience hair loss. The major contributors are poor diet, dehydration, blood sugar spikes, and increased estrogen associated with excessive drinking.

4. Hypothyroidism

The thyroid is a major contributor to metabolic functions in your body. Thyroid hormones are a prime factor for the growth of hair and nails, hypothyroidism — an underactive thyroid — can result in hair loss. Men suffering from the condition may notice signs such as their nails becoming brittle and having difficulty concentrating.

5. Stress

Stress, whether physical or psychological, can have a weird effect on your body. In men, it can lead to hair loss. Depending on the severity of an event, a person may start noticing the loss of hair within three to six months. Short-term stress isn’t going to make you bald, but long-term stress can definitely cause you to lose hair.

6. Vitamin and Mineral Deficiency

Mineral and vitamin deficiency can wreak havoc on hair. Men who don’t have a well-balanced, nutritious diet or who crash diet may experience hair loss. The major culprit that contributes to hair loss is iron. Its deficiency means not enough red blood cells in the body, which in turn hampers hair growth. A diet rich in protein, iron, vitamins A, C, and E, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, and selenium can definitely improve the condition of your hair.

7. Infections

Many infections cause hair loss in men. One of the most common is ringworm. Ringworm is a fungus that grows in the scalp or areas surrounding the head. Another common infection that may lead to male hair loss is dermatitis, which simply means inflammation of the skin. It can cause hair loss if present on the scalp. Less common, folliculitis, or inflamed hair follicles, and syphilis can result in hair thinning in men. Each condition calls for a doctor’s prescription.

8. Medications and Drug Use

Hair loss is one of the distressing downsides of any long-term medical treatment. Where most medications and drugs are successful in meeting the intended purpose, they may also have a bad impact on your hair. This side effect is particularly common with prescription blood thinners, beta-blockers, antithyroid medications, anticonvulsants, antidepressants, anticoagulants, and hormonal therapies. And, of course, everyone has heard of how chemotherapy drugs cause hair to fall out.

9. Smoking

Despite all the varied causes of hair loss, the leading cause is smoking. When puffing a cigarette, smokers not only disturb their respiratory health but also damage their hair. Smoking affects the circulation of blood. Two of the most hazardous substances in cigarette smoke, carbon monoxide, and nicotine, trigger the male hormone androgen, resulting in hair follicle damage.

 Know how to handle and control hair loss

When a man begins to go bald, two things go down the drain—his hair and his confidence. Some 62 percent of balding guys in a Spanish study said losing their locks could deflate their self-esteem. This isn’t 21st-century superficiality: “Thick hair has always been associated with youth and masculinity,” says Albert Mannes, Ph.D., a University of Pennsylvania researcher who’s studied perceptions of balding. “Hair loss signals aging.”

But baldness can be deceiving: Two-thirds of men face hair loss by age 35, and a bad genetic hand is often to blame. Male-pattern baldness is an inherited sensitivity to dihydrotestosterone (DHT, a by-product of testosterone), which leads to finer hair, a receding hairline, and finally a deserted scalp.

Related: 5 Ways to Naturally Increase Your Testosterone

That’s why scientists—who may be thinning up top themselves—have put balding in their crosshairs. Read on for new ways to save what’s there, regain what’s gone, or—if it comes to it—learn that you can lose and still win.

1. FIND THE CAUSE OF BALDNESS

Doctors often diagnose balding by sight alone: If your hair is only on the sides and middle top of your head, the bare areas form the letter M (as in male-pattern baldness). But thinning that spreads across your scalp and not to your crown or temples often indicates an underlying health issue.

“Hormonal or nutritional deficiencies, such as thyroid problems, low iron, or low protein, can cause shedding,” says Carolyn Jacob, M.D., the founder of Chicago Cosmetic Surgery and Dermatology.

In other words, “don’t assume it’s genetic,” says Marc Avram, M.D., a clinical professor of dermatology at Weill Cornell Medical College.

One hitch: A discernible pattern may take years to emerge, so pinpointing the cause simply by the look of your locks may be difficult.

That’s why Dr. Avram suggests seeing a dermatologist as soon as thinning begins so you can have a scalp biopsy to rule out worrisome triggers. To find a dermatologist specializing in hair loss, go to aad.org/find-a-derm, enter your zip code, and select “hair disorders” as the specialty.

2. SIDE WITH THE SCIENCE OF BALDNESS

Late-night TV ads offer legit fixes for many problems—stains, clogged gutters, subpar pancakes—but balding isn’t one of them.

“Be wary of infomercials or Internet ads touting hair-growing shampoos or pills,” warns Marc Glashofer, M.D., a dermatologist in Long Beach, New York, who specializes in hair loss. “Most haven’t been clinically studied and are usually a waste of your money.”

(An effective hair-growth shampoo is out there, but it isn’t advertised as such. Keep reading.)

Related: 7 Manscaping Survival Tools

Stick with the drugs that have been green-lighted by the FDA: finasteride (Propecia) and minoxidil (Rogaine).

“Both are better at maintaining what you have than regrowing what you lost,” says George Cotsarelis, M.D., a professor of dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania.

Propecia works by blocking the conversion of testosterone to DHT, but there’s a major side effect to consider: It could mess with nerve-signaling pathways to your penis, resulting in ED and a loused-up libido, a study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine found.

Dr. Cotsarelis says most men don’t experience these side effects, but if you’re uneasy about the ED risk, skip the Propecia.

(To learn more about the popular baldness remedy’s side effects, discover The Truth About Propecia.)

As for Rogaine, it’s thought to stimulate hair growth, although scientists aren’t sure how.

“Rogaine often gets a bad rap because people don’t use it correctly,” Dr. Cotsarelis says. “You have to use Rogaine at least twice a day and for at least six months before you see any results. It can actually cause shedding in the first month or two.”

In other words, don’t give up after just a week of slathering it on your scalp.

Other Shampoos to treat baldness in men and women

3. SWITCH SHAMPOOS TO PREVENT BALDNESS

Dozens of shampoos claim to make your hair look thicker, but only one ingredient has been shown to truly preserve your pate: Ketoconazole, an antifungal used to fight dandruff, may save your mane by reducing the production of testosterone (and therefore DHT) in hair follicles, say scientists at the University of British Columbia.

In fact, in a Belgian study, balding men who used a 1 percent ketoconazole shampoo two or three times a week for six months saw a 17 percent reduction in hair shedding.

Try Nizoral A-D, the only nonprescription shampoo that contains ketoconazole.

“Use it with Propecia or Rogaine, especially if you have dandruff because flaking can prevent penetration of Rogaine into the scalp,” suggests Dr. Avram.

Lather up with a quarter-sized dollop two or three times a week; any more could dry out your hair and cause breakage. Use non-irritating baby shampoo in between.

4. EAT SMARTER TO AVOID HAIR LOSS

Cleaning up your diet may save you from the Mr. Clean look.

Start by skipping fried foods; this may reduce oil-gland activity, slowing the switch from T to DHT, according to research from India.

And watch the desserts: The insulin flood from consuming a lot of sugar can trigger the release of testosterone, making it available for conversion to DHT.

5. JOIN THE TRANSPLANT LIST

Doctors have mercifully pulled the plug on old-school hair plugs—tufts transplanted from the sides and back of the head onto bald areas. The result was often a scalp that looked more like a toothbrush than a convincing head of hair.

Today, two better options exist. One is follicular unit transplantation or FUT: “Surgeons harvest a strip of scalp and cut it into groups of three or four hairs,” says Dr. Cotsarelis.

The downside is that it may leave a thin scar, a concern if you keep your hair cut short.

Related: Why Does Donald Trump’s Hair Look So Weird?

That scar factor is the reason men are increasingly choosing the second option, follicular unit extraction (FUE). This process involves robotically harvesting individual follicles from the back of the head.

“For the past several years, we’ve performed FUE in more than 95 percent of cases,” says Alan Bauman, M.D., a hair-loss specialist in Boca Raton, Florida. “It’s a shorter, less painful recovery and completely eliminates linear scarring along the back of the head.”

The cons: It’s more challenging and takes longer than FUT, and your doctor has to trim more of your hair beforehand.

“Wear your hair a little longer to camouflage the trimmed area,” says Dr. Avram. “Or wear it short in the back so when we trim it, it blends in.”

Related: The Best Haircuts For Guys With Thinning Hair

Neither technique is cheap; expect to drop $5,000 to $10,000. Find a surgeon who specializes in FUT or FUE and is a member of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery. (Search by location and procedure type at ishrs.org/physician-search.)

“A good doctor will present a medical plan to stop the progression of your hair loss, along with your hair transplant design,” says Dr. Bauman.

After surgery, resist the urge to pick the scalp scabs.

“Shower every day,” says Dr. Avram. “The scabs will fall off more quickly naturally.”

Apply moisturizer to the removal site, and avoid intense cardio for three or four days. If your heart rate hits 130, your scalp could bleed, he says.

6. GROW TOWARD THE LIGHT

In 1967, a scientist zapped the skin of shaved mice with lasers to see if the light caused cancer. It didn’t spark the big C, but it did trigger the big H: hair.

This led to low-level light therapy, an FDA-approved treatment for mild to moderate male-pattern baldness. In a new Korean study, people with hair loss who regularly wore a light-therapy helmet at home noted increases of 22 percent in thickness and 15 percent in hair density after 24 weeks.

You can either have a doctor administer the treatments or invest in a LaserCap, a device that fits under a baseball cap. It’ll set you back $3,000, but as Dr. Bauman points out, “that’s less costly than three years of Propecia.”

7. DO AN ABOUT-FACE

Balding men tend to cope in three ways: They compensate by focusing on fitness or fashion, dodge mirrors, or simply accept the changes up top. Acceptance takes the stress out of hair loss while the other strategies increase it, a German study found.

So reframe your view: “Interpret balding as a distinctive look or a sign of maturity rather than as a sign of aging,” says study author Dirk Kranz, Ph.D.

8. DUMP YOUR COMB

Skip the comb-over and channel Vin Diesel instead.

“Nine times out of ten, a shaved head is a vast improvement,” says Todd “Sween” Lahman, owner of Sweeney Todd’s Barber Shop in Los Angeles.

In fact, Mannes’s research reveals that a guy with a shaved head is viewed as taller, more masculine, and more dominant than one with a full head of hair.

Ways to Stop Hair Loss In Its Tracks

Going bald is a common concern for many guys, and estimates show that roughly two-thirds of men will start losing their hair by their mid-30s. While some men might embrace the change and shave their heads, others may seek out treatments to slow hair loss.

But does anything actually work? While there’s no magic potion to help you regrow hair you’ve already lost, Dr. Melissa Piliang, M.D., a hair-loss expert at Cleveland Clinic, says there are five things that could potentially help you hold onto the hair you have.

1. Meditation and exercise

If you’re shedding more hair than normal or if you notice large bald patches, you may want to evaluate your stress levels. The reason? Stress essentially puts hair follicles in a resting stage, so they no longer grow.

Piliang explains that anxiety also floods your body with the hormone cortisol, which causes other hormone levels to fluctuate. This could speed up the balding process, especially if you’re already genetically predisposed to losing your hair.

However, managing stress could help slow down hair loss. Some studies suggest that meditation can help improve anxiety levels. Plus, it’s free, and it takes only a few minutes per day.

If you prefer something more strenuous than meditation, you could also hit the gym. A 2015 study in PLOS One found that older men with a high level of cardiorespiratory fitness release 42 percent less cortisol throughout the day than unfit men do.

2. Minoxidil (Rogaine)

Rogaine Men’s Hair Loss & Thinning Treatment for Hair Regrowth, 5% Minoxidil Foam Extra Strength, 3 Month Treatment

Rogaine won’t restore your lost hair, but it can help you hold on to what’s left. The FDA-approved topical med increases blood flow and delivers more oxygen and nutrients to hair follicles.

Liquid Rogaine can cause irritation and leave a greasy coating on your hair, so opt for the 5 percent foam, advises Piliang.

Rub it into your scalp in the morning and again at night for the most benefit. Bonus: Unlike the oral medication finasteride (the other FDA-approved drug, sold as Propecia), minoxidil isn’t linked with erectile dysfunction or decreased libido.

However, new hair growth is likely to be shorter and thinner, meaning your locks won’t be as full as they once were.

3. Lasers

Besides minoxidil and finasteride, laser devices are the only other hair-loss treatment approved by the FDA in recent years. The devices use low levels of light and are sold as wands or helmets for $200 to nearly $900. iGrow, one of the helmets, will set you back $449 and needs to be worn for about 25 minutes every other day.

In a large study, published in 2014 in the American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, men who zapped their scalps three times a week saw an increase in hair density after 26 weeks.

That said, most of the research on laser devices has been paid for by the products’ manufacturers, so they’re not exactly unbiased. In fact, an independent review published in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment in 2014, determined these products are semi-experimental and aren’t proven to work.

4. Ketoconazole shampoo

Swap your standard shampoo for a brand with 1 percent ketoconazole, such as Nizoral, or ask your doctor to prescribe the 2 percent version.

“It’s marketed as an anti-dandruff ingredient, but there’s solid research ketoconazole is an anti-androgen,” says Piliang. Anti-androgens block the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, a hormone that shrinks hair follicles.

Massage the shampoo into your scalp, step out of the shower stream, wait two to three minutes, and rinse.

5. Vitamin D

Some cases of hair loss have been linked to low levels of vitamin D. A British Journal of Dermatology study reported that people with alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss, were three times as likely to be D deficient as those with healthy hair. “Vitamin D helps hair reset its growth phase,” explains Piliang.

Or you could just include vitamin D-rich foods into your diet, like swordfish, salmon, tuna, milk, and orange juice.

But don’t try baking your bald spot in the sun to ramp up vitamin D production. That might result in an even bigger problem.

“Men should be careful about sun exposure on a balding scalp since it’s a common location for skin cancers,” Piliang warns.

The role of nutrition and diet in treating hair loss represents a dynamic and growing area of inquiry. In this review, we summarize the role of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, iron, selenium, and zinc, in non-scarring alopecia.

6. Corticosteroid treatments

Sometimes hair loss is caused by inflammation from medical conditions like autoimmune disorders. In these cases, corticosteroid medications can be injected into the scalp to help stop inflammation, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Treatments are given about once a month and help stimulate new hair growth.

7. Change your diet

An iron deficiency may be the cause of thinning hairline for some people who follow a plant-based diet, says Dr. Robert Anolik, M.D., a cosmetic dermatologist in New York City. That’s because the type of iron found in animal products, like shrimp and eggs, is better absorbed in the body. People who eat iron from plants, like lentils and spinach, may need to eat more of the nutrients overall. The National Institute of Health recommends that adult males get about eight milligrams of iron per day. Generally, your hair will grow back once iron levels are restored–however, it may take a few months.

Other Treatments for Hair Loss

Onion Juice

The idea is that the sulfur in onion juice helps hair regrowth. There’s not much research on this, but a small study tested it in people with alopecia areata, which causes patchy hair loss. Half put onion juice on their scalp twice a day; the rest used tap water. After 2 weeks, 74% of the onion juice group had regrown some hair, compared with 13% of tap water users. If you try it, you might want to add something that masks the smell.

Iron

This crucial nutrient helps your body make blood, and low levels of it are linked to hair loss. The reason why isn’t clear, but make sure you eat plenty of iron-rich foods like meat, fish, poultry, tofu, broccoli, and all kinds of greens. Talk to your doctor before taking iron pills, though. Too much can cause vomiting and constipation. Very high doses can even be fatal.

Biotin

Some doctors prescribe biotin (a.k.a. vitamin B7) for hair loss and get good results. (It’s also good for your skin.)  Although it’s safe, you probably get plenty of the foods you eat. Eggs, wheat germ, and mushrooms all contain a high amount of biotin. Don’t worry so much about putting it on your scalp. While many hair products boast that they contain it, there’s not much proof that your hair loss will be helped by them.

Zinc

Since zinc helps with most processes in your body that keep you alive, it’s no surprise that it also strengthens the follicles under your scalp that nourish your hair. Your body doesn’t have a way to store zinc, so you need some in your diet every day. If your levels are low, there’s some proof that taking zinc by mouth could help with hair loss, but more research is needed. Your doctor will likely have you try other treatments first.

Saw Palmetto

From the fruit of a small palm tree comes this herbal remedy, which is sometimes hyped as a hair growth wonder drug. Some studies have shown that it keeps the male hormone testosterone from breaking down, which can help prevent hair loss. While it’s unclear how well saw palmetto works, the good news is that it’s believed to be safe, can be taken with other drugs, and doesn’t cost much to try.

Aromatherapy

Sandalwood, lavender, rosemary, and thyme oils have been used to treat hair loss for over 100 years. A compound in them is thought to boost hair growth. You can try rubbing one or more of these oils into your scalp for at least 2 minutes every night. Then, wrap your head in a warm towel to help it absorb. A bonus: This nightly massage smells good and can help you feel more relaxed.

Silicon

High levels of this common element can slow down hair loss. (Not to mention, make your locks brighter.) You’ll find different types of silicon supplements at the store, but a manmade version called orthosilicic acid (OSA) may be absorbed best by your body. Still, talk to your doctor first. It’s not clear how safe silicon supplements are.

Selenium

Some hair growth supplements contain a nutrient called selenium. It can help your body fight off any toxins you’re exposed to (like through smoking or unclean air) and keep your hair follicles healthy. Although rats and mice with low selenium start to go bald, this hasn’t been proven true for people. In fact, too much selenium can actually cause hair loss, as well as problems with your memory.

Melatonin

You may know melatonin as the “sleep hormone.” Many people take it as a supplement for a good night’s rest or to cut jet lag. But a cream with melatonin can also boost hair growth or slow down hair loss. The reasons aren’t clear, but in a study, people who used a melatonin mixture on their scalp saw less hair loss in 30 days. Struggle with dandruff? Melatonin could help that too. As with all supplements, check with your doctor first.

Pumpkinseed Oil

Daily doses of pumpkinseed oil taken by mouth could safely help bring your hair back. While more research is needed, one small study found that men who took four capsules of PSO each day for 6 months saw their hair count increase by 40%. One reason why? Like saw palmetto, pumpkin seed oil could block testosterone from changing into a compound called DHT, which is linked to hair loss.

Green Tea

An extract made from its compounds may help a range of health issues, including hair loss. It may be a compound called EGCG that helps with hair growth. Researchers saw a difference when they gave balding rats green tea extract for 6 months. But that hasn’t been tested in people. Use green tea supplements with caution, though. Some contain other compounds that can make you sick.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)

Doctors sometimes inject platelet-rich plasma (PRP), which comes from your own blood, to help with healing after surgery. PRP, which is rich in growth factors, might also help your hair grow. You give a little blood, and a lab spins it in a centrifuge to home in on platelet-rich plasma protein. You then get it injected into different points on your scalp. Many people who have PRP notice their hair grows back — thicker than before.

Amino Acids

These are “building blocks” for proteins. They help your body work the way it should. Some amino acids — such as cysteine and L-lysine — play a special role in keeping your hair healthy and growing. But you don’t need to take them as supplements. You should get plenty of amino acids through a healthy diet. Good food sources include cottage cheese, fish, eggs, seeds and nuts, whole grains, and meat.

Smart Hair Care

In some cases, you can help your own hair loss with small and easy changes. Be gentle when you wash, dry, and brush your hair. Don’t yank! Limit the use of curling irons and hot rollers, which can weaken your hair. (So can often wear your hair in a tight ponytail, braid, or bun.) If you smoke, now’s a great time to quit. Men who light up are more likely to have hair loss than those who don’t.

Tame Your Stress

Going through a rough time can sometimes lead to hair loss. Try to head it off by getting a better grip on your stress. Try techniques like meditation, deep breathing, guided imagery, relaxation exercises, or talking to a counselor. Exercise is also a great option. These are all easy to learn and proven to help ease tension. Keep in mind, that the best treatment for your hair loss depends on the cause. Talk to your doctor for guidance.

Thank you for reading,

Michael

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