Thinning hair or hair loss. An annoying problem that many men face. Almost every man has to deal with it. While some men may not experience it until after the age of 50, for others the problem comes knocking at their door before the age of 30. What causes hair loss can vary from person to person. For example, lifestyle, heredity, hormones, the environment and stress can play a role in reducing the amount of hair. In this article, we take a closer look at the reasons behind thinning hair and hair loss, give you advice and have gathered some product tips for you!
What does hair loss look like?
In most cases, you notice your hair has become thinner. When you grab it or try to style it, you don't have as thick a bunch as before. You may also notice a receding hairline. In this case, your hair usually thins first on the forehead or temples. You may also experience patchy round-shaped bald patches on your scalp. Do you also experience itching? If so, this may be a sign of psoriasis, dermatitis or another (head) skin condition.
Finally, it can happen that a lot of hair suddenly begins to fall out. You may discover this, for example, when you wake up in the morning and there is a big bunch of hair on your pillow. Large tufts may also fall out while showering or brushing your hair.
What causes hair loss and thinning hair?
We all know that hair loss occurs as we age and is often hereditary. Age therefore plays the biggest role in hair loss and thinning hair. Besides heredity or age, there are a number of other factors that can play a major role.
1. Lifestyle
A poor diet has a great impact on the health of your hair. Following a balanced diet rich in the right nutrients promotes the health of your hair. For example, protein is essential for extending the growth phase of your hair, so it is important to make sure your diet contains enough protein. A diet that does not contain enough iron can also lead to hair loss.
Smoking
Among the many negative health effects of smoking, heavy smokers are more likely to suffer from hair loss than non-smokers. By heavy smoker, we mean someone who smokes 20 cigarettes a day or more. Why? Because smoking interferes with your blood circulation, which means less blood flows to your hair follicles.
Alcohol
There's nothing wrong with a few beers at the end of a long day at work or a long work week. But uninhibited alcohol consumption can contribute to hair loss because alcohol increases estrogen levels, while lowering zinc levels. And zinc is an essential mineral for hair growth.
2. Hormonal imbalance
Hormonal imbalance can increase the risk of thinning hair/hair loss. A rise in dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the male sex hormone, plays a particular role in this. Also, some hormonal changes can be age-related, your body - as you get older - goes through all kinds of phases, this also affects your hair.
3. Stress
Stress affects all hormonal processes in your body. So also on your hair. When you are stressed, extra stress hormones are released: cortisol and adrenaline. These substances attack the proteins in your hair, causing lactic acid to build up. This makes your hair weak and causes your hair to fall out faster.
4. Environmental factors
During the day, your hair has to deal with various environmental factors such as air and/or water pollution. Thinning hair and hair loss can occur when your hair is exposed to these harmful factors too often and for too long. This is partly because the environmental factors make the scalp dirty and clog the hair follicles. This hinders hair growth.
5. Medications
Certain medications can contribute to hair loss. It all depends on the type of medication, the dosage and your sensitivity to the drug. Some of these medications include antidepressants, cholesterol-lowering drugs, medications for high blood pressure, certain antibiotics and thyroid medications.
Tips to keep your hair healthy and prevent hair loss
Now that you know what can cause hair loss and thinning hair, you are probably asking yourself if there is anything you can do about it. Fortunately, the answer to this is; yes, you can!
You can try adjusting your lifestyle and following a healthy and balanced diet that contains the right vitamins and minerals that contribute to a healthy head of hair. Such as vitamin E and Biotin, for example. Do you smoke and/or often consume one beer too many? Then you might choose to cut down on smoking and leave your beer a little more often. At least your hair would like it!
Avoid stress and make sure that environmental factors have less influence on your hair. You can do this by massaging your hair well while shampooing, so that your scalp is properly cleaned as well. Keeping the scalp properly clean keeps the hair follicles from getting clogged and interfering with hair growth. A conditioner can also help close the hair cuticles. This makes environmental influences less likely to damage hair.
Products against hair loss and thinning hair
Nowadays there are a lot of good brands on the market that make products that can help you fight thinning hair and hair loss. New in our assortment are the brands Toppik, Foligain and Veta; three strong brands that provide your hair with the right nutrients and stimulate hair growth. Toppik is renowned for its cosmetic hair thickeners. These Hair Building Fibers will make your hair beautifully full in 30 seconds.
Product recommendation from The Alpha Men
Below we have selected a number of products for you that will help combat hair loss and thinning hair. We have chosen the Hair Building Fibers from Toppik, a conditioner from Foligain and a serum from the brand Veta.
Toppik Hair Building Fibers
Can you wait and want to see immediate results? Then we recommend using Toppik's Hair Building Fibers for an instant thick full head of hair. This product works because tiny hair fibers mix with your own hair. These hair fibers are made of organic Keratin proteins, which are also produced by your own hair.
The Hair Building Fibers are easy to apply and will also blend directly with your own hair. The fibers adhere to the hair, keeping them firmly in place. Toppik stays in place all day and does not shed.
Foligain Stimulating Conditioner
To wash and care for thinning hair, it is best to use products designed specifically for this problem. We chose a stimulating conditioner from Foligain. For optimal results, use the conditioner after a wash with a stimulating shampoo.
To make hair loss more manageable, an anti-hair loss conditioner is a very suitable product. This is because it ensures healthy hair growth from within and contains nutrients that provide extra strength, fullness and density to the hair. A trioxidil complex with DHT blockers, targeted amino acids, soothing jojoba oil and powerful herbal extracts are proven to strengthen and thicken your hair.
Veta Hair Growth Serum
For men experiencing early-stage (incipient to moderate) hair loss, we recommend this nourishing leave-in serum from Veta. This nourishing serum actively combats chronic hair loss and thinning hair from the hair root, and encourages healthy hair growth. This product contains scientifically proven ingredients such as trichogen and copper peptides. These provide increased cell growth in hair follicles and strengthen hair follicles.
Were we able to help you?
We hope that with this article we were able to help you learn about the symptoms and causes of thinning hair and hair loss, and what you can do about it. As you have read above, you cannot prevent it completely, but there are plenty of tips & tricks that can help you counteract this annoying problem!