Genetic Hair Loss – The Questions You’ve Always Wanted to Ask
Genetic hair loss – we’ve all heard of it but how much do you really know about this common condition?
Unfortunately, genetic hair loss is not something that can be cured but if it’s treated early enough, it definitely doesn’t have to affect your life or your self-confidence.
Genetic hair loss is the most common form of hair loss in the world, so if you’re feeling down because your hair has started thinning, know that you’re definitely not alone. This doesn’t make it any less stressful though, which is why it helps to know how to identify genetic hair loss and what can be done about it.
Is Male and Female Pattern Baldness Linked to Genetics?
Male and female pattern baldness is very common and is directly linked to your genes. Remember, your genes are responsible for the way your hair appears, including its thickness and orientation.
As you age, hair loss patterns become far more likely but there are literally hundreds of genes involved with this. What we do know is that these different genes activate a hormone called dihydrotestosterone, which is the male sex hormone.
While this hormone plays an important role, particularly during puberty, once it attaches to your hair follicles, it can actually affect the hair’s natural growth cycle, causing the follicles to shrink until eventually, they stop growing altogether.
The bottom line is genes are generally the cause of your baldness and they dictate when you will need to start searching for the top hair specialist such as the best hair restoration clinic in Sydney.
Where Do These Hair Loss Genes Come From?
In most cases, hair loss genes will stem from your mother’s side of the family. If your mother’s father started going bald after 40, chances are you will too. With that being said, your father’s hair loss pattern definitely also plays a role in when you can expect to lose your hair.
While there’s a higher chance that you’ll get the hair loss gene from your mother, there really is no single gene linked to baldness, so it’s hard to pin this down.
What Else Could Be Causing My Hair Loss?
Over and above genetics, here are some of the other reasons why you could be losing your hair:
You’re stressed. Stress affects your body in a number of different ways and changes to your metabolic processes can definitely lead to hair loss.
Your diet needs to be adjusted. Your body needs certain vitamins, minerals and nutrients to be healthy but so does your hair. If it isn’t getting what it needs, you may experience hair loss.
You’re going through hormonal changes. If your hormones are unbalanced for any reason, it can start affecting the health of your hair follicles.
You’re ill. Unfortunately, certain illnesses are linked to hair loss, particularly if you’re taking medication that has hair loss as a side effect.
What are My Treatment Options for Genetic Hair Loss?
Treating genetic hair loss is difficult but it’s possible and it all starts with speaking to a hair loss professional about your options. A hair transplant could be a possibility but you may also benefit from PRP or laser therapy.