Nearly half of all American men will suffer from hair loss. It is often cited as one of the top causes of loss of self-esteem in men. Inevitably the question arises, is hair loss preventable? Before men can find the answers for the particular circumstance, they need to first, understand the life cycle of hair, and second, determine the cause of their hair loss.
Hair is a living organism. It is born; it lives and grows; it rests, and then it dies and falls out. The death of the hair triggers a rebirth and the cycle continues. Fortunately not every hair on the individual’s head is in the same stage at the same time. In normal circumstances most humans lose about 100 hairs per day.
When hair loss becomes noticeable an interruption as occurred in the life cycle. There are all kinds of reasons for this interruption. Some of them are temporary while others are permanent. The most common causes for this interruption are: poor circulation, stress, hormonal changes, nutrition and genetics. All but genetic causes can be mitigated by early intervention and prevention techniques.
Stress is a common cause of hair loss. Stress can be emotional, environment, or physical. Surgery, for instance, of a severe illness can cause hair loss. Some people experience hair loss after a divorce, a job loss, or death of a loved one. With stress, the hair loss begins two to three months after the onset of the illness or stressful situation. When the body is in stress, it pulls all the nutrients from non-life supporting functions to the vital organs. So when the nutrients are pulled away from the hair follicle, it prematurely sends hair into the resting/shedding cycle. Two things are effective for stress related hair loss. The most obvious, is to remove the stressor-heal the underlying medical, emotional, or environmental problem. The second thing is to begin a regime of B complex vitamins when you first realize you are beginning to stress.
Healthy hair and scalp are totally dependent on a balanced diet and proper nutrition. Healthy hair and healthy bodies need adequate protein, vitamins, and minerals. For this reason, fad diets, or diets that eliminate all carbohydrates or require you to eat from only one food group, throw your body out of balance. The body interprets this as stress and again, pulls all the nutrients from non life-supporting systems in order to fuel and maintain the vital organs. We’ve all heard it: Eat sensibly, exercise regularly, and get regular checkups. No matter how many times we hear it—it is still true. A good diet and regular exercise helps to prevent heart disease and hair loss.
Not all hair loss is preventable. However, all men can benefit from taking simple preventative measures, such as taking a multi-vitamin supplement, addressing stress at the onset, and maintaining a healthy diet.