Men, there is a harsh reality we must face: there is a pretty good chance we will lose our hair. Studies show that two out of three men will start to go bald before they turn 60.
That is a pretty disheartening statistic. And let me tell you, most men don’t give up the fight easily; they try to hang onto their locks for as long as possible. In fact, American men spend over $1 billion a year on hair restoration efforts.
More alarming than the staggering amount of money are the lengths men will go to in order to hang onto their hair. There are tons of myths floating around about what causes baldness. Like any poor individual grasping at straws, some men take this advice to heart.
The Reality
If you think you are losing an unhealthy amount of hair each day, the very first thing you should do is see a doctor. He or she can help you pinpoint the cause and find a hair loss treatment that is right for you. There are numerous reasons why you may be experiencing loss of locks. Sometimes, people lose their hair because of an illness, too much stress, malnutrition, or side effects of medication. Hair loss that is caused by one of these occurrences is totally reversible.
On the other hand, some men will lose their hair because they have genetically predisposed hair follicles. If you suffer from the chronic condition of male pattern baldness, there isn’t much that can be done (outside of hair transplantation, of course).
Either way – if your hair loss is temporary or permanent – don’t fall victim to these myths. Don’t waste your precious time and effort worrying about things that have absolutely no effect on what will inevitably happen!
The Myths
If your mother’s father is bald, you will be too.
Yes, it is true that the primary baldness gene is on the X chromosome – which you only get from your mother. However, there are tons of other factors to take into consideration too. As evidence that there are other things going on, consider this: research shows that men who have a bald father are more likely to develop male pattern baldness than those who don’t have a bald father.
If you wear a hat too often, you will go bald.
Take solace in the fact that hats don’t harm your hair. You can wear a hat every single day of your life and it won’t cause a single hair to fall out. Likewise, helmets aren’t the enemy either. However, we should let you know that dirty hats can lead to scalp infection. Make sure you clean your hat regularly or rotate it with others.
Using a lot of styling products will make you lose your hair.
Nope. Not true. Use all the gel and hair spray you want. Also, you won’t cause hair loss by using the “wrong” type of shampoo or washing it frequently. Dandruff isn’t responsible for a shiny head either.
Hair loss happens because a man spends too much time in the sun.
You surfer dudes and construction workers are in luck. While the sun is responsible for burning your scalp, it isn’t responsible for hair loss.
The more sexually active you are, the less hair you will have.
Phew! Also false! Can you imagine telling your honey you don’t want to have sex tonight because you might go bald in ten years?! For those of you who have been blue balling it on a regular basis, have at it. Your locks won’t suffer one bit.
Hopefully you haven’t been under these false delusions (or saying no to sex) for too long. If you are already suffering from this tragic condition, find a hair loss treatment that actually works. If your hair hasn’t become your enemy yet, don’t spend precious moments worrying about what might not even happen. Instead, enjoy your hair while you have it!
Author Jordan Dahlberg writes for a variety of health sites. Recently, he has been sharing his expertise on a Tampa blog about hair loss treatment.