Why do men go bald?

November 05, 2020

By: Lorien Strydom

The vast majority of men who go bald do so because of a hereditary condition known as androgenetic alopecia, more commonly known as male pattern baldness.

According to the American Hair Loss Association, 95% of hair loss in men is caused by androgenetic alopecia. This inherited trait that tends to give guys a receding hairline and a thinning crown is caused by a genetic sensitivity to a byproduct of testosterone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

So, how exactly does this hormonal byproduct cause hair loss?

Well, hair follicles that are sensitive to DHT have a tendency to shrink over time. As the affected hair follicles get smaller, the life span of each hair becomes shorter. Eventually, the affected follicles stop producing hair, or at least the type of hair you’re used to.

With male pattern baldness, hair loss typically follows a predictable pattern. The two most common patterns of hair loss include the following:

• Hair starts to thin on top of the head and around the temples. This pattern may eventually leave a “horseshoe” of hair around the sides and back of the head.
  
  
• Hair starts to recede from the front of the hairline, pushing the hairline further back on the head.
  
  
• The degree and progression of balding in men are assessed by the Norwood classification system. It has seven stages that measure the severity and pattern of hair loss and balding.

Other Causes of Hair Loss in Men

Although male pattern baldness is the leading cause of balding, it isn’t the only condition that can trigger hair loss.

With male pattern baldness, you typically don’t have other symptoms aside from thinning hair. But with other hair loss causes, you may notice you have other symptoms, too.

Also, with most other cases, there isn’t always a predictable hair loss pattern like there is with male pattern baldness. Instead, hair loss is more likely to happen all over, or in a few spots.

The following conditions can cause varying degrees of hair loss. Some types of hair loss may be permanent, while others may be reversible:

• Alopecia areata. This condition causes your body’s immune system to mistakenly attack healthy hair follicles, which leads to hair loss. Hair typically falls out in small patches on your head, but it can also affect other parts of your body. For instance, you may find a bald spot in your beard or in your eyelashes or eyebrows, too. The hair may or may not grow back.
  
  
• Telogen effluvium. Excessive shedding of hair can sometimes happen about 2 to 3 months after some sort of shock to the system or stressful event. Hair loss may be triggered by an accident, surgery, illness, drastic weight loss, or some kind of psychological stress. Hair usually grows back within about 2 to 6 months.
  
  
• Nutritional deficiency. Optimal levels of iron and other nutrients are essential for good overall health, as well as healthy hair growth. Protein, vitamin D, as well as adequate intake of other vitamins from your diet, are also important to maintain healthy hair. A deficiency in one or more of these nutrients may cause you to lose more hair than normal.

Treating Baldness in Men Naturally

When it comes to treating hair loss naturally, there are many options to consider. Natural hair loss treatments for baldness in men are very popular, and here at Honeyderm, we have a range of products that are specifically formulated to naturally support hair growth - with the miraculous restorative power of honeybees. 

Our Hairback® system features extracts from selected floral honeybee products including honey, propolis, royal jelly, pollen, beeswax, and bee venom. In addition to this, it also contains botanical activities, which are used by ancient Egyptian and traditional Chinese medicine as a supportive hair loss treatment and remedy for scalp psoriasis.

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