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Don’t Blame Your Mom for Your Hair Loss
by April Maguire
Male pattern baldness accounts for over 95% of hair loss in men. And the older you get, the likelihood that male pattern baldness will strike increases exponentially. According to experts, roughly one in four men in their 30s experiences androgenic alopecia, or male pattern baldness. By the age of 60, however, that number more than doubles, with two in three men reporting hair loss.
So what leads to male pattern baldness? For years, researchers have said that baldness comes from the mother’s side of the family. According to popular wisdom, if your maternal grandfather was bald, then the odds are that you are going to lose your hair as well.
Recently, however, scientists have started to see that a number of factors contribute to male pattern baldness, and it may be time to let your mom off the hook.
Not Your Mom’s Fault
From all the studies done on hair loss over the years, scientists have determined that baldness is linked to family genetics. But even though one of the key genes for baldness is found in the chromosome provided by your mother, that gene is not the only contributor to baldness. In fact, scientists have determined that male pattern baldness anywhere on your family tree, even if it’s on your father’s side, can increase the odds that you will go bald at some point in your life.
Healthy Heart, Healthy Hair
In the last few years, scientists have started examining links between heart health and male pattern baldness, and surprisingly they’ve found a very strong correlation. One such study found that men with higher than normal blood pressure readings were at twice the risk for hair loss. Additionally, another recent study concluded that men with heart disease were not only at a higher risk for a heart attack, but they were also more likely to suffer from male pattern baldness.
Stress and Hair Loss
It’s not just genetics and overall health that contribute to baldness. Researchers have also discovered a link between situational stress and hair loss. According to studies, men who have experienced a traumatic and stressful life event can experience increased hair loss. These types of events can be anything from medical traumas to an extreme change in diet. As a general rule, if something is causing you to lose sleep or your appetite, then it may also be causing you to lose your hair.
A number of factors can cause you to go bald. And while some of these causes may be out of your control, some of them are not. If you’re concerned about losing your hair, talk to your doctor about ways to increase your health and mitigate your hair loss.
If you or someone you know would like more information about hair loss and how to treat it, please feel free to schedule a consultation or contact one of our representatives today!
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