A Guide to Different Types of Hair Loss in Men 

Finding excess hair in the bed, shower, or other places can create anxiety in men who take pride in having a full head of hair. And yes, it can be a sign of balding, hair loss, or another underlying condition.

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As a concern, hair loss should be more focused on what’s still on your head rather than what’s fallen on the ground. However, if you’re noticing signs that your head isn’t quite as full of hair as it once was, you might want to put in some research time. Fortunately, you’ve come to the right place.

The key to understanding what (if anything) you should or can do about this situation is understanding which type of hair loss you’re facing, and which course of treatment you should take.

There are several types of hair loss capable of affecting your hair in various phases and for different reasons. Depending on the type of hair loss, it will impact the recommended treatment options, along with the odds of success.

Telogen Effluvium

This is basically a condition where more than 10 percent of the hair follicles on your head are in the telogen phase, which results in a disproportionate amount of them becoming dormant.

It usually affects the entire scalp evenly, which means that it will make hair loss appear thin, as opposed to patchy.

There can be many causes of this condition, although they usually suggest a recent body stressor or trauma.

For example, it’s believed to be common among those who’ve recently undergone a great deal of stress, recovering from an illness, lost a lot of weight, given birth, had an operation, or experienced high fever.

Fortunately, for those who have this type of hair loss, it will likely go into reverse over the period of a few months, once the illness or stressors have passed.

Traction Alopecia

This type of hair loss occurs as a result of chronic or sudden scalp and hair follicle injuries. While some follicle damage would certainly be brought on by a severe injury to the head, traction alopecia is caused by hair styles.

Also known as traumatic alopecia, the condition is caused by burning, pulling, or otherwise damaging your hair, either through you pulling it out (a psychological condition called trichotillomania) or a particular hair style.

Everything from coloring, straightening, bleaching, and such styles as the man bun and cornrows can result in this condition. If the damage is substantial over a long period, the problem can eventually become permanent.

The best action to combat this condition Is to adopt preventative measures: Stop with damaging agents such as chemicals, and don’t put stress on your hair with a tight hairstyle that causes the police to be strained.

Alopecia Areata

This is actually an autoimmune disease. However, a symptom of alopecia areata is that the immune system attacks the hair follicles. These attacks result in damage, and damage reduces growth, eventually stopping it.

The condition is basically patchy baldness and can be placed into one of two primary categories: alopecia universalis and alopecia totalis.

The former, which is far rarer, won’t stop with your hair but could actually lead to hair loss over your whole body. The latter continues to attack your scalp until you have no hair left at all.

Autoimmune hair loss is among the more difficult conditions to reverse. There is no shortage of treatments available on the market, but there’s no cure or effective treatment right now.

Androgenic Alopecia

This is the most common type of hair loss for men. It can develop in a man as early as their 20s, although it takes time to become visible.

The symptoms are the traditional markers for male pattern baldness: thinning hair on the crown and/or thinning or receding hairline edges. Women can also experience it, and it’s brought on multiple factors that include age, hormones, and genetics.

Fortunately, it’s also one of the easiest types of hair loss to treat. There are a variety of oral and topical medications on the market to slow or put a stop to the recession and, in some cases, even restart growth.

Wrap Up

Confirming which type of hair loss you have simply by looking at your scalp isn’t the easiest of tasks. There are many types, and they may be a result of environmental or genetic factors. Examining your medical history, looking for stress brought on by your lifestyle, and speaking with a healthcare professional or doctor are all important steps in helping identify the cause of your hair loss.

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