Treating Hair Loss in Men

Hair loss can affect anyone, regardless of their age, race, or gender. However, it is 
statistically more common for adult men to deal with hair loss, especially from conditions 
like male pattern baldness.

Not only is it more common in men, but the hair loss patterns themselves appear 
different in men. This is why women tend to have thinning all over their head, while men 
have distinct bald patches or thinning at the hairline. 

The following information is going to give you a guide into hair loss for men, including 
the common causes, natural treatments, and medical treatments. There isn’t a cure for 
many types of hair loss in men, but if caught early, it can be treated.

1. Common Causes for Hair Loss in Men

Before looking at the different ways to treat hair loss in men, it is important to first 
understand why this happens. There are many different causes for hair loss in both 
women and men, though some of them might be a little different for men.

Once you become familiar with where the hair loss is coming from, you will be able to 
determine the best course of action for treating it. 

Male Pattern Baldness

The first common cause of hair loss in men, and one of the most common, is called 
male pattern baldness. You might have heard of this as androgenetic alopecia instead, 
which is its more scientific term. Male pattern baldness is something you can inherit, so 
there isn’t much you can do about preventing it from occurring.

While scientists and doctors know it is genetic, they aren’t sure exactly why it is 
inherited or how. Not every son or grandson of a man with male pattern baldness is 
going to end up with this condition. However, if you do have a close family member with 
this condition, you should be aware that you might get it and take extra precautions to 
treat signs of hair loss as early as possible.

Medical Causes

Other common causes for hair loss in men, are similar to hair loss in women, which 
include a number of different medical conditions. This includes having a thyroid 
condition like hypothyroidism, anemia caused by an iron deficiency, and lack of other 
nutrients like protein and zinc. 

If you have recently started a big crash diet for weight loss, that can also cause some 
hair loss. Similarly, certain drugs you are prescribed may lead to more hair loss, 
including drugs for:

High blood pressure 
Depression or anxiety 
Cancer 
Arthritis 
Chemotherapy or radiation therapy
Infections

Another medical cause for hair loss in men is a type of infection that might affect the 
scalp. Particularly, infections like ringworm can cause hair loss. If you have round, scaly 
patches with hair loss on your head, it could be from alopecia, but it also might be a sign 
of ringworm. This is definitely something to talk to your doctor about. The good news 
here is that if it is from the infection, it is treatable and your hair should grow back.

Major Life Changes

When you experience a big and sudden life change, it can be traumatic for your body, 
including your hair. This often leads to a high amount of stress, which is a very big 
trigger for hair loss and lack of new hair growth. Think about big stresses like being in a 
trauma or car accident, having major surgery, going through a serious illness, or going 
through a divorce or issues with other family members.

Immune System Issues

Also consider the implications of your immune system and how it affects hair loss and 
hair growth. This is where alopecia areata comes in, which is another major cause of 
hair loss. With alopecia, you tend to lose hair in quarter size and shape patches on your 
head. They can be in random spots on your head, such as on the sides, top, front, or 
back of your head. This may also be treatable, so definitely discuss it with your doctor.
Alopecia is caused by your immune system turning around and attacking your hair 
follicles in these areas, which is when the hair loss typically occurs.

There may be some other myths for the causes of hair loss, like wearing ball caps for 
too long, but most of them cannot be proven. Instead, look at more medical or lifestyle 
causes that may be responsible for your hair loss.


2. Male Pattern Baldness

Since male pattern baldness is the most common cause of hair loss in men, it is 
definitely worth exploring more and learning about the ways to notice and treat this 
condition specifically. 

The Facts

As you know, male pattern baldness is also called androgenetic alopecia, which is a 
type of alopecia you are born with. 

Approximately 95% of men who experience hair loss have signs of male pattern 
baldness. 

It is easier to treat when caught early, but there are no guarantees you can slow down 
the loss or grow your hair back. There is no cure, but it is always worth exploring the 
different treatments.

While there is no specific cause for male pattern baldness, scientists believe it is genetic 
based on a specific gene. They think this gene makes you more sensitive to DHT, which 
is a hormone that can negatively affect your hair follicles. It can lead to hair loss at a 
more rapid pace, and keep new hair growth from occurring.

Signs of Male Pattern Baldness

How do you know your hair loss is caused by male pattern baldness? Typically, this is 
due to how you lose your hair. If the hair loss is all over with no actual patterns or bald 
spots, it is probably not male pattern baldness. In those cases, it is typically caused by a 
crash diet, stress, or nutrient deficiencies.

With male pattern baldness, there is a very distinct pattern of the loss. Typically, you 
have thinning on the crown of your head, and a receding hairline. It can be subtle at 
first, then you will begin to notice more and more thinning at the crown. Eventually, this 
area that is thinning will become completely bald, creating a circular bald spot on your 
head.

There is no predicting how long it will take to get the bald spot, but if you start 
experiencing this type of hair loss early on, then you are more likely to end up with a 
bigger bald spot.

What Can Be Done About it

As far as treating male pattern baldness, all you can do is use topical treatments that 
will help you stimulate your hair follicles, in the hope that some hair will grow back in. 
These will be discussed in a later section, but include some treatments you have 
probably heard of, like using Rogaine.

3. Catching Your Hair Loss Early

The best thing you can do for hair loss if you are a male is to catch it early. Even 
medical conditions like alopecia and male pattern baldness are treatable, though there 
is no cure. The earlier you catch it, the better your chances for controlling it and at least 
slowing it down.

Signs You Are Experiencing Hair Loss

First of all, it can happen so gradually that you don’t notice your hair loss at first. Like 
women, you might start with thick hair, so it isn’t extremely noticeable when your hair 
shedding happens more rapidly. If you have shorter hair, it won’t be as noticeable in the 
shower or hair brush, as when you just see more scalp than you did before. Here are 
some common signs that you are experiencing hair loss:

You Have a Receding Hairline – This might be the first thing you notice since it is the 
area of your hair you see when you look in the mirror. When you have a receding 
hairline, you are losing more hair from the front of your head and at your temples. If you 
aren’t sure it is receding, compare your picture now to a few years ago and you might 
notice more forehead now than before.

Your Part is Widening – If you tend to part your hair in one area, that is another place 
to look. Do you notice that the part, the area of your scalp you typically see, seems 
wider than before, that can be another sign of hair loss. If you don’t have a specific 
patch of thinning hair, it might be from things like stress or nutrition.

There is Thinning in the Crown – Men often get a bald spot on the crown of the head, 
which starts as just more thinning in this area. Again, you may not notice it at first, but 
can see it more in pictures or based on how you style your hair.

Your Hair is Curling Around the Ears or Neck – Another sign that is often missed is 
when you suddenly have more hair curling around your ears or neck. This sudden 
change in hair shape and texture might be a sign of a condition that will eventually 
cause hair loss.

Signs to Not Worry About

While there are some signs of hair loss, other signs are more of myths and not 
necessarily associated with hair loss. If you notice these things and immediately think it 
is from you losing your hair, it can actually cause more stress and lead to actual hair 
loss. Try not to look too much into these things:

You Have a Dry, Itchy Scalp – While having scalp irritation can cause more itching and 
lead to hair breakage or a slightly increase in short-term hair loss, it does not cause 
long-term hair loss on its own. The only exception is if it is related to a condition like 
alopecia.

You Have a Widow’s Peak – A widow’s peak is not the same thing as hair thinning 
around the temples of your hairline. Having a widow’s peak is typically genetic and 
something you were born with, and not the result of losing your hair.

Hairs Falling Out Have White Bulbs – This can be concerning to some, because they 
see strands of hair with a white bulb in the end. This does not mean you have a 
condition causing hair loss – it might be regular shedding in the telogen phase, which is 
why the bulbs are there.

You Lose Hair in the Shower – Your hair will probably shed more often while in the 
shower, due to your hair being wet and manipulated while washing it.

4. Medications and Shampoos

The most common way to treat hair loss in men is to use typical medications. This is 
when you have hair loss from conditions, not necessarily stress or other outside factors. 
Here are some medications that many doctors and dermatologists will recommend to 
you:

Minoxidil

Minoxidil is likely the most common treatment for men with hair loss, which is often sold 
under the brand name Rogaine. This is applied directly to your scalp as a topical 
medication, and can help trigger your follicles to re-grow hair you have lost. It is most 
effective when you catch male pattern baldness early and use it consistently. IT should 
be used every day, even after your hair begins to grow back in.

Propecia

Propecia is also very common for hair loss. This is the brand name for a medication 
called finasteride. Its main objective is to block the growth of DHT, the hormone that can 
lead to hair loss. Instead of being a topical product applied to your scalp, you will most 
likely be prescribed an oral medication to take. Keep in mind it has some potential side 
effects, like impotence, weakness, dizziness, and headaches.

Lipogaine

Lipogaine is another medication that helps to block DHT substances that might be 
worsening your hair loss. Lipogaine is similar to Rogaine, but it has a small amount of 
azetinol to prevent your follicles from shrinking as a result of DHT. It also contains other 
natural ingredients like saw palmetto and linolenic acid.

Nioxin

Some shampoos can also help you to manage your hair loss, such as with Nioxin. This 
helps with thinning hair, but won’t necessarily cure or reverse your hair loss. 

5. Natural Hair Loss Remedies

The last thing to consider for your hair loss is natural remedies. You know that you 
might not be able to reverse your hair loss, and the same can be said of natural 
treatments. However, they do work for many people, especially men who have hair loss 
not from a genetic condition, but more from lifestyle habits, stress, diet, or treatable 
conditions.
Here are some of the more common alternative treatments for hair loss:
Change Your Diet
The first thing to do is change your diet. This might not be a magical cure, but if you 
have thinning hair because of a nutrient deficiency, this is the best thing you can do. It 
can also help to reduce physical stress. Try to stick to a more balanced diet with whole 
grains, nuts and seeds, leafy green vegetables, and lean protein. Stick to whole, fresh, 
non-processed foods whenever possible. 
You are trying to increase your nutrients, including protein, iron, zinc, B vitamins, and 
many others that are needed for healthy, strong hair and a healthy scalp.
Do Scalp Massages
Massaging your scalp is a great way to increase blood flow to your follicles, which might 
help stimulate them and start having new hair growth. You can do a scalp massage dry, 
but it is better to do them with an oil like argan oil or coconut oil, or just in the shower 
while you are shampooing. Use your fingers or get a special scalp massaging tool.
Try Essential Oils
Essential oils are also really useful for the scalp, if you think your hair thinning is the 
result of a scalp condition. Some that are good to use include lavender, chamomile, and 
clary sage.
