Why is it that some men begin to experience thinning hair and a receding hair line as they age?

No one wants to say goodbye to their thick, youthful hair, but some men are dealt the cards of male pattern hair loss. This genetic condition is related to your hormones and can’t be avoided if it runs in your family.

Common Patterns of Hair Loss in Men

Hair follicles each hold one or more strands of hair which sit in a small hole in your scalp. Hormones and age can cause these follicles to shrink with time, resulting in finer and shorter hair. Eventually, the follicle no longer grows new hair, resulting in baldness.

This form of hair loss doesn’t affect the entire head. Instead, certain areas of the hair begin to thin, usually starting with the hair that lines the face as well as the crown of the head. As the pattern progresses and baldness develops, the entire top of the scalp can lose hair. Eventually, the advanced stages of male pattern baldness leave only a horseshoe pattern of hair, located around the sides and back of the head.

In the beginning, the signs of hair loss might not be noticeable because there are plenty of hair follicles to maintain the appearance of the hair line. With time and age, the hair line will continue to thin and move higher on the forehead.

Book a Consultation

Do Women Also Experience Hair Loss?

While hair loss is most often associated with men, women can also experience hereditary thinning and hair loss with age or traction alopecia. This process is similar to the hair loss that occurs in men, but the pattern is usually different for women.

Learn more about Female Pattern Hair Loss

What Causes Male Pattern Hair Loss?

Male pattern hair loss typically occurs later in life as hormone levels change. Genetics play a big role in hormone levels and how the follicles are affected. The hair follicles in the affected areas are more sensitive to male sex hormones (dihydrotestosterone, also known as DHT) than follicles located on the sides and back of the head. As the hormones affect these areas, the follicles begin to shrink with time.

It is estimated that more than 50% of men experience male pattern baldness by the age of 50 years old, although some people start noticing a changing hairline as early as their 20’s.

Given that genetics play a large role in hair loss, some ethnicities have a higher risk of this issue. For example, Caucasian men have a higher risk of male pattern hair loss compared to other ethnicities. Research shows that Japanese, Chinese, and Native American men have the lowest risk.

If you have a family history of baldness, it is likely that you also have the genetic preconditioning for hair loss.

What Solutions Are There for Hair Loss?

Even though hair loss is a natural part of the aging process for many people, it can still be a stressful experience to see the hairline creeping higher and higher. This aesthetic concern can play a role in many aspects of your life, including self-esteem, professional career, interpersonal relationships, and more. Luckily, hair transplants can be used to overcome these concerns and restore your confidence.

A consultation with Dr. Sharma will rule out any other factors that might be affecting hair loss, such as nutritional deficiencies, health conditions, and use of certain medications. The pattern of hair loss is a good indication of the genetic cause. Dr. Sharma will create a personalized plan that not only treats the immediate hairline, but also helps with future hairline changes that are anticipated.

Learn more about Treatments for Hair loss

Hair Loss at the Crown

The second most common area we perform hair restoration procedures to would be the crown. The crown of your head is located at the very top of your skull sometimes also referred to as the vertex.

When Male Pattern Hair Loss presents itself in this area it can be quite difficult to treat due to the size of the treatment area. Something that also increases the challenge when transplanting hair to the area is the variety of angles that hair naturally lies at the scalp. Unlike the frontal hairline, the implantation angle constantly changes. You must follow the angles of the native hair very carefully to allow for a natural-looking result.

In this video, Dr. Anil Sharma goes over an F.U.E. transplant case completed at our clinic here in Edmonton. For this patient hair loss began at the frontotemporal angle as well as the crown. The loss of hair density due to miniaturization had affected his entire appearance. Using a combination approach of medication and the FUE hair transplant technique we were able to take a relatively low amount of grafts (1,722) and strategically place them to restore his youthful appearance.

The after photo was taken 11 months post-transplant which means he has an additional 7 months of growth to look forward to.

Cases like this really show why it is important to tackle hair loss early. Hair transplant pricing is based on the number of grafts relocated during the procedure. This young man was able to have an effective, aggressive, and affordable procedure which has changed his entire look.

Play Video

Traction Alopecia Hair Loss

This type of hair loss is not caused by any medical condition. Over time some hairstyles, including braids, ponytails, or man buns can put enough force onto the follicle to cause it to fall out. Wearing your hair in these ways is not damaging, it’s the constant and repetitive strain that damages the hair. This results in thin hair in the affected region and eventually the formation of bald spots.

Learn more about how to treat this type of hair loss

Talk to a Hair Transplant Expert in Edmonton, Alberta

If you are considering options for hair restoration surgery, our experienced team is just a phone call away. Contact our Edmonton hair transplant clinic at your convenience to schedule a consultation with the leading hair loss surgeon in the area: Dr. Sharma.

Hair loss isn’t something you have to put up with. Even though hair loss is an unavoidable experience for many people, it is possible to turn back the clock so you can regain a youthful appearance. Dr. Sharma has a keen artistic eye and years of experience creating natural hairlines. These methods are designed to create results that look like you never had a procedure in the first place.

If you are ready to feel confident with a full head of hair, then we are here to assist. Contact us at Sharma Skin & Hair Surgery to schedule a consultation and learn more about the results you can expect from this modern treatment.