Alopecia is a pathological condition, expressed by a sharp loss of hair and the absence of new growth, which leaves behind bald spots, bald patches on the head. Among patients with this diagnosis, the majority are men, and 60% of them suffer from hair loss at the age of 25-35 years. Such disappointing dynamics and the causes of severe baldness in men are interrelated indicators.
Doctors trichologists and dermatologists deal with hair problems, they consider the progression of alopecia among modern society to be the result of negative factors. Any disease needs a thorough diagnosis, and only after determining the cause of its development, the optimal course of therapy can be selected. If a man’s hair falls out sharply, leaving bald patches and bald spots, it is important to articulate the causes of such a violation.
The main causes of sudden hair loss
Normally, each person falls out about 50-100 hairs a day, but new hairs immediately sprout in their place. Therefore, the main indicator of alopecia is a sharp increase in falling hairs, as well as an inferior growth of new curls. It is important to seek advice from a trichologist in a timely manner so that the specialist conducts an examination, and also establishes the reasons that provoked such a violation.
The causes of alopecia can be internal and external, depending on them, the doctor will select corrective treatment. And only after neutralizing the negative impact of such factors will the direct treatment of alopecia be effective.
Hormonal disbalance
If a man’s hair falls out sharply, most often doctors associate this with the hormonal background and the endocrine system. The fact is that hair follicles are sensitive to the sex hormones of the male body, so any jumps in androgens can lead to hair loss. The form of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, has a negative effect on the hair follicles.
Dihydrotestosterone causes spasms of the vessels of the hair follicles, against which the hair receives much less oxygen and valuable components. Over time, the influence of this hormone leads to the death of the hair roots, respectively, this leads to their loss without subsequent growth. In this case, the doctor diagnoses androgenetic alopecia 1-3, 3-6 and 7 stages of development.
Immunity problems
Immunity also plays a direct role in hair loss and growth, therefore, with alopecia, the doctor must refer the patient for a consultation with an immunologist. Any aggressive attacks on the body by the immune system can lead to hair loss. Severe and prolonged illnesses, stress, depression, autoimmune diseases can provoke the production of immunity antibodies.
You can determine autoimmune alopecia by a characteristic feature — the location of the bald patches. If the hair loss was caused by the aggressive behavior of antibodies, the hair loss will not be concentrated in the forehead area, as is often the case, but in other areas on the head, such as the back of the head or the crown of the head. Most often, after the examination, thyroid dysfunction or adrenal insufficiency will be established.
Stress
If a man’s hair falls out badly, it may not be so much a consequence of the disease as its symptom. Doctors first pay attention to the patient’s lifestyle and his psycho-emotional background. Stress is another common cause of alopecia; the following situations can provoke it:
- poor nutrition;
- alcoholism;
- avitaminosis and lack of B vitamins;
- drug addiction and smoking;
- insomnia;
- uncorrected or excessive physical activity;
- psychoemotional disorders.
Any of these situations can lead to spasms of blood vessels that nourish and oxygenate the hair follicles. Accordingly, this will lead to their gradual killing and massive hair loss.
Diseases of the internal organs
Another reason why a man suddenly began to fall out can be serious illnesses. First, the doctor must check the patient for the presence of infectious processes in the body, in addition, systemic long-term diseases can lead to this. Namely:
- anemia;
- diabetes;
- parasite infections;
- fungal infections;
- oncological neoplasms;
- chronic diseases at the stage of exacerbation.
Do not underestimate the skin diseases that can be located on the scalp, such as psoriasis, seborrhea, eczema, which clog pores and sebaceous glands, cause dandruff, peeling, itching, clog the hair follicle. Gastrointestinal diseases, for example, ulcers, gastritis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, etc., can affect the condition of the hair.
Other causes of baldness
Often, the reasons why a man suddenly began to fall out are difficult to diagnose right away, since they do not lie on the surface. In general, in medicine, internal and external factors of a negative impact on the health of the hair and scalp are considered separately. Moreover, among them there are such reasons that cannot be corrected, but require radical methods of treating alopecia.
Hereditary alopecia
The most common cause of male pattern baldness is a genetic predisposition to the condition. Heredity often leads to the fact that diseases, individual predisposition and sensitivity to exposure factors are transmitted from parents to children. If there were men in the family who suffered from baldness, the probability of transmitting the problem is 80%.
For reference! Most often, hereditary alopecia causes not only a repeated situation with baldness, but even age binding, that is, the age when hair began to fall out. If a father’s baldness began at age 30, his son will most likely start having problems at the same age.
External Factors
External influence on a person often leads to the development of diseases and disorders in the body, and the problem of hair loss will not be an exception. The following external factors can provoke reactive hair loss and the lack of new hair growth:
- chemotherapy and radiation;
- long-term use of potent drugs, such as antibiotics, antidepressants or hormonal drugs;
- unfavorable ecology;
- harmful professional activity;
- poisoning with salts of heavy metals and poisons;
- scalp injury or burns.
Not the last role in this matter is played by the diet and lifestyle of a man. To ensure the normal functioning of the internal processes responsible for hair growth, it is important to eat a balanced diet, as well as lead an active and mobile lifestyle.
Which doctor should I go to?
The first medical specialist who should consult a man with hair loss is a general practitioner. He will assess the general state of health of the patient, prescribe the necessary tests. Further, depending on the established disorders in the patient’s body, they can be referred to other narrow specialists, be it a cardiologist, oncologist, endocrinologist, infectious disease specialist. And only after that, a trichologist will advise, examine and prescribe a course of treatment for alopecia.
Important! Not all cities have trichologists who are competent in matters related to hair and scalp. An alternative may be a dermatologist who treats any diseases of the skin.
Baldness diagnostics
Diagnosis is a visual and laboratory examination of the patient, allowing you to accurately determine the causes of the disease and its presence. With hair loss, several diagnostic methods are most often carried out:
- general analysis of blood, urine;
- a blood test to study the level of hormones;
- immunogram;
- computer diagnostics of the condition of the scalp and hair structure.
Also, other related doctors may prescribe additional diagnostic methods to determine the causes of male pattern baldness.
Prevention
Prevention of baldness is required not only for those who are at risk, but also for all men due to their predisposition to hair loss. In men, hair follicles are located close to the skin. Prevention consists of several points:
- balanced nutrition and multivitamin intake during the off-season;
- active and mobile lifestyle;
- timely treatment of any disorders in the body and diseases;
- the choice of care products, considering the type of hair and scalp;
- avoidance of stressful situations and insomnia;
- massage of the scalp while washing the hair and combing it;
- compliance with the drinking regime (you need to drink 8-10 glasses of clean water per day).
In the diet of men, there must be foods containing B vitamins, antioxidants, fatty acids, protein, as well as the minerals iron, calcium, zinc, selenium, and magnesium. When identifying the first signs of alopecia, it is imperative to visit a trichologist, since advanced cases are more difficult to correct with treatment.
Conclusion
Baldness is a serious disorder in the body, which involves a long and cumulative process. Therefore, it is important to identify the problem in a timely manner by its signs, and then identify the causes of severe baldness in men. Only knowing the causes of the pathological condition, you can find the best ways to solve the problem by making a competent course of treatment. If you do not eliminate the causes of baldness, it will be impossible to restore normal hair growth. Alopecia is always treated in a complex way by local and internal use.
