What’s Behind Male Pattern Baldness?

Have you ever wondered why some men experience baldness or thinning hair while others don’t? Or whether prevention will do anything about a genetic blueprint? What about whether you can reverse pattern baldness? At HairXT, we run into those questions from our customers pretty often. So let’s bring some clarity to this topic and take you through the in’s and out’s of male pattern baldness.

Who Experiences Male Pattern Baldness?

Actually, all men do. Some men may experience it much more than others, but all men develop thinning hair and receding hairlines as they grow older (women also experience pattern baldness, but that’s a subject deserving of its own post, so we’re going to stick with the male version for today). By the age of 50, over half of all men will have already experienced pattern baldness to some extent.

But there’s a difference between hair that’s thinning or lightly receding and Patrick Stewart-style baldness, so let’s talk about the latter. The reason some men go completely bald while others don’t, if there aren’t underlying medical causes, can largely be chalked up to genetics. If your close relatives are bald - especially on your mother’s side - you have likely inherited the trait. In particular, if your maternal grandfather is bald, there’s a very high chance that you will be, too.

There’s also evidence that excess dihydrotestosterone (DHT) can lead to pattern hair loss: production of that hormone is tied to the same genetic links as pattern baldness.

Can I Prevent or Reverse Male Pattern Hair Loss?

That’s the million dollar question, and the answer isn’t a very satisfying one. It’s a resounding “it depends.” As with other inherited traits, your genetic destiny isn’t written in the stars to the extent that you can’t push the outcome one way or the other with your actions. However, at the end of the day you can only push within a range, meaning you can absolutely slow the rate of loss and help hair regrow, but you can’t turn around a speeding train.

That said, you’d be amazed by how much your choices can and do impact the rate of onset and severity of hair loss - and by how wide that range is.

What Can I Do About Male Pattern Hair Loss?

If your hair is currently thinning or you suspect it will in the future, the best course of action is to make sure you’re doing everything you can for your hair both externally and internally. Let’s look at each factor separately:

External Approaches

• Avoid products and conditions that will damage your hair, like dyes, hot styling tools, or shampoos with harsh chemicals in them.
• Hats encourage hair breakage and scalp irritation, so go easy on them. When you do wear a hat, avoid itchy materials because you’ll want to scratch your scalp. Wash your hats regularly, as trapped sweat can be very damaging for the hair and scalp.
• One major exception to the “no hats” rule? The sun. When it’s warm out, protect both your hair and scalp with a moisture-wicking baseball cap.
• Use HairXT serum for a lightweight, natural way to stimulate hair growth follicles.
• Talk to a stylist about the cuts and styles that can minimize the appearance of thinning hair or baldness.

Internal and Lifestyle Approaches

• Take HairXT extended-release hair supplements for a natural, balanced way to improve the health of both your hair follicles and your hair.  
• Get plenty of sleep - the lack of it is a contributing factor to hair loss.
• Your hair “inhales” fumes too, so if you’re a smoker, you can add hair loss prevention to your list of reasons to cut back and quit.
• Stress can lead to hair loss, so good stress management is essential.

You absolutely can do something about male pattern baldness. If you have any other questions, just reach out and ask!