We all hear myths from a young age up until we're adults but when do we stop to question when it's all real or false?
Today we will show you 8 hair loss myths everyone should know.
Minoxidil, the active ingredient in Rogaine and hair loss formulas, has a false rumor going around that it will actually make your hair loss worse. This has been found to be false, although it is easy to see why it may be confusing for some in the beginning of treatment.
During the first 2-8 weeks of treatment, Minoxidil may cause some of the hair follicles which are in the “resting” telogen phase to transition into the “growing” anagen phase. Basically, it pushes out those hairs that have stopped growing and are about to fall out in the coming months, and nudges the follicles back into the growing phase (that you want.)
Ultimately, this is a good thing, and a sign that you have new sprouting and growing hairs on the way -- but it is in no way a “worsening” of hair loss.
It is a common saying that men get their “hair genes” from one specific person in the family, your mother’s father or your father are often the targets in this myth.
However, hair loss genes have been found to be polygenic, meaning that they are a mashup of many of your relatives, not just one specific person.
Sure, you can take a look at everyone in your family, and if they all have strikingly full heads of hair, you may be able to infer that your family’s hair gene game is strong, but pinning it all on one person is a myth.
Hormones do play a role in male pattern hair loss, but maybe not in the way that you are thinking.
There is a myth that men who go bald have higher levels of circulating testosterone, but studies show that men who lose their hair have about the same levels of testosterone in their bodies as lush headed men.
The main hormone culprit of male pattern hair loss is DHT, a hormone that can develop from Testosterone and damage hair follicles.
However, your hair follicle’s response to this DHT may have a genetic component that just makes it more sensitive to the ravages of DHT, and not necessarily the amount of testosterone in your body.
Too much sun can be a problem for many things - your skin, your eyes, the dryness of your hair. But, it has not been proven that extra UV exposure damages your hair follicles or causes hair loss.
This myth may have been perpetuated by those who notice that sun, sand, and saltwater can really dry out your hair strands, making them brittle and break off more easily. But, since just a few dry or broken strands don’t affect the growth or health of your hair follicles, this is not actually a progression of baldness.
The image of the older man with a bald head may be what comes to mind when thinking of male pattern baldness, but the truth is that permanent hair losses can start as soon as men’s teenage years.
Male pattern baldness has a direct link to DHT in the scalp, and unfortunately, if there is a lot, it can start its follicle damaging ways even before men are old enough to drive.
This is an older myth, but still worth addressing. Hat wearing does not contribute to hair loss, unless the hat is worn so tightly that the follicles are damaged or deprived of oxygen, leading to losses. Since it is unlikely that someone would wear a hat in such a tight manner long term (it would be very uncomfortable), we are marking this myth as debunked.
This rumor may have begun since many men who start noticing hair losses may venture into more hat-wearing to cover up the thinning, making people wonder if the hair loss or hat-wearing came first.
You have to think of the hair as almost two separate things, the strands which are produced and the follicle which they grow from. When a lot of hair products are used, it is possible that these products are damaging the strands somewhat, especially if these products are combined with lots of heat styling.
But, products should not damage the hair follicle or cause baldness, even if the strands themselves start looking rough. So, use your favorite hair products, and enjoy some funky hairstyles, it is unlikely that hair products can cause long-term hair loss.
Some people perpetuate the myth that once the hair is gone or going, there is nothing that can be done about it. But science says differently.
In 1986 the first treatment for male pattern baldness was released on the market, Minoxidil, also known as the active ingredient in Rogaine.
A while later, Finasteride tablets were also approved for male pattern hair loss, making these two medications the only currently FDA-approved treatments for male pattern baldness. They have very different mechanisms to help with hair losses, but in general, Minoxidil has been found to help regrow lost hair, and Finasteride can help reduce additional losses.
This makes these two medications the perfect pairing for a two-pronged approach to keeping those locks in place.
Here at Strut Health, you can have a free online consultation with our U.S. licensed doctors to see if Minoxidil, Finasteride, or both are a good option for your hair loss concerns.
If you are a good candidate for treatment, your medication can be shipped to your front door with our free shipping.
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