6 Common Hair Loss Myths: The Truth About Male Pattern Baldness

MYTH 1: WEARING HATS CAN CAUSE HAIR TO FALL OUT

FALSE. We can still hear our mom telling us that if we kept wearing hats, our hair was going to fall out. While mom may have been using scare tactics to reduce our hat wearing, science tells us otherwise.

There is an incorrect assumption that our scalp needs to “breathe” but oxygen is supplied to the hair follicles through the bloodstream. So, wear a hat all you want – this will not speed up your hair loss or affect your hair in any way.

MYTH 2: ONLY MEN OVER 50 START GOING BALD

FALSE. Hair loss due to male pattern baldness often starts mid-twenties for men with 30% experiencing hair loss by age 30. That’s why it is important to take preventative actions. The earlier and more proactive you are in introducing science backed ingredients that prevent hair loss and promote hair growth in your daily regime, the more successful you’ll be in preventing further hair loss (if that’s not a sales pitch, I don’t know what is).

MYTH 3: GENETIC HAIR LOSS IS PASSED DOWN THROUGH YOUR MOTHER’S SIDE OF THE FAMILY

FALSE. It’s an age old lie we have told ourselves for years - “my mother’s father and grandfather had full heads of hair, so I wont lose my hair”. Not true. Hereditary hair loss can be passed on by either parent. Yes, genetics can be blamed, but don’t blame your sweet mother alone!

MYTH 4: BALD MEN HAVE MORE TESTOSTERONE

FALSE. It’s a vicious lie bald men have been spreading for decades. While it may be comforting to some bald men to think that they have higher testosterone levels than their full headed friends – it just ain’t true. Studies have shown that men who go bald and those who don’t, have the same levels of testosterone.

Also, testosterone doesn’t cause hair loss. As explained in HAIR LOSS 101, dihydrotestosterone a.k.a. DHT is the primary hormone responsible for male pattern baldness. We can see how this could be confusing as DHT is derived from testosterone (the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase converts testosterone to DHT in certain tissues including the skin and hair follicles). Elevated levels of DHT and your sensitivity towards DHT causes scalp hair follicles to miniaturize or shrink and eventually stop growing new hairs.

MYTH 5: SHAMPOOING YOUR HAIR TOO MUCH CAN CAUSE HAIR LOSS

FALSE. How often you shampoo your hair has no effect on overall loss or growth of hair. You may notice your hair is falling out more while you wash it, but losing 50-100 hairs a day is normal. So, don’t be gross, shower and shampoo your hair often.

MYTH 6: VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS CAN HELP PROMOTE HAIR GROWTH

Kinda. Biotin (vitamin B7), Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and Zinc, among others, are all linked to healthy hair growth; however, taking supplements will only help if your diet is deficient in these vitamins/micronutrients.

Biotin (vitamin B7) is a vitamin found in foods like eggs, milk, and bananas and can increase keratin, a protein found in your hair, nails, and skin.  A deficiency in Biotin can cause thinning of the hair, a rash on the face and brittle nails.

All cells need vitamin A for growth. This includes hair, the fastest growing tissue in the human body. Sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, spinach, and kale are all rich in beta-carotene, which is turned into vitamin A.

Vitamin D’s actual role in hair growth is not understood, but one form of hair loss is linked to deficiencies. You can increase vitamin D levels through sun exposure or by eating certain foods such as oily fish - salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel, red meat, liver, egg yolks and fortified foods, including, some fat spreads and breakfast cereals.  

Zinc plays an important role in hair tissue growth and repair. It also helps keep the oil glands around the follicles working properly. Hair loss is a common symptom of zinc deficiency and studies show resolving zinc deficiency with supplementation may reduce deficiency-related hair loss. Foods high in zinc include oysters, beef, spinach, wheat germ, pumpkin seeds, and lentils.