How do you know if you have male pattern (genetic) hair loss or if you have another health problem causing your hair loss?

Ok, so first let’s debunk some myths: Wearing a baseball cap or beanie doesn’t cause hair loss. Neither does washing it too often, over-styling, over combing or frequent brushing.

There is a significant relationship between smoking and the speed of the progression of male-pattern baldness, so if you needed another good reason to quit smoking – there it is!

Since 95% of male hair loss is caused by male-pattern, genetic hair loss, there is very little that can be done to avoid it altogether.

There are some treatments that can slow it down such as minoxidil and finasteride, but the issue with these types of treatments is that they are expensive and only effective while you are using them. The hair loss returns as soon as you stop using them.

So let’s look at some of the healthier solutions and other causes that can be reversible.

Hair loss in both men and women can be caused by stress. Stress on the body in terms of illness or sadness and loss can cause sudden hair loss which will usually right itself when the stress is over. It does take about three months for hair loss to appear after stress and this is because hair growth works on a three month cycle. So if you have a sudden appearance of hair loss, think back three months.

A lack of certain vitamins and minerals such as zinc, vitamin B, iron and a diet low in protein can all cause hair loss. But before you use Dr Google as your guiding light, you should get a blood test to determine if you have any of these deficiencies. This is because there are many side effects to having too much of some of these in your system too.

Male-pattern baldness is not curable. However you can disguise it very easily with a shake in fibre like Nut Job. These fibres are made from cotton and many thousands of  men use them to boost confidence and self-assurance.

To determine if you have classic male pattern baldness or a metabolic cause of hair loss, the pattern that the hair loss is making is usually the way to tell.

Male-pattern baldness starts with a receding hairline and then gradually falls out in what is often called a horse shoe shape, leaving the hair around the sides.

Whereas if your hair loss is caused by one of the physiological or metabolic causes like stress or a vitamin or mineral deficiency,  then the loss is likely to appear as more general thinning.

Some of the other options for disguising hair loss include hairpieces and surgery. Hairpieces have come a long way since the old “rugs” of yesteryear and as for surgery, well that’s an expensive and time consuming option.

Styling tips and tricks are still a good option. Keeping thinning hair short is always a good idea as longer hair lends itself to a comb over look which is always very aging.

If you keep your hair short, then the shake in hair fibres can make each hair look up to ten times thicker which gives the overall appearance of much more hair.

You can purchase Nut Job hair thickening fibres here on this website.

Overall the best advice, if you are worried, is to head to your GP for a general check up. Something that men are usually reluctant to do but something that can be extremely worthwhile, especially if you discover there was something simple you could have done with diet or vitamins to slow down the inevitable!