Hair Loss Myths

Not surprisingly, hair loss myths are more well known than hair loss facts.  Since hair loss is such a common and unwelcome condition, the public has been flooded with hair loss myths to promote sales of hair loss prevention products.  Many companies have jumped on the hair loss bandwagon because of our own enormous desires to eliminate hair loss from our lives, not to mention the unlimited amount of money that we (the public) are willing to spend on this quest.  This makes the hair loss market ripe for perpetuating myths that will increase sales.  But, for the most part, they are just that, myths. 

Some of the more common hair loss myths are as follows. 

Hair loss myth #1: Male Pattern Baldness comes from the mother’s side of the family and skips a generation.  Not true.  There is no one single gene that causes baldness.  Most researches believe that MPB is a result of several different genes, inherited from both parents, interacting with each other to cause hair loss.   

Hair loss myth #2:  Pattern baldness affects only men.  Just ask any women suffering from pattern baldness, it’s not true.  In fact, hair loss is just as common in women as it is in men, it just usually occurs in a less virulent form and is easier to hide.  Also, women’s hair tends to thin out over the entire scalp area, whereas men’s hair thins in patches and at the forehead.   

Hair loss myth #3:  Poor blood flow to the scalp area causes hair loss.  This is a misconception that has been perpetuated by companies selling hair loss products for years.  Ask any dermatologist and they will tell you, bald scalps have just as much blood flow as scalps full of hair.  It is because of this blood flow to the bald scalp that hair transplants work so well.   

Hair loss myth #4:  If you haven’t lost your hair by 40, you aren’t going to.  Again, not true.  Age has nothing to do with it.  If you are genetically predisposed to loose your hair, you are going to.  Just be grateful you made it to 40 with your hair still intact. 

Hair loss myth #5:  Stress makes your hair fall out.  Okay, in some part, this is true, but it takes a very traumatic event to cause enough stress that your hair falls out.  The common stress we experience on a daily basis will not make our hair fall out.  In fact, some stress can actually increase the production of hair.   

Okay, I could go on and on about hair loss myths and not run out of things to talk about.  My point is this.  Most of the facts we think we know about hair loss are actually hair loss myths.  If you are suffering from hair loss, consult your doctor.  Your physician will be able to give you a factual reason for your hair loss and advise you on what types of treatments would work in your specific case.

 

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