When I look at my hair, I can clearly spot a hair thinning on top of my head. This has made me question myself, am I going bald?
Each and every person lose a few hair strands daily, which is considered to be normal and natural. However you might be going bald, due to various other reasons. Can you really figure out whether you are actually going bald? According to the experts there are several signs including a gradual thinning on top of your head, which could be used to predict whether you are going bald.
In this article I’m going to discuss about the information that I have gathered regarding the early signs which will forewarn you about going bald.
What are the early signs of balding
1. A visible thinning of the hair
This is a common type of hair loss which can be seen in both men and women, especially when they age. The thinning will mostly occur just above the forehead, making your scalp more visible to the outside. For some people, the thinning can occur around the crown.
I’m facing this condition, and my hair started thinning in my early 20s. According to the experts, people facing this condition will have a greater risk of going bald.
However do not freak out when you see the scalp after taking a shower. This is not due to hair thinning, but due to the hair clumping together due to the moisture in your hair.
2. A visible change in your hairline
A receding hairline is another common sign which could be seen in many people, which will forewarn you about going bald.
In most scenarios, the hairline recedes around the temples, which gives the hairline around your forehead M-shaped or V-shaped appearance. Sometimes the changes in the hairline occurs as a thinning rather than a complete hair loss.
If your hairline has receded when compared to the previous years, then it is a possible warning that you are losing your hair. This may not make you go bald completely, but it can have a significant impact on, how your hair looks over the years.
3. Losing more hair than usual
Its is normal and natural for a person to lose about 50-100 hair strands per day due to the changes in the hair cycle. However a person can be losing more hair than usual.
In a previous article I have discussed about two types of tests (hair pull test, comb and count test) that you can perform at home, to get a rough idea about the hair fall. However these tests are not highly accurate.
If you feel that, you are losing more hair than usual, then it is a possible warning that you are losing hair abnormally. This does not mean that you are going bald completely, but it can also have a significant impact on how your hair looks depending on the reason why you lose hair.
4. Circular bald patches in the hair
Circular bald spots can occur due to various reasons. One of the reasons, is a condition known as alopecia areata or spot baldness [1] [2]. This is where you would lose hair in specific spots. Alopecia areata is considered to be an autoimmune disease, which is considered as an abnormal response of the immune system to a normal part of the body.
Alopecia areata starts with small bald patches on your head. These small patches can spread, and can look awful. So if you get the first sign of small bald patch, consult your dermatologist immediately and seek medical help.
It is considered that the risk of getting alopecia areata is high in people who are suffering from thyroid disease, asthma, hay fever, anemia, and down syndrome.
The other reason for having circular bald spots is due to the ringworm. A ringworm is not literally a worm but a fungal infection on the skin. This is contagious and will pass from one person to another.
The ringworm can cause bald spots in your head, if the infection is on the head. It can generally be treated with an anti-fungal cream. But seeking the doctor’s advice is much more wiser in these types of situations. Because untreated conditions can lead to balding.
What are the common reasons for premature balding
There are many reasons which are causing our hair to fall, over the years. One of the main reasons is the genetic makeup of a particular person. If a particular person comes from a family where the previous generations are mostly bald, then that person is more likely to go bald too.
Apart from genetics, the factors such as nutrition deficiencies, pregnancy, sudden weight loss, hair styling methods, showering mistakes etc. can lead to hair loss.
How long does it take to go bald once your hair starts thinning
Before going any further, it is important to know that hair loss and balding are not the same. Balding may occur due to the excessive hair loss over a long period of time.
Most men will start to lose their hair in the twenties. However, generally it will take about 15 to 30 years to go bald depending on the underlying condition that is causing your hair to fall. But some people go bald even before passing 15 years. They would lose their hair in a short period of time, which can be even less than 5 years.
Therefore it is not possible to point out the exact time period which takes for a person to go bald.
How can premature balding be prevented
Premature hair loss can occur due to various reasons. As I mentioned before, one of the reasons is the genetic makeup of a person. The unfortunate news about hair loss due to genetics is that, it cannot be prevented or cured (at least not yet).
However, if you are losing hair due to other reasons such as vitamin deficiency, anabolic steroids, showering mistakes, then avoiding such scenarios will help you to prevent premature hair loss.
If you are seeking a home remedy to protect your hair, then,
- Try to be relaxed and not be stressed all the time.
- Eat a clean, healthy and a balanced diet rich in vitamins, proteins, iron, calcium etc.
- Minimize the use of hair dryers, curling irons, hot rollers.
- Avoid hairstyles which pulls your hair back, such as pony tails, braids etc.
- Smoking can cause hair loss in men, so minimize it.
- Avoid the medications and supplements that can lead to hair loss. For more safety, seek the doctor’s advice before using any such medication.
Further you can apply rogaine (minoxidil) to promote hair growth and prevent hair loss.
People in my area are oblivious to the fact that scalp therapy shampoos for fast hair growth (obviously with no sulfates, no parabens and no DEA) are a thing. Folks now may attain longer hair and attain more alternatives. Definitely worth considering.
When you’re talking about alopecia, hair damage, preventing scalp disorders, hair growth, hair and scalp health in general, the same thoughts come to mind.
For the most part, you want to avoid hair treatments and products that use chemicals like parabens, DEA or sulfates.
What is beneficial for your hair is good for your skin as well.
Obviously the content above hits the nail in the head for so many reasons. It steers away from the usual pitfalls and pitfalls so many fall into: utilizing bad alternatives. Thank you so much!