Hair loss in both women and men presents many challenges – it can affect the quality of life. Male pattern baldness does not occur overnight. For most men, it’s a gradual process. You need to learn and identify the signs of balding as it helps to take action early. The earlier you seek help and treatment to prevent further hair loss, the more hair you can save. Sadly, it’s not always easy to identify hair loss. You may not be able to distinguish between hair loss occurring from non-damaged hair follicles that will grow back and hair loss that won’t grow.
Luckily, there are signs that can help you identify hair loss so that you can seek help. If you’re experiencing these signs, see a regenerative medicine specialist in Columbus for treatment.
Change in hairline
One of the most obvious signs of hair loss or balding is having a noticeable change within your hairlines. You are able to see the hairline change from a flat or mildly receded one to an M-shaped hairline. In many people, this starts around the crown and the temples. It often begins with thinning instead of total hair loss. When you take two photos that you took years apart and compare them, you are able to see that the hairline is receded. This is an obvious sign you are suffering from hair loss.
Something to mention here is that lighting conditions can change the appearance of the hairline. You may have hair that looks thinner when you observe it in bright downlighting. Fluorescent lights are known to make hair look thin even though it is perfectly normal.
To minimize this kind of effect, you can photograph yourself after every few months within the same lighting condition to check if the hairline is receding. In about a year or two, you will be able to find out whether you are losing hair around the hairline.
Thinning of hair
You will realize that not all people have their balding starting from the hairline. Some individuals will have diffuse thinning, which is a type of hair loss affecting the entire scalp of certain areas such as the crown. Diffuse thinning may result in baldness that begins from the top or back instead of starting from the hairline.
Again, just like a receded hairline, the easiest way you can detect diffuse thinning is to try comparing photos taken in different time periods. You may notice that your hair is looking thinner today than it was in a photo you took several years ago. If this is the case, chances are that you have male pattern baldness. And because it is difficult to take photographs from behind you, you can consider taking them in your bathroom mirror to compare the thickness of the hair over time.
Seeking treatment to stop hair loss
There various kinds of treatments for hair loss, with each having its own cons and pros. You may want to consider regenerative medicine as it offers a much safer option compared to other methods. Talk to a specialist in hair treatment to find out the options of treatment they offer.
If you have the hair around the crown thinning following every few years, make sure you take action in order to prevent further hair loss.