While everyone in the world, male or female, experiences some thinning of their hair as they grow older, some people lose more hair than normal, some going completely bald. This occurs much more often in men than in women. The condition known as male pattern baldness is responsible for most of these cases, but there are other common causes of hair loss in men.

As stated, the most common cause of hair loss in men is androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness). This condition is brought about by a combination of genetic and hormonal factors, particularly testosterone. Nobody knows the exact genes that are linked with going bald, but it has been determined that blaming it on the mother’s side of the family only is a myth.

Some diseases, such as thyroid disorder, can cause hair loss in men. Cancer is another disease responsible for hair loss, but more often, it is the treatments for cancer that cause the hair to fall out. Thus, we can see that medications can also be responsible for hair loss.

Not all hair loss is total. There are several reasons for patchy hair loss. Some require treatment to correct. Most are natural and do not. One of the most common causes of hair loss other than male pattern baldness is known as alopecia areata. This form of hair loss is characterized by patches of hair about the size of a quarter falling out. These patches usually grow back on their own after a few months. Stress is believed to be the primary cause of this type of hair loss, though some argue that the hair loss is the cause of the stress.

Traction alopecia affects men who wear their hair in longer styles that include braids or ponytails. In many cases, these hairstyles put so much pressure on the hair roots that they turn loose and are ripped out of the head. The process is relatively slow and is not normally noticed until the loose hair is seen after removing the ponytail.

Trichotillomania is an ominous sounding name for hair loss caused by the habitual pulling or twisting of hair. This type of hair loss is purely caused by habitual behaviors and the only treatment is to change the behavior. Unfortunately, most people who pull or twist their hair do not even realize they are doing because it a nervous habit or one that they perform while trying to concentrate.

Telogen Effluvium is a perfectly normal cycle of growth and death of hair. At any given time, up to 33 percent of any individuals hair is in the dying, or dead stage and falls out freely. People who are concerned about hair loss tend to notice more hairs on their pillow or in their brush each day and become worried. Examination of the hairs would reveal a large percentage of them with the white root attached, indicating that they were dead and ready to fall out.

Certain conditions can change the normal rhythm of this cycle and lead to a higher than normal rate of hair loss. These conditions include sudden weight loss, surgery, and high fever. This can lead to bald areas on the head or body, but the hair should grow back normally within about 3 months.

Hair loss is not an uncommon condition, especially among men. There are several possible causes for hair loss. Most do not require any special treatment to make the hair grow back. Male pattern baldness is more permanent, often leading to complete baldness. Treatments for this conditions include topical application of minoxidil (Rogaine), ingestion of finasteride (Propecia), hair plugs, wigs, and shaving the entire head.