Hair loss can affect your self-image, especially if it occurs at an early age. It can also affect how you interact with others and may even impact your relationships. It's important to discuss how you feel about it with a family member, partner or friend, and to seek professional help if you need it.
Many men feel that male pattern baldness is a normal part of ageing and don't need treatment, but you can try a range of options to hide your hairloss, such as certain hairstyles, wigs or hairpieces. Other treatments include hair transplants, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or laser or light therapy. These are not proven to slow or prevent baldness, but they can help restore some lost hair.
One of the most common myths is that you inherit baldness from your mother. But this is not completely true — your genes on both your father's and your mother's sides contribute to your chances of losing hair. It is thought that hereditary balding begins when the concentration of a particular hormone increases in your scalp. This hormone is called dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, and it causes hair follicles to shrink.
DHT also can cause a U-shaped or horseshoe pattern of hair growth around the back and sides of your head, and a bald spot to develop on the top of your head. Your hair may also become thinner and shorter, and it might fall out more quickly than usual.