Have you ever worried that your hat habit would make you go bald? Or that your workout supplements will shed more than just fat? Do you hold yourself back because you believe too many ejaculations will trigger hair loss?
If the answer to any of these is yes, you’ve been the victim of a hair loss myth. It’s totally normal to believe things you hear from other people, but often the things you hear are fearmongering falsehoods. Hair loss myths are super common and can range from simple misconceptions to lies with a wild anti-masturbating agenda (and we can’t stand for that 😉). We’ve put together a list of some of the most common hair loss myths, and explained why they aren’t true. Keep reading for the truth behind balding.
Myth: Hats & Caps Cause Hair Loss
You may have heard that hats and caps cause hair loss by restricting blood flow or suffocating your scalp. We just want to tell you that’s BS. Unless your hats and caps are unbearably tight, there’s no way that they’ll affect your scalp. Hair loss is all part of the genetic lottery. If it’s meant to be for you, it’ll be, and not wearing caps or hats won’t do anything to change that.
Myth: Only Old People Lose Their Hair
It’s a common misconception that only older people lose their hair, or that hair loss isn’t a concern for people in their 20s, but if your family has a genetic link to hair loss, you could start losing your hair as young as in your teens. In fact, 16% of men experience significant hair loss between the ages of 18 and 29.
Myth: You Inherit Hair Loss From Your Mother
As you probably know by now, male pattern balding and hair loss is all down to hormones and genetics, but where does our affinity for shedding or lack thereof actually come from? One common myth says you can blame your mom for the state of your scalp, but that notion is just that – a myth.
Androgenetic Alopecia is complex and it’s thought to be the result of a number of different genes, 63 actually, only one of which is determined by your mom. 80% of balding men have a bald or balding dad, so sit down and send your mom some flowers for all the times you’ve blamed her.
You can read more about the genetics of hair loss here.
Myth: Having More Testosterone Makes You Go Bald
DHT or Dihydrotestosterone is the cause of male pattern baldness. While ‘testosterone’ is in the name, DHT causes balding, not testosterone. DHT forms when testosterone undergoes a conversion process, and it isn’t the same as testosterone itself. A man’s DHT levels and genetic predisposition are what causes him to lose hair, but his testosterone levels have no effect.
Myth: Stress Causes Hair Loss
Stress is known to impact every aspect of your health, so it’s reasonable to think that it’s to blame for your sorrowful strands, but many a man has foolishly brushed off his hair loss as stress shedding and lived to regret it. Trauma can trigger hair loss, but generally your hair will recover. This form of hair loss is called telogen effluvium, and it can affect anyone of any age for a relatively short period of time.
If you’ve been losing your hair for years or months, it’s likely not stress-induced so it’s best to talk to a specialist about the possible cause. You can also keep an eye on the pattern of hair loss to identify if you have male pattern balding or stress-related hair loss. If the pattern of your hair loss can be classified on the Norwood Scale, you’re dealing with androgenetic alopecia, not stress-induced hair loss.
Myth: Hair Products Make You Go Bald
Another misconception about hair loss is the idea that using hair products will cause baldness.
It’s understandable to think that styling aids like hair gel or wax and the pulling action generally associated with them can cause hair loss. But the truth behind the myth is whether you use styling products or not, if you’re losing significant amounts of hair you most likely have an underlying condition that no level of product abstinence can stop.
Medicinal hair products like finasteride and minoxidil have been medically approved to help reduce and even reverse hair loss for decades. Adding science-backed non-prescription shampoos to your regiment is also worthwhile. But in general, don’t fret about your hair products and enjoy your hair while you can.
Myth: Gym Supplements Trigger Hair Loss
Dudes go through a lot to get swole. Everything from counting macros to those strategic gym sessions are necessary for muscle building, and supplements can be instrumental in reaching those gains. But what if gym supplements cause balding?
After all, many a buff guy has no hair, but that may be down to different substances used for muscle gains. Anabolic Androgenic Steroids are common in the body building community but can lead to unwanted side effects that include hair loss, acne, jaundice, and changes to libido and sexual vigour.
Some guys believe that certain gym supplements like Creatine may cause hair loss, but there is no existing evidence to support this theory.
Myth: Masturbation Makes Your Hair Fall Out
Fortunately for you, the deterrent your gran used on you is false. Masturbation and sexual activity have zero impact on hair loss. Ejaculations dispense very tiny amounts of protein, so it would take inhuman volumes and frequencies to have any visible impact on the rest of your body. And we know what you’re thinking – so just to clarify - no, you are not capable of that level of output.
In Conclusion
We’ve all heard the odd myth about hair loss, and hey, you may have believed some before, but research is always king, and you should never let your fear of hair loss hold you back from living.
So go – work out, style your hair, choke that chicken, and heck, be audacious enough to wear a hat every now and then. Your hair won’t mind.
The articles published by &BAM are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. If you have any medical questions or concerns, you should contact your doctor.
References
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9865198/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022202X15411169
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0149291801800709
https://www.healthline.com/health/creatine-hair-loss#dht-levels