Hair loss is not an alien phenomenon to us humans, as everyone loses hair at different degrees every day. As strands of hair fall out, new ones grow back to replace them, and the cycle continues.
However, in some men, these hair strands fall out, and none sprouts to replace them. As many as 85% of men will have a kind of hair loss at least once in their lifetime. Hair loss affects both men and women and the older we get, the higher our risk of developing it.
Recent studies have shown that hair loss affects 40% of men by the age of 35, 60% of men at 60, and 80% of men at the age of 80.
Hair loss may just be a physical symptom, but it may lead to emotional and psychological problems such as reduced self-esteem, depression, and social anxiety. That’s why it is a serious issue to men.
Causes of Hair Loss in Men
The most common cause of hair loss in men is male pattern baldness, a genetic condition in which the hair becomes abnormally thin and short. Male pattern baldness accounts for up to 90 percent of all cases of hair loss in men.
In male pattern baldness, it’s thought that your hair follicles become over sensitive to the hormone, dihydrotestosterone, which shrinks the follicles. In turn, this will cause your hair to get smaller, shorter, and thinner. If these hair strands are lost, with time, there will be no hair to replace them.
Other possible causes of hair loss in men include scarring alopecia, thyroid disorders, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, scalp infections, stress, vitamin deficiencies, and medications such as blood thinners, steroids, and high doses of vitamin A.
Treatment for Hair Loss in Men
You might have stumbled on ads which promise a quick fix to hair loss. Do not purchase that order in a hurry because there is no quick fix to male hair loss.
The primary cause of hair loss has to be addressed to reverse the condition and promote hair growth. Some effective treatment for hair loss include steroids for male pattern baldness and vitamin supplements such as biotin for hair loss caused by nutritional deficiencies.
Biotin – A Cure for Hair loss in Men?
One of the best vitamin supplements that promote hair growth is biotin. Biotin, a water-soluble B-vitamin, helps the cells and tissues of your body to convert food to energy. Why it is recommended for hair loss is because it also promotes growth and development of thicker, healthier skin, nails, and hair.
Over the years, the number of people that have purchased hair products containing biotin as well as the number of such hair products have been on the increase.
But the question is – Is biotin a cure for hair loss in men? The answer is No. As noted earlier, there are so many causes of hair loss and vitamin deficiency is just one of them, and a rare cause. Biotin can reverse hair loss only when it is caused by biotin deficiency. Male pattern baldness is responsible for hair loss in 9 of every 10 people and, being a genetic and hormonal-based condition, is unresponsive to biotin.
Biotin deficiency is a rare condition and is unlikely to be the cause of your hair loss. Biotin deficiency accounts for one in every 137,400 cases of hair loss, so rushing to get biotin supplement to eliminate your hair loss may not be the way out.
If you have biotin deficiency, you will also have other symptoms such as scaly skin around genitals and on the face, weak and brittle nails, and numbness in your hands and feet.
So does that mean biotin will do nothing to improve your symptoms? Of course not. Biotin speeds up the rate of growth of hair in people with thinning hair. However most of the studies which provide this data are carried out on women, so the result may not be the same for men.
However, biotin supplements or eating foods rich in biotin may be an effective way of promoting hair growth especially in cases where it is deficient.
Is Biotin Safe to Use for Hair Loss in Men?
Biotin hasn’t been found to be toxic and using it does not pose any health risks to men. Some studies show that even at doses higher than recommended doses, biotin still does not pose any health risk.
However, it is always advisable to speak with your doctor before considering biotin supplements. Biotin is water-soluble, therefore, biotin contained in hair products is unlikely to have any effect on the growth, thickness, and strength of your hair.
Conclusion
Since hair loss in men is most commonly caused by male pattern baldness, biotin is not an effective treatment for male hair loss. Biotin is a vitamin supplement which cannot alter or interfere with the genetic and hormonal processes responsible for male pattern baldness.
Tags: baldness, biotin, genetics, health, healthy, male, male pattern baldness, men, Supplements
