Common Reasons for Hair Thinning in Men

A celebrity dermatologist is helping men understand and treat their hair thinning.

Dr. Marta Rendon is the founder and medical director of the Dermatology & Aesthetic Center in Boca Raton, Fla. In 2008, she also became a Head & Shoulders Global Celebrity Dermatologist. She is the face of an outreach campaign throughout the U.S. and Europe to teach people about proper scalp care.

One major concern regarding scalp care is hair thinning in men. Rendon said that if men understand the differences between two common reasons for hair thinning, they may better understand how to treat the problem.

Androgenetic alopecia and telogen effluvium (TE) are both reasons for thinning hair in men, but one is hereditary and the other can be caused by stress or a poor diet. Neither destroys the hair follicle, and they can both follow similar patterns. However, a trained dermatologist can run simple tests and distinguish between the two conditions.

Hereditary Hair Thinning in Men

Androgenetic alopecia, commonly known as male pattern baldness, is a hereditary, androgen-related hair loss that can affect both men and women, according to Rendon.

But the condition doesn't affect each gender the same way. "There are significant differences in the time, distribution, and quantity of hair loss in men and in women," she said. The National Institutes of Health describe male hair loss patterns typically starting in three points - the top of the head and both sides of the forehead. Female pattern hair loss is quite different, with overall thinning, but little change in the hairline.

Dietary and Stress-Related Hair Thinning

Telogen effluvium is not hereditary, but it can affect both men and women in similar ways to androgenetic alopecia.

"TE can occur when a person experiences excessive stress and/or iron deficiencies, causing chronic hair shedding," Rendon said.

"Nutritional deficiencies of severe protein and fatty acid, and caloric restriction with chronic starvation and crash dieting, can cause diffuse hair loss," she said.

Furthermore, hair loss can be a symptom of a further set of nutritional problems.

"Zinc along with iron deficiencies can precipitate hair loss, as well as malabsorption syndromes, pancreatic disease, vitamin D and biotin deficiencies," she said.

The Mayo Clinic backs up Rendon's research and offers a glimmer of hope in the finding that TE hair loss may grow back.

Seek a Dermatologist's Help

Rendon said a skilled dermatologist can differentiate between these two common reasons for hair thinning in men, as well as the many other causes. An irritated or unhealthy scalp can also lead to hair thinning, as it is difficult for hair follicles to grow in strongly in these conditions.

"A consultation with a dermatologist is recommended to diagnose the hair loss condition," Rendon said, adding that patients should request several tests. "A simple biopsy can help physicians pinpoint changes within skin cells of the scalp. A blood work-up can also aid diagnosis of the condition, as well as a physical examination, which establishes any predisposition to hair loss and can aid in distinguishing the different causes of hair loss."

Rendon hopes that if men understand the causes of their hair loss, they can be empowered to deal with hair thinning.