Learn the Facts Behind Common Myths About Hair Loss

Hair Today—Gone Tomorrow?

At this moment in history, men seem to be experiencing a free-for-all when it comes to hair styles. 

Everything from the man bun to the shaved head is in.

Bald may be sexy to some, but there are still men who see hair loss as a sign of aging and waning virility. For those precious souls, we’ll get to the bottom of some timeless myths about the science behind hair loss.

MYTH: Wearing a hat causes male pattern baldness.

FACT: You may have heard this if you wore a baseball cap to the dinner table one too many times. According to Dr. Shimbul Meta at Sierra Robotic Hair Institute, there is no scientific evidence that your hat impedes oxygenated blood from getting to your scalp. Pulling your hair into a tight hairstyle is more likely to cause hair loss, so you might choose the baseball cap over a man bun.

MYTH: Too much hair washing or using a harsh shampoo can lead to baldness.

FACT: Hair loss is a deficiency of the hair follicle, not the hair itself. Washing your hair with bar body soap will leave you with frizzy, dry hair that breaks easily, but as long as your hair follicles are working, they’ll just grow fresh hair to replace it.

MYTH: Baldness is inherited from your mother’s side of the family.

FACT: You can blame your mother for your slow metabolism and your slight stature, but your hair loss might not be her fault. Hereditary hair loss can come from either side of your family according to a 2012 article by Dr. Dawn Davis, a dermatologist at the Mayo Clinic. The best way to understand the origins of your baldness is to consult a medical doctor.

MYTH: There is no way to stop hair loss.

FACT: The FDA approved Finasteride and Minoxidil to improve hair follicle function and prevent further hair loss. However, a hair transplant might be a more permanent solution to hair loss, according to Dr. Rafael Sierra at Sierra Robotic Hair Institute. The medications only work as long as you keep using them, but hair transplanted from the back of your head will continue to grow.

MYTH: Bald men are more manly because they have higher levels of testosterone.

FACT: Having a chrome dome has nothing to do with testosterone. Hair loss is not caused by how much testosterone a man has or doesn’t have, but by how well he uses it. Hair follicle function determines hair loss more than testosterone levels.