Most of us are going to experience some form of balding or thinning hair through our lifetimes.

Let’s face it. Nobody wants to lose their hair.

For many men, confidence is our #1 asset and the fear of balding and having our scalp be visible doesn’t exactly help us to sleep well at night.

As we find more and more strands left for dead on our pillow, it can feel pretty defeating. Now, before you lose hope and throw your comb and gel out the window, there are a couple of important things you should know.

First, although androgenetic alopecia or common male pattern baldness (MPB) accounts for more than 95% of hair loss in men. In some cases hair loss is caused by other factors such as stress, side effects from medicine or a medical condition. Second, if you are predisposed to male pattern baldness, you are not doomed – there is hope!

There is 80 million hair loss sufferers in the United States, and men account for about 60% of that number.

By age 35, two-thirds of American men will experience some degree of hair loss. By age 50, that number grows to approximately 85%.

Which tell us all one thing – hair loss IS progressive, which means it will likely worsen with age.

Approximately 25% of men who suffer from male pattern baldness do so before they even reach the age of twenty-one!

The best treatment is preventative treatment.

Almost all medical professionals would agree with that statement. If your dad and uncle are bald or balding, the chances are high that you’ve also inherited those genes. If that’s you and you’ve started to notice early signs of hair loss, the time to start taking care of your hair is NOW!

So what are the early signs of balding and how can we be proactive in slowing it down or preventing it?

Check for these 6 signs to see if you are at risk for MPB:

1. Receding hairline – This is probably the biggest indicator that you are in the early stages of MPB. A receding hairline begins on top at the frontal line and works its way back.

2. Genetics – If your family tree is branching several bald relatives, the apple probably won’t fall too far. The most common reason for hair loss is genetics. Patterns of baldness in your family may be a good indicator of what your future holds for you.

3. Increased pillow and shower hair – It is normal to lose between 50 to 125 hairs per day. Although we don’t recommend stressing yourself out by trying to count every hair you lose, an increase in hair left on your pillow or falling out when you shampoo is often an early indicator of MPB.

4. Thinning in the crown area – Eventually leading to a “bald spot” as it’s commonly called, this is a typical sign of MPB. This is a more obvious sign since it thins in a rounded area while surrounded by normal hair growth.

5. Itchy or flaky scalp – While this is not a cause of MPB, it often happens in conjunction with hair loss. Sebum, or skin oil, is produced under the surface of the skin, including on the scalp. While this is normal and helps in keeping the hair moisturized and healthy, an overproduction or build-up of sebum can lead to hair loss by clogging the hair follicles. A flaky or itchy scalp can be a result of this.

6. You’ve ruled out other causes – Patchy hair loss would be more indicative of a different underlying cause. In this case, you should seek medical advice to rule out any conditions that could be causing your hair loss. If your health checks out great and you’re not on any meds that may cause hair loss, you could be at risk for MPB.

WHAT OPTIONS ARE OUT THERE?

Now that you know what to look for, here are some tips on how to combat balding or thinning hair:

1. Manage your stress – While you can’t always control the amount of stress you have or the reasons you have it, you can work to manage it. One common cause of baldness is the level of testosterone in the body, which can be affected by your stress levels. Try to keep balance in your life, set healthy boundaries with work, get regular exercise, and try meditation, yoga or any other activities that bring you calm and comfort.

2. Eat healthy – Foods rich in antioxidants and nutrients are helpful in reducing toxins and free radicals that contribute to oxidative stress in our bodies. Blueberries, green leafy foods, organic foods without pesticides and green tea are some of the many choices that will combat oxidative stress. Also make sure your diet is rich in protein and iron, which promote healthy hair growth.

3. Try laser hair growth therapy (you guess it!) –  Our FDA-cleared medical device that uses clinical-strength laser technology to treat thinning hair and regrow fuller hair for men and women who suffer from androgenic alopecia (genetic hair loss). It uses non-invasive, pain-free red light therapy to stimulate growth of thicker and healthier hair. (Psst…It’s also doctor-recommended and clinically proven in studies.)

4. Take DHT blockers – It’s been widely accepted that DHT is the main culprit that is responsible for genetic hair loss. DHT is a byproduct of testosterone and is believed to lead to miniaturization (or thinning) of hair follicles – leading to accelerated hair loss. One easy way to combat this is to take supplements that contain DHT blockers in order to slow down or reverse hair loss.

5. Don’t hide under a baseball cap – Although it’s a quick and easy disguise, wearing tight hats can rub and smother the hair follicles. This can accelerate hair loss. You’re better off in the long run to let your delicate follicles breathe.

6. Use natural hair growth products – There are a myriad of products out there to fight thinning hair. We recommend choosing drug-free and non-invasive methods because we believe your health is more important than your appearance. Have you heard of the award-winning ingredient Redensyl®?

If not, it’s worth your time to research and learn more about. It’s the active ingredient that is used to formulate some of the most effective hair growth products out there (we use Redensyl® in formulating our Anti-Hair Loss Serum and Anti-Thinning Shampoo).

WHAT NOW?

No matter if you are just starting to notice symptoms or you have had advanced hair loss for a long period of time, just know that there are solutions that can help you overcome your problems.

One important thing to keep in mind is that you may respond to certain treatments differently from another person. That’s completely natural because we all have different genetics and biological response to a stimulus.

Our recommendation is to try any and all (safe) solutions out there to find one that works best for you. Whatever you decide, make sure to act NOW. After all, you’re racing against the clock when it comes to hair loss. With the risk-free options available on the market that offer money-back guarantees, there can only be upsides from trying them out for yourself today.