First Signs of Hair Thinning

According to the American Hair Loss Association, over two-thirds of men experience hair loss by the time they reach 35 years. Hair loss also affects approximately one-third of women too. Losing one’s hair is not only a physical experience, but it can also cause emotional and psychological distress as well.

Unfortunately, it is hard for many doctors to treat hair loss, as they need to pinpoint the root cause of it in the first place. This is why it is essential to know the first signs of hair thinning, as the sooner you know, the easier it will be to treat.

So the problem is, how can you tell the first signs of hair thinning? And most importantly, how can you stop hair thinning?

Thankfully, we’ve created this handy guide to help you better understand how to stop hair thinning, what causes it, and how to spot it. Keep on reading to learn more so that you can stop it in its tracks and keep your luscious locks for good.

What Is Hair Thinning?’

Thinning hair is a bit different than the experience of balding, as it only refers to light and moderate hair loss. To many, this may sound less severe than balding, but this is not entirely true. Thinning hair causes obvious thinner spots of hair on your head, which can cause emotional and insecurity issues for anyone. 

If you notice some hair on your pillow or a few strands in your hand while taking a shower, that is nothing to worry about. While it is normal to lose approximately 50-100 strands of hair every day, hair thinning is much more than that.

Thinning hair can also be called androgenetic alopecia, which is the most common cause of hair loss in both men and women. For men, it is characterized as hair loss in an “M” shape, near the top of the head. For women, it is characterized by all-over thinning.

What Are the First Signs of Hair Thinning? 

There are numerous ways that professionals use to detect thinning hair, in fact, they are qualified systems. For men, it is the Hamilton-Norwood system, and for women, they use the Ludwig system. 

Hamilton-Norwood System

The Hamilton-Norwood system is typically used to detect the early signs of balding. However, it is also a great way to detect thinning hair.

The easiest and most obvious sign of thinning hair is a receding hairline. You may be able to tell the difference if you have a photograph from a year ago compared to a recent photo. Keep in mind that you will need to use the same lighting for your photos as fluorescent lighting can make your hair look thinner. 

The hair from the sides of the head will start to move up, you can even start measuring your hairline to see if there is a month-to-month difference.

You will be able to see a noticeable difference from your temple area to the top of your head. This area is also known as the crown, which usually is the thinnest area for most people. So because of this, you will be able to notice if the crown area is becoming larger and thinner.

For men, their hair will start receding in an “M” like shape, with the sides thinning faster than the top or middle of the head.

The Ludwig System 

Thinning hair for women is more common than most people think, and the early first signs of hair thinning can begin as early as 12 years old. This is commonly known as Alopecia, which we will discuss more later in the article.

The Ludwig system is the primary detection system used for thinning hair in women. There are a few obvious signs of thinning hair in women, which are a bit different than the detection for men.

The most common sign is thinning hair across the whole head, which is the female version of the “M” shape in men. This is also known as “diffuse” thinning, and almost looks like a Christmas tree pattern. 

Another common sign is thinning hair around the front of the head, near the temple, and the ears. The third most common sign is a widening part, which is most noticeable in certain hairstyles.

Other Ways to Detect the First Signs of Hair Thinning

There are a few other ways to detect the first signs of thinning hair, which may be more obvious than taking a photo every day. Pay attention to these various signs that show excessive hair loss:

• Extra hair in your brush or comb
• A lot of hair on your pillow after each night’s sleep
• Extra hair on your floor, also known as shedding
• A lot of hair in your hands or shower walls after a shower

Keep in mind that these are also signs of normal hair loss, and the trick is to pay attention to the amount of each one of these signs. Your hair normally sheds, so you are looking for abnormal signs. 

The Causes of Hair Loss

There are multiple different causes of hair loss, so figuring out the primary cause may be difficult. The best way to find out is to educate yourself as much as possible on all the possible causes. This way, you can figure out which cause relates to you the most.

Telogen Effluvium

This type of hair loss is the second most common and is caused by a traumatic or stressful event. This could be psychological stress or physical stress such as a car accident, surgery, or even exposure to toxic chemicals. 

The stressful event causes a shock to your hair follicles and they go into a resting state to conserve energy for more vital areas of your body. The signs typically show up about two months after the event, so you will need to do some calculations to see if it is this cause. 

The hair usually grows back to normal rate in about 6 months, so if it is continuing, the cause may not be Telogen Effluvium. 

Alopecia Areata

Alopecia Areata affects over 6.8 million Americans, and it can happen to anyone, regardless of age, sex, or ethnicity. This is also characterized by the thinning of eyebrow hair, beard, or mustache too. This is an autoimmune disease that attacks your hair follicles, which is the part of your skin that produces hair. 

This can look like little spots in the shape of a quarter, or large chunks of hair in one spot. Keep in mind that this does not mean that your health is suffering, as it could happen to anyone. 

Thyroid Conditions

Unbalanced hormones are one of the leading causes of thinning hair. This is why most doctors suggest you get a thyroid test at the first sight of thinning hair. The sooner you can detect this, the quicker you will be able to fix this issue. 

Nutritional Imbalances

Our bodies need a specific amount of both micronutrients and macronutrients to grow healthy and strong. These nutrients grow our muscles, bones, skin, nails, hair, and aid in the function of vital organs, and all body systems. If you are not consuming enough vital nutrients, your hair will usually be the first part to go, to preserve nutrients for other vital functions. 

Make sure you supplement your diet with added vitamins and minerals, especially if you feel your diet could use an overhaul. 

Other causes of hair loss include Tinea capitis, which is a fungus that grows on the scalp. This can cause permanent scarring, which affects future hair growth. Cicatricial alopecia is a condition that permanently destroys hair follicles, by creating scar tissue instead of more hair.

How To Treat Thinning Hair 

Now that you know how to spot the first signs of hair thinning and understand the causes, what can you do to treat it? The issue with this answer is that you need to understand the causes to know the proper treatments. However, there are some things you can do to take care of your health and prevent hair thinning in the first place.

Get Adequate Nutrition

If you do not consume a healthy diet, your hair will reflect that. Remember that mother nature has the best remedies, so make sure you are supplementing your diet with real botanicals and not synthetic supplements. This includes medicinal mushrooms, spirulina, and other adaptogens that help to regulate stress. 

Use a Hair Regeneration System 

If you cannot seem to pinpoint the cause of your thinning hair, your best bet would be to use a hair regeneration system. These products are specifically designed to nourish your hair follicles and help your body produce more healthy thicker hair. 

Learn More About the Early Signs of Hair Thinning 

Keep in mind, that thinning hair is a normal process of aging. However, you can do your best to spot the first signs of hair thinning, so that you can keep your luscious locks as long as possible!

To learn more about how to keep your body healthy, strong, and vibrant, check out more about the importance of consuming healthy botanicals!