Hair loss has become a serious problem for both men and women, especially men; at the highest, 85% of men experience balding by the time they reach 50. Although Caucasian men suffer the most from male pattern baldness, black men are no exception! A plethora of black men suffer from alopecia, a hereditary condition that's unavoidable but treatable.
However, if you are a black man suffering from hair thinning or baldness, this guide is for you! In it, we have summarized hair thinning and baldness, starting from the main causes, leading to prevention, and listing exclusive haircuts to style with thinning hair. So, what are you waiting for? Let's delve in to explore this ultimate guide!
Causes of Hair Thinning and Baldness in Black Men
Before delving into the details of baldness and hair-thinning treatment, let's begin with the basics, exploring the leading causes first.
Male Pattern Baldness
Male Pattern Baldness is polygenetic; an inherited gene passed down from mother to child. Various patterns include baldness on the crown, receding hairline, or other noticeable hair thinning patterns. Though this condition is unavoidable, it can be treated with effective haircare treatments. Stay tuned to explore them!
Wearing Dreadlocks
One of the most significant causes of hair loss for black men is wearing dreadlocks. Dreadlocks have become a cultural statement and are worn to celebrate the natural state of their hair. It has become more than a way of life that black men consider a symbol of celebration and amplifying one’s strength. But we need to face it: Dreadlocks' charm tends to be the most common cause behind hair loss in men after male pattern baldness because the weight of the locs stresses the hair follicle. These locs trigger traction alopecia and Central Centrifuge Cicatricial Alopecia. Both conditions cause gradual hair loss, leading to complete baldness if not treated effectively.
Hormonal Imbalances and DHT
Though rare, some hair thinning and baldness cases in black men are backed by an increase in the secretion of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which damages hair follicles and eventually causes baldness. Testosterone imbalance can be another factor initiating male pattern baldness.
Excessive Itching
Here comes another factor: excessive itching! Multiple scalp conditions like eczema, dandruff, and dry scalp don't directly contribute to hair loss, but the excessive itching they trigger can cause scratching, which then causes partial hair loss. However, this hair thinning is preventable and treatable. By ditching the products featuring SLS and Sulphates, you can prevent stripping off natural oils and, eventually, baldness.
Stress
Stress, the silent killer, is also a contributing factor to hair thinning in black men. However, the effect of stress varies depending on how well we cope with it. Some stress-related hair conditions include Telogen Effluvium and Trichotillomania.
Telogen Effluvium is normally reversible and causes hair thinning along with increased shedding. However, hair grows back in this condition. On the other hand, Trichotillomania, the Hair Pulling Disorder, directly affects scalp and hair follicles, leading to permanent baldness.
In a nutshell, genetics, diet, hormones, stress, and lifestyle are all contributing factors that cause hair thinning and baldness. In addition, the hair will not grow without blood flow thus it’s another factor that restricts hair growth and regrowth. Without proper circulation, the hair can no longer be produced from the follicle due to a lack of essential nutrients.
Moreover, the existing hair will gradually thin out and shed off, leading to progressive hair thinning and balding. Wondering how to prevent or treat these conditions? Hop on below!
How to Prevent and Treat Baldness in Black Men?
By now, you have explored the basic causes of baldness and hair thinning in black men; let's delve into prevention and treatment beyond avoiding wearing tight hairstyles.
Embrace Scalp Massages
One of the easiest ways to prevent or treat hair thinning and support hair regrowth is by embracing scalp massages. Simply put gentle pressure on your scalp with your fingertips to improve overall blood circulation. More blood flowing to the hair follicles will promote overall hair regrowth. You can use combinations of natural oils to ensure moisturization and improve blood circulation.
Use Anti-Thinning Shampoos
You can also try using anti-thinning shampoos. These mainly nourish your hair from the roots to the tips, supplying the essential vitamins and amino acids and adding volume to the hair. With the required nutrients, you can ensure optimal scalp and follicle health, thus promoting hair regrowth.
Try Natural Remedies
You can rely on natural remedies, too. One of the most effective ones remains using onion juice. You can promote hair regrowth by treating the patchy alopecia areata with it. This remedy also improves blood circulation to ensure the maximum supply of nutrients to the hair follicles. Just blend some onions in a blender and squeeze the juice. Apply it to your hair and scalp, leaving it on for 15 minutes, and follow up with shampooing.
Include Tropical Supplements into Your Diet
Including tropical supplements in your diet can also help. Some options include Vitamin A, Coconut Oil, Zinc, Selenium, etc. You may take them orally, apply them directly, or just add them to your meals; the key is to include them in your lifestyle to witness a reduction in hair shedding.
Non-Surgical Treatments
Some of the most common non-surgical treatments in black men include SMP (Scalp Pigmentation), PRP (Platelet- Rich Plasma), and LLLT (Low-Level Light Therapy). SMP is a hair tattooing procedure that involves the deposition of tiny dots on the scalp with small needles to give the appearance of thicker hair.
On the other hand, PRP features a plethora of platelets and is usually derived from the person's blood and injected back into the scalp. This infusion prevents hair loss. Lastly, LLT involves the irradiation of photons into the scalp tissues. These photons are then absorbed by weak cells to promote hair regrowth. All these procedures are not only safe and tolerable but are less invasive than surgical treatments.
Surgical Treatments
If none of the above treatments works, you still have a last resort, i.e., undergo surgical treatments. These involve hair transplants, implanting the hair into the scalp. Though this treatment is mostly successful, and hair regrows normally, this isn't suitable or feasible for anyone because of the expense and other considerations.
FUE is another in-trend surgical treatment in black men (Follicular Unit Extraction). This involves the extraction of hair from the back of your head and implantation in the bald area using micro punches. This procedure is painful, invasive, and is typically done under local anesthesia, but the results are surely worth it!
Bold and Baldness
Aside from all the prevention and treatment tactics, most black men find themselves at peace by embracing their embarrassment, shaving bald, and wearing beards as a sense of pride for masculinity. In such a situation, beards become the confidence booster for black men, and they have creatively made it their own by learning to groom and maintain them properly.
If you want to count yourself among this category, you must invest in beard care products to keep it growing and moisturized. This is exactly when the Cole Skincare for Men has got you covered! We offer an array of products you can rely on for embracing your bald and bearded look to the fullest. Some of these include Cole Skincare for Men, multi-action cleansing foam for shampooing beard, and our customized beard oils to hydrate.
Aside from these, our best-selling products include Beard Oil Bundle Box Beard & Face Oils Gold and Black editions. With them, you can well care for your beard, ensuring optimal moisturization and supply of effective nutrients to the scalp. Not only this, but these oils also prevent ingrown hairs, hyperpigmentation, and razor burns and reduce inflammation. In short, these are a must-try for every black man who loves his beard.
Wrapping It Up!
Hair thinning and baldness have become a common issue for black men. The core cause varies from person to person, but the main ones include genetic male pattern baldness, stress, excessive itching, tight hairstyles, like dreadlocks, and more. However, you can manage these causes by ensuring prevention and treatment with certain medications, supplements, scalp massage, or hair transplants.
Along with these treatments, black men must be strategic by opting for an exclusive hairstyle to cover bald spots and thinning patches. From buzz cut and mop-top to quiff and more, you have a plethora of suggestions. That aside, if you want to embrace the embarrassment of hair shedding and want to go bald and wear a beard only, you can rock in that look, too. In that case, we suggest taking a look at the product collection of Cole Skincare for Men.