Though society generally accepts that males would go bald at a certain age, you don’t have to put up with it if it affects your self-esteem. If you took pride in your thick locks during your youth, it won’t be easy to watch them thin out as you age. Worse, what if you’re only in your mid-twenties when your hairline started to recede?

Hair loss in males is either a result of a normal genetic response or an illness. At thirty years old, your testosterone levels will start dropping by 1% every year. It’s a natural part of aging, like menopause in women. You may also notice some parts of your body losing hair, like your face. In the case of an illness, hair loss could be an effect of a metabolic disorder, such as diabetes, thyroid problems, or crash diets. Harsh treatments, stress, medical treatments, and severe scalp disorders are possible causes as well.

Regardless of the reason for your thinning hair, you shouldn’t lose hope, because an exceptional men’s hair loss treatment will restore your rich locks. But to maintain your newly renewed thick hair, you should watch what you eat and be more conscious of your daily habits. What you eat and do every day affects your hair health in more ways than you can imagine.

Nutritional Causes of Hair Loss

Biotin, iron, zinc, or protein deficiency can lead to hair loss. Excessive intake of vitamin A can also result in the same thing. Nutritional deficiencies are uncommon causes, but if you consume raw egg whites often, it can deplete your biotin.

If your hair loss is due to genetic factors, you can still control its progress through a hair-friendly diet. Eggs are great for your hair, just not raw. The food is rich in protein and biotin, which is essential in the production of keratin, a type of protein that makes up your hair, skin, and nails. Berries and spinach are good sources of iron and vitamins, and fatty fish is also rich in protein. Nuts, seeds, sweet potatoes, sweet peppers, oysters, shrimp, beans, soybean, and meat should be in your diet too.

Limit your consumption of sugar, high-glycemic-index foods (e.g. refined flour, bread), alcohol, soda, junk food, and fish with high levels of lead (mackerel, tuna, shark, and swordfish). These foods can cause insulin resistance and nutritional imbalances that will eventually kill your hair follicles.

Stress and Hair Loss

Stress doesn’t just affect your mood, but the health of your skin as well. It can dry out your scalp, causing dandruff, which can lead to hair loss.

Aside from work and your other responsibilities, stress is also caused by lack of sleep, fatigue, trauma, or illness. If your sleep deprivation is one of your major stressors, create a bedtime routine that will relax your brain a few hours before you sleep. Restless nights can cause hair and scalp issues because the cells in them aren’t regenerating as they should, which is when you’re asleep. Sleep facilitates the replenishment stages of skin renewal. Not getting enough of it deprives your scalp of essential nutrients, so avoid staying up late.

Fatigue, which can result from overworking, spikes up your stress levels too. Try to get adequate rest at intervals each day if your job is too demanding. Or change your schedule to create a more manageable routine. You should always have time for short breaks.

Stress caused by traumatic events is more serious. If your psychological health is declining because of it, your body will show its effects later on. Seek therapy or counseling to achieve a healthy mental and emotional balance again.

Illness, lastly, can either be a source or an effect of stress. You’d naturally be stressed when you’re dealing with a sickness, and it can cause your health to decline further. Without treatment, your excessive stress levels can lead to alopecia, a disease that causes baldness in patches.

Daily Habits That Thin Out Your Hair

Washing your hair every day, skipping the conditioner, and using heated styling tools also contribute to hair loss. Hair isn’t meant to be washed every day; excessive shampooing dries out your scalp, and therefore, causes dandruff. To keep your scalp moisturized, use a conditioner instead, and daily. It is the hair product you shouldn’t skip.

Heated styling tools strip off your hair’s protein and natural oils. If you’re fond of using a blow-dryer, don’t set the heat too high, and make sure it has a cool air setting. The thinner your hair, the lower should be your tool’s temperature. But try to opt for air-drying as much as possible. A simpler hair care routine saves your locks from falling off prematurely.

Hair loss in males may be natural, but it doesn’t mean you can’t slow it down, or maybe even stop it altogether. Men deserve to feel confident and young, too. You don’t have to let your genes dictate how you’re going to look like in the future.