From patchy facial hair to never having been able to grow one, there are plenty of reasons why men get beard transplants. But, the main cause we see over and over again is hair loss. A lot of people think hair loss only occurs to the hair on the top of the head, but this isn’t the case – tons of men lose their facial hair, too, and it can be incredibly damaging to confidence.
Luckily, there are things you can do to help prevent losing your beard, or helping grow one if you struggle with it, but let’s start by looking more into how you can identify a beard bald spot and what causes it.
Am I going beard-bald?
There’s a big difference between going bald and natural hair loss, so it’s important you know the difference. We recommend keeping an eye on how much hair you lose in the shower, when you comb your beard, and when you’re just in your home. If the amount of hair lost is visibly increasing, then you can start to associate it with hair loss. You may also notice your beard starting to look different, with odd patches where the hair is thinning or has completely disappeared.
If you do think you’re going beard-bald, there could be a number of causes behind it, and knowing what’s making your hair fall out could help to fix the problem. Read more about the reasons you may be growing a patchy beard and how to fix it.
1. Hormone changes and beard growth
During hormone-fueled teenage years is when most of us start to see facial hair appearing. This is because testosterone and DHT are being produced, both of which trigger the growth of a beard, and the more of these hormones you have the bigger and fuller your beard will be. On the other hand, if their levels start dropping as you get older you could see your beard start to thin and fall out.
2. Diet and hair loss
If you’re not eating a well-balanced diet and are missing out on vitamins and minerals, this could be the cause of your facial hair loss. A lack of B-vitamins, vitamin D, A, K2, and E all play a big part in hair growth, alongside zinc, magnesium, and calcium. So, make sure you’re getting enough of all of them every day. Be aware that there’s limited evidence to suggest that supplements actually promote hair growth. Find out more about the link between vitamins and hair growth.
Your beard can also be affected by sudden diets where calorie intake is reduced dramatically, meaning that you don’t have as much energy in your body and growing facial hair is no longer a priority.
It’s very common for hair loss and stress to be linked, but remember that the stress has to be prolonged or chronic. A rough day or two isn’t enough to make your beard fall out. But, with serious stress your body is going to be consistently producing cortisol which can have adverse effects on your hair, stopping it from growing and making it fall out.
4. Hair damage due to styling
It’s great to look after your beard, but over-grooming can lead to thinning facial hair. If you use a boar bristle brush, for example, this can be great occasionally and can actually encourage growth, but use it too often or brush too hard and you’ll actually make your beard much thinner. You should also steer clear of washing it too much (every 3 days is best) and avoid heat tools, like hair dryers. Read our complete beard grooming guide to find out how to care for your beard hair.
5. How autoimmune conditions affect your hair
Autoimmune conditions like alopecia barbae are another common cause of beard hair loss. This usually requires specific treatment to reduce the effects, although mild cases can clear up by themselves.
Save your beard
Your beard can say a lot about you. So if you think your beard is thinning or you’re watching the hair fall out in clumps, you should consult your doctor first to ensure you don’t have any underlying health issues. It’s always better to play it safe!
Once you’ve got the all-clear, it’s time to save your vanishing beard, and you can do that with a beard hair transplant. By taking follicles from somewhere else on your body, you can restore your facial hair back to it’s original, full self and grow your beard back. Want to know more? Get in touch with our team at the Wimpole Clinic to find out more.
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