Androgenetic alopecia, commonly known as male pattern baldness, is an inherited condition that affects more than half of men over the age of 50. It tends to start at a much earlier age, and unlike certain other issues that lead to baldness, this cannot be completely controlled. Although you cannot prevent your hair from falling as you age, there are a few natural ways to manage male pattern baldness.
1. Massage your hair regularly
Massaging the scalp with oil is one of the well-known natural ways to manage male pattern baldness and to reduce hair fall. You can use coconut oil to massage your scalp 15 minutes before you take a shower.
2. Consume a balanced diet
Another one of the natural ways to manage male pattern baldness and a range of other health issues is to consume a well-balanced diet. Ensure that you eat many different types of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and unsaturated fats. Incorporating foods that have vitamins and minerals essential for the health of your hair could also be beneficial. Some of these foods are:
- Foods rich in iron such as beans, leafy vegetables, eggs, and iron-fortified grains.
- Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as oily fish like mackerel and tuna, flax seeds, walnuts, and egg yolk.
- Foods that are a good source of protein such as lean meats, seafood, and eggs.
- Foods that are rich in a vitamin known as biotin has also been found to be very effective in slowing down hair loss. However, most of the research conducted has been on women.
- Foods that contain biotin are nuts, eggs, oats, onions, and sweet potatoes.
3. Managing stress
A stressful lifestyle can impact your health in various ways and can even result in hair fall. Hence, effectively managing stress is important. You can listen to music or meditate to help calm yourself and relax. Some people have also found exercising and certain forms of exercise such as yoga helped manage stress. This trigger can also have an effect on the quality of your sleep which, in turn, can result in hair fall. Therefore, managing stress will help you to sleep better, which could ultimately prevent hair fall.
4. Limit the use of hair care products
Limiting or avoiding the use of hair care products that could contain harmful chemicals that cause hair fall might be useful. Styling gels, hair dyes, and even some shampoos could cause excessive loss of hair. Opt for products with natural ingredients or if possible avoid treatments such as hair bleaching and hair coloring.
These are only some of the natural ways to manage male pattern baldness. There are many other techniques you can use like making a hair mask out of fruit pulp and switching to silk pillow covers, among others. Although these will not stop male pattern baldness they might be able to reduce its progression.