Is there more hair in your brush than before? When looking in the mirror, do you see a thinner area on the top of your head? If yes, you could be dealing with a usual hair problem called Balding at the Crown.
Losing hair like this might seem scary at first, but no need to worry! In this article, we will talk about Balding at the Crown in a simple and easy way. You’ll learn what causes it, how it’s different from other hair loss, and what you can do to help. Let’s start learning more about this common issue!
Balding
Balding, or hair loss, is when your hair starts to thin, drawback, or fall out more than normal. Both men and women can experience it, and it usually happens on the scalp, but it can also happen on other parts of the body. Many things can cause balding, including genes, hormone changes, poor eating habits, stress, aging, and health problems.
There are different kinds and patterns of balding:
Androgenetic alopecia:
This is also known as male or female pattern baldness and is the most common type of hair loss. Men often see their hairline drawback and experience thinning on the top of their head or. Women also see thinning but usually keep their hairline.
Alopecia areata:
This is a disease where your immune system attacks your hair follicles by mistake, leading to small, round patches of baldness on your scalp or other body parts.
Telogen effluvium:
This is a temporary kind of hair loss that happens suddenly because of stress, sickness, or big changes in your life. The good news is that your hair typically grows back in a few months.
Traction alopecia:
This type of hair loss is caused by hairstyles that pull on your hair follicles over time, like tight braids or ponytails.
Anagen effluvium:
You can lose your hair quickly from treatments like chemotherapy that affect how your hair grows.
Balding can be a rough and emotional experience, no matter why it’s happening. The good news is there are many ways to help manage hair loss, like medications, hair transplant surgery, or even just changing your diet and lifestyle.
What is Crown Balding?
Crown balding is when you lose hair, mainly on the top part of your head, called the crown. It can happen to both men and women, but how it looks can be different between them.
For men, crown balding is often part of “male pattern baldness.” It’s caused by things like genes and changes in hormones. Men might see their hair at the front go back and lose hair at the top of their heads. Over time, they might go completely bald on the crown.
For women, crown balding is less common and is part of “female pattern baldness.” Women usually have thinner hair all over their heads, not just on the crown. But sometimes, they can lose more hair at the top of their head.
There are a few reasons why people might have crown balding, like:
Family history:
If your family has a history of hair loss, you might be more likely to have crown balding.
Hormone changes:
There’s a hormone called Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) that can make hair follicles smaller and stop making hair.
Getting older:
The older you get, the more likely you are to have crown balding.
Your health and eating habits:
Not eating well, not getting enough nutrients, stress, and some health problems can also cause balding at the crown.
If you’re going through crown balding, there are many ways to help slow down hair loss, grow hair back, or deal with it. Some options are medicine like minoxidil or finasteride, surgery to transplant hair, changing how you eat and live your life, or wearing hairpieces and wigs.
How to Treat a Balding Crown
Treating a balding crown depends on why you’re losing hair and your situation. Here are some options to help:
Medicines:
There are two usual medicines for hair loss.
Minoxidil (Rogaine):
Minoxidil, also known as Rogaine, is a common medication you can buy without a prescription to treat hair loss. It comes as a liquid or foam that you put on your head to help hair grow. Here’s a simple explanation of how Minoxidil works:
How It Works
Minoxidil makes more blood go to hair follicles, which gives them more nutrients and oxygen. This helps the hair growth phase last longer, so hair grows longer and healthier. Minoxidil might also make blood vessels wider and stop hair follicles from getting smaller, which protect them from harmful hormones like DHT that can make hair fall out.
How to Use It
To use Minoxidil, do these steps:
- Make sure your hair and scalp are dry.
- Use the dropper (for liquid) or cap (for foam) to get the right amount, usually 1 ml.
- Put the medicine on the area where you’re losing hair on your scalp and rub it in gently.
- Clean your hands well after you put the medicine on.
- Wait a few minutes for the medicine to dry before you style your hair or use other hair products.
- You should put on Minoxidil twice every day, once in the morning and once in the evening. You need to keep using it over a long time for your hair to grow.
What to Expect
What happens will be different for different people. Some people might see hair growing again as soon as eight weeks, while others might take many months to see hair. It’s important to keep using Minoxidil without stopping because it might take time for hair follicles to respond to the medicine.
It’s important to know that Minoxidil works best for hair loss on the top and back of the head. It might not help as much for a receding hairline or hair loss at the front.
Also, be aware that the hair that grows back might not be as thick or as much as you want. Some people might only see hair loss slow down instead of hair growing back. If you stop using Minoxidil, you might start losing hair at the same speed as before.
Remember, it’s important to talk to a dermatologist or healthcare professional to find out the best way to treat hair loss for you.
Finasteride (Propecia):
Finasteride, sold as Propecia, is a medicine you need a prescription for, and it helps treat hair loss in men. You take it as a pill once a day and it can stop hair from falling out and help new hair grow. Here’s a simple way to understand how Finasteride works, how to use it, if it works well, and the side effects:
How It Works
Finasteride stops an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase. This enzyme changes a male hormone, testosterone, into another hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Lots of DHT can make hair thinner and then cause hair loss. By blocking DHT, Finasteride helps stop hair loss and helps hair grow.
How to Use It
Usually, you take 1 mg of Finasteride once a day by mouth. You can take it with or without food. It’s important to take it at the same time each day and not miss any doses to get the best results.
How Well It Works
How well Finasteride works is different for each person. Some people might see less hair loss or new hair growth after using it for three months. But most people will need to take Finasteride for at least six months to a year before they see a big change.
It’s important to remember that if you stop taking the medicine, hair loss will likely start again within a year. To keep it from happening, you need to keep taking Finasteride.
Side Effects
Most people don’t have problems with Finasteride, but it can have side effects. Common ones include having less interest in sex, trouble getting an erection, or less ejaculation.
In very rare cases, men might have breast pain or growth, rash, sadness, or pain in their testicles. If you have any of these very rare side effects, call your doctor right away.
You might not see more hair growing for several months. If your hair loss doesn’t get better after 12 months, using the medicine more probably won’t help.
Remember: Ask a healthcare professional before you start Finasteride or any medicine for hair loss. They can give you advice just for you.
Surgery:
In hair transplant surgery, hair from another part of your head (like the back) is moved to the balding area. Some ways to do this are follicular unit transplantation (FUT) and follicular unit extraction (FUE).
Better Habits:
Eating healthy food, exercising, being less stressed, and not smoking can make your hair healthier. Foods with things like protein, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, and vitamins A, C, and E can help your hair.
Laser Treatments:
Low-level laser therapy can make hair grow. You use a special comb or headband that has a light, which helps hair grow by making more blood go to the hair follicles.
Wigs or Hairpieces:
If you lose a lot of hair or other treatments don’t work, you can use wigs or hairpieces. They come in many styles and colors and can look natural.
Corticosteroids:
If hair loss is because of a problem with inflammation, like alopecia areata, a dermatologist might suggest corticosteroids. You can put these on your scalp or take them by mouth.
Remember, it’s important to talk to a healthcare professional or dermatologist before starting a new treatment. They can figure out why your crown is balding and suggest the best treatment for you.
Conclusion
Understanding balding at the crown can seem challenging; especially given the emotional toll hair loss can take. However, the more knowledge we possess about why it occurs and the treatment options available, the better equipped we are to handle it.
Different factors, like age, genetics, hormones, and health conditions, can cause hair loss at the crown.
Each person’s journey will be unique, as should their approach to managing it. It’s important to have open conversations with health professionals who can provide personalized advice and treatment plans.
In conclusion, balding at the crown is not simply a cosmetic issue. It can speak volumes about one’s overall health. Address it mindfully, consider the right treatments, and remember that your value is not measured by the amount of hair on your head.
Be patient with yourself and your hair, knowing that there are solutions out there that can provide hope and options. Balding could be a chapter in your life, but it does not define the book that is you. As we continue to research and develop new treatments for balding at the crown, brighter hope is on the horizon — as our understanding deepens, so too do our solutions.
