A man's mane is sacred.
No wonder biblical figures like Samson became virtually powerless when shorn. Hair, after all, has always equated to strength.
Things haven't really changed from ancient times. According to a 2015 study by Think with Google, men are searching for hair care advice and tips at a faster rate than women. Among the top searches in said study: hair loss.
To delve more into hair loss, Dove Men+Care Hair created its latest findings, surveying hundreds of dermatologists who specialize in men’s hair to find out what’s causing hair fall. From the study, there are a couple of factors that lead to "hair fall" aka breakage. That is, hair that does not fall from the root.
Chief among them is something most dudes do on the daily – according to dermatologists polled in the study, the leading physical stressor to hair fall is this: aggressive grooming. It's part of Dove's first-ever campaign on men's hair.
Dr. Glynis Ablon, a board certified dermatologist and expert for the brand, explained environmental stressors as everyday occurrences.
"'Aggressive grooming' includes a lot of the things guys do every day that they’re actually unaware is damaging their hair," Ablon told Mashable. "This includes vigorous towel drying, especially with a heavy cotton towel, and combing the hair harshly with the wrong type of combs or brushes."
Ablon said that "fresh, out of the shower wet hair" is more prone to breakage as well because the follicles become weaker.
Other factors include using heat styling tools like blowdryers or actually pulling hair. (The latter, unfortunately, being an impossible action to avoid for new dads and their tiny tykes).
Physical stressors aren't the only factors in hair loss. Unfortunately, environmental factors, aka things out of our control, make a difference as well. Take UV rays and chlorine, which are both terrible for hair and virtually unavoidable during summer months.
"I'm not telling guys to avoid the sun or swimming altogether, it's more about protecting your hair from the potential damage that these environmental stressors can inflict on hair," Ablon said. "90 percent of dermatologists agree that men today aren’t aware of how certain everyday activities, such as those listed above, can contribute to hair fall. I think educating guys on types of preventive measures can help them tremendously."
To protect from UV sunlight, Ablon recommends wearing hats as a preventive measure. As for chlorine? You need to wash your hair immediately after coming out of the pool.
"It’s important that guys understand the damage chemicals like chlorine have on their hair so when they get out of the pool they can wash with a moisturizing shampoo to ensure the chemical doesn’t inflict as much damage on the hair," Ablon said. "And, naturally, they should be using the right wash and care products that help make their hair stronger and more resilient."
A good hair shampoo has moisturizing properties and also is free of SLS (the ingredient that creates foaming and that soapy feeling), that doesn't dry your scalp. And it's also key to find conditioner that doesn't strip the hair of natural oils, either.
Simply moisturizing the scalp may sound silly, but it's the first and most essential step in keeping hair, Ablon said.
"Genetics do play a part in hair loss and hair fall, however it’s not the main source and there are things guys can do to protect against hair fall," Ablon told Mashable. "Over 80% of dermatologists cite physical stress on hair as the leading factor that contributes to hair fall - over genetics (73%) and disease or disorder (58%). Knowing this, I can’t stress enough the importance for men to take care of their hair and protect it now from hair fall and shedding."
So protect that scalp, gentlemen. As the saying goes: Hair today, gone tomorrow.
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Topics Beauty
