Inflammation and hair loss are linked. If you’ve done any research on the subject of male pattern balding, you’ve likely heard inflammation is a major cause of hair loss in men.
Inflammation’s Role In Hair Loss
How Big of a Role Does Inflammation Play in Hair Loss?
If you’ve done any research on the subject of male pattern balding (MPB), you’ve likely heard inflammation is a big cause of hair loss in men. Indeed, inflammation has a role to play in many undesirable conditions, including acne, asthma and arthritis, to name just a few.
While it’s indisputable that dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is what causes men to lose their hair, it’s not necessarily the hormone itself that causes the hair loss. Rather, DHT attacks the hair follicles and causes them to become inflamed, which in turn causes the follicles to shrink and the hair shaft to weaken. This process is what leads to the hair thinning and eventually disappearing altogether.
This being the case, a lot of men are looking for ways they can reduce inflammation on their scalp in an effort to halt or reverse their hair loss. Below are some of the best ways to deal with inflammation.
How to tackle inflammation
- Diet – A poor diet is a big source of inflammation in the body. The average Western diet is full of processed foods that cause inflammation in the body. Eating a diet that’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants will help produce the optimum conditions in the body for hair growth. Good foods and supplements to take include cod liver oil, blueberries, walnuts, yogurt, TurmeriX and green apples.
- Ketoconazole shampoo – Ketoconazole shampoos are an excellent way to treat scalp inflammation topically. Ketoconazole is often used as a way to treat dandruff because of its anti-inflammatory properties, but it’s also great for hair loss. Many people who use a ketoconazole shampoo will notice a thicker appearance to their hair and that they shed much less.
- Finasteride – Finasteride (AKA Propecia) is a drug that inhibits DHT at a systematic level. While it doesn’t address inflammation directly, the reduced DHT in the body will mean less DHT on the scalp and therefore less inflammation. It is one of the few clinically proven treatments on the market to treat male pattern balding.
