August is National Hair Loss Awareness Month, which makes it the perfect time to debunk some common myths and misconceptions surrounding the topic. We spoke with hair loss specialist Tabitha Fredrichs, a trichologist at Christopher J Salon in Plymouth, to learn more.
Myth: Only men experience hair loss.
Tabitha Fredrichs (TF): Female pattern baldness is a bit more complicated, but you genetically have a sensitivity to what’s called DHT, which is dihydrotestosterone. Both men and women have this.
Myth: Hair loss is genetically carried through the mother’s side of the family.
TF: You can get it from both sides, and it can skip generations as well. Sometimes, my clients come in, and they’ll be like, “My mom and my dad, they both have a great head of hair.” But it can come from grandparents too.
Myth: Hair shedding is the same as hair loss.
TF: Genetic hair loss is the miniaturization of hairs. So they’re actually not losing hair; the hairs are just getting smaller.
Myth: Wearing hats regularly can cause hair loss.
TF: Hats can actually protect the hair, in a way, from the elements. A lot of hair loss is from traction. It’s called traction alopecia, and that is mostly casued by hair styles like tight ponytails and sometimes extensions.
Myth: I’m not seeing results from treatment after a month; the treatment doesn’t work for me.
TF: Hair grows really slowly, only about a half-inch a month. For some people, it’s slower. In order for treatment to kick in, whether you’re doing topicals or internal work as well, it’s going to take a while, six to nine months, and then it’s going to take another three months for you to see regrowth.
Myth: Shaving my head will result in my hair coming back thicker.
TF: Because those hairs are already thinner, even if you shave them, they’re still going to come out that same size. The hair will look thicker at the beginning because you just blunt-cut everything off.
Learn more at tabithafhair.com or on Instagram at @tabithafhair.
