Shaving Head For Hair Growth

Hair Thinning is a natural part of ageing and men tend to lose their hair more quickly and more noticeable than do people of other genders.

Male hair loss problems are so common and normal that we refer to this as androgenetic alopecia or male pattern baldness.

Below, we have talked about stages of hair growth, what causes hair thinning, how shaving heads should be done, its advantages and disadvantages and does it help in growing hair stronger?

Various Stages Of Hair Growth

Hair grows in three different stages and they are:

• Anagen

It is an active growth phase of hair that lasts 2-8 years.

• Catagen

This is a transition phase in which hair stops growing and lasts about 4-6 weeks.

• Telogen

This is a resting phase where hair falls out and lasts about 2-3 months

Causes Of Hair Loss/Thinning In Men

Before looking at the various ways and methods through which you can treat the hair loss problem, let us quickly look at the reasons that cause hair loss in men.

1) Surgery or Illness 

Your recent surgery or serious illness that you are recovering from may be causing hair loss. And this is quite normal. Many people experience dramatic levels of hair loss or hair thinning issues some weeks after their major surgery or after an illness. 

While the level of hair loss might appear excessive, it is no more than a reaction to a specific event and your hair will return to normal after some time.

2) Medications

Some anticoagulants and many chemotherapy drugs that are usually used in cancer treatments are well-known causes of hair loss. The hair usually returns to normal once the medication stops. 

Anti-depressants are also one of the reasons that may result in hair loss and too much vitamin A can have the same effect.

3) Hormonal Imbalances

Testosterone is a hormone in males that are responsible for deeper voices, muscular growth, and performance, amongst other things. When the male body converts testosterone to the less useful dihydrotestosterone or DHT, they can experience hair loss. 

DHT attacks and shrinks the hair follicles that results in hair thinning or hair loss.

4) Thyroid Issues

People suffering from hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism often experience hair loss due to a speeding up of the conversion of testosterone to DHT. 

Even people who are undergoing the treatment of thyroid are not immune to the hair loss associated with their condition.

5) Stress

If you have ever been under a lot of pressure at work or home, you can blame your stress for your hair loss. If you are the one suffering from excessive physical or emotional stress, it can cause hair to stop growing normally, thus falling out two or three months later. 

Fortunately, hair loss problems caused due to stress are usually not permanent.

6) Alopecia Areata

Alopecia areata is the most common autoimmune condition that is also exacerbated by stress. It causes your hair to fall out in round patches on the scalp and elsewhere on the body because of your immune system attacking hair follicles. 

Around 5% of people with alopecia will lose hair on their entire scalp. Typically, in some cases, hair grows back, but it is very much common for hair loss to reoccur.

What Shaving Does?

The shaving head is considered as a solution to all the problems by most people. But you must know that what shaving does

All hair that is present on your body has two distinct parts:

• Hair Root

Hair root contains the living part of the hair and goes deep down underneath your skin. The hair root is surrounded by your hair follicle which has nerves and blood vessels around it. It is within the hair follicle that new hair cells are formed, which helps in contributing to the growing length of your hair.

• Hair Shaft

This part of your hair is composed of dead and hardened cells lubricated by the sebaceous glands around the hair follicles and are exposed above the surface of your skin.

When you are shaving any body part with a razor, you are only removing the hair shaft, that is the part that is sticking above your skin. The hair follicle with the actively dividing hair cells is still there inside your skin, leading to the regrowth of hair post-shaving. Since the hair growing out is only an extension of your hair inside the follicle, logically there can be no change in the hair that has been regrown.

How To Shave Your Head Safely?

If you are thinking to shave your head at home all by yourself, here are a few tips from the experts that you must follow while doing so:

1. The best time for shaving hair is right after a shower. This helps in making your hair easier to cut and gives you a smooth shave.

2. You should trim your hair to a shorter and manageable length using a trimmer before you take up a razor.

3. You must always use a shaving gel or cream that helps in softening up your hair and prevents irritations or razor burns.

4. You should check that your razor blades are sharp enough. If you are going over an area multiple times to get a clean shave, it is time where you should change the blades.

5. You should work along the contours of your head and don't apply too much pressure to avoid nicks and cuts on your head. You should always glide the razor through and it will do its work if it is sharp enough.

6. You must moisturise your head with an aftershave gel or lotion to prevent infections and to keep your scalp hydrated

Does shaving make hair grow faster or thicker?

If you shave your head, no matter what part of your body, it will not mean that the hair will grow back faster or thicker.

The roots of this myth might be tied to the fact that hair regrowth can look different at first.

Unshaven hair has a finer and a blunter tip. When you see new hair growth, you will see the coarser base and not the softer, thinner part that will eventually grow back if you let it get that far.

Your new hair might also look darker. This happens partly because of its thickness, but it might also be because your new hair hasn’t yet been exposed to natural elements. Natural elements like sun exposure, soaps and other chemicals can all lighten your hair.

The dark shade of new hair might also be more noticeable than you are accustomed to. If you have a lighter skin tone, you might notice the new growth even more. This all has to do with the colour contrast and it isn’t attributed to the shaving process whatsoever.

However, shaving still has several side effects and these are most likely attributed to improper shaving techniques. Possible side effects of shaving include:

• Skin irritation
• Razor burn
• Contact dermatitis
• Cuts
• Ingrown hairs
• Blisters
• Pimples
• Itchy skin

Benefits of Shaving Your Head 

Once you get used to it, shaving your head is not complicated and it does have several advantages.

• Deal With Hair Loss

Hair loss affects both men and women. Maybe you are not fond of your receding hairline, hair thinning or irregular growth pattern. Plus certain medical conditions like alopecia areata can cause patchy hair loss in you.

You can try using topical treatments and other remedies. Solutions like hairpieces, wigs, and hats are always available. But if you are tired of using all that, you can try shaving your head could be an easier way to go.

• Save Time

A shaved head means less maintenance required than taking care of hair. There is no need for a comb or a blow dryer and you can even take shorter showers.

• Save Money

You can strike off hair care products off of your shopping list. Shaving is often a do-it-yourself task and you can likely save on the salon or barbershop too.

Side Effects Of Shaving Your Head

If you have never had a bare scalp before, it can take some time to get used to. There is a chance you won’t like it at all. Shaving your head can also cause a few minor problems that are:

1. Dry Skin

If you shave frequently, it can lead to a dry and itchy scalp. You will have to be careful not to scratch with your fingernails and to use moisturizer liberally.

2. Scalp Irritation

Even the most careful person might observe nicks and cuts. Shaving can also result in red and inflamed skin which is known as razor burn.

3. Ingrown Hair

An ingrown hair is when hair grows back into your skin which causes inflammation. It is more likely to happen if you have tightly curled hair. You can try preventing this by using an electric razor but you must avoid the closest shave setting.

4. Exposed Skin

Well, your shaved head will be more exposed to the natural elements. You must wear sunscreen and cover your head in cold or wet weather.

5. Upkeep

That freshly shaved smoothness does not last long. If you do not like stubble or short growth, you might need to shave every day, depending on how fast your hair grows.

OTHER HAIR LOSS TREATMENT 

Let us now begin with the best hair loss treatments you can opt for.

1) Change your Shampoo  

You can begin a healthier Hair journey by switching your shampoo, if you are still using a chemically infused shampoo then this is the time that you switch to a natural shampoo that will be mild on your scalp. Often chemically infused shampoos are harsh on the scalp and scrape off the natural oils present there. 

Switch to all organic and natural shampoo and it will help in maintaining the pH balance in your scalp and will ensure that your new Hair follicles are healthy and strong.

Anti-hair fall shampoo is enriched with natural ingredients that will make your hair silky and smooth. This will also help in reducing the Hair fall and will retain your Hair’s strength. 

2) Minoxidil and Finasteride 

Minoxidil is a magical medicine it is also called a vasodilator as it helps in expanding the blood vessels in the scalp, when we activate the blood vessels we make sure that there is better blood circulation in our scalp which promotes Hair regrowth for all the Hair follicles that have been damaged.

However, people using Minoxidil and Finasteride may face a heavy Hair fall but this is normal when you use Minoxidil as it will make sure your new Hair follicles are stronger and healthier. 

DHT on our scalp can control the growth of our hair follicles and prevents new Hair follicles from emerging. Finasteride controls and blocks DHT helping the Hair fight against this hormonal imbalance. 

3) Hair Transplants 

Hair transplant is another very famous method to deal with hair loss, there are two types of hair transplants. 

• Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT)
• Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) 

4) Laser Treatment 

If you do not want to opt for a Hair transplant then you can also go for a Laser treatment as it reduces inflammation on the scalp and helps in a better regrowth of hair follicles. 

You can take advice from your doctor to see if a Laser treatment will suit you and will be good for your hair loss and hair type. Light Laser treatment may give you suitable benefits.

Take Away

Shaving your head does not make your hair grow thicker and shinier and you can try other products to get your hair back. 

If you want to know more about hair loss and how to treat it, then you can purchase dermatologist recommended products from our Mars by GHC website.