Some people notice hair shedding on their legs while the other parts of the body may be growing healthy hair. Such a situation can be a little troubling and there can be several reasons behind it like medical conditions including alopecia and peripheral arterial disease. For men, hair on the legs is a sign of masculinity. This shedding not only has a physical impact but can also affect a man’s self-esteem.
This article is concerned about hair loss in the legs along with the reasons why it happens and how one can manage the condition.
Why Do Guys Lose Hair on Their Legs?
Medications
Certain drugs and medications such as blood thinners, ACE inhibitors, epilepsy medications, gout medications, hormone therapy, birth control, ulcer medications, beta blockers and anti-inflammatories can impact blood flow and deprive the blood of certain nutrients required for hair growth. Long-term use of such medications is known to cause significant hair loss in the legs.
Poor Blood Circulation
Ample and proper blood circulation helps with the growth and regulation of hair follicles. This also helps with delivering nutrients and oxygen to the follicles promoting hair growth. Poor blood circulation weakens hair follicles and causes brittle and thin hair growth, this also leads to hair loss on the legs due to lack of nutrients.
Alopecia Areata
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition that attacks the hair follicles. It is an illness where one faces severe hair loss in different parts of the body especially on the legs. This is caused due to several reasons, the main factors causing this condition can be environmental factors and genetics.
Peripheral Arterial Disease
Hair loss on the legs is indicative of Peripheral Arterial Disease, a potentially dangerous condition that could be life-threatening. It is caused due to the narrowing of arteries which reduces blood flow to the limbs. An inadequate supply of blood to the limbs weakens the hair follicles, thus, interrupting hair growth.
Diabetes
Hair loss on the legs is a sure consequence of Diabetes, it is a chronic condition that causes poor circulation, damages blood vessels due to uncontrolled blood sugar levels and triggers an autoimmune response. All these causes can obstruct the production of nutrients and blood to the hair follicles, naturally causing the hair on the legs to fall out.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a treatment method used to treat and control cancer. Although chemotherapy is an effective method to treat and control cancer, it severely damages hair follicles, which interrupts hair growth and causes hair fall in several parts of the body including the legs. This is however a temporary condition and can be controlled and treated with time.
Chronic Venous Insufficiency
Chronic Venous Insufficiency is a vascular condition that prevents healthy blood flow. This improper supply of blood causes hair thinning and excessive hair fall on the feet and as well as the legs. Other symptoms to look out for that can be indicative of this condition are swelling of feet and toenails.
Thyroid Issues
Hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism are both reasons for hair loss in the legs. Hypothyroidism is the more common condition that causes one to lose hair on the legs. In this condition, there is an underactive production of the thyroid, which can make the hair growth cycle longer and cause it to grow out and fall within a short period.
Skin Conditions
Fungal infections, eczema, psoriasis and other such skin conditions on the leg can cause one to lose hair. Skin that is affected with such conditions is often inflamed and infected, thus making it a challenging task for healthy hair growth, even if hair does grow, the environment causes the hair to fall out.
Tight Clothing
Besides medical conditions and other factors, wearing excessively tight pants, socks or other clothing can cause severe hair fall. This is because tight clothing causes friction, when the tight cloth rubs against the skin and the hair on the legs it infects and weakens the hair follicle thus causing it to fall out.
Nutrition Deficiencies
Nutritions are vital for healthy hair growth, when one comes to an unhealthy diet, they are bound to face severe hair loss. Several studies over time have proven that deficiency of nutrients such as iron, vitamin D, and zinc. All these are vital nutrients that are necessary for hair growth and can help prevent hair loss.
Pituitary Glands Disorder
Pituitary glands are vital for the production of hair growth, when there is an issue with pituitary glands, hormone secretion faces an imbalance. This directly plays a role in hair growth and hair loss on the legs, lower levels of hormones secreted will cause hair on the legs to fall out.
Hair Loss Management & Solutions On Legs
Lifestyle Changes
It is important to make healthy lifestyle decisions to prevent hair loss on the legs. This can be done by switching to a healthier diet filled with nutrients and vitamins, quitting smoking, and receiving adequate sleep. It is also vital to exercise and keep stress levels low and balanced as this can help with combatting hair loss from the legs.
Wear Loose Clothes
Loose clothes benefit hair growth and the skin as well, wearing loose clothes will help prevent hair fall from the legs. It can reduce friction from occurring and prevent the chances of an individual contracting friction alopecia. This can also help prevent fungal infections that arise from sweat, which could potentially cause hair loss on the legs.
Medical Treatments
Hair loss from the legs can stem from several medical conditions such as hypothyroidism, hormone imbalance, diabetes and gland disorders. This can be treated with the help of medical intervention and treatments such as hormone therapy, prescribed finasteride, and minoxidil if suggested by the physician. It is best advised to visit a doctor if the condition seems worse.
Managing Blood Sugar Levels
The main cause behind hair loss in one’s legs can be diabetes and unbalanced sugar levels that cause poor blood circulation. This in turn causes a lot of hair loss in the legs. Balancing and managing blood sugar levels by taking medications and having a healthy lifestyle can help one manage hair loss in their legs.
See A Doctor
Sometimes men can see hair loss on their legs due to medical situations, which they might not be aware of. Therefore it's better to see a doctor so they can examine any medical condition that might be causing hair loss. In some cases, PAD is the main cause of hair loss in the legs, but one can easily manage this situation by switching to healthy lifestyle choices. In a worst-case scenario, it requires surgery or medication to treat it.
Conclusion
It can be very uncomfortable for some people when they notice hair loss on their legs for no good reason. It's also possible that the other parts of the body are growing healthy hair but legs are losing hair. However, one should stay calm and tackle the situation like a gentleman identify the reason why it's happening and then opt for a suitable solution. If the situation seems complex, it's better to see a doctor, which is the most safe and secure way of handling the hair loss situation.
