If you have a smartphone or similar gadget, you might be using 5G. All around the world, mobile networks are introducing the latest mobile tech called fifth-generation or 5G, which gives super-fast wireless connections.
However, it might be unsettling to consider what is going on in the air that we cannot see—especially if there is worry that 5G can cause hair fall. If you’re worried that electromagnetic radiation may be related to hair fall, you should learn all you can about 5G technology from experts and researchers.
What is 5G?
In 2019, 5G was developed as the latest way for people to talk to each other using phones. Dr. Christopher Collins, who teaches at New York University, explains this. When you converse on the phone or use the internet, radio waves carry signals over the air. According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), these signals go between your phone and adjacent towers, which act as signal hubs across a region.
According to Dr. Henk De Feyter of the Yale School of Medicine, 5G employs greater radio frequencies than previous generations of wireless technology such as 4G and 3G. This is what makes it unique. Otherwise, it functions similarly, delivering and receiving information using electromagnetic waves.
What are EMF Waves and Radiation?
Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are invisible energy zones formed by certain types of energy waves. Some electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are powerful, such as those from sunshine and x-rays, while others are weaker, such as those from phones, laptops, and Bluetooth gadgets. The stronger ones are known as ionizing EMFs, while the lesser ones are known as nonionizing EMFs.
Knowing the difference is important because ionizing radiation, the strong kind, can sometimes lead to cancer if someone is exposed to a lot of it, like from too much sunlight. But for the weaker, nonionizing radiation, like what comes from our phones and devices, there’s no clear proof it causes cancer, according to experts.
People might worry about 5G because it uses high frequencies, but those frequencies aren’t strong enough to cause harm like ionizing radiation can. The Food and Drug Administration says the safety limits set for this kind of radiation are okay for protecting us. Plus, studies haven’t found any solid evidence that the type of radiation used by 5G is bad for our health.
Now, it’s true that electromagnetic energy can make our skin warm up a little, but it’s such a tiny amount that it’s not likely to hurt us. Think about it like when you step out into the sun and feel your skin warm up—it’s a small change, nothing drastic. So, when your phone feels warm, it’s because of the electronics inside, not because of the radiation.
5G Hair loss Concerns
Our mobile phones are always with us, either in our pockets or next to us. As these phones became very common over the last 25 years, many people worried about whether the waves they send out might harm our health. Though studies show that using cell phones doesn’t cause cancer or other serious illnesses, there’s some suggestion that using them a lot might make us lose hair.
In a study from 2016 called “Hair Loss Due to Electromagnetic Radiation From Overuse of Cell Phone” published in the Journal of Cosmetology and Trichology, researchers found that being around cell phone waves a lot might make us lose hair. They studied a 46-year-old man who had lost hair near his left ear. The hair around that spot was weak but didn’t come out easily. He also had thinner, slower-growing hair on the bottom of his head. The results of a test on a small piece of his skin showed that he’d been exposed to something that irritated his skin for a long time, but it wasn’t a usual reason for hair loss like alopecia areata or androgenetic alopecia.
There is no scientific evidence to support the claim that 5G technology directly causes hair loss. Some individuals have voiced worry about the possible health implications of 5G networks, which employ higher frequency radio waves than earlier generations of mobile networks. However, as of yet, no reliable study has linked 5G technology to hair loss.
Hair loss may be caused by a number of causes, including genetics, hormonal changes, medical problems, drugs, and lifestyle. If someone develops hair loss, they should visit a healthcare practitioner to establish the underlying reason and the best treatment choices.
Researchers found a way to treat hair loss effectively by using antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. They also observed that using a tiny dose of 2% minoxidil in conjunction with a balanced diet may help hair regrow entirely. They recommend restricting mobile phone use and keeping it away from your ear to promote hair regrowth.
Remember, this research isn’t final, so don’t panic and throw your phone away. But if you see strange hair loss near where you hold your phone, it’s best to talk to a hair specialist.
