Hair Loss Men

Introduction
air loss in men could be argued to be the one thing that causes more anxiety, than anything else in their lives. A receding hairline or the arrival of a bald patch can have a dramatic effect on men's confidence and self-image.

In fact, Androgenetic alopecia, or common male pattern baldness (MPB) accounts for more than 95% of hair loss in men. This can happen at any age. For some this can start in their teenage years. On average it happens in their late 20s and early 30s. A little thinning of the hair may be noticeable first, followed by wider hair loss allowing more of the scalp to become visible.

Some men aren't psychologically affected by this process at all and say its a considerable advantage. No more lost hours cutting, grooming, washing, maintaining.......and as a bald friend once remarked, he's just got the one style to worry about! Others, however, suffer great emotional distress associated with a lack of self-confidence and sometimes depression.

Why?
There are many possible reasons for men (and women) losing hair. These include serious disease, reaction to certain medications and sometimes in extremely stressful events.

In MPB, which tends to be inherited, the hair is usually lost at the temples and the crown of the head. It is generally agreed that this happens because of an excess of a chemical which causes the hair follicles to make thinner and thinner hair, until they eventually stop growing completely. So, most hair loss is men can be blamed on heredity.

But what are they inheriting? Well it appears they are actually inheriting hair follicles with a genetic sensitivity to the chemical Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and perhaps an over-abundance of the male hormone DHT within the hair follicle. Hair follicles that are sensitive to DHT begin to get smaller. This shortens the lifespan of each hair follicle affected. Eventually, these affected follicles stop producing cosmetically acceptable hair in the areas of classic MPB. Balding hair gradually changes from long, thick, coarse, pigmented hair into fine, unpigmented vellus sprouts.

A Japanese researcher has reported a relationship between more than normal sebum in the scalp and hair loss. Excessive sebum is often seen with thinning hair and it is thought to be due to enlargement of the sebaceous gland. The researchers believe this excessive sebum causes an high level of 5-alpha reductase and pore clogging, leading to malnutrition of the hair root.

They understood this condition could be passed through generations but put forward the view that it was mainly a diet related cause. They commented that generally Japanese hair strands were thick, with a small gland and little scalp oil. This changed with a change of diet after World War 2, when the Japanese started to eat more animal fat. Amongst other things, they believe this change has led to an average height increase in the Japanese population and more Japanese men losing hair. Some commentators say their observations make sense, in that problems with greasy hair have been noted around 6 months to a year prior to when thinning hair becomes noticeable. On the other hand, this may be just one of the symptoms, rather than an underlying cause and clearly much more research is needed. Having said that it is now generally agreed that shampooing can reduce surface sebum, which contains high levels of testosterone and DHT, that may re-enter the skin and affect the hair follicle.

What can I do about it?
Typical MPB can be diagnosed based on appearance and the pattern of the hair loss along with medical history and questions about hair loss in your family. Consult a qualified dermatologist or other suitably qualified professional who should examine the scalp under magnification to assess hair follicles. See what's currently available by clicking the index tabs to the left of this article

Remember, when considering treatment, you need to understand how far your hair loss has progressed, to guard yourself against misdiagnoses of your condition. There will be times when you will have to relay this information via telephone or the internet to practitioners. It important to get this right. A method used by many practices is the Hamilton-Norwood scale

The key to hair loss is to find out what the underlying reason is, and to then evaluate your options in dealing with it. Go to your doctor or specialist to diagnose your condition.

Further Reading

1. Wikipedia  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldness

2. Wikipedia  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dihydrotestosterone

3. IN SUPPORT OF BALDNESS   http://baldrus.com