Coping with male pattern baldness

Androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness) is by far the most common cause of hair loss amongst men and a serious problem for many women. For it to develop, three important components must come into play:

1. A genetic predisposition for balding to occur.

2. The presence of male hormones.

3. Aging - enough time for the first two factors to occur.

Despite the common perception, familial baldness patterns are not completely reliable as predictors of future hair loss. The fact that your parent or grandparent exhibited a given pattern does not guarantee your hair loss development will be the same. However, if your father was completely bald and you begin to lose hair excessively at an early age, it's safe to assume you will develop extensive balding.

All normal men and women produce male hormones such as testosterone and DHT. These hormones have a useful role to play in both sexes but it is the fact that androgens occur in much higher concentrations in men that explains why this type of hair loss is more common in males.

The effect of these hormones on hair follicles is as follows:

1. High levels of an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase occur in cells of the hair follicle.

2. This enzyme converts testosterone into DHT.

3. DHT causes the robust terminal hairs to miniaturize.

4. This leaves soft, fine hairs that provide poor scalp coverage.

5. The growth phase becomes shorter until these soft hairs are lost for good.

Excessive hair loss can occur at any age and may even stop only to start again. As time progresses the process of hair loss accelerates leading to its logical conclusion.

Understanding this process helps to explain how the currently available treatments for male pattern baldness work. Propecia is one of only two FDA-approved hair loss treatments and it works by interfering with the process outlined above. In brief, Propecia inhibits the formation of DHT in the system thus slowing down and eventually stopping the adverse effects of DHT on the hair follicle.

Most of the non-drug, commercially prepared products operate on a similar basis by utilizing natural ingredients that attempt to interfere with the production of DHT. Presently the most popular natural ingredient is saw palmetto although some products combine this with other herbs such as pygeum, stinging nettle and green tea.

Read More ...

Hair Transplant Methods to Avoid

Hair transplantation as a means of treating hair loss has been around for a long time. Unfortunately, some clinics today still use methods that are outdated and can cause pain, scarring and less than presentable results. This article highlights some of the hair transplant methods that you should avoid like the plague.

Round / square grafts - this is the original method that leaves patients with a scalp that resembles that of a plastic doll. It involves taking a number of smallish grafts with a hole-punch device and transplanting to the affected area. The result is a pluggy look that does not look natural and only becomes more ridiculous as time wears on.

Line grafts - this involves moving a short strip of donor hair from the side or back of the head, then transplanting the entire strip into a trench that is surgically cut into the receiving area of the scalp. The end result is a line of hair that looks unnatural.

Flap technique - this procedure involves moving a flap of skin with its tissue, hair strands and follicles from the side or back of the head to the front hairline by cutting it on three sides and stitching it to the bald area.This can cause serious problems including excessive scarring, infection, disfigurement in the forehead area and hair growing in the wrong direction.

Scalp reduction - in this procedure the bald area at the crown is cut away and the edges surrounding the wound are pulled together and sewn at the middle. This technique causes many problems including potentially hideous scarring, accelerated hair loss and infection.

Read More ...

Hair loss

Male Pattern Baldness:
On average, there are 90,000 to 150,000 hairs on the scalp. The hairs grow from roots called follicles. Blood vessels at the base of each follicle provide nourishment vital for hair and hair growth. Hair growth in each root occurs in a cycle independent of each other. At any time about 90 percent of the hairs on the scalp are in the growth phase, while the other 10 percent are in the resting phase. The growth phase can last an average of up to five years, after which the follicle goes into a resting phase, which can last upto four months. At the end of this phase, the hair falls out and is replaced by a new hair. This is all a perfectly normal part of the growth cycle. In fact, on a typical day, up to 150 hairs can be lost. Baldness occurs when hair is lost at an unusually high rate and hair replacement occurs at an unusually slow rate and/or when normal hairs are replaced by weaker, smaller ones.

What is Male Pattern Baldness?:
Almost all cases of hair loss is the result of Male pattern baldness (or androgenetic alopecia). Male pattern baldness occurs much more frequently in men than in women. Even in mild cases It affects roughly 50 million men in the United States. Balding may begin at any age after puberty. While some types of hair loss is reversible, male pattern baldness tends to be permanent. It occurs in a very typical pattern on the scalp. Hair loss usually begins at the temples and at the top of the head toward the back, causing a receding hairline and a bald spot. Sometimes progressing further until the two sections become joined,leaving a horseshoe pattern on the sides and back of the head. Male pattern baldness progresses slowly and is not associated with any physical discomfort.

What causes male pattern baldness?:
Male pattern baldness is thought to be a combination of hormonal and genetic factors. Testosterone and its more potent derivative dihydrotestosterone (DHT) are the contributimg factors of the degree of balddness. Whatever the exact causes of male pattern baldness may be, it is hereditary. A tendency toward baldness on either side of a man's family(mother or father) indicates The speed, pattern,and degree of the balding. Usually, the earlier it begins, the more severe the hair loss will be. Balding is not caused by wearing a hat, you cant regrow hair by Massaging or brushing, or excessive shampooing stimulate hair growth. These are thought to be false. Stress may contribute to a form of hair loss, but normal everyday stress does not contribute to balding.

What are the treatment options for male pattern baldness? 

 
-Herbal Shamppos
-Herbal Remedies
-Specialty Shampoos(for example Helsinki Formula)
-Wigs
-Transplants
-Medication(Propecia,Minoxidil etc)
-Home Remedies
-Others

Hair transplantation:
In hair transplants, healthy live follicles are removed from a donor site on the scalp and transplanted to the balding area. The follicles are commonly taken in "plugs" of one hair to two hairs (micrografts) from the sides or back of the head and moved to the balding area, with the hairline being slowly reconstructed. Larger plugs may be used. Donor sites with full hair make transplants more successful. Some scarring may occur. Transplanted follicles are usually permanent. Synthetic hair has also been used for transplants but has been known for to have a high rate of infection and has been been banned.As with any surgical procedure, hair transplantation present certain risks. If you are considering a transplant, consult your doctor.

Wigs:
A hairpiece can be custom made to cover a balding area. Hairpieces may fade and over time. It is important to clean the scalp under the hairpiece regularly. Another option is a weave, in which fake(synthetic) hair is sewn into existing hair. 

This just a quick run down of what happens when most men reach a certain age. Here are a couple of sites that we have found that will educate and inform and give you everything you want to know about Male Pattern Baldness. The reviews are very positive and even might give you possible solutions to this problem that has afflicted almost every man for generations.

Read More ...

Natural Hair Loss Treatments

The effectiveness of modern hair loss treatments is clear for all to see, but many people simply prefer not to use strong chemicals or non-natural substances.

If you fall into this category, does this mean you'll just have to accept an ever-decreasing head of hair? The answer to this is an unequivocal NO!

Many natural hair loss remedies, both traditional and contemporary, have shown their worth in reducing and reversing hair loss. They are also perceived as being free from side effects and even deliver additional health benefits.

Why then, don't we hear a lot more about these natural hair loss remedies? Simply because claims of cures cannot be made without FDA approval, and obtaining the FDA seal of approval involves lengthy and expensive scientific research that only major companies can afford. Even the biggest companies could not recoup the costs of such a process as no-one can control the rights to common natural substances such as basic foods and vitamins.

The big question however is, do natural hair loss remedies work? Firstly, hair growth at root level is a living part of the body that depends on sound nutrition, just like any other part of the body. The importance of vitamins, minerals and other nutritional elements in maintaining healthy hair cannot be disputed.

Secondly, the role of herbs and plants in treating numerous ailments is receiving increased recognition after years of neglect, and hair loss is no exception. Many herbal remedies for both internal and external use are offering new hope to people suffering from premature hair loss.

Thirdly, traditional hair loss remedies may still have something to offer. Ancient literature and folklore reveal that our ancestors went to great lengths to treat thinning hair. Some of the more acceptable traditional approaches are now being incorporated into many potential treatment regimes.

Read More ...