Hair loss can be very confusing and seem very complicated. In a century where certain cancers and other life-threatening diseases can be cured, hair restoration remains an imperfect science. It is only in the past two decades that the hormonal pathways that cause hair loss were discovered. It is even more recently that treatments were developed to help slow and prevent this progressive condition. If you having noticed your hair becoming thinner, it would benefit you to understand the origin of hair loss and about the treatments that can benefit you.
Cause
According to the Foundation For Hair Restoration, 95 percent of people who are losing hair are experiencing a hormonal condition known as androgenic alopecia. In males, this progressive condition is called male pattern baldness. While many consider this exclusively a male condition, Dr. Robert Bernstein, hair transplant physician board certified by the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery, says otherwise. Bernstein reports that over 40 percent of women suffer a considerable amount of hair loss in their lifetime.
Expert Insight
Dr. Glenn Charles, Boca Raton-based hair restoration surgeon and senior member of the American Hair Loss Association, informs us that the hormone DHT, or dihydrotesterone, is the primary hormone responsible for androgenic alopecia. He explains that certain hair follicles, generally on the frontal hair line and the top of the scalp, are genetically programmed to fall out and stop growing when certain levels of DHT are reached. Hairs that are not sensitive to DHT are located on the sides and back of the head.
Misconceptions
Dr. Robert Bernstein debunks one of the most popular myths about the origin of genetic hair loss. It was long thought that hair loss genetics were inherited from your maternal grandfather. Bernstein claims that this misconception was started by Dr. Dorothy Osborne in 1916. Dr. Bernstein states that hair loss genes can be inherited from your mother's family, your father's family, both sides or any member along either lineage.
Considerations
According to the Foundation of Hair Restoration, three factors affect the onset of androgenic alopecia. The first is a "genetic predisposition to hair loss." People must have genes making them prone to pattern hair thinning. The second is the presence of the male hormone DHT. Although this is predominantly a male hormone, women produce this hormone as well. The third factor is age. The older you are, the more likely it is this condition will manifest itself. It can be difficult to tell if you are experiencing androgenic alopecia or just hair loss, because the normal rate of hair shed is about 100 hairs a day.
Prevention/Solution
The American Hair Loss Association reports that there are only two hair loss treatments approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA. Finasteride, which has shown promising results in clinical trials, is an oral medication that reduces DHT levels and is used to treat male pattern baldness. Minoxidil is a topical medication that encourages hair regrowth by increase blood loss to the scalp. HairSite notes that the FDA approves the 5 percent strength for men and the 2 percent strength for women.
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