Baldness, also known as alopecia, can affect both men and women. Two-thirds of American men experience some degree of baldness by age 35, while women account for 40 percent of hair loss sufferers, according to the American Hair Loss Association. Some forms of alopecia affect children. In fact, hair loss accounts for 3 percent of visits to pediatricians, notes the American Hair Loss Association.
Types
There are three types of baldness. The most common is pattern baldness, also known as androgenic alopecia. It affects both men and women. Alopecia areata is a type of alopecia that causes temporary baldness; the hair usually grows back within a year. It mostly affects teenagers and young adults, according to the website of the U.K. National Health Service, NHS Choices. The third type of alopecia, known as telogen effluvium, is characterized by general thinning of hair on the scalp. This form of alopecia usually only lasts for a few months.
Causes
Androgenic alopecia occurs when testosterone is converted to dihydrotestosterone. This shrinks hair follicles and causes hair loss. Men and women with androgenic alopecia usually inherit the condition. Alpoecia areata is caused by an imbalance in the immune system that damages the hair follicles. Tellogen effluvium is often caused by stress or medication. Some women experienced patchy baldness during pregnancy and immediately after childbirth.
Diagnosis
Male-pattern baldness is easily diagnosed because it follows a typical pattern, notes NHS Choices. It starts with a receding hairline followed by thinning of hair at the temples and on the crown. Women with pattern baldness experience overall thinning, usually after menopause. If the reason for baldness is not obvious, a doctor can do numerous tests to ascertain the cause and type of hair loss. Screening tests can determine if a medical condition is the underlying cause, while tools such as punch biopsy, skin scrapings and the pull test can help determine whether the hair loss is alopecia areata or telogen effluvium.
Treatment
Treatment options for baldness include oral and topical drugs and surgery. Finasteride is a once-daily oral drug indicated for the treatment of male-pattern baldness. It can take up to four months to have any effect on hair growth, but two thirds of those who take finasteride experience some degree of hair growth, notes NHS Choices. It is not approved for use in women; pregnant women should not even handle finasteride, as it may pose a threat to the unborn baby.
The topical treatment minoxidil has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of alopecia areata and pattern baldness. It is a solution that is rubbed into the scalp twice daily. It slows hair loss and boosts new growth.
Steroids can be injected into the scalp to treat small bald patches. Hair transplant surgery and scalp reduction surgery can also alleviate baldness.
Research
In October 2008, researchers at King's College London discovered two gene regions that may be responsible for male-pattern baldness. The study found that men who contain both gene regions are seven times more likely to experience baldness than those who lack them, according to an article in the British newspaper, The Guardian. The researchers believe it may pave the way for genetic treatments for male-pattern baldness.
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