Generalized Hair Loss

Although thinning hair may be caused by numerous medical conditions, the Foundation of Hair Restoration reports that androgenic alopecia accounts for 95 percent of cases. Androgenic alopecia is pattern hair loss. If you are experiencing generalized pattern hair loss, become familiar with the cause of your condition and the effective treatments that can prevent further loss.

Causes

According to the Foundation for Hair Restoration, generalized hair loss occurs when excess levels of the androgenic hormone dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, shrink scalp hairs that are not genetically able to withstand the hormone. This process is called "miniaturization." As hair follicles shrink, this gives a thinning appearance to hair. Although androgenic alopecia is the cause for the vast majority of generalized hair loss cases, the Mayo Clinic notes that poor nutrition, medications and scalp infections can also cause hair loss.

Effective Treatments

The Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, has approved two treatments for generalized hair loss. The first--Minoxidil-- is available over-the-counter at most grocery stores. The FDA approves 5 percent strength minoxidil for adult males and 2 percent minoxidil for females to treat general pattern hair loss. HairSite reports that the most commonly reported side effects associated with topical minoxidil are scalp inflammatory conditions such as severe scalp itch, flakes, redness of the scalp and excessive dandruff. A second medication--finasteride-- is an FDA-approved pill for male pattern baldness that is available by prescription only. Omni Medical Search reports that finasteride is generally well-tolerated, although sexual side effects occur in less than 2 percent of men. These may include loss of libido, erectile dysfunction and a decrease in semen production.

Misconceptions

Dr. Robert Bernstein, hair restoration physician and Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, debunks some of the more popular myths about hair loss.
It is a mistaken belief that hormone-related hair loss only comes from the genes in your mother's lineage. Bernstein explains that hormone-related hair loss may be inherited from either or both family lineages.
In addition, hair loss is not limited to men. Four out of 10 females will experience significant genetic hormonal-related hair thinning in their lifetime, Bernstein says.

Hair-Restoration Surgery

While treatments can help restore hair and prevent further hair loss, only hair-restoration surgery can provide a lasting solution. The Foundation for Hair Restoration describe how a hair restoration works and why it is permanent. The surgery takes hair from a "donor area," an area at the back of the head that is not susceptible to pattern hair loss. These hairs are transplanted onto the scalp where thinning or hair loss. has occurred. The transplanted scalp hair will grow for a lifetime and not thin because the hair follicles are not prone to DHT pattern hair loss.

Potential Remedies

For most, a hair transplant can provide a satisfactory and lasting solution to generalized hair loss. Others, however, may desire more density than their "donor area" can provide. Bernstein reports that future hair-restoration procedures may include the cloning of hairs or "hair multiplication." In theory, healthy hair follicles that are not sensitive to DHT can be replicated, creating an endless supply of hair that can supply sufficient density to even the most extreme cases of pattern baldness.