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hair growth -To understand
hair loss, you have to know about hair growth. Every
single hair follicle follows a programmed schedule that
includes growth, resting and shedding. Generally 90%
of your hair on your head is growing at any one time
(called the Anagen stage). And the other 10% of your
hair is resting (called the Telogen stage). At the end
of the resting stage, the old hairs shed and new hair
begins to grow again (Anagen stage).
DHT and hair loss- Both men
and women produce testosterone in varying levels, and
then some of the testosterone gets converted to another
hormone called DHT (dihydro-testosterone). DHT is especially
important in hair growth because as you age, DHT and
heredity will cause the amount of time your hair spends
resting to increase and the time spent growing to decrease
- causing thinning and finally resulting in baldness.
androgenentic alopecia -
Scientists now believe that 95% of hair loss is caused
by a condition called "androgenetic alopecia,"
and up to 60% of men are affected by the age of 60.
Although women also may suffer from angdrogenetic alopecia,
it is more commonly known as "male pattern baldness."
This refers to the the familiar horseshoe-shaped trim
that remains on the back and the sides of the head.
In male pattern baldness (MPB), the hair in these locations
on the back and sides of the head won't fall out. In
fact, it is genetically preprogrammed to withstand the
effects of DHT that cause hair loss (which makes it
ideal for transplantation).
other causes of hair loss
- Besides the effects of DHT on the hair follicle, there
are many other causes of hair loss that must be sought
before initiating treatment. If these conditions go
unnoticed or untreated, you will continue to lose hair
despite efforts to maintain or replace it.
disease or illness -Certain
diseases or illness cause thinning or loss of hair.
These include: thryoid disease, diabetes, lupus, secondary
syphillis, and scleroderma. Patchy areas of hair loss
can be caused by alopecia areata, an autoimmune response
or by a fungal infection of the scalp called tinea capitus.
Chemotherapy to treat cancer is notorious for causing
hair loss, although the hair will typically regrow a
few months after discontinuing treatments.
medications - Some medications
can contribute to hair loss. These include medicines
used to treate high blood pressure (beta-blockers),
arthritis, gout, depression, and heart disease. High
doses of Vitamin A (as with the prescription drug, Accutane)
can also cause hair loss, as can some medications used
to prevent blood clots. Birth control pills may also
contribute to hair loss in some women.
diet - Malnutrition can cause
hair loss, especially with low levels of iron (known
as anemia) or with inadequate protein intake. (Low iron
levels may be more common in women that have heavy menstrual
periods. Read more about women
and hair loss).
stress - Any stress on the
body can shift the hair follicle into a state of hair
loss, which usually manifests a few months after the
initial stressful event. There are many causes of stress:
psychological or mental stress, physical stress (such
as from surgery, childbirth, malnutrition, or illness)
or mechanical stress (such as hair styling treatments,
hair weaves, or hair pulling - a condition known as
trichotillomania). Usually after the stressful event
or situation stops, the hair will continue to regrow
after several months.
If one or several of the other causes
of hair loss are present, you will need to address those
issues before being able to effectively restore your
hair. Sometimes all that's needed is a change in medication,
decrease in stress, or better diet.
On the other hand, if your hair
loss is primarily a result of aging, heredity, and the
effects of DHT on the hair follicles, then you may be
a good candidate for hair restoration.
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