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Patterned baldness has been a problem for men and women
since time immemorial. Statistics show that around 65
million men in the US are dealing with androgenetic alopecia
or patterned hair loss. The process amongst men normally
starts during their puberty phase, as this is the time
when blood levels of androgens considerably increase.
Causes in men and women
The initial sign of hair loss is when hair starts to recede
in the temporal areas. About 96% of mature Caucasian men
experience this condition and even those that are not
likely to develop full-blown symptoms.
Hair loss normally starts to become prominent during
the late-teen years and fully develop between the age
of 40 and 50. Men who have male relatives who have lost
hair in a recognizably male pattern should expect that
they would encounter a similar fate in the future as part
of the cause of hair loss lies in the genetics passed
on from the parents.
One of the main drivers of hair loss is DHT
or dihydrotestosterone. DHT comes from testosterone in
men and plays a vital role in the life a male, as it acts
the main developer of man’s key sex characteristics
during the embryonic period. DHT also perform a certain
role in the development of a man’s secondary sexual
characteristics especially during the puberty and latter
years in life. Most notably, due to the levels of testosterone
in the body, hair
loss for women is usually not as severe, or have such
an early onset as men.
Despite the important role played by DHT, it eventually
becomes a hindrance later in life, as it is the main cause
of patterned baldness amongst me. DHT is five times more
potent compared to testosterone and it’s characteristically
more strongly attaches to the androgen receptors. Associated
metabolites also supposedly have a role in hastening the
process of patterned hair loss. During the start of the
process, when DHT starts to fight follicles in the body,
causing the hair follicle to remain in the growth phase
(anagen phase) for a shorter and shorter amount of time.
This results in hairs that are stunted in growth and become
finer and thinner over time. This is referred to as miniaturized,
baby hairs, or peach fuzz hairs. Follicles that reside
in the front, back and crown of the head are the most
susceptible to DHT, while follicles on the sides and back
will be spared. This is the reason why so many men have
horseshoe-shaped hair on their heads. Since the hairs
on the side of the scalp are not susceptible to DHT, they
can be transplanted to the front or crown of the scalp.
This insensitivity to DHT causes these hairs to continuously
grow and never fall out or become miniaturized. Female
hair loss does not involve the same level of association.
DHT causes hair loss as the follicles to become thinner
and shorter and cause them to stop growing in the long-term
especially if DHT inhibitors are not present in the bloodstream.
Follicles will eventually decay and the anagen phase will
considerably be shorter. Take note that the hair growth
process is lengthy, as it takes as long as 2-4 years.
Follicles affected by DHT will decline to the size similar
during the infancy period. Once the anagen phase slows
down, the hair loss process accelerates resulting hairs
on the scalp that will be thinner, finer and week.
In short, patterned male
hair loss is something that is inherited when androgens
are in the body and in normal amounts. These genes can
be inherited from mother or father side and the effects
will gradually increase with age. Those that are destined
to lose their hair will see the condition becoming relentless
and progressive.
Dr. Alex Khadavi is owner of Revivogen.com, a website
offering information and products
for hair loss in men and women. Revivogen's flagship
product attacks DHT preventing the process of follecular
deterioration from happening.
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