Facts And Figures About Hair Loss Patterns

October 2, 2010 · Posted in hair replacement · Comment 

Loss of hair from some or all parts of the head can eventually lead to baldness. This health condition is medically known as alopecia. Both men and women may experience baldness at any age. It is even possible that an individual experiences baldness in youth.

A lot of people lose hair everyday. It is a fact of life for them. While some seek effective treatments, most of them accept it as a part of their life. There are many reasons why men lose hair. The male hormone testosterone is converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by an enzyme 5-alpha reductase. Several tissues in the body, including the scalp have DHT, which affects the hair follicle adversely. It slows down hair production, and produces weak and shorter hair. This leads to gradual hair loss. Some causes of male and female pattern baldness are as follows:

  • Ageing
  • Fluctuation in hormone level
  • Hereditary factor
  • Severe illness

While there are many reasons for hair loss, teenage hormonal disorders are major contributors to this problem.

Some facts about baldness

  • We lose more than 40% of our total hair before we notice it and that is why it is important to start treatment as soon as possible
  • We lose around 100 hair everyday on an average
  • Zinc, B6 and biotin are very important for good hair growth
  • An excess of DHT causes hair loss

Hair loss pattern in men – Different from hair loss in women

Male pattern hair baldness follows a typical pattern. You can start losing hair in different areas, but it usually starts around the crown of your head. The hairline recedes and forms a “M” shape. The remaining hair may become thinner and shorter. Hair starts becoming thin initially, and gradually, it may lead to baldness over the top of your head. If you lose hair suddenly, you should visit a doctor and take expert advice. Hair loss can occur because of many reasons, and it can be treated successfully. Almost 50% of the men experience hair loss at some point in their life. Female hair loss occurs in more than one pattern and you may be surprised because of the sudden hair loss. Hair loss patterns in females are not easily recognizable as they are in men. Female hair loss usually starts at the back of the head and hair starts thinning before you even notice.

Treatment process

For those who are happy with the way they look, no treatment is necessary. But those who wish to enhance their looks can do so by opting for various hair loss treatments available on the market. Propecia, an effective FDA approved oral medication is used for treatment of male pattern baldness. When you use any hair loss treatment, do not expect results very fast. You have to learn to be patient. Propecia needs to be taken for a year at least, to get the desired results. It can even help you to re-grow your hair.

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Hair Loss Remedy

July 2, 2010 · Posted in baldness · Comment 

What is hair loss?

Most men and women experience some amount of normal hail loss everyday.
This happens because after the end of every growth cycle, the hair naturally falls off, resulting in hair loss. But, one needs to start worrying only when the hair loss is excessive.

Different patterns of hair loss

Men and women have different patterns of hair loss. For men it is called the Male pattern baldness and for women it is called the Female pattern baldness.

Though, in some very rare viral infections, men and women may experience extreme hair loss conditions like alopecia universalis, where the whole body is completely devoid of any hair.

Characteristics of hair loss in men

In men, most of the hair loss follows the male pattern of baldness. In this type of baldness, a man finally ends up having hair left in the back and on the sides of the head, which from afar looks like the horse shoe. Typically there is no hair on top of the head.

For some men, the hair loss starts with a withdrawing hairline, while for some the hair loss happens from the top of the head. It is very common for men experience hair loss from the crown as well as have a receding hairline at the same time. Generally the hair at the back of the head falls at the very end.

Characteristics of hair loss in women

In women hair loss happens through the general thinning of the hair from the entire scalp. In most women the entire head is never completely bare of all the hair, but it may be so sparse that the scalp may be clearly visible.
But for both men and women the hormone related hair loss is mostly not reversible.

Why does hair loss happen?

There are numerous reasons for hair loss.

1. The most common cause of hair loss is the presence of high quantities of the hormone Dihydrotestrostone in the scalp. DHT i.e. Dihydrotestrostone is a byproduct of the male hormone testosterone. In men and women, hair growth happens during the cycle of growth-dormant-re-growth. When the levels of the hormone DHT is there in high levels in the scalp then the period of rest or dormancy is longer for the hair. Thus each hair follicle produces hair for a limited period and then it finally goes into a period of complete rest and then eventually stops producing any more new hair.
It has been observed that in men even though the hormone DHT is present in the whole scalp, the hair loss is most prominent on top of the head. Compared to the crown, the hair follicles in the side and in the back of the head do not experience the harmful effects of DHT.

2. Even high levels of sebum present in the hair are responsible for hair loss. Sebum is responsible for blocking the pores of the hair follicles, and this subsequently leads to undernourishment of the hair and results in hair loss. That is why it is imperative to keep the hair clean by washing the hair so that the blocked pores open up and the hair is nourished all the time.

3. Crash diets, lack of healthy nourishing also cause hair loss. But in such cases, if food intake is improved then the hair loss can be reversed to a large extent. A diet rich in protein and iron helps to arrest hair loss.

4. Lifestyle changes and nervous tension is also responsible for hair loss. Thus it is imperative that men and women try and de-stress their lives as much as possible.

Can hair loss be treated?

Yes, to some extent hair loss can be treated. One of the first steps to treat hair loss is to partake of nourishing, healthy food. Since hair is made up of the protein keratin, men and women require different quantities of protein to keep their hair healthy. While women require about 60 grams of protein daily to keep their hair healthy, men need about 90grams of protein.
Many a times even after improving the diet of person hair loss cannot be prevented. In such cases hair loss can be treated through laser, surgical and non-surgical restoration.

There is no miraculous cure to hair loss. No matter which treatment an individual opts for one has to be patient to see the changes. Because, between the growth cycles hair follicles have long periods of inactivity, which could last up to 3 months. It takes several months for any individual to notice any significant changes in hair loss.

Author: Dr John Anne
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Question – Does Propecia Work?

January 18, 2010 · Posted in hair treatment · Comment 

The FDA (Food and Drug Administration) gave its answer to the question “Does Propecia Work? when it gave approval to Merck & Co. to market this drug back in 1998.

For any drug to receive FDA approval, years of tests are involved and a huge investment of time and resources on the part of the pharmaceutical companies involved.

In the case of Propecia, over 1,500 men were involved in a two year study. The results showed that over 80% noticed an improvement in their hair growth and density. So the answer to the question “Does Propecia work?” is: Yes, in the majority of cases.

Obviously results differ on an individual basis and some men will experience better results than others. The drug needs to be taken daily for at least 2-3 months before making a final decision as to whether it is worth continuing.

Bear in mind that once you start taking Propecia you have committed yourself to a lifelong course of medication. Stop taking Propecia after hair has started to increase and you risk losing what you gained.

Just how does Propecia work?

The male hormone testosterone is involved. It is a contributing factor in the production of DHT, (Dihydrotestosterone) which can cause hair follicles to malfunction and shut down. Propecia blocks the process in which DHT is formed.

Each Propecia tablet contains 1mg of Finasteride, a drug originally used to combat prostate cancer in men over 50. It was prescribed in 5mg doses. It was noted that those who used this drug often experienced increased hair growth. Propecia is just the brand name of a different version of Finasteride specifically prescribed to combat male hair loss on the crown of the head or the mid-scalp area.

Does Propecia work for women too?

No. Precautions issued with the drug stress that this medication is for men only.

Additionally, although each tablet is coated pregnant women or women who think they might be pregnant are advised not to handle this medication. Contact with crushed or broken Propecia tablets can lead to deformities in the sex organs of male children.

Does Propecia work for all kinds of hair loss?

No. The drug is effective for hair loss on the crown of the head and mid-scalp. There is insufficient evidence to suggest it can help a receding hair line or loss of hair on the sides of the head.

From comments on user forums to do with hair loss it is evident that Propecia does work for many men. However, there are serious precautionary factors to consider:

1. This is a lifelong commitment which can be quite costly. Additionally the long term effects over decades of use are at this point impossible to predict.

2. A small percentage of men (around 3%) experienced various forms of sexual dysfunction including impotence, once they started taking Propecia. These effects quickly disappeared once the medication was stopped. In the clinical trials it is true that around 2% of the men using the placebo, a sugar tablet, also experienced forms of sexual dysfunction. So the number of men actually affected is quite small. However, it is important to be aware of these side effects.

Regretfully there is no ideal solution for hair loss at this time. However, there are a variety of choices available in combating hair loss. Prescription drugs such as Propecia are one option. Natural herbal remedies without side effects are another. See the resource box.

In conclusion: Does Propecia work? Yes, in the majority of cases from all the clinical evidence and user feedback available. Are you prepared for the possible implications of long term use? That is something you have to seriously consider.

Author: Mike Jones
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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