Hair
Loss Questions
Causes
of Male Pattern Baldness
Baldness
is a medical condition that affects some 25% of men in their
20’s and an astounding 2/3 of all men after the age
of 60. Male-pattern baldness does not have any intrinsic
side effect aside from hair loss so many consider it a cosmetic
medical condition, but for those who suffer from it, its
effects it can be devastating with social and psychological
consequences.
Male
baldness cures have been around for thousands of years.
From the Ancient Egyptian remedy of pigeon droppings to
the early 20th century use of electro-shock treatments on
the scalp, mankind has been searching for that one elusive
cure for baldness. But it wasn’t until recently that
we actually knew what caused baldness.
Male-pattern
baldness is a result of a gene in the body that converts
large quantities of testosterone into DHT (di-hydrotestosterone).
Hair loss occurs to some extent in 60-70% of all men, and
4-8% of women. This balding process is caused by hereditary
factors. You inherit the tendency to lose hair from either
of your parents. This is transmitted in your genes. You
may even have this tendency despite the fact that your parents
have full heads of hair - this is due to a process known
as spontaneous mutation, whereby the genetic information
changes at conception.
Hair loss can also occur following events such as trauma,
radiation therapy, burns and surgery. This is often amenable
to transplantation, as the donor sites can often be excellent.
A large number of drugs and diseases cause hair loss. This
hair loss is only reversible once the initial cause has
been remedied. Hair transplantation is not the answer in
these cases. If you suffer from a scalp disease, you should
consult a dermatologist.
This DHT hormone, though helpful during fetal development,
is devastating to hair follicles, causing them to become
damaged and shrunken. The usual life of a hair follicle
is 5 years, 4 of those spent growing and the last year being
stagnant, but follicles that are damaged fall out and are
not replaced by new follicles. This is why male pattern
baldness is gradual but irreversible in its later stages.
Registered
Treatments
Treatments
for baldness range from the medicinal to the surgical. FDA-
approved medications like Rogaine and Propecia; these can
provide effective short-term relief from baldness and have
been a popular baldness remedy for years. Rogaine is a topical
solution that has proven helpful in helping follicle regrowth
but works for only about 60% of all patients. Propecia,
on the other hand, is very effective in stemming existing
hair loss but is most powerful when used in the early stages
of male-pattern baldness. Unfortunately both medications
are temporary in nature, as results cease once use of the
medication has been discontinued. |
