Posts Tagged ‘Scalp Hairs’
Going bald is a fact of life for millions of men. Adults lose about 10,000 scalp hairs each and every day. Hair normally lives for around five years. With male pattern baldness these hairs do not always get replaced and gradually bald areas appear. This process can however take a long time and the age at which you start to lose hair does not necessarily provide any clues as to how long it will be until you define yourself as bald. There are a number of reasons why men start to go bald, but if you are a man between the ages of about 20 to 45 and you start to lose scalp hair, then the chances are 95 per cent certain that you are experiencing male pattern baldness. As the term suggests, male pattern baldness follows a typical sequence or pattern.
The normal cycle of hair growth and loss
The normal cycle of hair growth lasts for 2 to 6 years. Each hair grows approximately 1 centimeter (less than half an inch) per month during this phase. About 90 percent of the hair on your scalp is growing at any one time. About 10 percent of the hair on your scalp, at any one time, is in a resting phase. After 2 to 3 months, the resting hair falls out and new hair starts to grow in its place.
It is normal to shed some hair each day as part of this cycle. However, some people may experience excessive (more than normal) hair loss. Hair loss of this type can affect men, women and children.
Excessive Hair Loss Reasons
A number of things can cause excessive hair loss. For example, about 3 or 4 months after an illness or a major surgery, you may suddenly lose a large amount of hair. This hair loss is related to the stress of the illness and is temporary.
Hormonal problems may cause hair loss. If your thyroid gland is overactive or underactive, your hair may fall out.
Certain infections can cause hair loss. Fungal infections of the scalp can cause hair loss in children.
Finally, hair loss may occur as part of an underlying disease, such as lupus or diabetes.
The common baldness
The term “common baldness” usually means male-pattern baldness, or permanent-pattern baldness. Male-pattern baldness is the most common cause of hair loss in men. Men who have this type of hair loss usually have inherited the trait. Men who start losing their hair at an early age tend to develop more extensive baldness. In male-pattern baldness, hair loss typically results in a receding hair line and baldness on the top of the head.
Male Pattern Baldness
The male pattern baldness form of androgenetic alopecia accounts for more than 95% of hair loss in men. By age 35, two-thirds of UK and EU men will have some degree of appreciable hair loss and by age 50 approximately 85% of men have significantly thinning hair. About 25% of men who suffer from male pattern baldness begin the painful process before they reach 21.
Most men who suffer from male pattern baldness are extremely unhappy with their situation and would do anything to change it. Hair loss affects every aspect of their life. It affects interpersonal relationships as well as their professional life. It is not uncommon for men to change their career paths because of hair loss.
The Causes of Male Pattern Baldness
Most men are genetically predisposed to male pattern baldness. It is the effect of hormones on the hair follicle that produces male pattern baldness. Testosterone, a hormone that is present in high levels in males after puberty, is converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. DHT has an adverse affect on the hair follicles. Acting on a hormone receptor on the hair follicle it slows down hair production and produces weak, shorter hair, sometimes it stops hair growth from the follicle completely. This process gradually depletes your stock of hair and is normal hair loss.
Know about DHT
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is a derivative or by-product of testosterone. Testosterone converts to DHT with the aid of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase. While the entire genetic process of male pattern baldness is not completely understood, scientists do know that DHT shrinks hair follicles, and that when DHT is suppressed, hair follicles continue to thrive. Today, with proper treatment, this process can be slowed or even stopped if caught early enough.
Treatments for hair loss Online
Depending on your type of hair loss, treatments are available. If a medicine is causing your hair loss, your doctor may be able to prescribe a different medicine. Recognizing and treating an infection may help stop the hair loss. Correcting a hormone imbalance may prevent further hair loss.
Medicines may also help slow or prevent the development of common baldness. One medicine, finasteride (brand name: Propecia) is available with a prescription, it is a FDA-approved products have been clinically proven to stop or prevent hair loss. It comes in pills and is only for men. You can buy it online from the site propeciafinasteride.co.uk .
Propecia Hair Loss Treatment Pills
Finasteride is the generic name for the brand name drugs Propecia. Finasteride was originally developed by the pharmaceutical company Merck as a drug to treat enlarged prostate glands.
During the trials on men with prostate problems, researchers noted an intriguing side effect: hair growth. Since finasteride had already been approved by the FDA to treat enlarged prostates in men, Merck decided to pursue the possibility of developing finasteride as the first pill to treat male pattern baldness.
In December 1997, the FDA approved a 1mg dose of finasteride for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness) in men. Propecia is the first drug in history to effectively treat male pattern baldness in the majority of men who use it.
Hair loss in men is caused by heredity, hormones, and age. One of the main reason is the over production of the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which causes them to shrink. This “shrinkage” results in overall thinning with time. This causes thinning and baldness in men.
Information about the Author:
Hair Loss Articles: http://www.article-buzz.com
Almost all males will experience hair loss and baldness at some time or another. On the other hand, this condition isn’t typically associated with female. However, it can indeed happen to them. Up to 50 percent of female will experience a problem with hair loss at some point in their life.
This problem is particularly distressing for females. Their hair is such an integral part of the image they project. If it starts to fall out, the consequences are both physically and emotionally difficult to deal with.
It is important to note that female pattern hair loss can begin as early as the late teens to early 20s in women who have experienced early puberty. If left untreated, this hair loss associated with early puberty can progress to more advanced hair loss if it is left untreated
Female Hair loss Causes
Alopecia areata. A possibly autoimmune disorder that causes patchy hair loss that can range from diffuse thinning to extensive areas of baldness with islands of retained hair.
Trichotillomania. Hair loss due to trichotillomania is typically patchy, as compulsive hair pullers tend to concentrate the pulling in selected areas.
Triangular alopecia. Loss of hair in the temporal areas that sometimes begins in childhood. Hair loss may be complete, or a few fine, thin-diameter hairs may remain.
Scarring alopecia. Scarring alopecia typically involves the top of the scalp and occurs predominantly in women. A form of scarring alopecia may occur in post-menopausal women, associated with inflammation of hair follicles and subsequent scarring.
Telogen effluvium . A common type of hair loss caused when a large percentage of scalp hairs are shifted into shedding phase. The causes of telogen effluvium may be hormonal, nutritional, drug-associated, or stress-associated.
Female Hair Loss Prevention
There are a number of research studies being undertaken to learn more about female hair loss prevention.
The best way of preventing female hair loss is by understanding the process of hair growth. Keep in mind that it isn’t always a permanent condition.
•There are hair treatments in the form of shampoo or other topical preparations. These have shown promising success at managing hair loss by stimulating hair growth.
•Regularly massaging the roots of your hair is also beneficial. So is washing your hair thoroughly and frequently. Using conditioner on your hair can provide the follicles with essential nutrients. This will also help to stimulate growth and improve the quantity and quality of your hair.
•Paying attention to your diet is another important factor. Make sure you’re eating sufficient quantities of proteins. The average female requires approximately 40g of good quality protein (grams of protein per 100g) per day. Hair consists largely of protein, a deficiency may cause hair shafts to become finer, weak and break easily. As well, there are certain vitamins and minerals that are considered to be essential for healthy hair growth. Iron, zinc, copper, selenium, vitamin A and essential fatty acids are vital for hair health. However, it is not recommended to attempt to design your own hair nutritional program without the help of a professional. You may waste time and money or cause further problems by using the wrong supplements.
If you want to prevent female hair loss, it’s important that you understand the condition. You might have to try several approaches before you find something that works. And you should certainly consult with your doctor, who can rule out any medical causes. He or she will be able to advise you about the appropriate steps to take and prescribe medication if necessary.
Almost all males will experience hair loss and baldness at some time or another. On the other hand, this condition isn’t typically associated with female. However, it can indeed happen to them. Up to 50 percent of female will experience a problem with hair loss at some point in their life.
Information about the Author:
Hair Loss Articles: http://www.article-buzz.com
With hair loss becoming a common cause of concern amongst millions of people across the world, every year a large number of medications, herbs, spices, nutritional supplements, oils, shampoos etc comes up in the market each claiming itself to be the panacea for hair loss
But before you decide for any expensive treatment plan or hair loss treatment medication, it is advisable to understand what hair loss is and the types and benefits of medication available for hair loss treatment to ensure effective and desirable results.
Hair loss in woman can generally be seen evenly across the scalp, without definite bald patches. Diffuse hair loss is a gradual thinning of the hair as opposed to a straightforward bald patch and is the most common type of hair loss in women. The replacement of old hairs by new hairs is slowed down so that the hair becomes sparse and the scalp can be seen clearly through the hair.
Androgenetic alopecia (female pattern baldness) in women is often linked to hormonal changes with the hair loss following events such as the menopause, childbirth or as a result of stopping or starting oral contraceptive pills. Pregnancy will also affect hair production. Hormone levels increase as the pregnancy begins and slows down the hair growth cycle. Hairs that should stop growing continue to grow beyond their usual life cycle. Often this means that the hair appears to grow thicker as more hairs are present than normal.
The hair loss is generally more uniform over the scalp than in the male counterpart, but also results from a complex chemical reaction when the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase converts the testosterone in the system into DHT or dihydro-testosterone
The hair follicles are genetically predisposed to be over sensitive to the DHT and become smaller and smaller with time, leading to the eventual hair loss.
The scalp hairs are divided into two phases, growth phase and resting phase. Almost 90% of our hairs are in growth phase, which lasts for approximately four to five years. Each hair grows approximately 1 centimeter per month during this phase
Telogen effluvium occurs when the growing phase of the hair is interrupted prematurely causing the hair follicles to enter the telogen (resting) phase of the hair cycle earlier than normal. Two to four months later, following the normal cyclic pattern, diffuse shedding of the hair begins. When this happens there are not enough hairs left in the anagen phase, or growing phase, and the result is diffuse thinning of the hair.
Chemical trauma can be caused to the hair by bleaching, relaxing, perming or even dying the hair. The chemicals involved in these processes can damage the hair’s protein structure, making the hair dehydrated and brittle and often causing hair loss.
If you are going bald you should seriously consider hair loss medication treatments to halt or even reverse your hair loss. While there is no “Hair Loss Cure”, hair loss drugs can often stop or even reverse alopecia aerate in most people. Medication for treating hair loss slows thinning of the hair and increases coverage of the scalp by growing new hair and enlarging existing hairs.
Today there are two FDA approved medications for hair growth – minoxidil which is sold over the counter as Rogaine, for both men and women, and Finasteride, a prescription pill sold as Propecia, for men only. Two other drugs have been recently approved for hair growth and include a high-estrogen oral contraceptive and Aldactone (spironolactone). However, these two medications are only for women due to their feminizing side effects.
Propecia (Finasteride) is proven to be the most effective hair loss treatment medicine to treat male pattern baldness. Propecia works by blocking the enzyme, Type II 5 alpha-reductase from converting testosterone to its active form DHT (dihydrotestosterone) in the body. DHT plays a major role in inherited male pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia). In this process, it reduces the level of the hormone in the scalp which shortens the hair growth cycle and allows hairs to revert to a normal growth cycle.
Also remember that Hair Loss Treatment Medicine is a prescription with certain side effects and should be taken after consultation with the doctor
If you are going bald you should seriously consider hair loss medication treatments to halt or even reverse your hair loss. While there is no “Hair Loss Cure”, hair loss drugs can often stop or even reverse alopecia aerate in most people. Medication for treating hair loss slows thinning of the hair and increases coverage of the scalp by growing new hair and enlarging existing hairs.
Information about the Author:
Hair Loss Articles: http://www.article-buzz.com
The increased popularity in Hair loss treatments are due to the fact that so many people are affected by it. But why does it occur and who does it affect?
Hair loss and a receding hairline are just one of the signs that age is starting to take a toll on our bodies. For men, there is a very good chance that it’s only a matter of time before you start to notice that your hairline is receding. For a fifth of men, androgenetic alopecia or male pattern baldness as it commonly know as, starts as they reach puberty. They will probably have extensive hairloss by the age of 30 or even younger. For them, male pattern baldness is extremely rapid and extensive.
For a sixty percent of men, the process of hairloss is far more gradual. It also starts later on in life. Regardless of the time frame however, near total baldness across the majority of the head areas affects most of the male adult population.
Female Hair Loss
Hairloss for men is more socially acceptable. Women on the other hand, often face a more traumatic experience from unexpected hair loss. While early adolescence and the 20s are potential problem times for women susceptible to generic hair loss, menopause is an equally critical time.
Hair Growth
The rate of hair growth is 3mm per week (faster than any other part of the body except bone marrow).
This process of hair loss and hair regrowth is continuous and natural – it is only when daily hair loss greatly exceeds this rate that an unnatural condition may be present. The human head has an average of around 100,000 hair follicles, which can each produce about 20 hairs in a lifetime
Does Hair Colour Make a Difference?
People with red hair have 25% fewer scalp hairs than those with brown hair; whilst blonds have over a quarter more scalp hairs than brunettes. This fact may account for the belief that men with red hair are more likely to go bald than anyone else.
Normally, this would be an ample amount of hair for one person, if it weren’t for many factors, including particularly D.H.T. or Dihyrotestosterone.
DHT – A Factor in Male Hair Loss
This is a powerful hormone in our bodies, which can adversely affect the hair on our head. It is very important for a person to have proper nutrition to maintain hair. When DHT reaches the hair follicles and dermal papilla, it tends to prevent proteins, vitamins and minerals from providing the necessary nourishment to sustain life in the hair of these follicles. Due to this, the hair follicles tend to reproduce at a slower rate and this in turn either shortens the growing phase of the hair follicles or lengthens its resting stage.
This can result in a shrinking of the hair follicle, which makes hair growth more difficult and makes hair more vulnerable to falling out.
Other Hair Loss Factors
In addition to the chemical effects of D.H.T. other factors influence hair growth. Stress, poor nutrition and of course old age also affect adversely an individuals ability to reproduce hair at fast enough rates.
Hair Loss Treatment, Prevention and Hair Loss Products
If you want to reverse or prevent hair loss, what can be done? – There are a lot of treatments available from creams to Hair Transplants – many are quite costly, and all achieve mixed results. It is essential that you do your research into all of the alternatives that are available on the market.
Remember always that new / improved treatments are constantly being developed. This means that even if you have had no success in the past a solution that works for you may become available at any time.
For Info on Hair Loss and how to Stop Hair Loss click on the links. These offer essential must-know facts for all those considering any hairloss treatment.
Article Source: http://www.thecontentcorner.com