10 Interesting Facts about Hair Loss: Male or Female pattern baldness

Every person loses 50-100 hairs per day on average. This is certainly not a problem, but if you notice bald patches and increased thinning of hair, it indicates that you are experiencing hair loss (alopecia) and you need a treatment. There are various causes of alopecia, including stress, diseases, medical treatments and … giving birth. But there are also a variety of treatments as well: they can include medication, natural home remedies or techniques like Prp hair treatment.
 

There are several types of hair loss:

• Hereditary hair loss
• Male pattern baldness
• Female pattern baldness
• Androgenetic alopecia

Hair loss affects both men and women and has a serious impact on a person’s self-esteem. The most common type of hair loss is male and female pattern baldness.

Age affected

Female pattern baldness can be genetic and often affects the post-menopausal women. It frequently starts with the hair thinning from the upper part of the head.

Male-pattern baldness normally occurs in the later years of life, but few men can be affected by it in their twenties. It begins with a declining hairline, and then starts the thinning of the hair at the areas such as crown or temples, leaving a shape resembling horseshoe of hair around the sides and back.

Percentages

More than 50% of the men have male pattern hair loss by the time they reach the age of 50. Whereas, at the time of menopause, fewer than forty percent of women will experience female pattern hair loss.

Causes

Female pattern baldness is usually caused by an endocrine condition. Hair loss is genetic and passes down several generations, and it involves many different genes. According to several studies, the male pattern baldness is linked to androgens. The androgens are the hormones that give men their ‘male’ characteristics and perform many functions, among which is regulating the hair growth.

Signs

If you are experiencing visible thinning of hair on the scalp, consult a doctor. The testing normally isn’t needed for diagnosis of female pattern baldness, as the results are visible. If the hair loss starts from the temples or the crown, that means you maybe going through male pattern baldness. Some men will start by getting a single bald spot, whereas, others may experience the declining of their hairline and forms an “M” shape.

Differences

The percentage of women affected by alopecia is lower compared to that of men. The patterns themselves are different as shown in the scale. Men have a higher development rate and early average onset age.

Hair Miniaturization

Unlike other areas of the body, hairs the scalp grow in clusters of 3-4. In male or female pattern hair loss, the clusters progressively lose hairs. In the end, when all the hair in the clumps are lost, the bald scalp appears.

Link between the male pattern hair loss and Prostate Cancer

Testosterone is a hormone involved in the growth of the prostate and the hair. Several studies were conducted to check whether men who are facing baldness are at an increased risk of developing prostate cancer. An Australian study was searching for a link between the men with vertex baldness (that means having hair loss from the crown) and prostate cancer. The results did not confirm any correlation.

Male pattern baldness affects women too

The term “male pattern” suggests that the condition is solely limited to men, but it’s not the case. So how is it possible? Male bodies produce a lot of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), but few know that  women also produce this hormone in smaller quantities. If you’re genetically susceptible to alopecia, DHT can bind to receptors in your hair follicles and cause them to shrink, weaken, and eventually die. Women are of course at a much lower risk of facing male pattern baldness during their lifetime.

Discontinuation of hair growth cycle

Every hair on the head has a cyclic growth pattern which is known as the hair growth cycle. The lifespan of a hair is between two to six years. After that, a hair sheds and a new one starts growing. The people experiencing male or female pattern baldness undergo a weakened hair growth cycle. Hair follicles start to shrink and, as a result, finer hair strands are produced. These leads to discontinuation of the growth cycle and no new hairs are produced.

Treatment

• Minoxidil and generics:

It is a topical (applied externally) medication that treats hair loss in men and women. It is applied directly to the scalp each day and it results in hair growth stimulation and prevents the thinning of hair. This medication can take six months to a year to produce visible results.

• Oral medication:

The most common oral medications are diuretics that remove excess of the water from the body. This blocks androgen production and prevents hair loss.

• Hair transplant:

It is a surgical procedure in which hair follicles are moved (transplanted) from one part of the scalp to another part where the hair is thinning or receding.

• Laser treatment:

Laser devices are used at home for hair loss treatments. They work by emitting laser light of low intensity to stimulate hair growth.

***

YOU MAY ALSO CHECK OUT:

Human Body Facts