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We are all familiar with the most common form of men losing their hair. It is the receding hairline or horseshoe shaped hair line so common in middle aged men. What is the cause of this condition?

This is a condition characterized by the gradual receding of the hairline. It usually begins at the front of the head and the hairline recedes gradually back. Although the hair on the sides of the head might grow thinner and finer, it usually remains growing as the hair line recedes creating the horseshoe or M shaped pattern. The cause is not completely understood, but it is known that it is related to hormones and genetic predisposition.

The scientific name for the condition is Alopecia or sometimes Androgenic Alopecia. In order to understand what occurs in male pattern baldness, it is helpful to understand the normal hair growth and replacement process. Each hair grows out of a tiny group of cells called a follicle. The hair grows at about a rate of an inch every two months. At any given time between 85-90% of all hairs are growing. The growth cycle usually lasts between 2 and 6 years. The other 10-15 % of hairs are in a resting stage that lasts for several months. The resting hairs then fall out, and the follicle begins to grow a new hair.

As a person ages, the follicles tend to shrink. This produces a thinner hair, but in male pattern baldness the follicle not only shrinks in size, but for some reason ceases to produce a hair. The fact that the follicle remains and by all appearances should be capable of producing another hair leads to the speculation that male pattern baldness is reversible. This idea comes from the fact that the follicle should, by all rights, be growing a hair even if the hair is finer and thinner than previous hairs. It just does not do so.

Male pattern baldness is diagnosed by a visual examination of the pattern of hair loss. When the hair loss is erratic and not following a pattern, it is usually caused by some other factor. It is important to not assume that hair loss is normal or genetic. An examination of the hair and a review of the patient history can reveal other causes like stress or hormonal unbalance that may be causing the hair loss.

People, including men, are very vain about their hair. Although some men consider male pattern baldness to be a normal part of the aging process and accept it without problems, a full head of healthy hair is usually considered to be more attractive and leads to more self confidence and a better self image. This has led to a number of methods of combating or attempting to reverse the male pattern baldness syndrome.

Aazdak Alisimo writes about hair loss treatment options for http://www.HairLossTreatmentSpecialists.com

posted by sorendooty  # 6:25 PM