Men's Hair Loss
Men's hair loss is something most men secretly 'fear' but hope it may never actually occur. After all, thinning hair and baldness is something that kids use to identify the elderly, despite the fact that the process can begin before 20 years of age! A good head of hair is associated with youth, virility and attractiveness, so when hair loss occurs it can come as something of a shock.
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.
Permanent or temporary hair loss can occur for many reasons. Sometimes, hair loss can be reversed, depending on the cause. Follow this chart for more information.
The male pattern baldness (MPB) form of androgenetic alopecia (there is also a female pattern baldness) accounts for more than 95% of hair loss in men. By age 35, two-thirds of American 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.
Contrary to societal belief, 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.
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Some men just want to make the best of what they've got whilst others seek a more permanent solution. This feature examins the treatment options for hair loss.
Since records began, men have documented their attempts to reverse the process of hair loss and cure baldness. The bible tells the story of how when Samson's hair was cut he lost his strength and power. The unspoken agenda for men is that to be hairless, or for the hair to be depleted, equates with a loss of power and virility, something that is clearly not the case.
Male pattern baldness is a genetic condition inherited from either parent. For men experiencing hair loss of this type, the genetically affected hair follicles are susceptible to a byproduct of testosterone called dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, which causes the hair follicle to shed the normal hair and produce thinner, shorter, colorless hair. For men experiencing male pattern baldness, peach-fuzz hair makes the scalp look thinner. Over time, the miniaturized hair follicles atrophy and die causing permanent hair loss. In the male balding areas, there is no peach-fuzz hair and the scalp looks tight and shiny.
Baldness is an irreversible condition. Once the hair follicle has atrophied, it is gone forever. This would be similar to losing any other body part, and since we are not able to reproduce our body parts, there are no male hair-loss products or remedies that can force the body to produce a new hair follicle.
Hair loss in men usually develops gradually and may be patchy or diffuse (all over). Roughly 100 hairs are lost from your head every day. The average scalp contains about 100,000 hairs.