Male Pattern Hair Loss And Its Causes

The problem of male pattern hair loss gives millions of men all over the world a bad mood and cause for concern. This type of hair loss is usually regarded as being more common among those who are older than 40. However, there are a lot of men in their early 20's that also confront with this problem and experience a lot of psychological discomfort due to that. Hair loss in general can be quite depressing, but it's especially troubling when you're young and don't suspect having any serious health problems. So what causes male pattern hair loss and does it have to do anything with the health in general?

But first let's see how male pattern hair loss is manifested. This type of hair loss is more common in men (as you can guess from the name), however it can also be observed in women too. It is characterized by a receding hairline that progresses deeper into the scalp and the gradual balding in the crown area. At later stages male pattern hair loss results in complete or partial baldness with watches of hair left on the sides and the back of the head. It can differ in severity and the rates at witch the hair is lost and that usually depends on a set of factors.

Earlier, there was a set of possible reasons for male pattern hair loss to occur that doctors argued about. Typically the problem was believed to be caused by genetic factors, hair follicle nutrition, environment, hygiene, other health conditions and even medication side effects. And while all of these factors certainly influence the condition of hair follicles and hair in general, more recent studies have shown that in the majority of cases male pattern hair loss is influenced by hormonal factors. To be more precise, it is connected to the levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) - an androgen resulting from the transformation of testosterone. This hormone is slowly accumulated in the body, and when it reaches a certain concentration it starts to affect the hair follicles, making them smaller and weaker, which reduces the strength of hair and natural hair growth rates. When new hair starts to grow at slower rates than the one that's lost balding starts to progress.

The factors influencing the raise of DHT levels can be different. It was even observed that higher DHT level predisposition can be passed through generation, which characterizes hair loss common within a single family. Other factors can contribute to the rate of hair loss observed, however the main reason is still linked to the build-up of DHT in the bloodstream.

One of the most effective ways to overcome male pattern hair loss by far is using Propecia. This drug is the only approved by the FDA for treating male pattern hair loss in men only. Propecia works by blocking a specific enzyme that is responsible for the conversion of testosterone into DHT. By doing so, this medication prevents the build-up of DHT and eliminates the actual cause of hair loss in men. But it can be used by adult men only as it affects hormonal balance, which is very dangerous for children and unborn babies.

By: Robert E Smith

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