Male pattern baldness - Definition and causes

Also known as androgenetic alopecia, male pattern hair loss is characterized by a diffuse and characteristic loss of male scalp hair that starts when you are in your twenties or early thirties. Androgenetic hair loss occurs according to a definite pattern, beginning above your temples, while your hairline recedes in the form of a typical ‘M’ shape. You will also experience extensive hair loss on the top of your head, which can be either partial or total. Depending on the level of testosterone, the androgenic hormone in your body, male pattern hair loss is linked to a combination of hormonal and genetic factors.

Male pattern hair loss generally affects those men who are genetically predisposed to it. It occurs when the levels of testosterone, the male sex hormone, rise after puberty; it is transformed into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) due to the action of an enzyme known as 5-alpha reductase. DHT adversely affects your hair follicles by slowing down the production of hair and making your hair shorter and weaker. In some cases, DHT can even prevent hair growth completely. This process will gradually result in total hair loss or baldness.

Male pattern hair loss is generally associated with some serious medical conditions such as prostate enlargement and coronary heart disease. Other medical conditions linked to male androgenetic alopecia include insulin-resistance disorders such as obesity and diabetes as well as prostate cancer.

Unfortunately, there is very little you can do to reverse the effects of your genes. There are a few options, however, that can retard hair loss and compensate for it to a certain extent. Hair loss treatments include prescription medications like Propecia finasteride, surgery for tissue expansion, hair transplants, scalp reduction, flap surgery, etc. These treatments will help repair some amount of hair loss but will never restore all your hair. Propecia finasteride is the most cost effective, simple and longer-lasting.

Information about hair loss medications

Although hair loss is largely genetic in nature and you can’t do much to counter or reverse its effects, there are some medications that are known to inhibit hair loss or even prevent balding to a certain extent. A number of clinical trials have reported that the medication finasteride, commonly known as Propecia, can effectively promote hair growth, particularly the thinning hair on the top of your head.

Finasteride and other hair loss medications work in similar ways to combat hair loss. They restrict the conversion of testosterone - the male sex hormone - into dihydrotestosterone (DHT); DHT is the hormone that leads to androgenetic alopecia, commonly known as male pattern hair loss. High levels of DHT help in the breakdown of genetically predisposed hair follicles and thus prevent future hair growth. The medications that inhibit this process renew your hair follicles and promote hair re-growth. Not only do they stop excessive hair fall, they also encourage the growth of hair follicles.

There are certain precautions that you need to observe for safe usage of hair loss medications like Propecia finasteride. This medication is strictly prohibited for women and children. Pregnant women, in particular, are advised to avoid any kind of contact with this medication, particularly if they are in a broken or crushed form. This is likely to cause birth defects in male foetuses, directly attributable to the active ingredients present in Propecia finasteride pills.

Men suffering from conditions such as liver disease and prostate cancer are strongly advised to refrain from taking any hair loss drug. Since most hair loss treatment medications, including Propecia finasteride can be bought with a valid prescription from a doctor, your doctor will need to comprehensively evaluate your medical history before recommending this treatment. Talk to your doctor even if you are thinking of taking an over-the-counter hair loss medication.

Hair loss medications are not miracle pills that will restore your crowning glory in an instant. Most of them prevent hair loss to a certain extent and are effective only for the time that they are in regular use.

Important facts about baldness

Baldness involves the state of lacking hair where it often grows, especially on the head. The most common form of baldness is a progressive hair thinning condition called androgenic alopecia or ‘male pattern baldness’ that occurs in adult males. Here are some important facts about baldness that can help you become better acquainted with this condition.

One out of ten men worldwide suffers some amount of hair loss by the age of 50. Male pattern hair loss is the reason for most cases of baldness in men. Currently there is no cure for baldness but it can be treated with medications and products that claim to prevent hair loss. Medications like Propecia finasteride and vitamins such as vitamin B complex can help maintain a healthy head of hair because of the role they play in hair growth.

Follicle destruction, rather than hair damage, is the cause of permanent baldness. Losing about 50-100 hairs everyday is perfectly normal. Baldness occurs when the lost hair is not replaced naturally. A person needs to lose about 100,000 scalp hairs in order to go totally bald. Baldness caused by sudden weight loss, chemotherapy, physiological or psychological stress, surgery or illness is usually temporary in nature.

Pattern hair loss in both men and women is a genetic condition that can be inherited from either parent. Pattern hair loss is caused due to high levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) converted from testosterone within the hair follicle. No treatment is available for baldness that has been caused by damage to the hair follicle. In such cases, even hair transplantation does not prove to be effective because of a lack of donor hair.

Baldness, a life-changing matter in many ways, can also be an indicator of an undetected medical condition. It can lead to physiological and psychological stress and significantly change the way you perceive yourself and the way others perceive you. There are a few anti-hair loss products that inhibit the production of DHT and rejuvenate damaged hair follicles. These products can be used as preventive tools to block further hair loss.

Different kinds of hair loss problems in men

Hair loss in men is linked to various factors such as internal or systemic disease, a poor diet, thyroid deficiency, certain medications, radiation therapy for cancer treatment, etc. Hair loss can be classified into different kinds depending on whether it is patchy or localized in nature, or whether it occurs in small patches or the entire scalp. Patchy hair loss in men is usually caused by conditions such as alopecia areata, traction alopecia, trichotillomania, fungal infection and androgenetic alopecia.

Alopecia areata is a commonly experienced condition that usually starts as a small circle of total baldness. These patches usually grow back within 3-6 months even if you don’t seek treatment. However, the hair that grows back could sometimes be white in colour. Another variant of alopecia areata produces about 2-3 bald patches. These patches usually grow back only to be replaced by others. The most prevalent form is alopecia totalis which is characterized by a totally bald scalp.

Men (and women) who wear tight ponytails that pull at the hair roots are likely to get traction alopecia. Trichotillomania is characterized by the habit of pulling or twisting hair, sometimes without being aware of it. Hair loss due to trichotillomania results in broken hair. Fungal infection of the scalp largely affects children and is characterized by bald spots and broken hair.

Male pattern hair loss, also known as androgenetic alopecia, is usually caused by a genetic predisposition to it and the effects of hormones on your hair follicles. Testosterone - the male sex hormone - is converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) due to the action of an enzyme known as 5-alpha reductase. High levels of DHT have an adverse effect on your hair follicles. Producing its effects on a hormone receptor present in the hair follicles, DHT slows down the production of hair and prevents further hair growth. This process slowly makes you go completely bald.

2009 Male hair loss statistics in the UK

The latest 2009 male hair loss figures available in the UK suggest that male pattern hair loss, also known as androgenetic alopecia, is increasingly affecting men at a much younger age than before. These figures also show that men worry the most about hair loss and seek hair loss remedies around age 30. Statistics have reported that hair loss affects a large number of men between the ages of 21-30. However, it is only at the age of 30 that most men feel the need to do something about it. The number of hair loss patients gradually decrease with age.

These statistics indicate the fact that the number of men affected by this hereditary hair loss condition is growing, while the average age at which men usually experience hair loss is going down. Until very recently, male pattern hair loss was largely thought to affect middle-aged men. It was previously thought that two-thirds of men in the UK will be afflicted by some amount of hair loss by the age of 40. The latest statistics, however, suggest that the problem now occurs at a much younger age.

There could be a multitude of reasons for this dramatic drop in age, apart from the genetic factors. The early twenties are typically accompanied by stress and pressure related to study, careers, shifting from one place to another, etc. If you are genetically predisposed to male pattern hair loss, these stressors could trigger off the early onset of this medical condition. Most young sufferers of male pattern hair loss are unable or unwilling to admit to this condition, and that is the single biggest factor that prevents them from seeking timely treatment.

Greater availability of relevant information as well as better treatment options like Propecia finasteride, however, have encouraged many young hair loss sufferers to search for a solution to this embarrassing condition.

How to Treat Male Pattern Baldness

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Rod_Martin]Rod Martin

Timely treatment of male pattern baldness can prevent the classic male bald hairline

High levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) are responsible for male pattern baldness. DHT is a naturally occurring hormone; its presence in the scalp of men predisposes them genetically to male pattern hair loss. As a result, the growth phase of your hair is shortened. Eventually, the hairs become so small and fuzzy that they become practically invisible. If this degeneration of hair follicles is not stopped, it will result in the classic male bald hairline.

About Propecia

Propecia once-a-day pill has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of certain types of male pattern hair loss in men; it reduces DHT, a key cause of hair loss. Propecia use increases hair growth on the scalp and even prevents further hair loss. Male pattern hair loss, also known as androgenetic alopecia medically, is a common condition wherein men experience thinning of the hair on the scalp. The symptoms of male pattern baldness include a receding hair line and/or balding on the top of the head.

A serious prescription drug, Propecia has undergone several clinical trials that have shown very effective results. The best thing about Propecia is that it does not affect hair on other parts of your body. Men suffering from mild to moderate, but not complete, male pattern hair loss are the best candidates for Propecia use; they will receive maximum benefit from this treatment.

How does Propecia work?

Propecia is a competitive and specific inhibitor of Type II 5(alpha)-reductase, an intracellular enzyme that converts the androgen testosterone into DHT. Propecia specifically works to lower the levels of DHT in the scalp; this helps reverse the balding process. Propecia works with the help of its active ingredient finasteride.

Use of Propecia prevents the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in your body; the active ingredient in Propecia is finasteride. In fact, this is the first pill on the market that successfully treats irreversible causes of male pattern hair loss, popularly known as male pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia.

Propecia UK

Soon after you start using Propecia; it begins to block the formation of DHT almost immediately. Because of diverse individual thresholds as well as because hair generally grows slowly, visible results with Propecia take some time before they can be noticed; first visible results can be seen as early as 3 months. After 6 months, some men may begin to experience regrowth. If for some reason your Propecia treatment does not work within 12 months, further treatment is unlikely to benefit you.

Propecia has demonstrated abilities to make it possible to maintain hair count in most men. An assessment of Propecia by study investigators revealed that 80% of the men on Propecia witnessed 'real hair growth' and not just 'peach fuzz'; growth occurred in both the vertex and anterior mid-scalp area. However, there is no evidence that Propecia works for hair loss in the temporal areas.

Where to buy Propecia?

You can buy Propecia at an online clinic or from a regular pharmacy; buying online is cost-efficient and convenient. You will have to fill in a questionnaire with all your medical details. Then the online doctor will review the details and only then give you a valid prescription so that you can order your medication online.

One can [http://www.buypropeciaonline.co.uk/order-propecia.html]order Propecia online after getting online consultation. [http://www.buypropeciaonline.co.uk/propecia-finasteride.html]Propecia finasteride is available online for male pattern baldness.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Treat-Male-Pattern-Baldness&id=3458705 How to Treat Male Pattern Baldness

What Can Cause a Mineral Imbalance for your Hair?

As we know that minerals are a key factor for our body as well for Hair; below mentioned some cause for minerals imbalance

• DIET – Improper diet through high intake of refined and processed foods, alcohol and fad diets can all lead to a chemical imbalance. Even the nutrient content of a healthy diet can be inadequate, depending upon the soil in which the food was grown or the method in which it was prepared.

• STRESS – Physical or emotional stress can deplete the body of many nutrients while also reducing the capability to absorb and utilize many nutrients.

• MEDICATIONS – There are different medications are available over-the-counter which are not approved by FDA, can deplete the body stores of nutrient minerals and/or increase the levels of toxic metals. These medications include diuretics, antacids and aspirin.

• POLLUTION – From adolescence through adulthood the average person is continually exposed to a variety of toxic metal source such as cigarette smoke (cadmium), hair dyes (lead), hydrogenated oils (nickel), anti-perspirants (aluminium), dental amalgams (mercury and cadmium), copper and aluminium cookware and lead-based cosmetics. These are just a few of the hundreds of sources, which can contribute to nutrient imbalances and adverse metabolic effects.

• NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS – Taking incorrect supplements or improper amounts of supplements can produce many vitamin and mineral excesses and/or deficiencies, contributing to an overall biochemical imbalance.

• INHERITED PATTERNS – A predisposition toward certain mineral imbalance, deficiencies and excesses can be inherited from parents.

Treatment Option

Now, you need not to be worried about your Hair loss, though what are the causes. FDA approved Hair loss treatment pill Propecia Finasteride is available online in UK. Propecia is a prescribed medicine for Hair loss treatment.

Minerals and Hair

Recognizing that you have the proper minerals in your body will help not just to balance your physique, but can also support healthy hair. There are certain types of minerals used for healthy hair and preventing hair loss.

Important Minerals for Hair

The important minerals to consider are copper, iron, silicon and zinc. Minerals need to be in balance with each other. Too much of one mineral in some cases can cause an imbalance in another. Make sure to get help from an informed healthcare professional.

Copper can help stimulate hair growth if a copper deficiency is present and is involved in the prevention and possibly treatment of hair loss. However, too much copper can actually cause hair loss.

Recently, there have been good studies on iron deficiency cause of hair loss. Taking iron supplements is not a good idea though. Getting iron naturally in food would be a better choice. Too much iron can cause some serious health problems.

It is also thought that potassium deficiency can cause hair loss. Silicon is supposed to be able to stimulate hair growth. Silicon is present in cucumbers among other foods. Early or premature hair loss may be a result of zinc deficiency. Zinc can cause hair loss.

The sulphuric compound methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) may help hair growth due to its sulphur content.

For more information regarding Hair Loss or Baldness you can visit Propecia Finasteride online.