Mens Hair Loss Advice

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From birth, you have a predetermined number of hair follicles that will produce long, thick pigmented hair called terminal hair and others that will produce short, fine, non-pigmented hair called vellus hair.

As hair grows and sheds, the folicle repeated cycles through three stages from active to inactive. All hair follicles through the same three stages: anagen, (growing phase); catagen, (transitional phase); and telogen, (resting phase).

ANAGEN: The Growing Phase

At any one time 85% to 90% of the hair on our scalp is growing, advancing in length form 1/2 to 1 inch per month and it continues for a period ranging from two to six years. During this phase, the diameter of the hair shaft increases and the hair reaches it Best length.

CATAGEN: The Transitional Phase

This short phase last one to two weeks and signals the end of the growth phase. During this phase, the follicle rapidly reduces in size and the lower portion is destroyed.

TELOGEN: The Resting Phase

When catagen ends, the follicle begins a two to six month phase of resting. Once the follicle is renewed, it returns to the anagen stage, producing a new hair that forces the old hair to fall out.

Everyone loses between 40 and 100 hairs per day, a very small amount considering that the average head of hair has approximately 100,000 individual shafts of hair. Only 10% to 15% of our hair is resting at any one time. The follicle cycles are not synchronized and each goes through these stages individually.

Normally, as the hair goes through these three phases, the follicle tends to return to the same length and width during the anagen phase, and as a result, tends to produce the same length and width hair shaft. However, all hair follicles have the ability and potential to change size and shape. For example, during puberty the follicle tend to increase in size thus producing thicker darker terminal hairs rather than the fine thin vellus hairs previously produced.

Hair Thinning and Loss

Scientists believe that approximately 90% of the hair loss seen in both men and women is caused by a progressive condition know as androgenetic alopecia or common hereditary hair loss. It is estimated that androgenetic alopecia affects some 40 million men and 20 million women in the United States. Hair loss can begin as early as the teen and is frequently fully expressed by age of 40. By age 35 nearly 40% of all men and women show some degree of hair loss. The gene for androgenetic alopecia can be inherited from either side of the family, or from both sides.

In men, this is known as male baldness and frequently progresses to the familiar horseshoe shaped fringe of hair. In women, it manifests itself as a generalized thinning hair over the entire crown of the head. It is extremely rare for women to "go bald".

In androgenetic alopecia, combination of heredity, hormones and age causes progressive shrinking or miniaturization of certain hair follicles. This causes shortening of the anagen or growth phase. Over time the growth phase becomes shorter and resting phase lengthen. Eventually there is no growth at all. The actual number of the follicles that become miniaturized depends on heredity.

Because the length and thickness are determined by how long the hair is allowed to grow before entering into the resting and shedding phase, the hair loss process is actually a gradual conversion of terminal follicles to vellus-like hair follicles. The result is and increasing number of fine, hairs that are barely visible above the surface of the scalp and eventually these follicles will no longer produce hairs.

Fortunately, despite the dramatic change in the follicle size with androgenetic alopecia, the follicle itself is not altered in structure nor does the number of follicle reduce during the initial balding process.

Other Types of Hair Loss

ALOPECIA AREATA: Sudden loss of hair in round irregular patches, where the scalp is not visibly inflamed. The type of hair loss occurs in individuals who have no obvious skin disorders or serious disease. This cause is unknown, but may be related to stress or auto-immune disease. Alopecia areata may be confined to a few areas and is often reversed in a few months. The National Alopecia Areata Foundation estiamtes that four million men, and women and children suffer from this type of hair loss.

TELOGEN EFFLUVIUM: Premature shedding of hair in the resting or telogen phase can result from various cause such as childbirth, shock, drug intake, fever, etc. Some women also experience sudden hair loss when they discontinue use of birth control pills or follow extreme diets too low in protein. The hair loss is usually reversed once the condition is resolved.

TRACTION OR TRAUMATIC ALOPECIA: Patchy or diffuse hair loss due to repetitive traction of the hair by pulling or twisting and hot combs. This type of hair loss could also occur after excessive applications of chemical softening agents such as relaxers and permanent waves. This condition is usually reversed once the trauma is stopped.

POSTPARTUM ALOPECIA: Temporary diffuse hair loss at the conclusion of pregnancy.

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