For Men and Women

Hairloss in Men


About Alopecia & Hairloss

'Androgenetic Alopecia' or Male Pattern Baldness results when:


1. Hairloss occurs at an abnormally high rate;

2. Hair replacement occurs at an abnormally slow rate;

3. Normal hairs are replaced by smaller, thinner hairs

The average human scalp contains between 100,000 and 150,000 hairs. These grow from the follicle or root, underneath the skin. The hair is 'fed' by blood vessels at the base of the follicle, giving it the nourishment it needs to grow. Each hair goes through a growth cycle independent of the other hairs on the scalp.

At any given time, approximately 90% of the hairs on the head are in the growth phase, or 'Anagen', while the other 10% are in the resting phase, or 'Telogen'. The Anagen phase lasts between 2-6 years, after which the follicle goes throgh a brief transition phase ('Catagen') and enters the resting phase, which lasts from 2-4 months. After the Telogen phase, the hair falls out naturally and is replaced, returning the hair to the Anagen phase. Some hairloss is a normal part of the hair growth cycle - on average, 50 - 100 hairs are lost from the scalp daily.

Approximately 95% of all cases of male hairloss is the result of Androgenetic Alopecia. It affects 25% of men before they reach the age of 30, and roughly 60% of males over the age of 50. The causes of Androgenetic Alopecia are to this day still not completely understood although, as its name suggests, it is widely thought to involve both hormonal (androgen) and genetic causes. Of the many hormones that regulate hair on the scalp, Androgens have the largest effect.

During puberty, Testosterone (T) and its even more potent derivitive, Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) are responsible for increasing the size of hair follicles in areas like the beard and under the arms. Later in life however, these same Androgens (primarily DHT) are responsible for the reduction in size of the follicles in the scalp - the longer the follicle is kept in the prescence of DHT, the more miniaturised the follicle becomes and the hair itself becomes shorter and thinner.


The Anagen (growth phase) becomes shorter, meaning more hairs are lost. If treatment is not administered, this process continues and the follicles progressively become shorter and some will eventually die.



Apart from Male Pattern Baldness (Androgenetic Alopecia), the other most common forms of hairloss are:

  • Alopecia Areata
    The causes of Alopecia Areata are not completely understood, but it is thought to be the result of the body's immune system attacking the hair follicle. It is also thought in some cases to be caused by extreme psychological stress. This form of alopecia appears as random patches of hairloss on the scalp and usually rectifies itself without treatment.

  • Traction Alopecia
    Resulting from long term pulling on the hair and generally only seen in people with long hairstyles, Traction Alopecia can be caused from wearing the hair in certain hairstyles, such as tight braids and ponytails. The hairloss usually resolves once the cause of the pulling has been eliminated.

There are many other causes of hairloss, including certain illness, skin conditions, medication and certain disorders and diseases.

If you are at all concerned about the cause of your hairloss, you should seek medical advice.

When considering treatment for your hair loss, it is important to understand just how far your hair loss has progressed. Firstly, it's important not to misdiagnose yourself and secondly, there may be times when you will have to relay this information to physicians or practitioners you may be trying to receive information from.

Using the Norwood Scale, you can see just how far advanced your hairloss is:

 


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