Hair Care: Male Pattern Baldness - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment And Traction Alopecia

Androgenetic alopecia, better known as male pattern baldness, is a fact of life for millions of men. The most common type of hair loss for men, it is best identified as a pattern of receding hairline and hair thinning on the crown. It is estimated to affect 90 percent of men by the age of 50 as a consequence of hormonal function and genetics.

Many different treatments exist to combat pattern baldness, including medicines such as finasteride (Propecia) and minoxidil (Rogaine) and procedures such as hair transplantation. More than ever before, men with male pattern baldness are seeking out companies such as Bosley to perform hair transplant procedures for a permanent restoration of their natural hairlines.

Causes

hair removal

Male pattern baldness is related to hormones called androgens, specifically an androgen called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). It attaches to receptor cells on the scalp and hair follicles, interrupting and interacting with the normal mechanics involved with continual, healthy hair growth. Men whom display male pattern baldness typically have lower levels testosterone, but a proportionately higher level of DHT in their body. Other factors such as lifestyle factors and terminal illness may cause hair loss as well.

Symptoms

hair loss

The most notable symptom of the onset of male pattern baldness is hair loss along the hairline that gradually recedes into an “M” shape. The hair at the crown begins to thin, eventually meeting the receding hairline and creating a horseshoe pattern of hair around the sides of the head. Male pattern baldness is typically diagnosed by the appearance of this pattern. Other diseases such as alopecia areata or folliculitis may cause dissimilar balding patterns and should not be diagnosed as male pattern baldness.

Treatment

Medicinal treatments for male pattern baldness include Propecia and Rogaine. Both are more successful at slowing hair loss than exhibiting new hair growth. Needless to say, unlike hair transplantation as offered by companies like Bosley, no medicinal treatment is a permanent solution for male pattern baldness. Of the two, Propecia is most successful with male pattern baldness as it inhibits the growth of DHT androgens. Take a look at the Propecia and Rogaine sections on BattleAgainstBald.com to learn more about how the treatments work and their effectiveness.

Hair transplantation is very effective at treating male pattern baldness. Since hair follicles from the side and back of the head are resistant to the DHT androgens, hair simply must be transplanted from healthy parts of the scalp to the affected areas. The surgery has become increasingly popular and the increase has resulted in an increase in effectiveness of the procedure and the natural results it yields.

Hair care And Hair Loss: Stress Triggers

It is not surprising that one of the major factors leading to hair loss stems from stress. Extreme stress can affect several aspects of one’s life and health, including causing hair if you suspect that stress is triggering your hair loss, then you will have to make changes in your lifestyle; otherwise you may well end up with bald patches on your head.

Stress can be triggered externally or internally. External situations come from the environment. Internal factors are linked to emotional responses such as depression, grief or resistance to change. If this stress is continuous and is not solved, it will begin to affect the way in which the body reacts.

Hair loss will often result as a reaction to the way in which stress impacts the balance in your body. When stress begins to take place in your body, the hormonal balance in your body is upset. There may be an excess production of hormones which may then go into the scalp area and causing your hair to fall out.

Usually, this hair loss will be noticeable after two to four months. You will be able to identify the hair loss by the thinning of your hair, bald spots or more hair falling out than usual.

To manage stress, you can use a variety of relaxation ways. Meditation techniques can be used to help you let go of daily problems. Massage therapy and going on a vacation are other ideas that you can adopt. You can also work on changing dietary habits and exercising regularly. If the problems are more external or related to a life-changing situation, there are a variety of places that will help you in working through the problem.

Hair loss due to stress triggers can be stopped pretty easily and quickly once you control your stress and ease the pressures that you face. Take comfort that hair loss is usually not permanent in these cases and hair tends to grow back after stress is reduced.

When you eliminate stress, the hormonal balance in your body is restored and production of particular nutrients is back at normal levels. In conclusion, it is important to get help and support quickly before hair is not lost completely.

Hair Care Information on Traction Alopecia

Traction alopecia is caused by chronic traction (pulling) on the hair follicle. Traction alopecia mostly occurs in African-American women and men who braid their hair too tightly. It is also common in other ethnic groups known for traditional hair styles that involve pulling the hair.

There is also seen a pronounced traction alopecia in the beard area of this Sikh man. The Sikh men do not cut scalp or beard hair. The beard hairs are pulled straight and then twisted and tightly knotted. Daily knotting often results in this form of traction alopecia.

Men who attach hairpieces to their existing hair also suffer from this type of hair loss. The traction alopecia in such cases can also lead to permanent hair loss if the hairpiece is attached in the same location over a long period of time.

If we put the examples from ethnic groups aside, traction alopecia occurs most often in pre-teenagers, teenagers, young adults then it does in older men and women.

It is a very unfortunate state that hair styles and fashions and hair styling methods are causing baldness and hair loss among today's younger generations. The hair loss in all such cases is mostly due to Traction alopecia. The hair loss is caused by long term hair pulling and breakage due to very tight hair braiding, hair weaves and cornrows.

The over use of hair style aids such as sponge hair rollers or curling irons may also promote traction alopecia. Traction alopecia often shows as distinct patches of hair loss in those areas where the hair and hair follicles have been put under excessive strain. The hair loss may occur anywhere on the scalp depending on the nature of the hair style or process that is causing the traction alopecia. Prolonged traction alopecia can lead to cicatrization of the new hair follicle and permanent hair loss.

Traction alopecia is reversible if diagnosed in the early stages. Permanent hair loss can occur too slowly for immediate detection. Hair loss is often occurs in the front, and hair line but is also subject to the immediate adjacent area to where the hair is being pulled and damaged.

An effective treatment is to simply avoid hair styling that puts excessive strain on the hair. Even with removal of the cause of traction alopecia it may take up to three months for the hair to recover. Areas of scalp subjected to chronic traction alopecia may never fully recover.

Traction alopecia is generally a non-scarring, non-inflammatory form of hair loss although long term use of hair styles involving traction over 3 or more years may result in a mild immune cell infiltrate and irreversible scarring damage to some hair follicles. Any form of chronic traction alopecia will eventually lead to fibrosis around hair follicles and total destruction of some hair follicles. Once destroyed the hair follicles will not re-grow under any circumstances hence chronic traction alopecia can be described as a scarring cicatricial alopecia.

Permanent traction alopecia does not respond to medical treatment such as minoxidil or finasteride due to non-genetic nature of hair loss. The only way one can treat traction alopecia is with hair transplants. Follicular unit hair grafting has been identified as the only practical solution to treating traction alopecia. Number of patients with traction alopecia coming to hair transplant clinics is generally increasing and the treatment is providing them a good response.

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