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Hairloss Home - Hairloss Myths - Alopecia Areata

Hair Loss

Hair Loss or baldness (formally alopecia) is the state of lacking hair where it usually would grow, especially on the head. The most common form of hair loss is a progressive hair-thinning condition that occurs in adult humans and many other ape species. Stress factors such as a regular lack of sufficient sleep may be able to accelerate the onset of hair loss in genetically prone individuals.

Male pattern hair loss is thought to occur in varying forms in about 50% of adult males. It is characterized by hair receding from the lateral sides of the forehead, known as "receding hairline" or "receding brow." An additional bald patch may develop on top (vertex). The trigger for this type of hair loss, which is also known as androgenic alopecia, is currently believed to be 5-alpha reductase, an enzyme that converts the hormone testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which inhibits hair growth. Onset of hair loss sometimes begins as early as end of puberty, and is mostly genetically determined. Male pattern hair loss is classified on the Hamilton-Norwood scale I-VIII.

Female hair loss, in which the midline parting of the hair appears broadened, is less common. It is believed to result from a decrease in estrogen, a hormone that normally counteracts the balding effect of testosterone, which normally occurs in women's blood. Female pattern hair loss is being classified on the Ludwig scale I-III.

There are several other kinds of hair loss. Traction alopecia is commonly found in women with ponytails or cornrows that pull on their hair with excessive force. Traumas such as chemotherapy, childbirth, major surgery and severe stress may cause a hair loss condition known as telogen effluvium. Some mycotic infections can cause massive hair loss.

Psychological implications of hair loss

The psychological implications for individuals experiencing hair loss varies widely. There can be a general societal anxiety surrounding the process of hair loss, but some individuals view it as nature taking its course.

Some balding men may feel proud of their hair loss, feeling a kindred relationship with famous charismatic film actors such as Yul Brynner, Telly Savalas and Patrick Stewart, who have been considered masculine and handsome.

Preventing and reversing hair loss

It is easier to prevent the aging and falling out of healthy hairs than to regrow follicles that are already dormant. However, there are products that have good success rates with maintenance and regrowth, including the FDA-approved Propecia, Rogaine, and Tricomin. Baldness may be cured through prospective treatments such as hair cloning or gene therapy in the next five to twenty years.

The following treatments are some of the most prominent. Generic brands, with the same active ingredients, may be equally effective and are often cheaper. Articles on potential risks in some of these products can be found at www.hairloss-reversible.com.
  DHT Inhibitors
  Systemic (Inhibit production of DHT through the entire body)
  Finasteride (Brand name: Propecia)
Topical (Applied to the scalp to inhibit DHT levels only in the scalp)
  Revivogen (also an antiandrogen)
  Minoxidil (Potassium channel opener: regrowth stimulant; thickens hairs) Brand name: Rogaine.
  Copper peptides (Topical; shorten resting phase of hairs, resulting in more hair follices on the scalp being in the growing phase (as opposed to the resting or falling out phase) at one time) Brand name: Tricomin.
  Antiandrogens (Block DHT from binding with hair follicles)
  Azelaic acid
  Spironolactone
  Retin-A (Retinoic acid; chemical peel stimulation of scalp)
  Nizoral Shampoo (Has antiandrogen properties) or Neutrogena T-Gel

Minoxidil is applied topically to the scalp. Finasteride is taken orally and has a reported 29-68% success rate (vs 17-45% in patients receiving a placebo). Both are effective only for as long as they are taken; the benefit is lost within 6-12 months of ceasing therapy (Rossi, 2004).

Surgery is another method of reversing hair loss and baldness, although it may be considered an extreme measure. The surgical methods used include hair transplants, where patches of skin with hair are moved from one part of the head to another. Another method is scalp reduction, where parts of the scalp are removed, the skin is stretched over the area that had been removed, and everything is stitched back together.

Stem cells have been discovered in hair follicles and some researchers predict research on these follicle stem cells may lead to successes in treating baldness through hair multiplication within three or four years (as of November 2004). This treatment is expected to initially work through taking stem cells from existing follicles, multiplying them in cultures, and implanting the new follicles into the scalp. Later treatments may be able to simply signal follicle stem cells to transmit chemical signals to nearby follicle cells which have shrunk during the aging process, which respond to these signals by regenerating and once again making healthy hair.

Interestingly, placebo treatments in studies often have high success rates, though not as high as proven products, and even similar side-effects (such as sexual dysfunction) as the FDA-approved products . Proponents of alternative and herbal medicines believe that the majority of cases of hair loss that progress despite treatments do so because the people believe no such cure can occur. In this view, this belief, which is prevailing in the modern civilised world and continuously reinforced by medical science, is the main obstacle for effectively finding and applying a cure.