Genetic Hair Loss – Regrowing That Hair
So do you think your hair loss is genetic? If you have male pattern baldness (MPB) or female pattern baldness (FPB), good chances are you inherited the genes for this condition from either your mother or your father. Take a look at your mother and father, or your relatives; from there you may be able to determine where your hair loss genes came from. If both sides of the family exhibit these symptoms, then there is no telling which side of the family you received the genes from.
What is genetic hair loss? Genetic it is usually identified as either MPB in men and FPB in women. But it looks different between men and women.
In men, it usually starts at the crown and the temples. The hair thins as they approach each other, eventually resulting in a bald spot on the head.
In women, it is a uniform loss of hair all over the scalp. This usually does not result in a bald spot, but just a thinning of the hair.
What causes genetic this? In both men and women, the hormone DHT causes this hair loss. This hormone will attach it self to the hair follicle stopping the flow of nutrients to the follicle and hair. Eventually the hair falls out and the follicle shrinks and dies.
When does this condition start? MPB can start earlier in men than women. In fact, it can start right after puberty. The reason for this is men start producing testosterone at this period, which when combined with the enzyme, 5 alpha reductase, produces DHT.
In women, they also have testosterone, but it is kept in check by the female hormone estrogen. When women reach menopause, the estrogen levels decrease, allowing DHT to attack the women’s hair follicles.
Can this type of hair loss be stopped and hair re-grown? It certainly can. The FDA has approved an oral pill, for men only, called Propecia. Women should not take this because it causes birth defects in babies.
They have also approved Minoxidil, which can be used by both men and women. The men are provided a 5% solution, while the women can use a 2% solution. Women may use the 5% solution, but only under a doctor’s supervision.
To be effective at re-growing hair with these two products, it should be taken or applied as soon as hair loss or hair thinning is noticed. Once the hair falls out, the follicle will soon die. When this happens hair may not re-grow. However you can prevent further hair loss by using one of these two products.