Gentlemen prefer blondes... but gentlemen marry brunettes.

Anita Loos

Another factor that has been linked to hair loss is the amount of sebum in the scalp. Sebum contains a high amount of DHT, and clogs pores in the scalp, both of which cause the malnutrition of the hair root. The amount of sebum in balding hair is related to the amount of oil in the hair. Meanwhile most doctors agree that frequent shampooing is advised in hair loss cases with oily scalps.

Women require 60 grams, men 80 to 90 grams, adolescent boys and girls 80 to 100 grams of protein. It is supplied by milk, buttermilk, yogurt, soyabean, eggs, cheese, meat and fish. A deficiency of some of the B vitamins, of iron, copper and iodine may cause hair disorders like falling of hair and premature greying of hair.

For men, hair loss is male pattern baldness. Yes, there are other types of hair loss, including rare conditions such as alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis, where the entire scalp and entire body, respectively, become completely bald due to a viral condition that is irreversible. There is also patch baldness, in which hair falls out in patches of the scalp. This is caused by stress or poor nutrition or adverse scalp conditions. But the hair will usually grow back once the cause has been rectified.

Male pattern baldness that is the condition responsible for over 98% of all hair loss in men. It gets its name from the pattern of hair loss, which ultimately results in a horseshoe of hair that resides on the sides and back of the head, while the top of the head is completely bald. Some men begin MPB by losing the hair in their hairline. Others start in the crown.

For women, hair loss is different. There is no set pattern for womens androgenic hair loss, which like MPB, occurs in the overwhelming majority of cases. Women can suffer from alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis just like men. Women can experience patch baldness for the same reasons as men (stress, poor nutrition, etc.), as well as due to hormonal changes from pregnancy and certain eating disorders. However, like men, the hair will generally grow back.

The effectiveness of medications used to treat alopecia depends on the cause of hair loss, extent of the loss and individual response. Generally, treatment is less effective for more extensive cases of hair loss.

New hair resulting from minoxidil use may be thinner and shorter than previous hair. But there can be enough regrowth for some people to hide their bald spots and have it blend with existing hair. New hair stops growing soon after you discontinue the use of minoxidil. If you experience minimal results within six months, your doctor may recommend discontinuing use. Side effects can include irritation of the scalp.

Finasteride (Propecia). This prescription medication to treat male-pattern baldness is taken daily in pill form. Many people taking finasteride experience a slowing of hair loss, and some may show some new hair growth. Positive results may take several months. Finasteride works by inhibiting the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone that shrinks hair follicles and is an important factor in male hair loss. Rare side effects of finasteride include diminished sex drive and sexual function. As with minoxidil, the benefits of finasteride stop if you stop using it.

Hair loss and thinning hair can be brought on by a variety of different conditions. Although, many researchers still pin most of the blame on genetics. The most common type of hair loss is referred to as "pattern hair loss" (androgenic alopecia). Many natural hair loss treatments exist that can help deal with pattern hair loss. Listed below are other conditions which can cause hair loss and thinning hair.

Alopecia Areata Childbirth - When a women is pregnant, more of her hairs will be growing. However, after a woman delivers her baby, many hairs enter the resting phase of the hair cycle. Within two to three months, some women will notice large amounts of hair coming out in their brushes and combs. This can last one to six months, but resolves completely in most cases.

Medications - Some prescription drugs may cause temporary hair shedding. Examples include some of the medicines used for the following: gout, arthritis, depression, heart problems, high blood pressure, or blood thinner. High doses of vitamin A may also cause hair shedding.

Low Serum Iron - Iron deficiency occasionally produces hair loss. Some people don't have enough iron in their diets or may not fully absorb iron. Women who have heavy menstrual periods may develop iron deficiency. Low iron can be detected by laboratory tests and can be corrected by taking iron pills.

Major Surgery/Chronic Illness - Anyone who has a major operation may notice increased hair shedding within one to three months afterwards. The condition reverses itself within a few months but people who have a severe chronic illness may shed hair indefinitely.

Hair Pulling (Trichotillomania) - Children and sometimes adults will twist or pull their hair, brows or lashes until they come out. In children especially, this is often just a bad habit that gets better when the harmful effects of that habit are explained. Sometimes hair pulling can be a coping response to unpleasant stresses and occasionally is a sign of a serious problem needing the help of a mental health professional.

Many people (wrongly) will drop a handful of shampoo on their head and then rinse it off. Shampoo must be worked through all of your hair, as well as the scalp and hairline.

Blond hair may turn yellow, fade or become dull due to UV exposure. Even natural brunette hair tends to develop reddish hues from sun exposure due to oxidation of melanin pigments.

Hair requires the same overall nutrition that the body does: plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, grains and protein including lean meat and fish. Dietitians recommend foods high in biotin, including brown rice, bulgar, brewer's yeast, soybeans, green peas, lentils, oats, sunflower, seeds and nutritious nuts.

Nutritionists advise healthy hair seekers to eat well-balanced diets that incorporate healthy proteins along with foods high in vitamins B, C, E, A and K. Hair instantly responds to the addition of protein-rich foods such as meats, eggs, cheese, seeds and nuts. Fish packs a double punch of protein combined with health building essential fatty acids and natural oils. We recommend you discuss your diet with a medical professional.

Definitions

Alopecia Areata

• Alopecia areata is a hair loss condition which usually affects the scalp. It can, however, sometimes affect other areas of the body.

Hair loss

• A progressive, diffuse loss of scalp hair in men that begins in the twenties or early thirties, depends on the presence of the androgenic hormone testosterone, and is caused by a combination of genetic and hormonal factors. Also called androgenetic alopecia.

Hair transplantation

• Hair transplantation is a surgical procedure used to treat baldness or hair loss (alopecia). Typically, tiny patches of scalp are removed from the back and sides of the head and implanted in the bald spots in the front and top of the head.

Protein

• Important building blocks of the body, composed of amino acids, involved in the formation of body structures and controlling the basic functions of the human body.


• Complex organic molecules made up of amino acids. Proteins are basic components of all living cells and are therefore among the principal substances that make up the body.

Ringworm

• The term "ringworm" refers to fungal infections that are on the surface of the skin. The early belief was that the infection was due to a worm, which it is not, although the name has stuck. Some of these fungi produce round spots, but many do not.

Thyroid

• A gland in the throat that produces hormones that regulate growth and metabolism.


• A large gland in the neck that functions in the endocrine system. The thyroid secretes hormones that regulate growth and metabolism.

Alopecia

• A hair loss, baldness, and epilation.


• Alopecia, also called hair loss, baldness, and epilation, is a common side effect of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

Baldness

• A progressive, diffuse loss of scalp hair in men that begins in the twenties or early thirties, depends on the presence of the androgenic hormone testosterone, and is caused by a combination of genetic and hormonal factors. Also called androgenetic alopecia.

Biotin

• Also know as Vitamin H.

Follicles

• A follicle (from the Latin folliculus) is a term to describe a small spherical group of cells containing a cavity.

Grafts

• To transplant or implant surgically into a bodily part to replace a damaged part or compensate for a defect.

Hormone

• A substance, usually a peptide or steroid, produced by one tissue and conveyed by the bloodstream to another to effect physiological activity, such as growth or metabolism.

Scalp

• The skin covering the top of the human head with its attached hair.

Stress

• Importance, significance, or emphasis placed on something.


• The relative force with which a sound or syllable is spoken.


• Accent or a mark representing such emphasis or force.


• An applied force or system of forces that tends to strain or deform a body.


• A mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health, usually characterized by increased heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, muscular tension, irritability, and depression.


• A state of extreme difficulty, pressure, or strain.


• A physical and psychological response that results from being exposed to a demand or pressure.

Testosterone

• A white crystalline steroid hormone, C19H28O2, produced primarily in the testes and responsible for the development and maintenance of male secondary sex characteristics. It is also produced synthetically for use in medical treatment.

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