The Most Common Cause Of Hair Loss In Men

Male pattern baldness is the most common cause of hair loss in men and accounts for 95% of the hair loss in men. By age 35 two-thirds of American men will have experienced some type of noticeable hair loss. By age 50 the amount of men suffering from this cause of male hair loss jumps to 85% and 25% of men begin experiencing hair loss before their 21^st birthday. This type of hair loss is usually an inherited trait.

Men with this type of hair loss produce a hormone called dihydrotestosterone, which is a by product of testosterone. The hair follicles in men with hair loss are sensitive to this hormone and begin to shrink in size. This begins to shorten the lifespan of each follicle until the follicle can no longer produce hair. This cause of hair loss in men is progressive, though it can happen quickly or over many years time.

Usually this particular cause of hair loss in men begins with a receding hairline and can include thinning in the crown area as well. Depending on the person’s genetics the hair can continue receding and eventually slow down or continue to recede and eventually meet up with the thinning crown area. When this occurs the top of the head usually becomes completely bald and all that is left is a “horseshoe” type ring of hair on the sides and back of the head.

Diagnosing Hair Loss In Men

Male pattern baldness is the most common cause of hair loss in men but there can be other factors that will cause a man to loose his hair. A proper diagnosis from a trained professional is essential to find the cause and a possible treatment for a man’s hair loss.

When male pattern baldness is suspected a doctor will asses the appearance of your hair loss and take a detailed family history which involves the hair loss of any other family members. An experienced dermatologist can examine the scalp under magnification with a device called a densitometer and will check to see the degree of miniaturization (shrinking) of the hair follicles. A chart called the Norwood scale, which depicts various stages and types of male pattern baldness, is also consulted. This scale is used to assess the degree of hair loss in men to help find a viable treatment.

Another factor that contributes to hair loss in men is mental or physical stress. When stress is involved a man will usually loose his hair four weeks to three months after a traumatic experience. When this type of hair loss is diagnosed there is usually no treatment recommended as the hair will eventually grow back on its own once the stressful situation has been dealt with. When you experience sudden hair loss you should consult your doctor and have a thorough physical exam and mention any recent stressful events.

Assess Your Male Pattern Hair Loss With The Norwood Scale

When you look at several balding men it’s obvious that male hair loss has several different stages to it. To assess the degree of male pattern hair loss a chart, called the Norwood Scale, was invented.

This scale for male pattern hair loss begins by showing a male hair pattern that has no visible signs of hair loss. The scale then shows the progression of male pattern hair loss as the front hairline recedes back in a wedge shape. As the balding progresses the pictures depict hair that is both receding in the front hairline and thinning at the crown of the head. The last picture shows a man who has the typical “horseshoe” pattern associated with men who have lost all their hair except that which is on the sides and very back of the head.

This Norwood Scale is used by doctors to assess the degree of male pattern hair loss in men and determine what type of hair loss treatment is the best option. Since some medications only have their best results with hair loss that is in its early stages it is important to know how far along your hair loss has progressed before treatment can be administered. If you want to know the stage of your own hair loss progression simply type in “Norwood Scale” into your Internet browser and you can compare the stages for yourself.

Hair loss has a variety of causes

If you are a man experiencing hair loss, you might be tempted to blame it on genetics or your age, especially since it's so common for men to lose their hair. If your hair line is receding, or you are losing hair on the crown of your head, it may be caused by male pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia. However, to be on the safe side, you should discuss your hair loss with your physician or a qualified mens' hair restoration specialist, because there are a number of other reasons you could be going bald. This is known simply as alopecia. Sometimes alopecia is caused by an autoimmune disease. For some reason, the body thinks hairs are foreign and rejects them. Examples would be lupus and AIDS. Hypothyroidism can also cause alopecia, as can the skin ailment eczema. Medications can cause alopecia, too. These include blood thinners (even aspirin), anti-depressants and mood stabilizers (such as Tegratol), among others. A condition known as plucking, when one pulls out their own hair compulsively, can cause difficulty with hair regrowth so if you've ever had this treatable condition, tell your doctor.

Because there are so many other causes of hair loss, you should talk to your doctor before you try any hair loss treatments on the market. Some doctors specialize in hair loss and hair loss treatments. You can find such a doctor and even participate in a live chat with a hair loss specialist at www.mhrusa.com.

Hair loss occurs in both men and women

While it is quite common to joke about men losing their hair, women lose hair as well. There is even a term called female pattern baldness. Men tend to lose a bigger volume of hair because of their genetics (male pattern baldness). Men first see a receding hair line, then a loss of hair on the crown of the head until no hair is left at all. However, women's hair loss is characterized as just getting thinner all over. For this reason, female pattern baldness is less noticable.

Women with this condition tend to lose hair around the top of the entire head and realize it when they put their hair into certain types of hair styles like braids or ponytails. Some women lose hair because they have a larger amount of testosterone in their systems, which is also the reason some men lose hair. But there are different receptor sites of enzymes and hormones in men and women, and that's the reason the patterns of hair loss occur differently. Over-processing women's hair can also cause hair loss. This might occur from certain shampoos, bleaching or coloring. Hormones during aging, anemia, emotional traumas and dieting too much contribute to hair loss in women as well. If you are a women who is experiencing hair loss in clumps - or alopecia areata - see your doctor immediately as this can be a sign of an autoimmune disease.

Additionally, in some cases, hair loss in women is the only symptom of an underlying medical condition so don't be tempted to try and hide it - make an appointment with your doctor. If you are a woman and the cause of your hair loss is genetic, there are treatments on the market to correct the condition.

Effective Hair Loss Medication For Men

For many men the thought of loosing any more hair is just much more than they can bear. This is why so many men seek out effective hair loss medication to help stop and reverse the effects of male hair loss.

The most common and effective hair loss medication on the market today is a drug called Finasteride, also known as Propecia. This pill is taken once a day and lowers the levels of androgens in the body that are responsible for hair loss. Propecia has been proven to not only slow down the rate of hair loss in men but is also effective in re-growing hair.

Propecia has proven effective in growing hair in the front hairline, an area that is usually resistant to other treatments, which is great news for men with receding hair lines. Though this hair loss medication won’t typically grow back enough hair to cover completely bald spots there will be visible results anywhere from a few months to a year of taking the medication. This is why it is recommended to begin taking Propecia sooner than later in the hair loss process for better results.

Tips For Male Hair Loss Prevention

Even though male hair loss is a common problem most men still cringe at the thought of loosing all their hair. While inherited male pattern baldness can only be dealt with using prescribed medication or hair transplants, other causes of hair loss can be avoided with proper male hair loss prevention.

There are some medications that will cause hair loss when taken. These include some types of blood thinners, migraine medication such as methysergide, gout medication such as allopurinol and colchicines and lithium for bipolar disorder. While it may be necessary for you to take these specific medications one step in hair loss prevention is to ask your doctor if there is an alternative medicine that won’t cause hair loss.

Poor diet is another cause of hair loss. This is an easy form of hair loss prevention as it only requires that you eat a healthy balanced diet. Be sure to eat foods rich in iron and protein to prevent hair loss. Exercising regularly rids the body of built up adrenaline which can lead to stress related hair loss. The healthier your lifestyle the more you lessen your chances of non-inherited hair loss.

Choosing Hair Loss Products For Men That Work

With so many hair loss products on the market today claiming to be able to cure male hair loss it’s no wonder men get confused trying to figure out which ones are real. The truth is most of the hair loss products out there are scams and do nothing in the way of stopping hair loss or growing hair that has been lost. There are only two products on the market that have been proven effective in the battle against male hair loss.

Minoxidil, better known as Rogaine, was the first product on the market that showed any promise for men fighting their hair loss. Rogaine is a topical solution that is applied to the affected area twice a day. While it does not work for everyone, this hair loss product for men does help slow the loss of hair and re-grow some hair. It should be noted that the results can sometimes be disappointing but for those who have tried other methods and failed, Rogaine is an affordable product that will have some effect on your hair loss.

For those really serious about stopping their hair loss the most recommended medication is Finasteride, also known as Propecia. This hair loss product for men can lower DHT, responsible for hair loss, by as much as 60% with a 1 mg per day dosage. Eight-five percent of men who use this drug have stopped the progression of their hair loss and 65% of those men have experienced substantial hair growth.

Beware False Claims From Hair Loss Treatments For Men

Treating male pattern baldness is a multi-million dollar business and there are many companies trying to get a piece of the industry. Unfortunately, many of the hair loss treatments for men on the market boast false claims and give little to no results in stopping hair loss or re-growing hair.

There are many vitamins on the market that claim to be able to restore your lost hair, but many of these vitamins are only full of false hope. Yes, a poor diet can cause hair loss but if you are fighting inherited male pattern baldness vitamins and other such hair loss treatments for men won’t do anything to give you back your hair. There are also shampoos on the market that claim to be able to grow hair back. While a healthy scalp is important for optimum hair health, if your follicles are shrinking due to sensitivity to DHT, as happens in male pattern baldness, the shampoo will have little to no effect.

Also beware of products claiming “ancient recipes” or those that are from foreign lands and claim almost magical abilities to grow your hair. None of these works in battling hair loss and will only succeed in helping you loose money out of your wallet. If you are serious about stopping your hair loss find reputable websites that will instruct you on which FDA approved hair loss treatments for men are best for your situation.

Hairstyles To Camouflage Frontal Hair Loss

When most men begin loosing their hair it starts with a receding hair line and progresses from there. In the beginning this may not affect the man’s overall appearance but as the hair loss continues that receding hair line can get quite noticeable. This is where some styling tricks can come into play and help hide those receding areas.

When the hair is just beginning to recede it can usually be hidden quite well by simply leaving the hair in the front slightly longer than the rest. When having your hair cut explain to your stylist that you want to try and cover up this area and she will leave extra length in the front, especially over the two areas that are receding. By doing this you can use the extra length to style over the thinning parts and your hair will look just as thick there as the rest of your hair.

Once your frontal hair loss has progressed quite a ways back it is time to take the opposite approach. This is where most men resist changing their hairstyle and they want to continue growing the hair long in order to make up for the thinning or bald spots. This is actually counterproductive as it only draws more attention to the receding hairline through the long hair/missing hair contrast. Instead, have your stylist cut your hair quite short all over. You can use a little gel on top to give your hair a messy look and emphasize an attractive style with the hair that you have. This will draw attention away from your frontal hair loss and onto the rest of your hair.

Hair Transplantation: New York City Facilities

Bernstein medical Tip: If you’re thinking of undergoing hair transplantation in New York City, there are many cutting edge facilities that practice the latest in natural looking and safe hair transplant procedures. Many years ago hair was transplanted using unsightly “plugs”. These bunches of hair were planted in the head and looked very similar to how a Barbie doll’s hair is attached. It was not pretty to say the least.

Today, for those undergoing hair transplantation, New York City facilities off a new procedure called Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) where hair is transplanted in its naturally occurring groups of one to four hairs. The donor hair is taken in strips from the back of the scalp and the follicles are then microscopically dissected from the strip.

Not only does this new technique look amazingly natural but it also allows the doctors to place the grafts in very small recipient sites and with minimal scarring. The doctors can literally transplant thousands of follicles very quickly and the patient can have their hair transplant done in very short time. So if you are thinking of hair transplantation, New York City is a great option as they are up to date with the latest transplant technologies.