To fully comprehend balding we need to look at how hair grows and what factors can intrude with this innate process.
Hair growth comes about in two distinct phases, the growth phase known as the Anagen phase and the resting phase known as the Telogen phase. The vast majority of hair on our head (as much as 90%) at any one time is in about a period ranging from 2-7 year growth phase. The remaining hairs are in a resting phase that can continue anywhere between two to four months.
A normal degree of balding is between 50 to 150 hairs a day. Once a hair has been dispersed that particular follicle begins a growth phase, as the lost hair now needs to be replaced.
If everything goes according to plan this period of growth and rest continues by means of many cycles during our evolution.
Balding difficulties can result when this natural cycle is disrupted and the inbred fallout rate exceeds that natural re-growth rate. Additionally, typical factors can lead to hair re-growth that is much weaker and thinner than the prior hair that is being replaced.
Here the issue can go unseen for many years. Seeing that each hair is being replaced there does not appear to be a problem. Nevertheless, in excess of the years each re-growth of shed hair is getting progressively weaker and thinner. In this case baldness and balding can appear to be a very unexpected onset, but it is something that has been alive for various years.
Fortunately from the point of opinion of being able to treat and determine the problem, science has found the true cause of balding.
It is now believed that the cause of balding is an increased level of testosterone (that begins in puberty) that ultimately leads to an inordinate imbalance in another hormone DHT (dihydrotestosterone).
If there are large amounts of DHT present, blood supply to the hair follicle is diminished and over time the actual blood vessels that keep each hair follicle initiate to shrink,and the creation blood flow to the hair follicles even more difficult.
A deficient blood supply leads to weak, thin hair re-growth, which gets progressively worse over time. The coming outcome is a growth that is little more than wispy short hair that is hardly perceivable.
At this stage the individual is suffering from a condition known as androgenic allopecia, more commonly known as male pattern baldness.
Specifically why and how these levels of DHT get to the level where they begin a problem with balding is not known. At this point in time the cause is largely attributed to genetic factors.
Apart from our understanding of the causes of balding that is more or less permanent, there are a number of factors affecting men and women that can cause temporary balding.
Some of the more common causes of temporary balding are; scalp infections; inappropriate use of hair care products; side affects of numerous medications and medical procedures (surgery and chemotherapy for example) and too little nutrition for healthy hair growth.
Generally once the cause of balding is established and the appropriate treatment given, hair growth can return to normal.
The the largest part of important factor in successfully treating any kind of balding is to determine quickly the correct cause of the balding and as a result immediately initiate with the appropriate treatment.
For someone experiencing balding now or someone who could reasonably expect balding in the future based on past family medical history, preventive measures should be taken sooner rather than later.
At the tremendously least an appropriate hair care regime should be in place. As part of this regime effective nutrition should be stressed, including nutrients that have a known hair growth function such as Biotin, Zinc and the herb Saw Pallmeto.
Today there are many balding treatment options available. There is a range of natural over the counter preparations that have undergone numerous clinical trials and have had several success stories in stopping balding and promoting re-growth of normal healthy hair.
And if the natural way does not deliver the desired results, there are continually hair restoration techniques such as hair extensions, hair transplants and wigs that offer even more options to treat balding.
