It is an unlucky fact that very many men, and a strangely high number of women, will suffer from quite a lot of form of hair loss during their lives and over again that hair loss will be permanent. Since hair has been falling out of heads, medical science has been attempting to determine the real cause of hair loss.
Hair growth happens in two separate 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 a 2-7 year growth phase. The residual hairs are in a resting phase that can last anywhere between two to four months.
A natural rate of hair loss is between 50 to 150 hairs a day. Once a hair has been shed that respective follicle begins a growth phase, as the lost hair now needs to be replaced.
If everything goes according to plan this cycle of growth and rest continues via many cycles during our life.
Hair loss setbacks can result when this normal cycle is disrupted and the natural fallout rate exceeds that natural re-growth rate. Additionally, definite factors can lead to hair re-growth that is much weaker and thinner than the previous hair that is being replaced.
Here the issue can go unnoticed for many years. Seeing that each hair is being replaced there does not appear to be a problem. Howsoever, in excess of the years each re-growth of shed hair is getting progressively weaker and thinner. In this case baldness and hair loss can look like to be a very sudden onset, but it is something that has been active for a number of years.
Fortunately from the point of view of being able to treat and put a stop to the issue, science has found the true cause of hair loss.
It is now thought that the cause of hair loss is an increased level of testosterone (that begins in puberty) that in due course leads to an excessive imbalance in another hormone DHT (dihydrotestosterone).
If there are large amounts of DHT present, blood supply to the hair follicle is diminished and with time the actual blood vessels that feed each hair follicle set up to shrink, making blood flow to the hair follicles even more difficult.
A lesser blood supply leads to weak, thin hair re-growth, which gets progressively worse in excess of time. The eventual outcome is a growth that is little more than wispy short hair that is hardly visible.
At this stage the individual is suffering from a condition known as androgenic allopecia, most often known as male pattern baldness.
Specifically why and how these levels of DHT get to the level where they start a problem with hair loss is not known. At this point in time the cause is largely derivable from genetic factors.
Apart from our understanding of the causes of hair loss that is more or less permanent, there are sundry factors affecting men and women that can cause temporary hair loss.
Some of the more widespread causes of temporary hair loss are; scalp infections; improper use of hair care products; side affects of numerous medications and medical procedures (surgery and chemotherapy for example) and inadequate nutrition for healthy hair growth.
Habitually once the cause of hair loss is established and the appropriate treatment given, hair growth can return to normal.
An important factor in successfully treating any kind of hair loss is to determine quickly the actual cause of the hair loss and thus immediately start with the appropriate treatment.
For somebody experiencing hair loss now or someone who could reasonably expect hair loss in the future based on past family medical history, preventive measures should be taken sooner rather than later.
At the extremely least an appropriate hair care plan should be in place. As part of this plan adequate nutrition should be stressed, including nutrients that have a known hair growth function such as Biotin, Zinc and the herb Saw Palmetto.
Today there are several hair loss treatment options available. There is a range of natural over the counter preparations that have undergone quite a few clinical trials and have had quite a lot of success in stopping hair loss and promoting re-growth of normal healthy hair.
And if the natural way does not deliver the desirable results, there are continuously hair restoration techniques such as hair extensions, hair transplants and wigs that give even more options to treat hair loss.
