Hair loss tends to increase with age in most people, which is normal. But premature loss of hair is a cause of concern. This is usually a common problem with males. Losing hair at an early age could lead to psychological problems as the person is likely to lose his confidence.
Hair loss in men usually is attributed to genes. This medical condition is technically known as Androgenetic Alopecia more commonly known as baldness. Baldness manifests itself with its symptoms during the late teen years of some individuals. There is a lifecycle for hair growth. But with people suffering from baldness the hair growth cycle halts and enters the resting phase which is also known as the telogen phase.
In most men the premature hair loss is due to the formation of DHT or dihydrotestetosterone molecules. The DHT, as the name implies comes from testosterone or the male hormone. Unwanted reactions between testosterone and 5 Alpha Reductase leads to the formation of DHT. 5 Alpha Reductase usually involves in steroid metabolism, the details of which cannot be understood without intricate biological knowledge. But the fact is, when the DHT forms it leads to baldness!
The DHT prevents the essential nutrients to reach the hair follicles. This causes the epidermal cells to swell which finally results in Male pattern Baldness! Males suffering from this disorder have high levels of 5 Alpha Reductase and low levels of testosterone.
There are several ways to treat this condition. Most of the drugs act by inhibiting the secretion of 5 Alpha Reductase which is found in some special tissues like skin. Finasteride, Dutasteride and Minoxidil are some of the most used prescription medicines for treating baldness. Minoxidil is one of the effective topical treatments available, which go by many names commercially. It should be applied in the scalp.Finasteride on the other hand is a pill. It acts by inhibiting 5 Alpha Reductase and thereby preventing the formation of DHT.
As a last resort you might even think about surgery. It is akin to plastic surgery and surgical implantation could lead to great results in some people.
While there are many options to treat premature hair loss in men, identifying the underlying condition is important. In most cases DHT is the major contributor for baldness. But there are certain other factors that could play a role in male hair loss. Female hair loss is a bit more complicated and the condition discussed above is only the tip of the iceberg for females!
