Facts and Figures From Experts
From www.hairloss.com

What is hair loss?
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.

However, it is 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. The most familiar pattern is where the hair begins to recede in the hairline and the crown at roughly the same time. The hair in the mid-scalp or anterior scalp is often the last to go. But go it will, eventually leaving a man with the horseshoe of hair that is the telltale sign of typical male pattern baldness.

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 chief difference in womens androgenic hair loss from mens (both are hormone related) is that women tend to experience thinning that occurs in no particular pattern or part of the scalp. Unlike men, the scalp may not actually be totally denuded of hair, just thin to the point where the scalp is visible. Like men, however, the resulting hair loss is generally irreversible.

Why do you lose your hair?
FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, the cause of androgenic hair loss is, as its name implies, hormone related. It stems from a genetic predisposition for a by-product of the male hormone testosterone (yes, women have testosterone in their bodies, too), called DiHydroTestosterone (DHT) to reside in the scalp. All hair follicles grow through a growth-dormant-regrowth cycle. When DHT is present in the scalp at high levels, the hair follicles tend to increase their time of dormancy and decrease the time for growth. In actuality, the follicle atrophies due to the excess DHT. Each follicle produces hair for shorter periods and “rests” for longer periods, until it finally goes into permanent dormancy and ceases to produce hair. An interesting phenomenon is that in men, the DHT only seems to affect the hair follicles on top of the scalp. While DHT is present in the entire scalp, the hair follicles that reside on the sides and back of the head resist its deleterious effects. When hair from the sides and back of the head are transplanted to the top of a bald scalp, the same DHT that caused the original hair follicles to atrophy now has no effect on the transplanted follicles.

How is hair loss treated?
TOPICAL/LASER There are two medically approved drugs to combat hair loss and perhaps even grow hair. They are Rogaine* and Propecia*. Both originated as high blood pressure medications. And both have reported limited success in the cessation of hair loss and even less success in the regrowing of new hair.

There are also non-medical topical solutions that purport to grow hair. Though the FDA does not recognize the hair cessation/hair growing properties of these lotions, there is anecdotal evidence to support their efficacy. So too with laser treatments. Lasers have been used to successfully treat many dermatological conditions and they have advocates who claim them to be effective in stopping hair loss and in some cases, growing new hair. Again, the evidence to support these claims is more anecdotal than clinical.

SURGICAL RESTORATION This refers mainly to transplants, but also to other surgical techniques. The purpose of surgical restoration is not to create new hair, but to move the good hair follicles into places where the bad hair follicles have failed. The physician literally makes a tiny incision into the donor area (in the back of the head) and removes follicles, inserting them into the top of the scalp, again with a tiny incision. Modern mini-grafting and micro-grafting techniques have resulted in convincing, natural looking hair transplants. The key to the success of the procedure lies largely in the donor hair; its quantity, quality, etc.

NON-SURGICAL RESTORATION This refers to any method in which the hair that is restored to the balding areas is not growing hair. Falling under this wide category are everything from toupees, weaves and hair systems to more sophisticated technology that grafts hair to the scalp through non-surgical means.

When is the best time to do something about hair loss?
At what point an individual should intervene as he/she loses his hair depends upon several factors, most importantly, the way the person feels about their hair loss. There are some who advocate the use of hair cessation drugs like Rogaine or Propecia at the very onset of hair loss. Others believe it is wiser to try non-medical means first, such as topical lotions and lasers, and then resorting to Rogaine or Propecia if those means are unsuccessful.

While many may want to jump into transplants immediately, there are those, including doctors, who counsel the person to wait until they have a better idea of the extent of his/her hair loss and the size/condition of his/her donor area. The logic behind this is that it would be unwise for someone to start removing hair from a donor site that may become thin on its own, thus compounding the problem.

Since most non-surgical restoration procedures are completely reversible, many believe that they are the best alternative after hair growing methods have been exhausted (link to hair replacement systems in hair art for men). It is reasoned that later on the person could opt for a transplant if their donor area contained sufficient hair and they would not be bothered by the lesser degree of cosmetic coverage surgery provides.

There are other considerations as well, of course. How bald does the individual wish to appear to others before he/she does something about it is one. So too is the desire to make an unnoticeable transition from the present balding situation to a more full head of hair. Obviously, the longer the individual waits to do something (and the more hair that they lose), the more dramatic the change in appearance will be.

FEMALE ALOPECIA

Did you know that over 20 million women in the United States are suffering from some type of hair loss? About 40% of them are also under forty years old. The emotional aspects of hair loss range from anxiety, depression, frustration and poor self-esteem. Fortunately there are more options available now to help slow down and even reverse hair loss.

The first and foremost important step in the search for answers is to educate yourself. Being proactive by researching information and seeking solutions is the best way to manage your treatment.

Unfortunately, treating and diagnosing female hair loss is not as simple and straightforward as male pattern baldness. Many physicians subscribe to the theory that women should immediately begin a regimen of growth stimulants (whether it be Rogaine for Women, or others). Like men's hair loss however, there are underlying causes, and the good news is that a large percent of women's hair loss is completely reversible. The general idea behind diagnosing and treating it involves a responsible informed physician and a series of tests to rule out, or rule in, the causes.

The most common causes of hair loss in women are hormonally related. Whether it is an overactive thyroid or the after effects of menopause or pregnancy, there usually is a "good" reason why women lose their hair. The key is to find out what the reason is, and to then evaluate your options in dealing with it. Hair Replacement Systems