Hair loss in men – Androgenetic alopecia

Hair loss in men, or androgenetic alopecia (see the Norwood scale below) has been an eternal problem for men and until recent times little could be done about it.

Hippocrates, who suffered from hair loss, was deeply interested in the matter. It was he who first discovered the relationship between hair loss and male sexual hormones. Julius Caesar combed long hair forward from the back and lateral areas of the head to cover his bald spot. Napoleon also combed his hair over to hide his balding forehead.

Облысение, классификация Норвуда
Androgenetic alopecia – Norwood scale

Androgenetic alopecia is a widespread issue and one third of the Earth’s menfolk between the ages of 20–60 suffers from it to a varying extent.

Androgenetic alopecia may also be observed in women (see “Hair loss in women”).

It is caused by the action of the male hormone testosterone on the hair follicles, particularly those genetically predisposed to damage located in frontal and parietal areas of the head.

A follicle – a tubular sheath located under the skin, is the body's structure that allows hair growth.

On average, there are around 100,000 hair follicles on the human head. 20–30 hairs can grow from each follicle throughout its lifetime. As a rule, at any one time 70% of hairs in the growth stage and 10% in a resting phase. Over the years, the hair follicles reduce in density as the hair growth slows.

Under the influence of male hormones – androgens (from which the name of androgenetic alopecia originated), follicles that are genetically predisposed to androgenetic hair loss gradually decrease in size, atrophy and, eventually, are rejected by the body. Though these hormones are present in all men, only predisposed persons are likely to suffer hair loss.

The process tends towards the gradual loss of hair from the areas predisposed to the condition. However, there are almost always hairs remaining at the occipital and temporal areas of the head, as the follicles in these regions remain resilient to hair loss factors.

Thus, the only long term solution to the problem of androgenetic hair loss is to redistribute genetically healthy hairs from the occipital and temporal areas to the bald areas of head – through a transplant of the patient's own hair.

 

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