What Causes Male Pattern Baldness?
Hair loss is a condition that has plagued men for thousands of years. Many who suffer from baldness are extremely unhappy and look for solutions to restore lost volume. There are a few reasons why hair loss occurs. Diet and lifestyle choices affect the body's stress levels that could cause hair to stop growing. However, the most common cause is male pattern baldness. If you or someone you love is suffering from hair loss, read on to learn more about the condition and what you can do to help.
Understanding Male Pattern Baldness
Male pattern baldness is also called Androgenic alopecia and is an irreversible condition inherited at birth. Because of its relationship with the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT), hair loss can begin to occur as early as puberty.
Here are some quick statistics from the American Hair Loss Association on Male Pattern Baldness:
Androgenetic Alopecia accounts for more than 95% of hair loss in men.
By 35, two-thirds of American men will experience some degree of hair loss
By the age of 50, approximately 85% of men have significantly thinning hair
Though the actual factors for the condition remain unknown, what is understood is its ability to affect both males and females equally. Men are more commonly affected because they naturally have more testosterone than women.
A common myth associates this type of hair with the mother’s side of the family. However, that is untrue. The actual genetic involvement is made up of a myriad of contributing factors and cannot be isolated to the mother’s genes. The best way to ascertain whether or not androgenic alopecia will affect you is to look at members of your family on both sides. If your father is suffering from hair loss, it is quite possible the condition will be passed along. Though pattern baldness is predominately found in males, women could determine their own outcome by recognizing any female pattern baldness on either side of her own family.
Hair Growth Cycles
Hair is made up of the protein keratin. It is produced in hair follicles and in the outer layer of skin and is the same protein that makes up animal's horns, hooves, claws, feathers, and beaks. When hair follicles produce new cells, the old cells are pushed out through the surface of the skin. That said, the hair you see is actually dead. The only part that is growing is what's still inside the epidermis.
Usually, hair grows and then sits in a resting phase, which is a process that can take 2 to 6 years and only starts over when the hair falls out naturally. On average, hair typically grows about one inch every few months, but some factors restrict the cycle of hair growth. Men with androgenetic alopecia will notice their hair follicle shrinks over time and then eventually stops growing. The hair growth process plays out in three phases:
Anagen – active hair growth that lasts between two to six years, with the average strand surviving around five years.
Catagen – transitional hair growth stimulated by blood vessels that lasts two to three weeks.
Telogen – the resting phase which lasts about 2 to 3 months. As the resting phase finishes, the hair that is shed is replaced with new hair and the growth cycle begins again.
On the average adult, about 90% of hair is actually in the process of growing, and no two strands are in the same stage of the growth cycle. If so, we would be entirely bald while hair regrows.
Hair Restoration for Male Pattern Baldness
Hair restoration is the only permanent solution for hair loss. It works two ways. Follicular Unit Transplant moves individual hairs from one part of the body to another. This process is perfect for smaller, concentrated areas. Follicular Unit Extraction uses larger strips of skin and hair to cover more significant bald spots including the crown area. Speaking with one of our staff members can help you decided which option is right for you.
If you are ready for a more permanent solution, click here to learn more and contact us today to schedule a consultation. For a limited time, you can receive $250 off your procedure when you book a consultation. call 615-635-0892 today!