Whether or not you are likely to lose some or all of your hair seems to be largely down to your genes, and the most common type of baldness in men, termed male pattern baldness, is brought about by a hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is derived from the male sex hormone testosterone. For some reasons not yet quite understood, DHT seems to adversely affect the hair follicles where hairs are formed with the result that hairs become thinner, weaker, and tend not to last as long before they fall out as part of the natural growth cycle. Amounts of DHT seem to increase gradually as we get older and can affect some men as early as their late twenties although many men are not affected until their fifties. The loss of hair is very variable but often commences at the crown of the head together with the hairline at the forehead which begins to recede. Over time the two main areas of baldness can coalesce leading to the characteristic horseshoe shaped patch of hair remaining that you often see.
Most of us agree that losing one's hair makes you look older and we would prefer not to lose our hair. Whilst there is seemingly little that can be done to prevent some loss of hair in susceptible types, there are various treatments that can slow down the loss and even encourage some new hair to grow. If you have this problem it is well worth going to a Hair Loss Clinic to get a proper assessment and advice on the best treatment for your particular case.
If hair loss is caused by one of the less common causes such as chemotherapy, anaemia, an infection, or some kind of emotional shock, then it is likely to be only temporary and hair may well grow back in due course of its own accord. (more...)


