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Hair Loss: MaleMost men—and some women—experience some degree of hair loss as they grow older. In the normal cycle of hair growth, it is natural to lose up to 100 hairs per day. If you are losing more than that, or if your hairline becomes more prominent, it could be a sign of excessive hair loss.The medical term for hair loss is alopecia. The most common type of hair loss in men is male pattern baldness, or androgenic alopecia. This is an inherited tendency to stop producing new hairs. Each hair follicle produces a single hair that normally grows about a half inch per month for about 4 to 6 years. It then goes into a resting phase and loses the hair before growing a new one. The number of hair follicles entering the resting phase is equal to the number of hair follicles starting the growth phase, so the number of hairs on the head remains the same. With androgenic alopecia, an increasing number of hair follicles never recover from the resting phase, resulting in a scalp with less hair. This loss of active hair follicles may take place over months or years before it is noticeable. The hair follicles that usually stop producing new hairs are located along the frontal part of the scalp and along the crown of the head. This results in a receding hairline and/or balding at the top of the head. Other causes of hair loss include:
Although the vast majority of hair loss isn’t life-threatening, many men are dismayed enough by a balding appearance to seek treatment. Some hair loss will resolve on its own once the underlying cause is eliminated. For example, hair that falls out during chemotherapy usually grows back when treatment is finished. Hair loss due to androgenic alopecia does not go away on its own and cannot be cured. But the following treatments may slow hair loss or promote hair growth:
The effectiveness of these medications depends on the cause and extent of hair loss and each person’s individual response. Usually, the more recent the hair loss, the more effective the treatment will be. Extensive hair loss probably won’t respond well to medications. One other option for treating hair loss is hair transplantation, where tiny plugs of hair-growing skin are removed from one part of the scalp and re-implanted on the balding areas. Hair Transplantation Hair transplantation is commonly used for the treatment of male pattern baldness and female pattern hair loss (androgenic alopecia). It may also be used to treat other forms of hair loss. The hair that grows from transplanted follicles will have the same color and texture it had before it was moved. In general, androgenic alopecia cannot be avoided. However, you can prevent additional hair loss by not wearing your hair in ways that can pull on it (ponytails, cornrows, or tight rollers) and avoiding hot oil treatments or perms, which can scar the hair follicle.
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