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It is often your genes that
will determine whether you will go prematurely bald or suffer
from significant permanent hair loss. This type of condition is
called 'pattern baldness' and is usually inherited from either
parent. Male pattern baldness is by far the most common because
females have lower levels of androgens (male hormones) but female
pattern "thinning" is also relatively common. Post-menopausal
hair loss also presents as a genetic-type "thinning" in women.
"Male pattern baldness" is usually
a hereditary condition combined with hormonal factors. Some medications
or medical conditions can also cause hair loss but most young
men only have to look as far as their dads or granddads to find
out if they will suffer from this (quite natural) condition. At
the same time that genes are dictating what type of hair you will
have and what colour it will be, other genes are at work that
start the clock ticking on when you will start to lose your hair.
Different individuals suffer from different levels of male pattern
baldness in that they lose their hair at different rates. For
example, a young man might start to go bald in his early twenties
while others might only suffer a mild receding at the temples
late in their thirties or forties. It's all down to those genes.
Just to define this
condition more clearly: male pattern baldness is the type of hair-loss
you get when your hair starts to recede, after puberty, usually
starting at the temples or crown. The hair appears to be finer
or weaker and not grow as fast as it used to or as fast as other
areas of hair on your head. Generally this description sums up
95% of all hair-loss in men but if you believe that you don't
have male pattern baldness and it is caused by something else,
go and check out some of our other sections.
Traditionally it has always been
believed that "if you are going to go bald there is little that
you can do about it". In the past that may very well have been
true and all of us have come across the guy who brushes what is
left of his hair over his head to hide his bald pate or the guy
who looks like he's had holes drilled into his head and then his
hair "replanted" in tufts (which is exactly what he has had done).
Some guys naturally look good bald
and some just prefer to live life the way nature intended. So
if that's you, you've got a couple of options that will still
keep you looking great. The most radical is to shave your head
completely or the second is to find a shorter style that is compatible
with your particular hair loss. Ask your hairdresser what they
think, baldness can look sexy on many guys.
There are far more practical options
if you go back to our hair loss subjects page where you can find
out all the options available to you.
Other areas of hairloss in this section you may be interested in:
Inherited Male "Pattern" baldness
What Men need to know about hair and hair loss
Female genetic thinning
Poor Diet Leads to thinning Hair
Lotions and potions
Treatments for baldness: Prescriptions and pharmaceuticals
Hair replacement: Transplant and single hair micrographs
Non-surgical hair replacement: Wigs and hairpieces
Menopause and hair loss
All other causes of hair loss
Hair loss in Pregnancy
Prescription medication and its links to hair loss
Alopecia defined
Laser treatment for hair loss
Hair Loss in Children and Adolescents
The Trichologist - your hair loss specialist, find out more
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