Male Pattern Baldness or Androgenic Alopecia

Male pattern baldness or androgenic alopecia affects some 50-60% of the male population at some point in their lives. This is because the baldness gene forms a part of their genetic makeup and it is passed on to them, from parent to child.

Are you suffering from male pattern baldness?

Are you concerned that you might be losing your hair? Have you noticed an increasing number of hairs being left behind in your bath or sink after washing? Does your hairbrush seem to be pulling out more hairs than normal? Are you finding that you have to adopt a slightly different hairstyle lately?

What are the signs you should be looking for?

It’s a good idea to keep a look out for all of these things but do not panic at the sight of a few stray hairs in the bath or shower and do not worry if a number of hairs are left in your brush or comb after you brush your hair. The average head of hair loses and replaces up to 100 hairs per day.

What you should be looking at is where these hairs are coming from. Have a good look in the mirror at your hair line. If you notice a thinning of your hair, to the left and right of the centre of your hair line, then there is a good chance that you will be experiencing the early stages of what is termed Androgenetic Alopecia or Male Pattern Baldness.

What’s happening with Male Pattern Baldness?

If you are suffering from male pattern baldness or Androgenetic Alopecia, what’s happening is this; some of the hair follicles in your scalp, and you have anywhere between 90,000 and 140,000 depending on your hair colour, are coming under attack from one of your hormones, namely Dihydrotestosterone or DHT. 

 

The DHT attaches itself to your hair follicles, forcing them to shrink over time. As the follicle shrinks, so does the single strand of hair that grows through it, gradually reducing in diameter until eventually, the strand is choked off completely and the follicle becomes too small for another hair to grow through.

The reason this condition is known as male pattern baldness is because in males, the condition follows a very distinct pattern which results in time, with hair disappearing to the left and right of centre at the hairline and later, from a patch or bald spot at the top of the head. 

 

As the hair line recedes, so the bald patch increases in size until eventually it meets the receding hairline. This leaves the sufferer with that characteristic “friar tuck” type hair style with hair remaining to the sides and back of the head, but missing from the front and top.

What can I do about it?

Do not waste time; this condition must be caught early. Contact The London Centre of Trichology, a hair loss clinic London who specialise in treating male pattern baldness. The London Centre of Trichology is pleased to offer a free hair loss consultation  to men who believe they might be suffering from male pattern baldness and other hair loss problems. Our hair loss treatments work by boosting blood and oxygen circulation to the scalp. They strengthen the hair follicles, block the hormone DHT from formulating in root follicles and cleanse the hair root.

At the London Centre of Trichology, our range of hair loss prevention treatments are tailored to suit each client’s specific needs. Treatments will stop further hair loss and follicle miniaturisation, and in some cases, result in hair re-growth. One of the principal benefits of our natural hair loss programme is that it doesn't cause any nasty side effects like some other hair loss products. Also if you stop the programme, then your hair won't instantly fall out as can be the case when using other treatments.

Reasons for Men’s Hair Loss and how they differ to the Reasons for Women’s Hair Loss

Whilst there are some similarities, between male hair loss and female hair loss, there are also clear and substantial differences in the reasons behind why men and women start to lose their hair. Read on to find out more.

If you are suffering from male hair loss  or female hair loss  , visit our central London hair loss clinic. We can effectively treat a wide range of hair loss problems with safe, natural treatments.

Reasons for Men’s Hair Loss

There are any number of reasons why men start to lose their hair and the root cause can only be established through a process of elimination. The most common reason by far though, is due to Male Pattern Baldness or to give it its proper medical name, Androgenetic Alopecia. This is a genetic problem, passed down from either parent to the male child. Genetic hair loss can also be passed down to a female child, though cases of this are fewer as both parents have to have the hair loss gene in order for a female to be affected.

Although there are other theories on the subject, it is widely accepted that Androgenetic Alopecia is caused by the body’s adverse reaction to a naturally produced and fundamentally important hormone known as DHT or Dihydrotestosterone. DHT is the male sex hormone, testosterone, which has been converted by the enzyme; 5-alpha reductase, to DHT. It attaches itself to any susceptible scalp hair follicles, typically those located to the front and top of the scalp, causing them to reduce in size. 

As the follicle shrinks, each hair grows back thinner than the previous one and for less time than normal, before falling out. Eventually the follicle becomes so small that there is only a thin tip of hair left which no longer grows out to the skin surface. At this stage the head will appear completely bald though it will still be possible to see fine, white hairs that resemble peach fuzz.

Male pattern baldness aside, there are a number of other reasons that could well be the cause of balding in men. A stressful lifestyle and poor diet, smoking and/or drinking to excess can all contribute to male hair loss. Other factors that can cause hairloss in men are medical treatments, such as those for cancer and hair loss can occur as a result of taking certain presribed medicine. All these factors could well play a role in the loss of hair in males.

Male hair loss needs to be treated as early as possible to reduce further thinning and encourage regrowth. Contact us today for a free hair loss consultation in central London. 

Reasons for Women’s hair loss

There are many more possible causes of women’s hair loss. There is of course female pattern baldness, as referred to above, but as mentioned this is less commonly the cause of hair loss in women. Female hair loss is primarily due to the fact that their delicate hormonal balance has, in one way or another been upset. This could be the result of pregnancy, termination, miscarriage, going through the menopause, or suffering from poly cystic ovaries which affect the hormonal balance. Additionally taking the contraceptive pill can affect the growth pattern of her hair.

Female hair loss can be caused by stress such as after a change in personal circumstances, work troubles, a trauma such as an accident, serious illness or bereavement. Other possible causes include treatments for medical conditions such as cancer, an adrenal tumour, or anaemia. 

Any one of these things could be the cause of hair loss in women and it is only by process of elimination, that the root case can be established. The good news is that if you are suffering from female hair loss, there is often a hair loss solution which will help to resolve the problem. Contact us today for a free hair loss consultation in central London.