Hair Loss Basics:
What you need to know
For anyone considering using a hair loss treatment,
we've put together a short primer to cover some basic things you
should be familiar with. We'll cover subjects such as how and
why hair grows, why some people lose their hair, and known causes of
hair loss. We'll also offer suggestions on ways to first stop
hair loss and then how to get it growing again.
Hair Growth: How it occurs
Hair growth in humans is staggered, meaning some hair is growing while other
hairs are resting (even on the same person). In a normal, non-balding
person, about 90% of the hair on their head is in a 2-7 year growth phase.
The other 10% is experiencing a 2-4 month resting phase. As one hair
is shed, a new one takes it's place. This process repeats itself over
and over again over many years in most people.
Hair loss occurs when this natural process becomes skewed. Instead of
the re-growth rate occurring faster than the shed rate, the opposite occurs,
Thus, the rate of shedding exceeds the rate of re-growth. Although
simplistic, this is usually what occurs in people who are bald or are
balding.
The Cause of Hair Loss
It is now known that hair loss is directly linked to the presence of
DHT (dihydrotestosterone).
DHT is formed when testosterone and 5-alpha-reductase merge.
This overabundance of DHT leads to follicles that grow back shorter and
thinner. Over time, this DHT imbalance leads to baldness in many of
its forms.
This DHT imbalance is believed to be caused by genetics or an
underlying medical condition. It is a situation that affects millions
of men and usually occurs after puberty.
Causes of Temporary Hair Loss
In addition to the above scenario, there are several factors that can lead
to temporary hair loss or thinning. Often, cases like this can be
remedied by treating the underlying situation or trigger. Some of these
include:
-
Improper Nutrition
-
Medications
-
Damaging hair products
-
Medical treatments
-
Scalp Infection or disease
-
Disease
Most of these can be treated with a variety of
products that are available over-the-counter or by prescription.
It may be wise to seek the counsel of a doctor or health
practitioner to help diagnose the problem.
Known Treatments for Hair Loss
There are basically 4 accepted methods to treat hair
loss. Some of these hair loss treatments are designed to stop hair
loss while others are meant to re-grow hair. These now
include:
-
Antiandrogens- prevent DHT from combining
or binding with androgen receptors
-
Anti-Inflammatories- designed to prevent
inflammation, redness, and itching that can occur on the scalp
and make hair loss worse
-
DHT Inhibitors- designed to restore a
healthy balance of shedding and re-growth by limiting the
production of DHT, which leads to hair loss in some if left
unchecked
-
Growth Stimulants- these treatments are
designed to stimulate the growth of new hair
Summary
Now that you understand a little bit more about how
hair loss treatments work, the next step is to discover which hair
loss products are most effective. For that, we invite
you to take a look at our study and reviews of the
top products on the market.
