Causes of hair loss in brief
Statistically, it has been found that every two out of three men and one out of five women suffer from hair loss. There are various reasons which contribute to the hair fall in men. Loss of hair in men is typically caused by the effects of the male hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on scalp hair follicles. It is commonly believed that the such problem in men occurs from the maternal side of the family. It is because the factors on the x-chromosome strongly influence the hair fall. However, the fact behind the such problem is that the condition can be inherited from either parent. Improper diet, use of certain medications and some illnesses are also found to cause such problem in men. The most common cause of these in men is androgenetic alopecia or androgenetic hair loss. Androgenetic hair loss is caused by three interdependent factors:
* Hormones
* Genes
* Aging
Let us see in detail how these factors influence loss of hair in men.
Hormones
Hormones are the biochemical substances that are produced in various glands throughout our body. These glands secrete their products directly into the bloodstream which are then spread to the different parts of our body. They are usually present in minute amount but are very much effective for the proper growth of our body organs.
Testosterone is a major male sex hormone, which are produced by the testicles. These hormones are responsible for bringing various changes in our body such as sperm production, change in voice, development of sex drive, growth of axillary and pubic hair and change in the basic body shape. These hormones are the major cause of acne and beard growth. These hormones are also associated with the emergence of baldness in males. The presence of androgen, testosterone and its related hormone DHT cause some follicles to regress and die. DHT is found to decrease the length of the growing cycle of hair and increase the resting phase. As a result, the person frequently sheds his hair and becomes the victim of hair loss. It is interesting to know that scalp hair growth does not depend on androgen level but the hair loss does.
Genes
There are 23 pairs of chromosomes in every person, one set of chromosome from each parent. Out of these, genes that are located on the X or Y-chromosomes are called as sex-linked genes and the rest as autosomal. It is believed that autosomal genes govern the common baldness. Hence, it is said that the genes for baldness can be inherited equally from the either parents. Although it has been found that some genes are responsible for certain types of hair loss in men, but the exact genes for male pattern baldness remain unexplained.
Age
Along with the genes and hormonal factors, aging also contribute to the hair loss in men. As the person grow old, his body come across various changes that cause hair loss either directly or indirectly. Hair loss in men varies on person to person depending on their genetic composition and levels of testosterone in bloodstream. With the passing age, a person's total hair volume keeps on decreasing.
If the exact causes behind the hair loss are determined in the early stages, treatments can prove beneficial to counteract the problem.
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