Hair Transplantation – Hair Loss Causes
40% of men have noticeable hair loss by age 35 and 65% by age 60. Why does hair loss occur?
Your hair loss has little or nothing to do with shampooing, hats, or any other practices. Hair loss is largely genetic.
Main Causes Of Hair Loss
There are many causes of hair loss in men and women, including disease, nutritional deficiency, hormone imbalance and stress. By far the most common cause, however, is what is called androgenetic alopecia. Alopecia is simply the medical term for hair loss. Androgenetic refers to the fact that both genetic predispositions to balding and the influence of androgens, or male hormones, play a part in this type of hair loss.
There is a third factor, which is the passage of time, or aging.
So, in order for androgenetic alopecia to occur, there must be:
- 1. Genetic propensity for balding.
- 2. Presence of androgens or male hormones.
- 3. Aging time to allow the first two factors to exert their influence on the hair follicles.
Both men and women produce “male” hormones. The most common of these are testosterone, androsteinedione and dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Androgens are produced by the testicles and adrenals in men and by the ovaries and adrenal glands in women. These hormones are important in both sexes, but occur in different concentrations, being much more predominant in males than in females. This, in part, is responsible for the typical differences between the genders.
The exposure of hair follicles to DHT over a period of time can lead to androgenetic alopecia, male and female pattern baldness, in people who are genetically susceptible to balding. The balding process can occur at any age and move at any rate. It can start in the teen years or late in life, develop rapidly, slowly or even tabilize.
Hair Loss in Men
Some men gradually lose their hair over the front, top and crown of their head, but most men still do not understand the root cause of hair loss. This is a natural phenomenon called “male pattern baldness” or androgenetic alopecia. “Andro” refers to the androgens (testosterone, dihydrotestosterone) necessary to produce male-pattern hair loss (MPHL). “Genetic” refers to the inherited gene necessary for MPHL to occur.” The hair follicles in these areas react negatively to the hormone testosterone, resulting in gradual hair loss. The hair on the sides and lower back of the head is genetically programmed not to be affected and does not fall out. Because of this genetic programming, this hair can be permanently transplanted to the thinning and balding areas. This donor hair will not fall out and can be cut, combed and styled just as the hair it has replaced. It will continue to grow for the rest of your life and will not be affected by any hormone changes.
- represents a normal head of hair with no visible hair loss.
- is characterized by the beginning of a receding hairline and a “widow’s peak” on the forehead.
- patients exhibit a more significant decline in hair above the temples as well as receding from the forehead. In Class 3 Vertex, hair loss is starting to become significant on the crown.
- hair loss may become more noticeable on the crown or patients may have significant hair loss above the temples and or front anterior areas.
- hair loss approaches significant levels with most hair loss occurring on the top of the vertex and crown. Hair transplantation for this Class and higher Class levels may require more grafts to provide coverage and density.
- patients show major hair loss, but still have areas with donor hair available. Transplanting this hair can still have excellent results.
- patients show the most significant loss of hair. There may still be sufficient donor hair for transplantation; however, results may be limited.
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In men who develop male pattern baldness the hair loss may begin any time after puberty when blood levels of androgens rise. The first change is usually recession in the temporal areas, which is seen in 96 percent of mature Caucasian males, including those men not destined to progress to further hair loss.
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Hair loss in men is likely to occur primarily between late teen-age years and age 40-50, in a generally recognizable “male-pattern” baldness known as androgenetic alopecia. Men with male-pattern hair loss may have an expectation of hair loss if they have male relatives who lost hair in a recognizably male pattern. Although the density of hair in a given pattern of loss tends to diminish with age, there is no way to predict what pattern of hair loss a young man with early male pattern baldness will eventually assume. In general, those who begin losing hair in the second decade are those in whom the hair loss will be the most severe. In some men, initial male-pattern hair loss may be delayed until the late third to fourth decade. It is generally recognized that men in their 20s have a 20 percent incidence of male pattern baldness, in their 30s a 30 percent incidence of male pattern baldness, in their 40s a 40 percent incidence of male pattern baldness etc. Using these numbers one can see that a male in his 90s has a 90 percent chance of having some degree of male pattern baldness. The onset, rate and severity of hair loss are unpredictable. The severity increases with age and if the condition is present it will be progressive and relentless.
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