For all of us there are 100,000 to 150,000 hairs on the human head. Our hair grows from hair roots.  The blood vessels at the root of each hair shaft provide the food for hair growth. Hair groth in each hair folicle is independent of all your other hair. In any day about 90 percent of your hair is in a growth spurt, and the other 10 percent are resting.  The growth spurt for an individual hair lasts four to five years.  At that point the hair root enters a resting time, that can last two to four months. At the end of this phase, the hair drops out and new hair provides replacement. It is important to understand that hair loss is a normal.  On most days about 50 to 150 hairs on our head are lost. Baldness (or alopecia) occurs when hair is lost at an abnormally high rate, when hair growth occurs slowly, or when normal hair is replaced by different types of hair.  These new hair shafts may be thinner and shorter.

What is causes male baldness?

About 95 percent of hair loss is the result of androgenetic alopecia (male pattern baldness in men).  Androgenetic alopecia occurs mainly in men and infrequently in women.  It occurs in 40 million men in the United States.  The stats are: approximately 1/4th of all men begin balding by age 30 and 2/3s begin balding by age 60.

There are some types of hair loss that are easily reversible, but standard male pattern baldness is not. It occurs in a classic pattern: hair loss begins at the top of the temples and at the top of the crown.  It causes a receding hairline leading to a bald spot. Hair loss continues until the different sections join.  Balding can begin at any age, even during the teenage years, and can result in partial loss or go to complete baldness. Most often it progresses slowly.  It is not ever associated with with redness, itching, or pain. Finally, understand that there is not a way to prevent male pattern baldness.

What causes male pattern baldness?

The causes of baldness are complex. Several hormones control the regulation of our hair, and the hormones with the biggest effect are the androgens. Testosterone and Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) control the size of hair follicles in the beard and underarm, and cause follicles on the head to get smaller later in life. This is a contrasting response seen in all men.  The way our hair reacts to these hormones are explained by genetics.  The hair follicles in the scalp get smaller in the presence of these hormones. Hair roots become tiny, and the hair gets thinner and shorter. As we get older the growth phase gets progressively shorter, which means more hair is loss.  This is true even though the hair roots still have a great blood supply.

It is a popular myth, that balding is caused by wearing hats.  It is not. It is important to massage and  brush the scalp to maintian the hair you have.  Our staff reccomends a daily shampoo and use of a shampoo brush.  Keeping your hair and scalp clean and stimulated with make the most of what hair you do have and minimize hair loss.