Cause of Balding

There are many causes of balding and each requires consideration before choosing a treatment. The commonest cause by far is hereditary – what is medically known as androgenetic alopecia, otherwise male or female pattern baldness. In men this usually presents as thinning at the temples and on top of the scalp. In women there is a more generalised loss over the whole scalp. It is caused by the action of testosterone which, when converted to DHT ( dihydrotestosterone) causes the hair follicles to shrink and become less productive before they eventually die.

Hair loss may also follow great crises in life – a major operation, a feverish illness and so on. Infection may be a cause as in ringworm , where the hair falls out in circles and there may be red circles on other parts of the body.

Alopecia areata is a form of auto immune disease where the body rejects some hair as if it were a foreign virus.

In women hair loss is often seen when they ceases to take the birth control pill or a few weeks after the end of a pregnancy. In both cases the loss is caused by alteration in hormone levels and will right itself in time. In older women loss is often noted at or after the menopause. In this case the loss will not repair itself without help.

Anaemia may cause loss, and in this case a change of diet or the use of supplements will right the matter.

More serious conditions that can cause hair loss are diabetes and thyroid  problems, but in these cases there will also be other symptoms which need medical help.

There are then many causes and also many treatments. Some are more suitable in certain cases than others. There are treatments that suit one sex more than the other, or suit people at a particular time in their lives. Whichever the cause there is a treatment that may help, but because hair grows so slowly it may be some time before results are seen.

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This post was written by admin on August 30, 2009

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