The most common causes of hair loss is androgenetic alopecia, which means its hereditary. But, there are many other contributing factors, including, to just name a few:
The Difference Between Men’s and Women’s Hair Thinning
Men and women lose their hair very differently. For men, hair loss often appears in the form of a receding hair line or balding at the crown. This type of hair loss is so common, it has a name: male pattern baldness. For women, hair loss doesn’t usually follow a recognizable pattern, but it can include a widening of the part and overall thinning. Read more about gender-specific hair loss issues and what you can do about them.
Hair growth occurs in four ongoing phases: growing, transitioning, resting and shedding. Understanding the natural growth cycle of your hair helps explain how disruptions in the cycle can lead to hair loss.
Hear What Dr. Phipps Has To Say About Thinning Hair
The most common cause of hair loss in both men and women is genetic. Hereditary hair loss happens because of a hormone called DHT, which chokes the hair follicle, eventually causing it to shut down. A hair follicle’s resistance or lack of resistance to DHT is genetically determined, which is why some people lose their hair and others don’t.
Male and Female Pattern Hair Thinning
Only a medical professional can diagnose the true cause, but the most common reason both men and women lose their hair is genetics. This condition is called androgenetic alopecia and it means being born with a propensity for hair loss. Androgenetic alopecia is also known as male and female pattern hair loss, and it can come from either or both the mother’s side or father’s side of the family. Men experiencing male pattern baldness typically lose their hair in a very predictable and visible way. It begins with receding at the temples and/or thinning at the crown. As hair thinning progresses, the two balding areas eventually meet in the middle, leaving hair only on the back and sides of the head. The reason this band of hair remains is that it’s resistant to a hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Men with male pattern baldness are born with a sensitivity to DHT that attacks hair follicles at the crown and along the hairline, particularly at the temples. Women don’t necessarily follow the same pattern as men. Often, there isn’t an easily recognizable pattern in women. They may experience overall thinning, a widening part or bare patches at the temples. Women don’t have the same band of DHT-resistant hair that men have, so their progression can be more unpredictable.
DHT is a naturally-occurring hormone. People experiencing hereditary hair loss have a genetic sensitivity to DHT. DHT causes hair follicles to shrink over time. This results in thinner and finer hair. Eventually, the follicles will stop producing normal, thick hairs and grow only miniaturized hairs that are thin, fragile, colorless and almost invisible.
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