Natural Approaches to Reverse Male Pattern Baldness

The Truth About Hair Loss!

It is normal to shed hair every day and the truth is we loose between 100 – 125 hairs on any given day. Hair that is shed falls out at the end of growth cycle. At any given time 10% of our hair is in what is called
a “resting phase” and after 2- 3 months resting, hair falls out and new hair grows in its place. Some people, however, experience more hair loss than is normal.

As we get older, both men and women experience some hair loss. It’s a normal part of the aging process. Called Androgenetic Alopecia, it accounts for 95% of all hair loss. Androgentic Alopecia often runs in
families and affects some people more than others. In men it is often referred to as Male Pattern Baldness. It is characterized by a receding hair line and baldness on the top of head. Women, on the other hand, don’t go entirely bald even if their hair loss is severe. Instead, hair loss is spread out evenly over their entire scalp.

Hormones play the dominant role when talking about Androgenetic Alopecia. Simple put, both men and women produce testosterone. Testosterone can be converted to dihydrotestosterone ( DHT) with the aid
of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase. DHT shrinks hair follicles causing the membranes in the scalp to thicken, become inelastic and restrict blood flow. This causes the hair follicles to atrophy. As a result, when a hair does fall out, it is not replaced.

Needless to say, men produce more testosterone than women and experience more hair loss.

While Androgenetic Alopecia is the number one reason why individuals experience hair loss, it is not the only one. Medical conditions such as hypothyroidism, ringworm and fungal infections can cause hair loss.
Certain medications such as blood thinners, gout medication, birth control pills and too much vitamin A can cause sudden or abnormal hair loss as can following a crash diet, sudden hormonal changes, chemotherapy and radiation.

Emotional stress, pregnancy, or surgery can also cause our hair to fall out and is usually not noticed until 3-4 months after the stressful event has taken place. Stress can cause a slowing of new hair growth because a larger number of hair follicles enter into the resting phase and no new hair growth is experienced.

Another way in which individuals experience hair loss is due to mechanical stressors on the hair and scalp. Wearing pigtails, cornrows or tight rollers that end up pull on the hair can scar the scalp and cause permanent hair loss. Hair products such as hot oil treatments and chemicals used for permanents can cause inflammation to the hair follicles which can also result in scarring and hair loss.

For some, hair loss may be the early warning sign of a more serious disorder such as lupus or diabetes, so it is important to talk to your doctor. If you or someone you know is suffering from hair loss, here are some alternative health ideas that can help naturally.

Recommendations For Wellness

• If you are taking prescription medications, talk to your doctor and find out if your medication is contributing to your hair loss.
• Avoid mega-doses of vitamin A. Too much vitamin A can cause your hair to fall out.
• Exercise, do yoga, meditate or find some other practice that will help to reduce your anxiety and stress levels.
• Massage your scalp with rosemary oil in an olive oil base. Both rosemary oil and massaging the scalp can stimulate the circulation in the scalp and promote hair growth.
• If you are a women, have your female hormones tested. If they are imbalanced, talk to your health care provider about bio-identical hormone replacements.
• If you wear pigtails, cornrows, use a curling iron, hair dryer or hot rollers, try changing your hair style to one that puts less pressure and stress on your hair and scalp.
• If hot oil treatments or chemicals such as those used in permanents are causing inflammation to the scalp, discontinue their use, or reduce the number of times you are using them.
• Use gentle shampoos and conditioners to avoid any unnecessary damage to your hair.
• In men, herbs such as saw palmetto and licorice root help block the formation of D HT. The same holds true for supplementation with zinc. As an added benefit, studies show that these supplements can also help
  prevent prostate enlargement.

Reduce Male Pattern Baldness Naturally

There is no magic potion that will instantly give you back a full head of thick, lush hair. But if we look at the way advances in hair loss treatments have evolved recently, perhaps we’re not far from it.

Hair loss can be caused by many factors, the most common being pattern baldness, which affects more than 40% of the male population. Women also suffer from hair loss, although the causes can be quite different than in men. Baldness can be quite a degrading condition for millions of men and women, and can lead to psychological problems and feelings of self-worthlessness. But the scientific discoveries in recent years have made treatments for balding more effective, and like all medical conditions, if you act on the problem when it is in its infancy, you’ve got a better chance of minimising the effects, or even reversing the condition.

The causes of hair loss are many and varied. Genetic ‘Pattern Baldness’ is the most common, but there are other very common causes such as hormonal imbalance, illness, poor diet, poor hygiene, drug abuse, and stress. These are just the core issues that contribute to hair loss.

To get a better understanding of exactly how the hair stops producing, it entails a bit of a scientific look at how hair actually grows.

Hair Grows in 3 Stages:

1. A new hair is produced in the first stage (Anagen), and this is the stage where the most growth occurs.
2.  in the Catagen (Regressive) stage, the hair has stopped growing but is not yet torn.
3. In the final stage (Telogen), the hair is resting and eventually falls out, and a new one begins to grow. At the same time, DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) miniaturises hair follicles by shortening the anagen (growth) stage and, at the same time, can also lengthen the telogen (resting) stage. This is usually a gradual process, and the end result is an increase in the number of short, thin hairs which are barely visible above the scalp.

There is hope, because while any hair is growing, then various treatments can be administered to re-balance/block the DHT and promote healthy hair growth once again. There is no single hair loss treatment that works for everyone. In fact, it would be quite amazing if someone used a single baldness treatment that completely solved their problem. The best hair loss treatment is in fact a combination of the best known products in a way that is tailored to your individual circumstances.

Generally, the most effective regimen for preventing or reversing hair loss is a combination of 3 or 4 products:

1. DHT Inhibitors: Work to inhibit the negative effects of DHT
2. Growth Stimulators: These products artificially stimulate hair follicle growth.
3. Hair vitamins: these products contain all of the clinically proven vitamins and minerals needed to help hair grow to its fullest, thickest potential.
4. Hair and Scalp Cleaners: These products provide proper hair and scalp hygiene and nutrition.

In all cases, the most effective hair loss treatment will involve a combination of the above options. That is because there is no single solution that tackles the cause and effect of baldness in everyone.