Androgenetic alopecia is a common condition in both men and women. It is genetic, or inherited. It is caused by a shortened "growth phase" of the hair's life cycle, which normally lasts 2-3 years. The hair is slowly replaced by thinner hair. Hormones regulate the replacement of the thick hairs by the thinner finer hairs.
Baldness and Hair Loss
Men and women naturally lose hair as they age, with about two-thirds of men either bald or showing a pattern of baldness by age 60. Yet other hair loss can be triggered by sudden physical or emotional stress, childbirth, crash diets, medication such as antidepressants, autoimmune conditions such as lupus, and thyroid diseases. Another form of hair loss, called alopecia areata, causes bald patches on the scalp, beard, eyebrows and eyelashes. Discuss any sudden hair loss with your doctor.
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RealAge answeredAdvances in hair transplant surgery over the last few years have made this a promising treatment option for many people. The most common type of hair loss treated with a hair transplant is male pattern baldness. But it may also work for other types of hair loss, such as female pattern baldness, hair loss that is not on the head (for example, the eyelashes, eye brows, moustache or beard area) and hair loss due to scarring alopecia from burns, surgery or trauma. Success rates for these conditions are high, and most people can expect natural, fuller hair growth within a few months.
Hair transplants are not usually effective for people with alopecia caused by an active scarring disease, such lichen planopilaris or frontal fibrosing alopecia, unless the disease has become inactive. -
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Dr. Anthony L. Komaroff, MD , Internal Medicine, answeredSee All 2 AnswersThere are many reasons for hair loss. One of the most common causes is alopecia areata, in which hair disappears in circles on the scalp.
In some cases, hair loss is scattered. In other cases, it can cause total baldness. As hair begins to regrow, new circles of hair loss may appear in other areas.
The cause of alopecia areata is probably an autoimmune reaction. Immune cells of the body seem to attack hair follicles, leading to hair loss. No one knows why immune cells make this mistake, but genetics may play a role.
There is no cure for alopecia areata, but there are ways to encourage hair growth. Cortisone cream applied to the areas with no hair can sometimes stimulate hair growth. In cased of severe hair loss, injections of cortisone can be effective. The drug anthralin (Drithocreme, Dritho-Scalp, Micanol) produces mild irritation of the scalp. This can stimulate mild hair growth.
With alopecia areata, hair usually grows back within a year. Because there are other causes of hair loss, and because alopecia areata can differ widely in extent and appearance, it is important to see a doctor for the correct diagnosis and treatment. -
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Dr. Doris Day, MD , Dermatology, answeredThis is a procedure in which rows of hair, along with the underlying skin are taken from unaffected areas at the back of the scalp and inserted into the balding areas. When the skin is then sewn or stapled back together, there is merely a fine line that remains that is covered by the surrounding hair. There is a very low risk of scarring and skin infection when the procedure is done correctly so be sure to choose a board certified doctor who comes highly recommended. -
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Reston Hospital Center answeredHereditary pattern baldness is by far the most common cause of hair loss in both men and women. However, men are much more likely than women to sustain hair loss as a result of pattern baldness. It is estimated that hereditary pattern baldness affects up to 35 million men, or 50 percent of men over 50. Male-pattern baldness can occur in men at any time after puberty, in conjunction with the increase in androgenic hormones that accompanies puberty. Women do not usually have this kind of hair loss until menopause. -
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Reston Hospital Center answeredBaldness is a spectrum of conditions involving excessive loss of hair from the scalp. Baldness, also sometimes referred to as alopecia, can arise for a variety of reasons. People of any age group can exhibit hair loss. The treatment approach to baldness depends on its underlying cause. Most commonly it is hereditary hair loss, sometimes called male- or female-pattern baldness.
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Reston Hospital Center answeredBaldness of a non-hereditary nature may potentially be treated successfully. However, most baldness is hereditary in nature. While several treatment options such as minoxidil, finasteride, and hair transplantation surgery may slow or hide this form of hair loss, there is no known cure for hereditary pattern baldness at this time.
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Reston Hospital Center answeredThe treatment options available for baldness depend largely on the underlying cause. For pattern baldness, drugs such as topical monoxide and oral finasteride may promote new hair growth and decrease the rate of hair loss. The results from these drugs may vary widely from one individual to the next. However, finasteride is not approved for use in women. Surgical treatment of androgenetic alopecia consists of hair transplantation, sometimes in conjunction with scalp reduction procedures. The treatment of reactive forms of baldness, such as those that occur as a result of infection, topical chemicals, or inflammation, is generally aimed at removing the underlying cause.
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Reston Hospital Center answeredHair growth occurs in a cyclical fashion consisting of three distinct phases. The resting phase, or telogen, lasts 3-5 months during which the hair shaft remains connected to the associated hair follicle and no further growth occurs. Afterward, the hair falls from the hair follicle and another growth phase begins. Each day, approximately 50-100 scalp hairs fall from their respective hair follicles as these follicles reach the end of the resting phase and move into another growth phase. Thus, some hair loss each day is to be expected and considered normal.
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Reston Hospital Center answeredSince hereditary pattern baldness appears to be related to androgenic hormones, you might wonder whether hormone therapy exists to counteract those effects. Hormone therapy is not an approved treatment option available in the management of baldness. Additionally, no hormone therapy has been demonstrated to reverse pattern baldness. Finasteride is a prescription medication available in the treatment of hair loss in men. This drug acts by inhibiting the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, the hormone that apparently causes pattern baldness. While this drug affects body hormones, it is not true hormone therapy.