We hear more about men's hair loss than women's, and more about men's hair loss than hair loss in general. This is because a higher percentage of men suffer from hair loss than women. Men's hair loss is targets in both advertising as well as in the number of hair loss products available.
Men's hair loss is due to several factors, in particular the over production of the hormone dihydrotestosterone, more commonly known as simply DHT. In fact, DHT is the number one cause of men's hair loss. DHT is a metabolite of the male hormone, testosterone. What it does is get in the way of normal blood flow to the hair follicles. Without enough blood to the root of the hair, hair is unable to receive the nutrition it needs to grow. In this way, DHT contributes to hair loss in general and in particular, men's hair loss.
Another male hormone, androgen, contributes to men's hair loss as well. This is actually connected to the over production of DHT also. The metabolism of androgen gets involved with 5-alpha reductase which then combines with testosterone to produce DHT. Again you can see that the over production of DHT is a leading cause of men's hair loss.
Androgenetic alopecia is the most common type of hair loss in men. Androgentic alopecia shows up in a particular pattern of hair loss. Specifically, the pattern of androgenetic alopecia is the receding hairline in front and at the sides of the head. This type of men's hair loss is due to an androgen receptor gene on the X chromosome. In other words, it is hereditary. As such, this type of men's hair loss is permanent.
Other causes of hair loss in men are temporary and due to external factors that can be controlled or managed. One common cause of men's hair loss is due to certain medications. Another common cause is stress-related. Men tend to handle traumatic physical stresses differently from women, so a severe injury, illness or surgery is more likely to result in hair loss in men than in women.
Men's hair loss is considered to be a serious problem. While it is not life threatening, it does affect the way a man feels about himself and therefore, affects his quality of life. The encouraging fact however, is that men's hair loss is, for the most part, treatable. The use of DHT blockers, for example, is one way to combat the woes of men's hair loss. Men's hair loss can also be treated by changing certain medications or by waiting for the trauma of certain physical stresses to pass. Whatever the cause, rest assured that men's hair loss can be treated and therefore, measures should be taken to address the root of the problem.