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HAIR REGROWTH AND HAIR REPLACEMENT
FACTS & OPTIONS

4. CAUSES OF HAIR LOSS (ALOPECIA): Causes generally fall into the following categories:

a. Androgenic Alopecia (Male and female pattern baldness)
b. Anagen and Telogen Effluvium
c. Alopecia Areata or Totalis

Androgenic Alopecia (Male and female Pattern Baldness) The most common form of hair loss and is generally known as "Genetic Baldness", caused by a combination of hormone imbalances, genetics and age.

Androgens - Various of these hormones control the appearance and masculine characteristics. Testosterone, the most significant male hormone.

Genes - Inheriting the balding gene from either the mother or father's side.

Age - Can signal the hair follicles to produce an enzyme '5 alpha reductase', when combined with testosterone, converts to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The roots get affected, causing the cell division to slow down, reducing the number of size of hair follicles, starting the process of male or female pattern baldness.

As the follicles become smaller, the hairs become finer, growing slower and shorter. The Anagen or growing phase is reduced and the Telogen or resting phase is lengthened.

(IHRB's TREATMENT CAN ASSIST IN BLOCKING THE 'DHT', THEREBY STOPPING FURTHER THINNING AND REGROWING MORE HAIR - THE ANAGEN PHASE IS LENGTHENED).

The early signs of 'balding' is 'thin textured - poor quality hair'. Eventually the hair follicles shrink in size and can no longer produce normal healthy hair, causing it to disappear altogether.

Female Androgenic Alopecia or thinning hair generally occurs over the top and sides of the head. It affects approximately a third of post-menopausal women usually seen after menopause. It can also occur during puberty.

Four out of five men are affected by 'male pattern baldness' and can affect men in their early teens or up too their late forties, fifties and beyond. It may take from five to thirty years to become extremely bald. Men usually start by receding at the temples or thinning of their crown.

Over a period of years these two areas join together, producing a 'bald head'. Hair at the lower sides and back of the head are genetically resistant to the effect of DHT and usually grow for life. THIS IS WHY HAIR TRANSPLANTS GROW ON THE BALD AREA FOR LIFE.

Anagen Effluvium - Caused by drugs and/ or medication for chemotheraphy, etc,.

Telogen Effluvium - Caused by excessive number of hair follicles entering the resting stage. The most common causes are physical and emotional stress, surgery, illness and mental illness, rapid weight loss, large doses of vitamin A, pregnancy, birth control pills, menopause medication, anaemia, low blood count and thyroid abnormalities.

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