Is Hair Loss in Men Different from Women?
- February 16th, 2012
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Hair loss can affect both men and women. By the age of 65, up to 85 percent of men and 30 percent of women will experience some degree of hair loss.
There are many types of hair loss and yes, they do differ in men and women.
In men, the most common type is male pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia. It is a condition that is related to the genes and male hormones. Typically, the pattern follows an M shape, starting with a receding hairline along the forehead that gradually progresses. Usually, a little hair thinning is noted starting from the late 20s. This can be seen as more hair in the shower drain or more hair strands on the pillow upon waking up in the morning. As the hair becomes finer, this then creates a horseshoe pattern of hair around the sides of the head.
In male pattern baldness, the hair follicles are more susceptible to DHT or dihydrotestosterone. DHT, the primary culprit in male baldness, causes the follicles to shrink. Because of this, the growth cycle of the hair is shortened and the hairs produced are finer. Over time, the affected follicles stop growing hair.
In contrast to pattern baldness, there is a general thinning of hair all over the head in women. The main causes of hair loss in women are aging, family history, and hormonal changes. In women, there is rarely total or near baldness as seen in men. The usual causes for hair thinning are hormonal changes such as menopause and pregnancy, temporary hair loss due to stress, vitamin deficiencies because of dieting and poor nutrition, and breaking of hair due to excessive heat styling or hairstyles that pull hair too much. Chemical causes are also quite common, including colouring, perming, and straightening, leading to hair damage and hair breakage.
For both men and women, there are hair loss treatment products available control or slow down its progression.
Any product that purports to stimulate hair to start growing again must contain a DHT blocker. This is because the main cause of hair loss is the accumulation of DHT on the hair follicles preventing them from growing hair. When the roots become blocked the hair on your head dies and falls out because it is unable to gain nutrients that it needs to thrive.