About hair loss

Hair loss affects over 60% of men and 40% of women, respectively. But what is hair loss and why does it happen to so many of us? Here, we examine the issue of balding and thinning hair to give you a clearer insight of what hair loss is and how it can be prevented.

Male Pattern Baldness

Male pattern baldness (MPB) occurs in over 60% of men at some stage of their life. This condition usually happens when men reach their thirties, but the pattern can begin earlier in their twenties. Male pattern baldness is related to your genes and male sex hormones. It usually follows a pattern of receding hairline and hair thinning on the crown, and is caused by hormones and genetic predisposition. Each strand of hair you have sits in a tiny hole (cavity) in the skin called a follicle. MPB can be accurately measured through the Norwood Scale (see below). Natural treatments for baldness are said to be most beneficial during early stages of MPB, Norwood 2-4. Anything over Norwood 4 is classified as improbable to reverse.

Female Pattern Baldness

Female pattern baldness (FPHL) occurs in over 40% of women at some stage of their life. This condition usually happens to women in their fourties, but it is also common to see FPHL occur in women during their twenties. Female pattern hair loss is a distinctive form of hair loss that occurs in women with androgenetic alopecia. Many women are affected by FPHL. In fact, around 40% of women by age 50 show signs of hair loss and less than 45% of women actually reach the age of 80 with a full head of hair.

Alopecia

Alopecia areata is a type of hair loss that occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks hair follicles, which is where hair growth begins. The damage to the follicle is usually not permanent. Experts do not know why the immune system attacks the follicles. Alopecia areata is most common in people younger than 20, but children and adults of any age may be affected. Women and men are affected equally.

Can Hair Loss be Cured?

As it stands, there is no official cure for hair loss, but not all hope is lost - Early stages of hair loss can be treated, where positive results have included the slowing down of hair fall and the promotion of hair growth. There are various supplements, serums and treatments that can help halt the hair loss process, but please note that results from each product or treatment will always vary with each individual.

What does FDA approved mean?

FDA approved. There are currently only two FDA approved products for treating hair loss - Finasteride (Propecia) and Minoxidil (Regaine). However, many men and women are reluctant to use these treatments and look for alternative products for their hair loss because of the unwanted side-effects that are associated with these two FDA approved treatments.

Can natural treatments help with hair loss?

Although you won't find a cure for baldness, there are indeed many products on the market that have had excellent reviews from many men and woman who are battling hair loss. Supplements are particularly popular choices of treatment, some of which have had exceptional results. We would always advise choosing natural treatments for your hair loss to avoid nasty side-effects. Keep an eye on our website for regular product reviews.