Baldness is now a problem for every age group. It can occur to you at an early stage especially in your 20’s or might be late in your forties. But one thing that is for sure is that it will occur. It can be hereditary as well. Male pattern baldness is very common and is linked to sex hormones like testosterone. There is no prevention for hereditary type baldness. The process can be only delayed, not prevented. It’s important to start the treatment early in this case. If treatment is delayed then there is no full stop to the problem! There are various other reasons apart from genes like infection of the scalp, skin infection, stress and nutritional deficiencies. This can be dealt with easily by making necessary changes in your lifestyle. The treatment of this includes taking proper nutrition. Yoga and meditation are proven to be beneficial in many patients. Apart from this proper medicine like minoxidil are proven to improve and stimulate hair follicles.
What are the causes of baldness?
Your hair is made up of keratin. This is a protein that is left over from dead cells that are forced upwards as new cells grow over beneath them. Secondly the structures that drive hair growth are hair follicles. This is the network of complex organs that is formed before we are born and grows hair in the everlasting cycle. This cycle has three main phases. The first is anagen which is also called the growth phase. Mostly hair follicles are experiencing right now. Anagen can last for two to seven years, depending on your genes. After this productive year, signals from the skin instruct some follicles to enter into a new phase. This new phase is also known as catagen or the regressing phase. This causes hair follicles to shrink to a fraction of their original length. Catagen lasts for two to three weeks and cuts the blood supply to the follicles. This phase creates the club hair, this means it’s ready to shed. Finally the hair enters telogen which is also called the resting phase. This phase lasts for ten to twelve weeks. This affects 5 to 15% of your scalp follicles. During this phase 200 hairs can be shed, which is quite normal. But all heads are not hairy. In fact most of them are patchy. 95% of the baldness is attributed to male pattern baldness. Baldness is inherited in most of the cases. In this condition follicles become sensitive to the effects of dihydrotestosterone. DHT is the product of testosterone. This causes shrinkage in these overly sensitive follicles making hair shorter and wispier. But loss isn’t sudden. It happens gradually along a metric known as Norwood Scale. This describes the severity of hair loss. First hair recedes along the temple. Hair near the crown begins to thin in the circular pattern. These balding areas meeta and expand dramatically. This only leaves sparse hair around the temples and the back of the head. Geneticity isn’t all that drives hair loss. Long periods of stress can give signals that shock follicles. This can lead to baldness.Here is a precise list of causes :
Hormonal disorder : This includes testosterone majorly in male pattern baldness. The by-product of testosterone is dihydrotestosterone. This weakens the hair follicles. Other hormones that are responsible include thyroid hormones.
Nutrient deficiency : Thinning hair could be due to lack of biotin and vitamin B12. Paba tablets are generally given in this case.
Cancer treatment : Chemotherapy and radiation are hard core treatments of cancer. This can cause complete hair loss. This is not a permanent hair loss. Ayurveda can help during post-cancer treatment. Homeopathic doctor can provide proper guidance for the same.
Hair products and treatment : Some hair products can lead to loss of hair or hair thinning. Sulphates , parabens etc are chemicals which can affect your hair health. It is generally advised to shift to natural shampoos. Ayurvedic general physicians can suggest according to your scalp.
Stress : It is a big culprit in all such diseases. Stress can lead to hair loss and greying as well.
Infection: Scalp infections are very common. Dandruff or fungal growth are very common problems. Consult your dermatologist.
Medical condition : Any kind of disease like PCOS can cause hair loss. It’s important to identify the cause of the problem to reach the right treatment.
Can Baldness be cured?
It is found that people are getting bald too early. As soon as men gain maturity this leads to loss of hair. This is simply due to testosterone. You can feel baldness. Thinning of hair and loss of hair or patch in the centre. You start noticing the difference after 20-30% of the hair is lost. This is the right time to immediately consult your dermatologist. Baldness should be treated immediately after you start seeing hair loss. Delay in the treatment can lead to baldness. Getting bald in your twenties is altogether different from forties. There are various treatments for male pattern baldness. There are various myths regarding hair loss and hair thinning. Talk to your dermatologist about the same. Few brushes, massage and magnets can stimulate your hair follicles which will prevent hair fall. There is no medical evidence for the same. Instead drugs like minoxidil can stimulate the hair follicles and proper blood circulation to the scalp. The other treatment includes platelet rich fibrin and platelet rich plasmin. In some cases dermatologists have found that laser treatment is also effective. Nutritional supplements like biotin and marine derived food can actually help stimulate the hair follicles. But you should keep your expectations low. Talk to your dermatologist about the same. If your baldness is genetic then taking vitamins and minerals wouldn’t help. Treatment of genetic baldness should start on an early basis. The delay could cause more problems. Complete prevention is not possible in the case of genetic problems. The process can be only delayed by taking medicine prescribed by your dermatologist. There are side effects of the treatment as well. The side effects include burning of scalp, excessive facial hair growth, redness on the skin and swelling of the face. You should not use it if you are below 18 years.
How can I stop balding?
Firstly stop worrying about the same! Too much stress can lead to loss of hair. It is studied that stress can put the hair follicles in shock and thus cut the blood supply. To lose 100 strands each day is normal. But if you flip the side, actually hair loss is different. First it starts by taking the right nutrition which includes biotin and vitamin B12. Marine food and keratin with vitamin E capsule. Reduce the stress. Online consultation with a psychologist can help you with stress. Yoga and meditation to increase blood circulation and calm your senses. Post cancer is important for the patients. There are many ayurvedic treatments available for cancer patients. Check for the levels of the hormones in your body majorly testosterone and thyroid. Testosterone is responsible for male pattern baldness. Infection of the scalp could cause hair loss. Apart from this, fungal growth can also cause hair thinning. Keep a check on your scalp. Excessive use of chemicals should be stopped immediately on your scalp. It is always advised by ayurvedic general physicians to use mild and gentle shampoo. Use conditioner after the shampoo. Any kind of medication should be taken by prescription. Medical conditions can cause baldness. Keep a check with your general physician.
