Hair Loss Basics

Before you can make an educated decision with purchasing a hair loss product, you need you first understand how hair is grown, and of course, lost. We will go over the basics here, and explain to you, in layman’s terms, how hair is grown as well as how it is lost.

Hair Growth:

Hair growth happens in stages. At any given time, ~90% of the hair on the human head is in a 2-6 year growth stage. The remaining ~10% of the hair is in a 2-3 month “resting phase”. On average, every human loses around 100 hairs every day. Once a hair is shed, the growth stage restarts, as a new hair is grown. This process is repeated throughout life.

One of the main causes of hair loss is when the re-growth phase occurs less often than the shedding phase.

Hair Loss:

Hair loss is usually caused in men by an increase in testosterone levels that occurs after puberty, which then eventually leads to an imbalance in DHT levels within the body which overpower androgen receptors. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is formed in the body when the enzyme “5-alpha-reductase” combines with testosterone.

To put it simply, too much DHT within hair follicles will cause hair to grow back thinner and shorter than in previous growth stages. This eventually degrades into a condition called androgenetic alopecia, aka male pattern baldness.

This issue within the body is usually genetic, but in some cases it may be caused by an underlying condition.

Temporary Hair Loss:

Permanent hair loss is not the only case of hair loss in men. While most people think that hair loss is always permanent, this isn’t always the case. In temporary hair loss situations, the cause of the hair loss can usually be treated, and thus the hair will re-grow and the problem is solved. Also, there are quite a few OTC supplements that deal with many of the causes for temporary hair loss caused by:

  • Infection of the scalp
  • Dangerous chemical hair treatments and products
  • Certain Medications
  • Recent medical treatments
  • Very poor nutrition
  • Disease

How Is Hair Loss Treated?

There are 4 general treatment methods for hair loss. Some of the treatments are mainly focused on stopping the further loss of hair, and others are focused more on re-growing hair that has been lost.

    • Anti-Inflammatories – The main purpose of these is to reduce and prevent inflammation, redness, and itching which often occurs on the scalp, thus promoting hair loss due to damage to follicles and weak, dry skin.
    • Antiandrogens – These work by preventing DHT from combining and binding with androgen receptors, which helps prevent hair from growing back thin, short, and weak.
    • Growth Stimulants – Growth stimulants are designed to stimulate hair growth and promote healthy follicles.
    • DHT Inhibitors – These are designed to restore the healthy and natural balance of shedding and re-growth stages of hair. They work by limiting the production of DHT, which can promote male pattern baldness.