Male Pattern Baldness - Causes, Symptoms Treatment

Androgenetic alopecia, better known as male pattern baldness, is a fact of life for millions of men.  The most common type of hair loss for men, it is best identified as a pattern of receding hairline and hair thinning on the crown. It is estimated to affect 90 percent of men by the age of 50 as a consequence of hormonal function and genetics.  

Many different treatments exist to combat pattern baldness, including medicines such as finasteride (Propecia) and minoxidil (Rogaine) and procedures such as hair transplantation.  More than ever before, men with male pattern baldness are seeking out companies such as Bosley to perform hair transplant procedures for a permanent restoration of their natural hairlines. 

Causes 

Male pattern baldness is related to hormones called androgens, specifically an androgen called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). It attaches to receptor cells on the scalp and hair follicles, interrupting and interacting with the normal mechanics involved with continual, healthy hair growth. Men whom display male pattern baldness typically have lower levels testosterone, but a proportionately higher level of DHT in their body.  Other factors such as lifestyle factors and terminal illness may cause hair loss as well.  

Symptoms

The most notable symptom of the onset of male pattern baldness is hair loss along the hairline that gradually recedes into an “M” shape.  The hair at the crown begins to thin, eventually meeting the receding hairline and creating a horseshoe pattern of hair around the sides of the head.  Male pattern baldness is typically diagnosed by the appearance of this pattern. Other diseases such as alopecia areata or folliculitis may cause dissimilar balding patterns and should not be diagnosed as male pattern baldness.  

Treatment

Medicinal treatments for male pattern baldness include Propecia and Rogaine.  Both are more successful at slowing hair loss than exhibiting new hair growth.  Needless to say, unlike hair transplantation as offered by companies like Bosley, no medicinal treatment is a permanent solution for male pattern baldness.  Of the two, Propecia is most successful with male pattern baldness as it inhibits the growth of DHT androgens.  Take a look at the Propecia and Rogaine sections on BattleAgainstBald.com to learn more about how the treatments work and their effectiveness. 

Hair transplantation is very effective at treating male pattern baldness.  Since hair follicles from the side and back of the head are resistant to the DHT androgens, hair simply must be transplanted from healthy parts of the scalp to the affected areas. 

The surgery has become increasingly popular in the last few years. Since 2004, there has been a 34% increase in hair transplant procedures, according to a survey conducted by the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS). The increase is a result of an increase in effectiveness of the procedure and the natural results it yields. In 2006-2010, approximately 87% of hair restoration surgeries were for patients with pattern baldness.   

F. Ex. Bosley Medical has performed over 200,000 of such procedures, making it one of the most reputable resources for victims of male pattern baldness to seek treatment.  

What Is The Raw Food Diet ?

Have you started hearing about the Raw Food Diet? It’s gaining popularity and buzz, not just as a diet to lose weight, but a diet for a long and healthy life. We eat so much in the way of processed food that we don’t even stop to think about what we’re putting into our bodies, and how far we’ve come nutritionally from our ancestral, agrarian roots.

A raw food diet means consuming food in its natural, unprocessed form. There are several common-sense rationales for why this is a good idea. Processing and cooking food can take so much of the basic nutritional value away. Think of some of the conventional wisdom you’ve heard about for years, such as: If you cook pasta just to the al dente (or medium) stage, it will have more calories, yes, but it will have more the nutritional value in it than if you cooked it to a well-done stage. Or you probably remember hearing not to peel carrots or potatoes too deeply, because most of the nutrients and values are just under the surface.

The raw food diet means eating unprocessed, uncooked, organic, whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, dried fruits, seaweeds, etc. It means a diet that is at least 75% uncooked! Cooking takes out flavor and nutrition from vegetables and fruits. A raw food diet means eating more the way our ancient ancestors did. Our healthier, more fit ancestors. They cooked very little, and certainly didn’t cook or process fruits and vegetables. They ate them RAW. Their water wasn’t from a tap; it was natural, spring water. Maybe they drank some coconut milk on occasion. 

Doesn’t it just make sense that this is how our bodies were meant to eat? It’s a way of eating that’s in harmony with the planet and in harmony with our own metabolisms. Our bodies were meant to work, and need to work to be efficient. That means exercise, certainly, but it also means eating natural, raw foods that require more energy to digest them.