Androgenetic alopecia or male pattern baldness (MPB) is the main cause of hair loss in men. There are many other factors that can cause hair loss such as certain diseases, reaction to medications and stressful life events, however the most common cause is genetic susceptibility.
Hair loss in women can be genetic or caused by psychological stress, a medical condition or medical treatment. Hair loss is common side effect of chemotherapy, and around 50% of women lose more hair than usual after they've given birth.
What is hair growth cycle and how is it affected by hormones?
Each strand of hair is subject to a three-phase growth cycle. These phases are:
Male pattern baldness affects the hair growth process by making the effects of the catagen, phase more pronounced. DHT, the androgenic hormone that causes male pattern baldness, inhibits and reduces the proper growth of hair follicles in a process called ‘miniaturisation’. ‘Miniaturisation’ affects genetically-susceptible hair follicles resulting in lighter, finer hairs. In time this results in hair follicles shrinking and eventually failing to produce hair growth.
The average adult head has about 100,000 to 150,000 hairs which loses up to 100 hairs a day
These include:
The cause of hair loss will determine the most suitable treatment for each client. At our clinic we offer the following options:
Typically, individuals affected by alopecia areata hair will experience new hair growth without treatment after approximately a year. In cases where treatment is indicated, injectable steroids can be an effective solution. They prevent the immune system from attacking hair follicles and can also trigger hair regrowth in alopecia patients. Steroids are most suitable for individuals who have small patches of hair loss. Topical steroids can also be used as a short-term treatment.
The procedure is performed by Dr Baba, a highly trained and experienced aesthetic doctor who is also a senior trainer for this procedure at London Aesthetic Academy (www.londonaestheticacademy.co.uk)