TO KNOW MORE

Baldness or alopecia androgenic, genetic and hereditary cause, is a common condition. Hair falls because follicles or roots are too sensitive to male hormone derivatives circulating in the blood. However, the hair of the crown is protected from the effects of these hormones.

Baldness affects up to two-thirds of Caucasian men between the ages of 35 and 40 and affects women to a lesser degree (around 30% before menopause).

In men, baldness is first manifested by the gradual withdrawal of the frontal line, followed by more or less extensive loss of hair to the tonsure. In women, it is rather manifested by a gradual and diffuse decrease in hair density over the entire head. The frontal line is usually not affected.

In general, early-onset baldness will be more severe at older ages than if it occurs later.

CAUSES OF HAIR LOSS

It’s normal to lose hair. We can lose between 50 and 100 hairs a day, often without noticing.

Hair loss isn’t usually anything to be worried about, but occasionally it can be a sign of a medical condition.

Some types of hair loss are permanent, like male and female pattern baldness. This type of hair loss usually runs in the family.

Other types of hair loss may be temporary. They can be caused by:

TREATMENT FOR HAIR LOSS

Most hair loss doesn’t need treatment and is either:

• temporary and it’ll grow back

• a normal part of getting older

Hair loss caused by a medical condition usually stops or grows back once you have recovered.

There are things you can try if your hair loss is causing you distress. But most treatments aren’t available on the NHS, so you’ll have to pay for them.