Is there a baldness gene determining one’s predisposition to male pattern baldness?
Well, the answer to whether
HOW COMMON IS MALE PATTERN BALDING?
Male balding is actually quite common. It’s estimated that up to 70% of men in Australia will experience some hair loss in their lifetime, with many men noticing changes as early as their 20s. There are a few different reasons why male balding occurs but, by and large, the common reason is ‘male pattern baldness’, or androgenetic alopecia.
THE FIRST SIGNS OF MALE PATTERN BALDNESS
Men begin to notice the changes of male hair loss firstly in the texture of their hair. It feels finer and perhaps doesn’t seem to be growing as quickly. The thinning hair then starts to be lost around the temple area, and gradually moves
CAUSES: The Baldness Gene and “Male Pattern Baldness”
‘Male pattern baldness’ or ‘male pattern hair loss’ is a hereditary condition, with many people believing that you inherit ‘the bald gene’ from your mother. While it’s true that the gene rests on the X chromosome, it’s not quite as simple as blaming
mum for your hair loss. Studies have shown that men who have fathers that are bald are more likely to go bald themselves, compared with men whose fathers retain a full head of hair. In fact, if you have baldness anywhere in your family, your chance of going bald increases.
So, the bad news is that male baldness is coded in your genes; and you possibly receive that code from your mum, or your dad, or both! Unfortunately, nothing can alter your genes. So, if your father is bald, you probably will be too at some stage in your life. However, the good news is that male pattern baldness, while it cannot be prevented, can be slowed considerably. The earlier you begin baldness treatment, the better the chances of slowing or halting hair loss.
BALDNESS TREATMENT IS IN ADDRESSING THE CAUSE
The key to successfully treating male pattern baldness is connected to what causes hair loss in the first place. Men with the ‘bald gene’ have overly sensitive hair follicles to the hormone DHT. The hair follicle’s cycle of growth and rest is disrupted, leading to shorter, finer hair and a smaller hair follicle. Eventually, the hair follicles stop producing hair at all and, voila, male baldness!
However, hair regrowth treatments like shampoo and foams work to