Testosterone And Male Pattern Baldness

May 6, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Medicine 
Adam Milewski asked:


You are an aggressive, highly sexed, macho male, pumping testosterone throughout your body. You may be proud of your muscles, of your sexual drive, your testosterone-filled body. Yet the very thing that makes you a big strong sexual male can also make you bald. And to add insult to injury - the more hair you lose on your head, the more hair you will grow in your ears, nose, upper back, and shoulders.

The first signs that testosterone is linked to male pattern baldness were the eunuchs, who unlike their uncut male friends, never lost any hair. Fifteenth century castrati in the Italian opera always had a full head of hair. So did all soldiers whose battlefield injury happened to include any harm to the testosterone and DHT manufacturing center - the testes. But the hormonal link in balding is complex. Eunuchs, who produce no testosterone, never go bald even if they have a baldness gene. However, if castrated men with a family history of baldness are given testosterone, they lose hair in the classic horseshoe-shaped pattern. So how does the testosterone affect the male pattern baldness?

Normally the scalp loses roughly 100 hairs a day and sprouts 100 new ones. But the sex hormone testosterone can upset this break-even dynamic. Testosterone, in the form of DHT, or dihydrotestosterone stimulates hair growth on the face and the body. But in men who carry a certain common gene, the same hormone gradually defoliates the scalp, causing their aging heads to grow shiny even as their ears, noses and shoulders sprout more hair. Scalp hair loss is influenced by the transformation of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). If there is already a hereditary tendency for hair loss, chances are, the scalp hair will thin and lead to male pattern baldness.

How does testosterone, the very same hormone that in your mother’s womb made you a male instead of a female, actually promote hair loss on your head? Studies show that while balding men don’t have higher than average circulating testosterone levels, they do possess above-average amounts of DHT in the scalp follicles. So it isn’t the testosterone itself that promotes your shiny noggin. Testosterone transforms into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase, which is produced in the prostate, various adrenal glands, and the scalp. Over time, the action of DHT causes the hair follicle to degrade and shortens the active growth phase in the hair follicles. Although the follicle is technically still alive and connected to a good blood supply (it can successfully nurture a transplanted follicle which is immune to the effects of DHT) it will grow smaller and smaller as the male pattern baldness progresses. However, the sebaceous gland attached to it remains the same size. As the hair shafts become smaller, the gland continues to pump out about the same amount of oil. So as your hair thins, you will notice that your hair becomes flatter and oilier.

Some follicles will gradually die, but most will simply shrink to the size they were when you were born. Meaning the hair that grows in these “baby” follicles is weaker, thinner, just as it was when you were a couple of days old. With a steadily shorter active growing cycle in the follicles, more hairs are shed, the hairs becoming thinner and thinner until they are too fine to survive daily wear and tear. Balding hair gradually changes from long, thick, coarse, pigmented hair into fine, un-pigmented “peach fuzz” hair, just like those fine little hairs on your forehead or on women’s cheeks.

But excess DHT doesn’t cause male pattern baldness on its own. Most men who lose their hair have a hereditary condition called androgenic alopecia. If such men indeed have increased levels of a hormone known as 5-alpha reductase and this transforms testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), then they may suffer from hair loss. The rate of hair shedding in androgenic alopecia is speeded up by three forces: advancing age, an inherited tendency to bald early, and our already most familiar friend, excess DHT in the hair follicle.

So who’s at most risk for hair loss? Genetically, light-haired and skinned men are more likely to lose their hair than dark-haired and skinned men. Furthermore, Caucasian males are much more likely to lose their hair than non-Caucasians. So, if you are a blond, light skinned Caucasian, with a family history of male pattern baldness, you are several times more likely to lose your hair than a Japanese man, for example, or an African-American man.

Of course, genetics and over-production of DHT in the hair follicle are not the only causes for hair loss. Hair loss is aggravated by your diet, which in turn can affect the way your body produces hormones. In a recent study in Japan, it was found that more and more men are suffering from baldness and hair loss the more westernized their diet becomes. It is known that fatty foods and red meat, two staples of a westernized diet, contribute to hair loss. And of course stress, which activates production of adrenaline (the same family of testosterone), encourages hair loss as well.

So what can you do aside from pray to wake up tomorrow as a big strapping black basketball player? Keep calm. Eat balanced and healthily, even adopt a more eastern diet with more vegetables and soy products. But as far as male pattern baldness, remember this. There is nothing to be ashamed of. Your bald head and hair loss is just nature’s way of indicating that you’re a guy pumped to the gills with all the good stuff that makes you a sexual male - testosterone and DHT.



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Baldness Information

May 6, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Health 
Paul asked:


In this article you will learn more about baldness, its types, its causes and various treatments options.

What is baldness?

The loss of hairs from parts of the head or whole head is called baldness. Both men and women are affected with baldness at any stage of their lives.

One may develop baldness in teenage or their adolescence.

Baldness can be classified into many types depending upon the loss of hairs and sex. Thus, following are the most common types of baldness:



Male pattern baldness

Female baldness

Frontal Balding

Alopecia areata

Toxic Alopecia

Scaring Alopecia



Male Pattern Baldness:

Male pattern baldness is a hereditary disorder which may descend family to family. The disorder is indicated by the loss of hair from frontal part of the head, sides or crown of the head. Some people may loss all hairs on their head.

Female Pattern Baldness:

It is less common but may affect any female at any age especially during pregnancy due to imbalance in hormones. Female pattern baldness is indicated by lessening the amount of hairs from the front side of the head and other sides. It is rarely for a female to lose all hairs just like males.

Frontal Balding:

It is a very common disorder and male pattern baldness starts from frontal balding if it is ignored and not properly treated. It is indicated as loss of hairs from the front side of head in alphabet “M” like shape.

Alopecia areata:

It is a rare disorder and indicated by the sudden hair loss from any part of the body. They grow later after several months. Its causes are unknown but it may be associated to hormonal imbalance.

Toxic alopecia:

Toxic alopecia is indicated by temporary hair loss. It may develop due to a high fever, pregnancy and high levels of vitamin and retinoid.

Scaring alopecia:

Scaring hair loss is a disorder that no hair grows on scared area. In its severe forms, hairs never grow on the scar area throughout the life. Scaring may be due burning, fungal and bacterial infections.

What are the causes of baldness?

There are various causes of hair loss depending upon the types of hair loss and baldness.



Aging

Fluctuation in hormone level

Hereditary factor

Sever illness



One of the fundamental causes of baldness in teenage is hormonal disorder. Teenage is a stage of life when your body develops rapid changes both in morphology of the face and internal bodily function. These rapid changes in body are caused by over activity of certain hormones.

Treatments of various types of baldness:

There are various treatment options depending upon the type of baldness.



Taking medications such as minoxidil and finasteraide

Corticosteroid injections

Hair transplant

Laser treatment



Your dermatologist will determine which treatment options best suits your baldness. If you have chronic baldness, your dermatologist may prefer hair transplantation.

Note:

The article provides information for your knowledge only and not for diagnosis and seeking treatment options and using medications. The author will not be liable for any loss incurred by reading and practicing any advice in this article or in any way undefined here.



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The Straight Facts About Bald Eagles

May 4, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: 288 
Ryan Orlancia asked:


Did you know that the United States adopted the bald eagle as the national bird and symbol of the nation in 1782? European settlers in America, used to the sight of the Sea Eagle in Europe, named the bald eagle, believing the two birds were the same. There were no bald eagles in Europe, as the bald eagle is found only in North America. The scientific name of the bald eagle is Haliaetus leucocephalus, which actually translates from Latin and Greek into ’sea eagle with a white head.’ We still call them sea eagles to this day.

The bald eagle is the only ’sea eagle’ that is a native of North America. There is no mistaking the bald eagle, with its deep brown feathers and contrasting white head and tail. Coins, flags, buildings, and seals in the United States have used the image of the bald eagle to symbolize the country.

These birds of prey are raptors, along with owls, hawks, vultures, and falcons. The bald eagle eats mainly waterfowl, such as geese and ducks, and fish, but also may indulge in small birds, rodents, snakes, rabbits, and even carrion when live prey is not available

Bald eagles are enormous and intimidating birds, with adults growing to 32 inches in length, with wingspans to 7 feet, and weighing up to 16 pounds.

Alaska is home to the larger eagles, while the smaller ones make their homes in Florida. Wherever they are, when animals see the bald eagle descending, they know to scatter.

An area 2 to 15 miles square is the area needed for a pair of bald eagles to hunt in. Each pair of bald eagles shares a nest, furiously guarding it from predators. Bald eagles living along the Indian River lagoon located on the Central Florida coast have been known to go after Ospreys who have themselves caught a meal. The Osprey usually drops its hard-won catch in order to escape the powerful eagle, and the eagle, not at all fussy about its meals, will then eat it.

Although they are birds of prey, the bald eagle shows a tremendous instinct for family loyalty. This species chooses its mate for life, unlike most birds. The bald eagle in the wild can live to be 25 years old, though most birds do not live to be this age. They live across North America, from the north, including Canada and Alaska, across the middle expanses of the U.S., and south into the northern part of Mexico.

The bald eagle travels frequently, flying to northern climates to escape hot summers, the birds usually return close to the place where they were hatched in order to begin families of their own. Breeding bald eagles lay one to three eggs in the spring, which hatch about 35 days later. The baby eagles live in the nest during the first three months, and then learn to fly for a month before leaving and beginning their own lives. The bald eagle, despite the dangers of disease, hunger, bad weather, and toxic chemicals, still adapt to their environments and live into their second year 70% of the time.

Did you know that the U.S. Congress tried to help the species by passing the Bald Eagle Protection Act in 1940? The law prohibits anyone from disturbing or bothering bald eagles. The law also prohibited taking the animals, their eggs, or their nests, for any reason unless they have a permit. Take includes not just capturing or trapping the bald eagle, but also bothering them, shooting at them, and wounding or killing them.

The overuse of pesticides commercially and residentially, as well as the use of DDT and other harmful chemicals, led to the steep decline of bald eagles. Reintroduction programs, some federally funded and some private, as well as new laws have given the bald eagle a chance to return in numbers. It seemed nearly impossible to save the species from extinction at the time.

For species with small populations, and those with very few animals left, the Endangered Species Act of 1973 allowed the legal classifications of endangered or threatened. The dramatic return of the bald eagle population removed it from most endangered species lists in the early 1990s.

The dramatic increase in the number of bald eagles, up from almost 500 pairs in 1963, to about 5,000 pairs in 1994, encouraged Congress to upgrade the species to threatened on August 11, 1995. As the number of bald eagles increase, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has plans to remove the bird from the endangered species list altogether.

The bald eagle is a pleasure to watch. The bald eagle takes off with strides that are powerful and purposeful. The eagle soars as if in slow motion. The eagle stays fixed on its path, the prize kept firmly in sight. The number of majestic bald eagles is steadily increasing all over North America. Take any opportunity to see these magnificent animals.



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Common Facts on Baldness Causes and Treatments

May 3, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Hair Loss 
Nick Mutt asked:


Baldness is the loss of hairs from parts of the head or whole head. In medical terms baldness is known as Alopecia. Both men and women are affected with baldness at any stage of their lives. One may develop baldness in teenage or their adolescence.

In male pattern baldness occurs on the front portion of the head. Some men lose all their hair on the head too. In female pattern baldness too, the hair gets thin all over the head or mainly in the crown and front position. In female pattern baldness, it is quite uncommon to see fully bald women.

Causes of Baldness

Below are some of the common causes of baldness -

• Aging

• Fluctuation in hormone level

• Hereditary factor

• Sever illness

One of the fundamental causes of baldness in teenage is hormonal disorder. Teenage is a stage of life when your body develops rapid changes both in morphology of the face and internal bodily function. These rapid changes in body are caused by over activity of certain hormones.

Treatments of Baldness

The doctor takes into account the age, heath condition, family history, tolerance for certain medicines etc. There is no treatment for baldness but hair replacement surgery can be done to fix some hair in the bald spot on the head. This is a little painful process. Your dermatologist will determine which treatment options best suits your baldness. If you have chronic baldness, your dermatologist may prefer hair transplantation. One may also prefer laser treatment or corticosteroid injections for baldness treatment.

Disclaimer: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with the reader and not with the site or the writer.

Copyright © Nick Mutt, All Rights Reserved. If you want to use this article on your website or in your ezine, make all the urls (links) active.

Are you looking for Hair loss remedy? Get effective Female hair loss treatment. Also find useful Male hair loss treatment to prevent hair fall in men.



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Baldness Causes: Effectively Combat Baldness by Understanding the Causes

May 2, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Health 
John Tulley asked:


Baldness for either men or women has various potential causes. Determining the reason why you could be suffering will greatly help you in finding the ideal treatment for it. Baldness may be characterized by patchy hair loss on certain areas of your head – or generalized hair loss, which means that you’re losing your hair entirely.

Common Possible Causes for Baldness

Read and see if any of the descriptions appear to match your current situation.

Alocepia Areata

This is referred to as an autoimmune condition; it means that the body itself is responsible for the condition the individual in suffering from. In this case, the person’s autoimmune system is attacking the hair follicles, causing usually one but possibly two or three patches of hair loss. Fortunately, these patches will experience hair re-growth in 3 to 6 months even without treatment. However in some cases the regrown hair can be white.

Alocepia areata can become alopecia totalis, and in which case, the condition will cause the individual to suffer from complete baldness. Alocepia areata can also affect other hair follicles in your face and body.

Fungal Infections

Yes, hair loss can also be caused by fungal infection. School-age children are the ones who mostly suffer from this condition. When the scalp area is hit by a fungal infection. Oral antibiotics are, however, available for treating the infection and the hair will almost always grow back.

Male Pattern Baldness

Also known as androgenetic alopecia, this condition is caused by a mixture of genetics and hormones. It affects both men and women because male hormones are present in both male and female bodies.

Telogen Effluvium

This condition is actually not at all bad but simply a natural part of life. Hair on your scalp has an average lifespan of three years. When it reaches the last stage of its cycle, the telogen phase, it seeks to rest and falls out. Approximately 100 hair strands each day reach the telogen phase. When you use shampoo on your hair, the substance loosens up your hair strands, enough for them to fall out sooner than expected. But this is nothing to worry about because these hair strands were also nearing the telogen stage and the shampoo only expedited the entire process. All these hair strands will be replaced by the body.

It is estimated that 10% of our hair is always approaching the telogen phase. This can go as far as forty percent when we have just undergone surgery, childbirth, sudden weight loss, and high fever. But again, this is nothing to worry about because our body immediately seeks to replace any hair strands we’ve lost.

Traction Alopecia

Certain hairstyles exert too much pressure on your hair roots, causing you to lose much more hair than is usual or necessary. This condition is called traction alopecia. You can avoid it simply by ensuring that you don’t tie or bind your hair too tightly and to the extent of causing hair loss.

Trichotillomania

Some people have a habit of pulling their hair, even unconsciously so, while they’re thinking deeply or feeling stressed. In extreme cases, this can cause baldness. Trichotillomania results in broken-off hair strands rather than patches of baldness. It could lead to baldness given enough time of course. The only way to cure this condition is by becoming aware of your problem and resolve to avoid indulging in it.



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