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• Alopecia Areata
• Alopecia universalis
• Androgenic Alopecia

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Androgenic Alopecia

Androgenic alopecia, otherwise known as pattern baldness, is a condition that affects the hair growth cycle of hair of both men and women, though the primary victims are usually male. The primary symptom of androgenic alopecia is hair loss that occurs in a specific pattern, generally beginning at the temples and moving backward across the head. Women can sometimes experience thinning of the hair instead of complete hair loss, but the pattern remains, with the thinning occurring at the front of the head, working backward. The primary cause of this type of hair loss is heredity. Heredity appears to play a role, not only in whether or not a person will suffer hair loss, but also in how early androgenic alopecia will start and how quickly the sufferer will lose hair.

Since there doesn't currently appear to be an underlying health concern linked to this type of hair loss, any issues related to androgenic alopecia are generally cosmetic. Malnutrition, diseases such as diabetes and lupus, and infection can all cause hair loss, but do not seem to have any bearing on androgenic alopecia

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While there is currently no known cure for androgenic alopecia, there are several commercially available treatments that help slow the progression. The most popular topical treatment on the market today is Rogaine. Originally developed as a cancer therapy, Rogaine was unsuccessful in trials, but an interesting side effect was noted. Hair follicles previously thought permanently dormant began their growth cycle again, growing new hair and reversing the progression of the hair loss. Rogaine quickly became approved as a hair re-growth solution, with many people experiencing varying degrees of success. One major drawback is that in order to maintain hair growth, the sufferer must continue to use Rogaine regularly. Once the treatment has stopped, the hair follicles will go dormant again very quickly. Rogaine does not work for everyone and some people only realize marginal success with the product.

Another widely used treatment is hair follicle transplantation. Individual, viable hair follicles are harvested from areas of the head where hair growth is still occurring and transplanted into the scalp where hair loss has been experienced. This allows the sufferer to re-grow hair in these areas. Success with this method for treating androgenic alopecia has also had varying results. Some candidates have been extremely successful, but early intervention seems to be the key. The longer a transplant candidate waits and the more severe the hair loss is, the less likely they will be satisfied with the results, and may not qualify for the procedure at all.