About the Causes of Male Hair Loss

Alopecia is the medical term for hair loss and Alopecia capitis is the term for loss or thinning of head head. Toxic alopecia is the term for loss of hair due to drug side affects, such as chemotherapy. Alopecia areata is the term for loss of hair in only one small region and is usually due to infection or inflammation in the scalp.

The gene for hair loss is passed from mothers to their sons, so if you want a peek in the crystal ball, look at your mother's brothers and to your maternal grandfather. Chances are you will be in a similar situation. Genetic male pattern baldness can begin as early as the teens in some cases and recession of the hairline has almost always begun by the time a man is 30 to 40.

While some women experience loss and thinning of the hair with age, it is never as severe or extensive as occurs with male pattern baldness. The reason for this appears to be hormones. Ironically, while testosterone stimulates body hair and some men note increases in body, nose and ear hair, and even thicker bushier eyebrows with age, head hair appears to be diminished by testosterone. The concept of reducing testosterone to save head hair may have some men fearing for their virility, but the fact is that supplementing with naturally occurring estrogenic substances may slow hair loss without impairing muscle mass, strength, or any other physical attribute commonly associated with testosterone. Men normally produce estrogens and women normally produce testosterone. It is a matter of balance and ratios of these powerful hormones that produce such notable physical differences between men and women. However, if men have excessive testosterone coupled with low levels of estrogen, hair loss may be particularly rapid. Therefore, consuming natural estrogen-like compounds and substances noted to promote healthy metabolism of testosterone, may be helpful to slow hair loss in men with the genetic tendency.

Substances that act as weak estrogen in the body are legumes of all sorts. The most studied legume is soy and there are numerous soy-based foods and natural medicines on the market. These foods and natural products have been found to have numerous benefits for breast and prostate cancer prevention and therapy, but they may have the added benefit of preventing prostatic disease in men. Eat tofu or tempe, or consider soy capsules, powders, and medicinal preparations. There are several herbs noted to assist the body in breaking down and metabolising testosterone in an optimal way. Again, the bulk of research on these herbs has arisen out of research on prostate cancer, but the resultant knowledge may be just as useful for slowing hair loss. Nettles (Urtica species) and saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) are noted to help the body metabolise testosterone. Supplements containing these safe natural compounds are readily available in health food stores.

Pharmaceutical options, such as Minoxidil, are sometimes initiated in the early stages of male-pattern hair loss with variable results, usually not dramatic. This medication has unknown long term effects and the medication must be used long term, as once the medication is stopped, the slight increase in hair growth is immediately lost. Biopsy-based research has shown that caffeine counteracts the suppressive effects of testosterone on head hair and may stimulate hair growth. Caffeine has also been found to improve the penetration into the scalp of other substances. This research is rather new, but hair tonics containing caffeine are starting to show up on the market.