It is an unfortunate fact of life that the majority of men will notice a decrease in the volume (thickness) of their hair as they age. In Caucasian males (the most prone to male pattern hair loss) a degree of hair loss probably occurs in 100 per cent. This can vary between a slightly receding hairline, a thinning crown, an overall reduction in apparent thickness, advanced receding from the fore­head, very thin hair, and all the different stages through from being left with only a ‘horseshoe’ of hair going around the scalp from ear to ear, to baldness. The size of the horseshoe can also vary consid­erably, depending on genetic predisposition and the age at which thinning started. Caucasians are the most effected. Black races less so, by probably about 50 per cent, and the extent of loss is also less. Asians are the least prone and don’t often go bald. An odd fact is that American Indians rarely, if ever, do either.

 

Male pattern hair loss has been mentioned historically as far back as 4000 years ago. At the time of the Roman Empire men wore their hair forward (like Julius Caesar) to hide their receding and thinning hair lines. And throughout history there have been count­less baldness ‘cures’. The ancient Egyptians used snake oil extract, bird droppings and stinging nettles. Other bizarre remedies included blood from pregnant women and newborn babies, the menstrual flow of virgins, bat’s ears, rat entrails, bear’s grease, all sorts of plant mixtures and saps – and so it goes on. Although these days they are a little more sophisticated, so-called baldness cures don’t work either – at least the ones available over the counter don’t.

 

To start at the beginning, firstly, male pattern hair loss never starts before puberty. Perhaps in extreme cases where the genetic predisposition is strong, a small amount of hair thinning may occur pre-puberty.

 

There are a number of changes that take place coming up to, during and after puberty: the voice begins to change, becomes deeper and more resonant; sexual organs, testes and penis, enlarge and ejaculation becomes possible; the beard begins to become noticeable, the fluffier facial hairs get coarser leading to the necessity of shaving; hair begins to grow under the arms and the sexual parts, and hair can begin to grow on the chest and back. Every one of these changes is due to the increased produc­tion of androgens (male hormones), the most important of which is testosterone.

 

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2. The Basics of Baldness

3. Hair Growth at Puberty

4. The Ethnic Behavior of Hair

5. Chemotherapy and Hair Loss – What to Expect during Treatment

6. Anaemia – Metabolic Causes of Hair Loss

7. Middle Eastern Hair Coloring and Grooming

8. Babies, Toddlers, Infants and Children – Hair from Birth to Puberty and Teens

9. The Basics of Hair – What is Hair?

10. The basics of living with teenagers – skin and growing hair