GENDER

MEN                                           

Research has shown that hairloss occurs more to the female than to the male.However, it is more obvious in men. In men, baldness usually begins at the temples, above the forehead and at the crown of the head. In this areas the hair follicles are genetically pre-programmed to revert from producing terminal hairs to producing vellus-like hairs. The growth rate of the hair decreases with greater proportion of hairs in the shedding rate.

The change takes place under the influence of male hormones which are called androgens and it can begin as early as the time of puberty or soon after. Scientists considered this kind of baldness as androgenetic alopecia. which means baldness due to androgens.

For men, genetic condition appear to 'switch off' the scalp hair follicles as there is high levels of a hormone called Dihydrotestosterone (DHT).   DHT is produced in the body itself from Testosterone by the action of an enzyme called 5 Alpha Reductase or called 5AR. this, therefore reduces the levels of DHT in the scalp.

                                                  This picture shows how the baldness developed

WOMEN   

30 million women in America suffer from androgenetic alopecia. The women who suffer from it tend to have a lot of male hormones or drogens. So therefore, their hair loss patterns are more similar to those of men. many of them develop thinning hair when the grow older.   As hair grow faster in women than men, they tend to have frequent visit to the hairdresser. But then, women usually suffer more hair problem than men because of dyeing, bleaching, permanent waving and styling. However, women  never grow completely bald and are protected  by female hormones and therefore have less severe male pattern baldness. For baldness in women, it usually begins 10 years later after men. Fortunately, the amount loss in them is differently distributed and less dramatic. The causes for women to lose hair can be due to after pregnancy, hormone changes after menopause, aging, and illness.

During pregnancy, a woman's hair becomes very thick as there is an increase in estrogen and progesterone in the body system. However, after childbirth her hair would probably come out in handful as now the hormones returned to their level. However, there is nothing to worry about as it is natural to women.

For DHT in women, the hormonal chain is more complex. But DHT still figures in the equation and can be responsible in the hairloss for women.

This picture shows ladywig pattern baldness which is common in women

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