Heredity, Often The Cause
Most family traditions are cherished throughout the years, reproduced by each succeeding generation. Usually customs bring back fond memories, reminiscent of the "good old days." But there is one tradition that most men would like to see obliterated- the plague of baldness.
The average man dreads baldness. It signifies a time of loss to him: loss of his virile looks, loss of his youth, loss of his ability to impress his co-workers and his sex partner (s). In addition, to make his predicament seem an even greater injustice, baldness often strikes his appearance before he inwardly feels the effects of age. The vim and vigor of a young man are often trapped inside what appears to be an aging man's body.
While baldness is definitely not a deliberate age-old custom, the fact remains that its occurrence follows a steady pattern, sooner or later affecting the majority of men. In fact, it is believed that this repetitive quality- the heredity factor- is the number one cause of baldness, responsible for 90% of this nation's thinning scalps.
If your family tree shows a history of baldness, you're likely to inherit the tendency. Of course, there are exceptions, but many believe that if the heredity comes down through your mother's side of the family, chances of you being affected by it are greatly increased.
This hereditary baldness begins to take effect at a very early age, usually around the time of puberty. The increased influence of male hormones starts off a chain reaction in the papillae, so that instead of continuing to produce strong and healthy hairs, one after the other begins turning out weaker and less durable fibers. The process is almost undetectable at this early age, but the stage is set. The hairs produced will continue to weaken with maturity, until they no longer have enough strength to remain on the scalp. Finally, a shy, bald patch is all that remains where hair once grew, shiny because the hair is now dead and no longer can perform its functions of absorbing and controlling scalp secretions and oils.
Alopecia
The technical term for any form of hair loss is alopecia. It may appear in a variety of different forms resulting from many conditions, but generally, male pattern alopecia falls into one of three categories:
1. That which is seen develop as a man matures. It may be the result of heredity, an imbalance in the body, or simply the ageing process. This is the most common type of balding, and it is permanent.
2. Premature baldness, occurring in males anytime before middle age, due to the fact that hairs shed naturally are replaced by a regrowth of weaker ones. It begins by a slow thinning process.
3. That resulting from some form of injury to the nervous system, be it caused by anemia, scarlet fever, typhoid fever, or syphilis. It may also be caused by a serious accident or by certain medical treatments. Naturally, these cases are much more infrequent than other types. They occur suddenly, and the resulting baldness is usually in the form of patches or spots.
It is important not to confuse alopecia or the balding process with the normal shedding of hair intended by nature. As was pointed out in the proceeding chapter, when hair grows to its full length, it falls out by itself and is replaced by new hair. Hair loss, due to alopecia, on the other hand, cannot be replaced by the body- at least not to date.
Can Anything Be Done?
For centuries men have searched in vain for the key to baldness, a means whereby it could be stopped or reversed. The first and only true means of prevention discovered is one that most men consider a bit drastic-castration prior to puberty! If you ever served as a eunuch guarding a sultan's harem (in one of your previous lifetimes), you well know that castration was a requirement for the position and that you never went bald.
Modern medicine has not been able to be of much help in this matter. Currently there are no commercially-available drugs which will correct this problem. Hair replacement methods, therefore, are either surgical or mechanical.
However, researches tell us that an answer may be close at hand. They are aware that androgen is the hormone that affects male growth. The androgen is responsible for nurturing the growth of beard,chest,pubic, and underarm hair. On the other hand, they tend to stop hair growth on the upper scalp of men who have a family tradition of hair loss. Even more puzzling is fact that they have absolutely no effect upon the fringe hair on the sides and back of a man's scalp. The key to stopping baldness lie in controlling these androgenic hormones-preventing them from inhibiting hair growth on the upper scalp, while allowing them to continue their growth stimulation in other areas.
Perhaps the solution is close at hand, as scientists claim, but for the present, there is no real "cure,"
none that can help the man who is balding today. The only solutions available are temporary.
It is believed by some that skin and scalp treatments deter the balding process if administered before thinning becomes excessive. To a certain extent these widely-advertised products are beneficial. They stimulate circulation, stabilize activity on the scalp, and consequently increase the health of the hair. But this is not a permanent answer to the problem. Since most alopecia is due to heredity, this only prolongs the inevitable and in the majority of causes is not even capable of that.
Scalp massage is another avenue recommended by some barbers for the patrons who have started to lose their hair. The results are somewhat similar to treatments: the skin and hair are nourished; fat cells are reduced; and the nerves are soothed and rested. As a result, this can be quite effective in slowing down hair loss. But once again, if the tendency to grow bald has been predetermined by one's genes, it is not a permanent solution, no matter how much hope is put into the endeavor.
The fact remains, then, that baldness is a common nuisance that will affect a substantial number of the nation's males. You have only two choices available if you are one of the victims: (1) Accept your fate and try to make the most of baldness, or (2) Fight back by choosing the most appropriate means of hair replacement.
If you are among the fighters, then this post is dedicated to you. davidhansen.com
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