Why You Have Hair Loss

Hair is the fastest growing tissue of the body, made up of
proteins called keratins Every strand of hair is made up of
three layers: the inner layer or medulla (only present in thick
hairs); the middle layer or cortex, which determines the
strength, texture, and color of hair; and the cuticle, which
protects the cortex
Hair grows from roots, which are enclosed in follicles Below
this is a layer of skin called the dermal papilla, which is fed
by the bloodstream carrying nourishments vital to the growth of
hair Only the roots of hair are actually alive, while the
visible part of hair is dead tissue, and therefore unable to
heal itself
It is vital then to take care of the scalp and body in order to
perpetuate hair growth and maintenance Expensive treatments
that claim to treat the visible hair and nourish it therefore
are usually no more than bogus claims made to sell products
Hormones called androgens, usually testosterone, can cause hair
follicles to shrink, causing thinning of hair or eventual hair
loss Reportedly only bone marrow grows faster in our body than
hair does The average scalp contains 100,000-150,000 hair
follicles and hairs, with 90% growing and 10% resting at any
given time
Hair actually grows in three stages:
* Anagen
* Catagen
* Telogen
The anagen phase is the phase where hair is actively growing,
and of course this phase is longer for follicles in the scalp
than anywhere else on your body, and lasts longer for women than
men
It is natural for follicles to atrophy and hair to fall out, and
this is called the catagen phase This phase is only temporary,
and eventually the follicle enters the telogen phase where it is
resting These are the 10% at rest mentioned above
Normal anagen phases last approximately five years, with catagen
phases lasting about three weeks, and telogen phases lasting
approximately 12 weeks As you see it is natural to lose some
hair Natural hair loss is considered to be in the range of 100
hairs per day It is not apparent to most people that hair is
actually being lost until more than 50% of a person’s hair is
actually lost
Although both men and women can suffer significant hair loss,
over 50% of men will suffer with Male Pattern Baldness (MPB),
also known as androgenetic alopecia, at some point in their
lives The reason behind hair loss is a genetically inherited
sensitivity to Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and 5-alpha-reductase
The enzyme 5-alpha-reductase converts testosterone, a male
hormone, to DHT, the substance identified as the end-cause for
hair loss
Despite any genetically inherited sensitivity, it is possible to
lessen the amount of hair loss some people will experience; this
done through use of supplements and hair cleansers that
eliminate excessive DHT Also, taking vitamins and minerals that
strengthen hair will slow down the inherited tendency for hair
loss Finally, watch for stressful situations that last for
months and take counter measures by increasing you hair
supplements

Tags | anagen, bloodstream, claims, follicle, follicles, growth, marrow, papilla, tissue