Are You Losing Hair ?

Baldness, or alopecia in medical parlance, is the description of the loss of hair from the head or body, and tends to be, almost invariably involuntary and unwelcome.Studies have estimated that around half of men around 50 suffer from some form of baldness. A quarter of men have it coming from the end of their first quarter, and three quarters of them are bald at their third quarter. Women are less affected, but around a fifth of them complain of thinning or loss of hair by their 50s. 

Given the high prevalence, it is surprising that this common condition should be source of embarrassment at all.The most common form of baldness is the male pattern or androgenic alopecia in which the hairline starts receding, initially at the lateral sides of the forehead, the hair thins out and disappears from the top or back portions, and then rarely completely from the scalp. This pattern of baldness ensues as a mix of genetic predisposition and the male hormone testosterone. Hence this androgenic alopecia is often associated with proness to diseases of the heart and prostate.Alopecia can also occur due to a variety of causes such as compulsive pulling of hair as in trichotellomania, tight pony tails, fungal infections, iron deficiency anemia, after major stress, as a consequence of chemotherapy and in certain autoimmune states. Excessive constant worrying can induce hair loss. Psychological problems due to baldness, if present, are typically most severe at the onset of symptoms.

Some balding men may feel proud of their baldness, feeling a kindred relationship with famous bald men, such as Yul Brynner, Sean Connery, Ben Kingsley, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. Baldness has, in recent years, become less of a liability due to an increasing fashionable prevalence of very short, or even completely shaven, hair among men. It is time we enjoyed our baldness and manliness rather than hide our heads under wigs!Although women are less often affected, the psychological consequences in them are much more. They often make desperate attempts to hide their alopecia by several cosmetic strategies. Treatment with medications has limited success. Some hair loss sufferers make use of clinically proven treatments such finasteride, dutasteride and topically applied minoxidil solution, in an attempt to prevent further loss and regrow hair. 

As a general rule, it is easier to maintain remaining hair than it is to regrow.Recent studies have started linking lifestyle and food with alopecia. Bald men usually tend to be overweight, undertake less physical exercise and are much more fond of high calorie food On the other hand those who maintain normal body weights by consuming low fat diets and by undertaking regular aerobic exercises seem to suffer less hair loss. Tailpiece: A child was heard saying, “ My father has so much brains that it pushed out all his hair”. 
As published in HT City ( Hindustan Times) dated 9 may , 2010.