What is Male Pattern Baldness?
- A genetic trait: MPB or Male Pattern Baldness is determined by your genes and male sex hormones. It determines a balding pattern that is characterized by a receding hairline and thinning hair around the crown.
Call your health care provider if:
- Your hair loss occurs in an atypical pattern, including rapid hair loss, widespread shedding, hair loss in patches, or hair breakage.
- Your hair loss occurs with itching, skin irritation, redness, scaling, pain, or other symptoms.
- Your hair loss begins after starting a medicine.
- You want to treat your hair loss.
Alternative Names to Male Pattern Baldness:
- Alopecia in men; Baldness - male; Hair loss in men; Androgenetic alopecia
Do I have Male Pattern Baldness?
- If your hair loss starts at the crown of the head or temples, you may have male pattern baldness. You may experience a receding hair line in the shape of an “M” or a single bald spot. Eventually you may see your hairline continue to recede until most or all your hair is gone.
What is Female Pattern Baldness?
- Female pattern hair thinning typically occurs in the middle of the scalp rather than in the front or evenly across the head as it does in men.
- Androgenetic alopecia, also called female pattern baldness (FPB), is hair loss that affects women typically occurring as thinning hair in the middle of the scalp.
Is Hair Loss in Women Different From Men?
- Hair loss in women is not as common as it is in men and appears differently. Similar to male pattern baldness, except the hair loss pattern in women can be different from men. Female pattern baldness increases with age. Following menopause, up to two-thirds of women experience some form of hair loss. Female pattern baldness presents itself as thinning hair at the top and crown of the head. Women tend to experience volume loss: hair thinning.
- While the patterns of baldness for men and women differ, they both have a common genetic cause. “Female pattern baldness is largely thought to occur due to genetics. However, it may also develop due to an underlying condition that affects the production of the hormone androgen.”
Do I Have Female Pattern Baldness?
- Is your part widening? Have you noticed that your ponytail is thinner these days? You may have female pattern hair loss (FPHL), a condition that affects millions of women. FPHL is actually the most-common cause of hair loss in women.
Hair Loss in Your 20s
- Men with male pattern baldness (MPB), also known as androgenetic alopecia (AGA), can begin suffering hair loss as early as their teens or early 20s. Genetics generally determines early onset hair loss. AGA is a common form of hair loss in both men and women.
Premature Hair Loss: Why does it happen? Common factors for early-onset hair loss:
- Puberty
- Hormonal changes
- Genetics
- Nutrition
- Physical activity
- Chemicals
- Stress
- Smoking
- Carcinogenic effect
- Carbon monoxide - Reducing O2 carrying capacity in your blood. Your hair needs a proper blood supply.
- Leading to constriction of blood vessels & decreased blood flow to the scalp.
- Illicit Drug Use
- Rise in adrenalin levels - Affecting the hair growth cycle
- Health Issues & Medications
- Medication side effects
- Chemotherapy
- Anti-depressants
- Thyroid disorders
- Malnutrition
- Digestive disorders
- Lack of essential vitamins & minerals
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
