What causes hair loss

What Causes Hair Loss

A hair and its follicle make up one of the most complex and interesting systems in the body. Scientists are just now beginning to understand that system and identify the key cells, proteins, hormones and genes that control the growth, loss and regeneration of hair.

There is no single cause for thinning hair. It is a gradual process
and many people do not address it until it is too late.

It is often a process that begins below the scalp, at the root level
and eventually affects the quality and thickness of the hair shaft.

While inherent genetic coding is decidedly a factor in hair loss, other factors exist that accelerate the process, including stress, diet, pollution and hygiene. Hair loss is not something that happens overnight.

Here is a typical scenario. A gradual buildup of residue from commercial hair care products and micro-pollutants, along with a diet high in animal fats, prompts an over secretion of sebum. The sebum soon becomes oxidized and is transformed into a waxy substance clogging the follicle entrance. In time, the impacted sebum and other debris makes its way deep within the follicle, inhibiting the absorption of nutrients and impeding the growth of healthy hair. Stress contributes to this problem by causing tightness in the scalp, which inhibits blood circulation to this area.


A chemical reaction takes place between an enzyme called 5 Alpha Reductase and androgens present in the impacted sebum. This results in the formation of a powerful hormone, Dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Receptor sites within the hair follicles are genetically programmed to activate. DHT binds to the activated site, which eventually sends a message to the hair follicle to shut down. The result: thick and healthy hair begins to grow thin and weak, eventually dying altogether.

Scientists are making great strides in the search for a cure for hair loss and baldness, and we do not mean mail order miracle cures. We are talking about new drugs, better transplant techniques, even cloning and altering a person's genetic code. But when you consider the drawbacks that accompany each new discovery...

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