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Androgenic Alopecia Facts
Androgenic alopecia is a form of hair loss that is common in both
men and women. Androgenic hair loss is usually defined by a pattern
that begins above the temples and then it will slowly recede to
form the shape of an M. The hair begins thinning
at the crown and will quite often progress to either partial or
complete baldness.
Female
pattern hair loss is different than pattern hair loss in men.
The woman will usually experience hair loss over the entire head
but will not have a receding hairline. Androgenic alopecia and women
will usually have a common denominator in that the hormones that
regulate hair
growth and the sex drive is usually at a decreased level.
Many researchers believe that androgenic alopecia is genetic and
if both parents have the condition it is likely that the children
will also develop the condition at some point in life. The hormones
that are abundant during puberty start to diminish as one ages and
often this will lead to androgenic alopecia. It is unclear why genes
seem to contribute to the condition but close relatives, especially
males, seem to have the same hair loss pattern.
Studies have also shown that increased levels of insulin will also
contribute to balding. Insulin levels that are high seem to also
correlate with baldness. Women who are pregnant will often experience
high insulin levels and suffer from temporary balding. After birth,
the hormones will usually fall back to a more normal level within
a few weeks and the hair loss disappears.
It is also believed that diet can play a role in androgenic alopecia.
People who eat a higher calorie and higher fat diet will often experience
balding or thinning hair. This is further exaggerated with those
who live a more sedentary lifestyle.
Daily exercise can decrease the risk of androgenic alopecia because
the exercise reduces the levels of insulin in the bloodstream. Since
often androgenic hair loss is the result in high insulin, increasing
your daily activity could help you better deal with your hair loss
problem. It is recommended that you do some type of aerobic activity
instead of the weight lifting that builds large muscle groups. Aerobic
exercise increases the blood flow and the oxygen level of body and
makes it easier to grow new hair.
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