Is the answer is a resounding “YES” then you are like millions of both men and women who are experiencing hair loss. There are numerous possible causes including nutritional deficiencies, hormone imbalances, anxiety, stress, immune disorders, diseases (diabetes, hypothyroidism), excessive weight loss, hair abuse, medical treatments (chemotherapy) and genetics. With most of the above causes hair loss will reverse itself once the offending party is eliminated. On the other hand hormone and genetic hair loss does not reverse itself. The most common type of hormone/genetic hair loss is androgenic alopecia. It is best described a gradual thinning of the hair over time. So let’s briefly delve into a few facts about your hair and the effects androgenic alopecia has on your hair follicles.

The human scalp is covered with over 100,000 hairs which spring from a pouch like sac commonly known as a follicle. A complete hair cycle includes a four to six year growth phase and a two to three month resting phase. After the cycle is completed a natural loss and replacement of hair takes place (normally about 150 hairs per day). When the number of hairs lost outnumbers the hairs replaced thinning occurs over time.

The human body uses enzymes (5 alpha-reductase type 2) to control this delicate balance. This enzyme works to converting testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Over time, DHT causes hair to become shorter and less healthy. It also interrupts the growth phase and accelerates the number of hairs that enter the resting or death phase. The exact number of people affected by alopecia areata varies but the best guess estimate of most experts is that 50 million American men and 25 million American women are affected with 25% of the men being affected by age 30.

What can be done? If you are one of the millions of men and women who are experiencing permanent hair loss then the culprit is likely androgenic alopecia. To stop your gradual march to baldness and start your hair regrowth program the hair loss hormone (DHT) must be blocked. There are two herbs that have been shown to be effective in achieving this pursuit; Saw palmetto and Nettle root. Saw palmetto while very effective in men is not suggested for women.

Additionally, there are a number of excellent products on the market designed specially to reduce hair loss. It is important to start early (saving the hair you have) and adopting a comprehensive program including stress reduction, good nutrition including biotin, smart hair care (minimize blow drying), and a dependable product specifically designed to slow hair loss.