Baldness - Can Baldness Be Prevented or Slowed Down?

by Todd Wheeler

1/2/07

Are you going bald? Is baldness a sign that your body is wearing down? Unfortunately for many men, though, their body gets that signal prematurely, and they begin to lose their hair. This type of early hair loss, where otherwise healthy people begin to lose their hair, is caused by a build-up of waste products in the hair follicles. Hair loss in humans in the last century has created a multi-billion dollar business each year. So many products and prescriptions, flood the market promising dreams to many people with very few producing real or lasting results. However, with technology today, scientists have made amazing discoveries and given many people information that can help them make up their own mind.

What is baldness?

Baldness is the state of lacking hair where it often grows, especially on the head. The most common form of baldness is a progressive hair thinning condition called androgenic alopecia or 'male pattern baldness'. It occurs in adult human males as well as some primate species. The severity and nature of baldness can vary greatly; it ranges from male and female pattern alopecia (androgenetic alopecia, also called androgenic alopecia or alopecia androgenetica), alopecia areata, which involves the loss of some of the hair from the head, and alopecia totalis, which involves the loss of all head hair, to the most extreme form, alopecia universalis, which involves the loss of all hair from the head and the body.

Causes & Symptoms

Incidence of pattern baldness varies from population to population based on diet and personal habits. One large scale study in central Victoria, Australia showed the prevalence of mid-frontal hair loss increasing with age and affecting 57% of women and 73.5% of men aged 80 and over. Male pattern baldness is characterized by hair receding from the lateral sides of the forehead, known as "receding hairline" or "receding brow." An additional bald patch may develop on top (vertex).

The trigger for this type of baldness (called androgenic alopecia because it is caused by male hormones or androgens) is DHT, a powerful sex hormone. The mechanism by which DHT accomplishes this is not yet understood. In genetically-prone scalps, DHT initiates a process of miniaturizing follicles. Through this process, hair shaft width is progressively decreased until scalp hair resembles fragile vellus hair or "peach fuzz" or else becomes non-existent. Onset of hair loss sometimes begins as early as end of puberty, and is mostly genetically determined. Male pattern baldness is actually classified on the Hamilton-Norwood scale I-VIII. It was previously believed that baldness was inherited from a person's maternal grandfather. While there is some basis for this belief, both parents contribute to their offspring's likelihood of hair loss.

Natural Treatments

There are natural remedies for hair loss, however. While these remedies cannot restore hair or completely halt it from falling out, it can slow down the process.

1. One of the simplest home remedies for baldness is hydrotherapy. You can start this therapy daily by alternating putting a cold and hot cloth on your head. If this process is too cumbersome, try alternating currents in the shower. This home remedy can help prevent baldness as the water will increase circulation in your head and help wash away wastes that may be blocking the follicles.
2. Another possible way to increase the circulation to your scalp is to exercise regularly. Exercise has so many health benefits for your heart, weight, and overall physical well being, and it is a particular help if you are trying to fight baldness by keeping the circulation flowing.
3. Use herbal remedies to increasing the circulation to your hair follicles. Much like the natural hydrotherapy method, the herbal method will remove waste from the hair follicles.

There are a couple of methods you can try, but the easiest is to (a) increase your consumption of spicy foods, especially those foods that contain cayenne. Try to have a spicy meal at least twice a week to increase the circulation to your scalp. We know spicy foods often help clear our sinuses, but does it also make you think of clearing your head? Well, cayenne does just that to your scalp. Another option (b) is to take six cayenne capsules daily for continuously improved circulation. If you are not interested in the spicy foods method or are allergic to cayenne, try making a ginger compress (c). Make a cup of strong tea with 10 slices of ginger and a few drops of rosemary oil. Once the ginger tea is steeped, but not scalding hot, dip a washcloth in it. Wring out the cloth and apply it to your scalp. Leave the ginger compress on your scalp until it is no longer warm. Repeat this practice at least twice each day. Additionally, you can (d) pick up raw herbs and use them to make a rinse for your hair. Use it as a conditioner of sorts, and you should begin to see improvement. You can add rosemary oil, which has a pleasant smell, and some apple vinegar to the tea rinse. The silica products work because silica is a natural ingredient to strengthen your hair. Another herbal remedy (e) to help prevent baldness is to take the herb silica. Nettle and horsetail both contain silica. There are several ways you can and should take nettle and horsetail if you want to reverse hair loss.

One of the best products I have found is Natures herbs “Power Herbs” Hair Formula. The product’s high concentration of biotin and silica help produce amazing results for hair loss.

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