Causes of a Receding Hairline*

For many men a receding hairline can be source of serious frustration. The loss of hair is often equated with the loss of youth. Though a shaved head might be fashionable today, many men who have experienced hair loss, find themselves wishing for a cure. Over the years there have been numerous remedies that have been touted in the tabloids, advertised on television and written about in magazines as well as reputable medical journals. The results vary and seem to be dependent upon individual circumstances. However, the causes of receding hairlines in men seem steadfast.

A receding hairline in men is also known as male pattern baldness. Formally called androgenetic alopecia, this is the most common form of hair loss in men where hair around the temples becomes thin. Eventually bald patches occur in the thinning areas leading to a patch of hair just above the center of the forehead. Male pattern baldness can begin virtually at the start of adulthood and it represents nearly 95% of all hair loss in men.

One of the primary causes for a receding hairline is heredity, which is a genetic predisposition toward hair loss that often comes from the mother’s side of the family. Other causes can be an injury to the scalp, an exposure to unsafe levels of radiation and pollution. However, the most common cause of male pattern baldness is the body’s overproduction of a form of testosterone called Dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

Receding hairlines caused by the overproduction of DHT is found mostly in men around the ages of 35 to 40. DHT actually begins its production within the male body at puberty. The male sex hormone testosterone is produced from the testicles and is converted to DHT by an enzyme known as 5-alpha reductase. Over time, DHT is no longer needed by the mature male body and it creates the often undesirable side effect of hair loss. Any excess of DHT present in the male body will attack and kill the hair follicles one by one over time.

Of all of the chemical remedies on the market today for a receding hairline, the most popular is Minoxidil. Better known by its trade name, Rogaine, Minoxidil has enjoyed some limited success. However, Procerin has emerged as one of the more effective treatments blocking DHT by interfering with the 5-alpha reductase enzyme as it attempts to react with testosterone. Procerin works best on men within the ages of 18 to 35.

Hair transplantation surgery is another option for men in need of a more immediate solution for a receding hairline, but chemicals such as Minoxidil or Procerin are often prescribed for post surgery maintenance. Those men who do not wish to utilize the myriad of chemical or surgical methods of hair restoration are relegated to hairstyles that best suit their existing hairlines. Some of the more popular receding hairline hairstyles include short cropped cuts that require virtually no styling at all. Other receding hairline hairstyles include a varying length cut that gives the appearance of a hair. Volume enhancing shampoos and hair products can also be helpful to men suffering from a receding hairline.  


* http://www.healthforworld.com/receding-hairline