Androgenetic Alopecia or Pattern Baldness

Overview:

It is a form of hair loss which is seen both in men and women. In men, this condition is called male-pattern baldness. Baldness in men is more well-defined in comparison to women. In men, starting above the temples, the hairline starts receding eventually, causing partial or complete baldness. While in women, it causes thinning of the hairs, and rarely leads to complete baldness. Androgenetic alopecia is caused due to prolonged effect of androgen on the hair follicles. In some cases it might also be due to other factors like seasonal changes, malnutrition, anemia, etc.

Symptoms:

The possible symptoms of the disease are:

• Gradual recession of frontal hairline in men.
• Bi-temporal recession of hair in women.
• Increased hair fall.
• Thinning of the hair.

Causes:

There are multiple reasons for hair loss. These are:

• Hormonal changes after menopause in women.
• Hormonal imbalance in women such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
• Stress during pregnancy can also lead to partial hair loss (bald patches).
• Birth control pills can affect hair quality in women.
• In men, baldness may be associated with medical conditions including heart diseases, prostate enlargement, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, etc. 
• Excessive smoking.
• Poor diet.

Risk Factors:

Major risk factors are:

• Excessive smoking.
• Stress.
• People above the age of 50 are more prone to losing hair.
• Malnutrition.
• Family history.

Diagnosis:

Following measures can be adopted to prevent the condition:

• Adopting a healthy lifestyle.
• Quitting smoking.