Androgenetic alopecia is the medical term for genetic hair loss caused by an imbalance of the androgens in your body. Androgens are the hormones which regulate puberty, sex drive, and hair growth. The female hormone estrogen and the male hormone testosterone are present in varying levels for men and women, and they both play key roles in our hair growth cycle.
Hormone health is a fine balancing act of the appropriate androgen levels. Even when that balance is maintained, a healthy scalp will still shed 50-100 hairs per day. When hormone levels become unbalanced, normal hair shedding can evolve into hair loss.
What Happens When Estrogen is Imbalanced
We have heard women recount that their hair was never more voluminous or lustrous than when they were pregnant. This can be an effect of the elevated estrogen levels present in the body during pregnancy. Conversely, when estrogen levels drop after pregnancy or while experiencing menopause, this can have a hindering effect on your hair.
A decrease in hair growth may also occur after stopping a birth control. Birth control is responsible for artificially increasing estrogen to the levels experienced during pregnancy. When coming off birth control, the decreased estrogen levels may cause what appears to be a sudden onset of brittle, lusterless hair, and a noticeable increase in hair loss.
Maintaining Estrogen Balance with Proper Nutrition
Women can take some positive steps to maintain healthy estrogen levels and hair growth during naturally occurring life cycles when estrogen levels are low. Proper diet can provide the nutritional abundance needed to maintain healthy hair and many other positive impacts on our well-being.
A diet packed with sources of phytoestrogen can supplement natural estrogen levels. This organic supplement is found in blackberries, raspberries, pomegranates, blueberries, nuts and seeds. Soy protein found in soy milk and tofu is also helpful in providing the necessary boost to achieve healthy estrogen levels.
At Mane Image, we offer advanced treatments and products to enhance the super-abundant healthy environment to reinvigorate your follicles and promote healthy hair.
Genetics, DHT, and Testosterone
The hormone dihydrotestosterone or DHT, a derivative of testosterone, is responsible for hair follicle damage in both men and women. There is also a genetic component involved which is the androgen receptor gene (or the AR gene).
The AR gene makes the receptors which determine hair follicle sensitivity to the actions of DHT. DHT in women can also be derived from the female hormone DHEA as well as from trace levels of testosterone. Highly sensitive follicles will react adversely to even small amounts of DHT. Since the AR gene is an inherited genetic trait, male and female pattern baldness is often found to run in families. Men who have male relatives with pattern baldness are at much greater risk of experiencing the condition.
Hair Loss Solutions at Mane Image
Mane Image is and always has been a family-owned business, the only studio of its kind in northwest Indiana. Our owner Leslie Robinson follows in the footsteps of her mom and stepdad, our founders. We proudly offer surgical and non-surgical hair restoration solutions which address all types and causes of hair loss.
Many clients just beginning to experience hair loss can benefit from quick and easy early intervention with our topical regrowth and thickening products, which are all tested, proven, safe, and effective.
We offer the latest leading-edge technologies such as Laser Hair Growth Therapy, CNC hair prostheses by CRLAB, and we provide the trichology expertise and testing to determine the underlying cause of your hair loss and the best solutions to resolve it. The best first step is to come in for an expert consultation so don't hesitate to contact us. We look forward to seeing you!
