What Type of Receding Hairline Do You Have?
It’s easy just to assume that everyone who suffers from a receding hairline can just blame genetics. In fact, there are still people who believe that not only is all hair loss genetic, its specifically your mom’s side of the family that is to blame. Here at Best Hair Transplant Los Angeles, we have seen all kinds of hair loss for a variety of reasons. We are here to tell you to stop blaming your poor mom for your receding hairline because chances are it’s not her fault, or even her family’s fault. Not entirely anyway.
If it in fact turns out that your hair loss is due to genetics, you may be surprised to learn that even if you do have the “baldness gene” you might never experience hair loss. It may even further surprise you to learn that even if not a single person in your family has experienced hair loss, you still may get it.
The human hair follicle is a surprisingly complex part of our body. Because of how hair loss and baldness affect both men and women, psychologically and socially, there has been a tremendous amount of research done into the mechanics of hair growth and hair loss. Scientists understand a great deal about why we experience hair loss, but there are still a lot of mysteries about why it happens to some, and not to others.
What is the Baldness Gene and Where Does it Come From?
When hair loss is caused by genetics, it has a very predictable pattern known as Male Pattern Baldness (MPB) and Female Pattern Baldness (FPB). In men, the hair loss manifests as an M-shaped recession of the front of the scalp and normally begins in their 30s. Nearly 80% of men experience hair loss by the time they are 80, but that has little to do with genetics when men are that age.
Women experience FPB nearly as often as men but are much better at hiding it due to the stigma attached to female hair loss in our society. Nearly half of all women will experience a slow and gradual type of hair loss after menopause called diffuse thinning hair loss.
The medical name for MPB and FPB is androgenetic alopecia. That term is constructed with both a genetic meaning as well as around hormones called “androgens.” For some time it was believed that the “baldness gene” was inherited by your mother’s father. However, in reality the baldness gene is what is referred to as polygenic. In other words, it’s a combination of genes partly responsible for the onset of androgenetic alopecia. In total, there are 63 genes that have been discovered to play a role in androgenetic alopecia, which are all passed down by both the maternal and paternal genes. (Heilmann-Heimbach, 2017)
Now that we know there isn’t just one baldness gene, its also important to note that even if you do have all 63 genes related to hair loss, that doesn’t mean you are going to lose your hair. All it means it’s the genetic precursor is available for hair loss to happen. There are other biological and hormonal issues that have been found by researchers to be responsible for androgenetic alopecia.
Hormones Responsible for Your Receding Hairline
Now that we know it’s not poor, dear old mom’s fault your hairline is receding. Let’s take a look at what scientists have discovered is the real culprit behind our hair loss.
Researchers have discovered that it is a hormone group called “androgens” that are responsible for androgenetic alopecia. Androgens are a group of sex hormones that both men and women start to produce during puberty. In men, it’s the testicles that produce the majority of androgens and in women, it is the ovaries. However, in both men and women, the adrenal glands can also produce androgens. Androgens are responsible for developing bone density and muscle development as well as being the primary hormones that cause puberty. Androgens also play an important role in red blood cell production.
DHT May Be to Blame
The primary culprit is dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which comes from testosterone. DHT attacks your hair follicles, causing your hair to fall out and stop growing. Men typically have more testosterone than women, which may explain why baldness is more common among men. The more testosterone you have in your body, the more dihydrotestosterone will be produced and the more it will link to the receptors in your hair follicles, which decreases their ability to support new hair.
Just because your body is producing dihydrotestosterone and that you have the genetic markers for androgenetic alopecia doesn’t mean that you will experience hair loss. Hair loss occurs when your body produces too much of the androgen, or for some reason, your body cannot process the hormone that is already present in your body. When this happens the hormones shrink the hair follicles, which interrupts the natural growth cycle, leading to hair loss.
Other Causes of a Receding Hairline
Genetics and androgens are the most common reasons that hair loss will occur in both men and women, but androgenetic alopecia is just one of many forms of hair loss. There are tests like blood tests or a scalp biopsy that you can take to determine if your receding hairline is due to androgenetic alopecia. If you determine that your hair loss is not due to genetics or hormones, the first step to treatment is diagnosis.
Trauma & Stress Hair Loss
When sudden stress or trauma is put on your system your hair follies can suddenly enter the resting phase of their growth process prematurely. This stress can be anything from surgery, childbirth, a serious fever or illness, or even a COVID-19 infection. When this happens, you may experience a form of hair loss called telogen effluvium. This manifests as a general thinning of your hair that is most noticeable at the hairline. Telogen effluvium can even be caused by tremendous psychological stress as well as extreme vitamin deficiency.
Normally if you can isolate the cause of the telogen effluvium, and correct it, the issue will correct itself. If the underlying cause of the condition is allowed to continue, telogen effluvium can last for years.
Alopecia Areata Hair Loss
Another nongenetic or hormonal cause of hair loss is called alopecia areata. Alopecia areata is what is known as an autoimmune disorder that occurs when the white blood cells in the body mistake the cells of the hair follicle for foreign invaders and attack them. While this disorder seems fantastic, it is quite common as it affects roughly 6.8 million people in the United States alone.
Age-Related Hair Loss
Sometimes your hairline can start to recede without having any of the above conditions. Some men and women just start to lose their hair due to age. Over time even normal and healthy hair follicles will begin to shrink, which will cause hair loss. Age combined with chronic stress as well as vitamin deficiencies is a perfect environment for hair loss to occur. If you are a smoker or are constantly treating your hair with chemicals and coloring, then the chances of hair loss occurring will be even greater.
Treatments for Receding Hairline
Here at Best Hair Transplant Los Angeles, we are an FUE clinic that has treated many patients who suffered from a receding hairline. When you start to lose your hair, we understand that you will investigate all of your options, surgical and non-surgical, and perhaps even try a great number of things with the hopes that it will be right for you. Here we will go over most of your non-surgical hair restoration options, as well as explain how a Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) hair transplant, in combination with some of the non-surgical treatments may be right for you.
Hair Loss Drugs
A popular over-the-counter hair loss drug that has been used mainstream for many years is Minoxidil (Rogaine). During the beginning days of Minoxidil it was touted as a stand-alone cure for hair loss and it was all the craze in the industry. Minoxidil does in fact slow the progression of hair loss and will even start to regrow lost hair. The issue with Minoxidil is that you must continue taking the drug in order for it to be effective. Should you stop, you quickly lose all of the hair grown due to the drug’s use. Some side effects of Minoxidil include irritation on the skin of the scalp, eczema, and abnormal hair growth on your face and hands. (A. Olsen, 1990)
Finasteride (Propecia) is another popular hair loss drug for men that requires a prescription from a doctor. Similar to Minoxidil, Finasteride will slow or stop the progression of hair loss in most men and will even regrow hair in some. However, Finasteride must also be continuously taken in order for it to be effective. Finasteride does come with some common and unfortunate side effects, such as a decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction, and an increase in breast size and tenderness. (McClellan, 1999)
Laser Therapy
Recently there has been some very promising research into the use of “low-level lasers” to revitalize under-performing hair follicles. For some time now Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) has been used to treat a variety of different ailments such as arthritis, TMD, neuropathy, and wound healing. (Avci, 2014)
Now, LLLT is used as a treatment for hair loss. The low-level lasers, if calibrated correctly can stimulate a hair follicle to enter the growth phase of its cycle, which will cause that follicle to begin growing new hair. LLLT therapy has been shown to be good at reversing the beginning stages of hair loss. If you have been fully bald for some time LLLT, unfortunately, does little for you.
Hair Restoration Surgery
The two most effective hair transplant surgeries are the Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and the Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) method. With the FUT method, a whole strip of hair-bearing tissue is extracted along the base of the donor area. Normally this comes from the back of the scalp. Then, we separate the hair follicles from each other under a microscope. After that, we implant the individual hair follicles into the balding area of the scalp.
The FUE method takes a great deal more time to complete. However, it has become much more popular than the FUT method over the years. In the FUE method, each and every hair follicle is extracted, individually. This is in contrast to the whole strip removal in the FUT method. After the individual hair follicles are extracted the implantation method is similar to the FUT process.
People prefer the FUE process because the surgeon has more control over the extraction and implantation phases. Also, there is less scarring and post-procedure discomfort with FUE compared with FUT. Less noticeable scars allow patients to wear their hair however they please. Therefore, it’s no surprise most patients request FUE in Los Angeles.
A hair transplant surgery is by far the most effective option when treating hair loss. The results of both FUT and FUE surgery create a full, natural look you can be proud of. Additionally, hair transplant surgery, in combination with hair loss drugs and LLLT, may speed up and enhance the healing & regrowth processes considerably.
Cure Your Receding Hairline at Best Hair Transplant Lost Angeles
Here at Best Hair Transplant Los Angeles, we have treated every cause of receding hairline science has discovered. If you suffer from androgenetic alopecia or any other form of hair loss, an FUE hair transplant procedure will have you looking like hair loss had never affected you.
We only employ hair transplant specialists here at Best Hair. Specialists who make hair transplants their business and do FUE procedures every day. The success rate of FUE is highly dependent on the skill and experience of the surgeon performing the procedure. That’s why we only employ the best in the industry. Call us today and set up your complimentary consultation with one of our specialists. We sit down with you and discuss all your hair loss options to find the best one for you.
Affordable Los Angeles Hair Transplants
Best Hair Transplant is the best place to schedule your hair transplant in Los Angeles. We’ve helped both men and women regrow their lost hair. But don’t take our word for it. We suggest learning as much as possible about hair restoration. Do so prior to making a decision on how to address your hair loss. Not every procedure is right for everyone.
At Best Hair Transplant, we’re proud of our results and happy to provide hair restoration services. Additionally, we’re proud to make hair transplants affordable and help you save money on a variety of hair transplants. To ensure your ease of mind, you can view our customer recommendations HERE. Furthermore, you can also see our Google reviews and Yelp reviews. We can’t wait to help you start restoring your lost hair.
YOUR HAIR RESTORATION SOLUTION
Best Hair Transplant
1970 S. Prospect Ave., Suite 2
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(213) 403-0455
References:
- A Olsen, E. (1990). Five-year follow-up of men with androgenetic alopecia treated with topical minoxidil. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
- Avci, P. (2014). Low-level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) in skin: stimulating, healing, restoring. HHS Public Access.
- Heilmann-Heimbach, S. (2017). Meta-analysis identifies novel risk loci and yields systematic insights into the biology of male-pattern baldness. Nature Communications.
- McClellan, K. J. (1999). Finasteride. Adis Drug Evaluation.
