About Hair Loss

It is important to understand the normal hair growth cycle to understand why hair loss occurs.

The hair follicle is an anatomical structure that evolved to produce and (push out) a hair shaft. Normal Hair Growth All folicles repeatedly cycle through the following 3 stages.
1. Anagen Stage (growth) The new hair grows from the base of the follicle. This growth phase usually lasts for a number of years and results in a full-grown hair.
2. Catagen Stage (resting) During this stage the hair stops growing and the hair root shrinks. The base of the follicle breaks dow and the hair moves upward in the follicle, away from the root and the blood vessel supplying it with nutrients.

3. Telogen Stage (re-growth) The mature hair is now only loosely anchored to the hair root. It usually falls out after a few months or is pushed out by the next hair growing up below it.

The Hair Loss Process

How DHT Affects Normal Hair Growth The hair roots receive nutrients from blood vessels which contain blood cells (red) and a hormone called testosterone (blue). Testosterone is converted to another hormone called DHT (yellow) by the actions of an enzyme called 5 alpha reductase.

DHT Shortens the Hair Growth Phase When DHT is present in the scalps of men genetically predisposed to male pattern hair loss, the following happens:- the anagen growth phase is shortened so the hair is shorter when it stops growing. – over time the follice produces hair that gets progressively shorter and less pigmented.

Bauman Medical Group helps patients worldwide in restoring their own living and growing hair. Bauman Medical Group, P. A. – 6861 SW 18th Street • Suite 102 Boca Raton, FL – 561.394.0024 – Fax: 561.394.4522 Email Dr. Bauman ©2000 Bauman Medical Group • Site Design by emerson graphics