FAQ's related to hair loss

Q: How do I know if I have inherited baldness?
A: Male pattern baldness is the most-common cause of hair loss, but many women also suffer from inherited patterns in hormones and follicular genetics. Look at both sides of your family, at both the men and women in it. Consult the Norwood Scale (for men) or the Ludwig Scale (for women) to measure your own hair loss against predicted patterns. These scales are available online or through your doctor.

Q: How do hormones affect hair loss?
A: Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is considered the genetically stimulated component of testosterone that blocks production of hair in people with pattern baldness. While drugs like Propecia block production of DHT and stimulate hair growth, the reduction of testosterone in males often results in adverse sexual side effects to the drug.

Q: Can diet help slow balding?
A: Diets high in proteins can increase your system’s biotin, the B-vitamin component that stimulates hair growth. Doctors also recommend Omega 3 fatty acids -- obtained from fish, nuts, and flax seeds -- to promote healthy skin and scalp

Q: What if I need a transplant?
A: If topical (Rogaine) or oral remedies (Propecia) are ineffective, or if your hair loss has advanced to medium or full baldness, you might consider hair transplantation surgery. Depending on the degree of your condition, a number of grafts from healthy hair on your head or back are transplanted to the crown of your head. The procedure is done under mild anesthesia and the transplanted hair attains full growth by the end of the first year. Often hair transplantation is combined with Rogaine treatment and dietary changes to achieve maximum results.

--G.H.