Average hair loss per day is around 100. If hair is shedding at a faster rate than it is regenerating, this could lead to baldness.
A major cause of hair loss is androgenetic alopecia, also known as male-pattern baldness, accounting for 80% of hair loss. Male-pattern baldness is a hereditary form of hair loss. The initial hair loss will not be as apparent, but the hair at the hairline or crown will gradually get thinner and eventually shed without replenishing. Male-pattern baldness affects 20% of men and 6% of women. Combined with other types, hair loss incidence in Taiwan is about 33%.
Male-pattern baldness is mainly a genetic issue. In short, people suffering from it are impacted by the overexpression of 5α reductase. 5α-reductase converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone that causes hair loss. It is also known as the “hair follicle reaper”. DHT interacts with the androgen receptor in the hair follicles and causes them to experience a shorter anagen phase, preventing proper growth of the hairs before they enter the telogen phase. New hairs will not be able to grow out of the surface before they shed. This process is called hair follicle miniaturization, and this results in short, fine hairs with wide spacing on the scalp, which is a common description of male-pattern baldness. Each individual follicle at different positions on the scalp can undergo different levels of DHT changes, and can therefore have varying lengths and thicknesses.
The etiology of female-pattern alopecia is still unknown. That is why there are even fewer available treatments for female-pattern baldness then there are for male-pattern baldness. The effects of finasteride, which blocks DHT production, is not significant in women, and is accompanied by side effects that impact fertility. The cause of female-pattern baldness is assumed to be similar to men, as a similar hair follicle miniaturization process is seen.
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