Male Patterned Baldness is also known as Androgenic alopecia. It

is estimated to affect approximately 35 million men in

the United States.

Male pattern baldness is related to genes and sex hormones. It usually follows a pattern of receding hairline and hair

thinning on the crown, and is caused by hormones and genetic predisposition.

What exactly is hair?

• Hair is part of the Integumentary system of the human body.

• The Integumentary system is divided into two major components: cutaneous membrane (skin- epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis) and accessory structures (hair, nails, and exocrine glands)

• Hairs are nonliving accessory structures that form in organs called hair follicles.

Why do we have Hair?• There is about 5 million hairs on a body. 98%

of those hairs are found on the general body surface, not on the head!

• 100,000 hairs on the head protect that scalp from ultraviolet light, cushions a blow to the head, and provides insulation for the skull.

• Nostril hairs, ear hairs, and eyelashes prevent entry of foreign particles.

Three Major Types of Hair

• Vellus hairs, also known as “peach fuzz” are found over much of the body surface.

• Intermediate hairs change in their distribution, such as the hairs of the upper and lower limbs.

• Terminal hairs are heavy, more deeply pigmented, and can be curly. The hairs on your head, including your eyebrows and eyelashes are examples of terminal hairs.

Growth and Replacement of Hair

• A hair in the scalp grows for 2-5 years at a rate of 0.33mm/day.

• In healthy adults, about 50 hairs are lost each day. • Each hair follicle goes through growth cycles

involving active and resting stages. • In males, changes in the level of sex hormones

circulating in the blood can affect the scalp, causing a shift from terminal hair to vellus hair production. This alteration is called male pattern baldness.

Classic male pattern baldness is usually diagnosed based on the appearance and pattern of the hair loss.

Complications

• Male pattern baldness does not indicate a medical disorder, but it may affect self-esteem or cause anxiety. The hair loss is usually permanent.

Treatment• Treatments are not necessary if you are

comfortable with your appearance.• Hair weaving, hair pieces, or changes in hair

style are the most cost efficient and safest treatments.

Treatment

• Medications are available for hair loss, but they are not permanent solutions, and do not guarantee results.

• Hair transplants are another treatment option. Many men have had excellent results with hair transplants, and they are permanent. However, they are very expensive, require multiple sessions, and could cause minor scarring and infection.

Treatment• Suturing hair pieces to the scalp is not

recommended. It can result in scars, infections, and abscess of the scalp. The use of hair implants made of artificial fibers was banned by the FDA because of the high rate of infection.

We are not Alone• Humans are not the only species that have hair loss.• Androgenic alopecia also occurs in chimpanzees and orangutans• There is no consensus regarding the evolution of male pattern

baldness• Some theories suggest that frontal balding in primate species

conveys increased status and maturity level.

• One Theory suggest baldness evolved in males through sexual selection as an enhanced signal of aging and social maturity, whereby, aggression and risk-taking decrease and nurturing behaviors increase.