Prevention of hair loss is a topic of great interest, especially to those who are starting to see the first signs of balding and thinning hair.
While there is no magic bullet to prevent hair loss there certainly are steps that people of all ages can take to minimized its impact, and perhaps for a lucky few prevention of hair loss could become a reality.
When taking steps to avoid or at least postpone loss of hair the most important first step is keep as many hair follicles open as possible.
But first to fully understand why this is a vital first step we will need to briefly learn more about hair.
When we are trying to prevent is simply the loss of the hair shaft.
Scalp hair is the last step in a orchestrated dance involving a number of players including the hair bulb, follicle, and the root.
The root of the hair lies below the skins surface, in the layer called the dermis, originating in a structure called the hair follicle.
The root of a new hair stimulates the development of a bulb, which brings protein and nutrients to the growing hair.
Once nourished the new hair shaft pushes through the skin and forms what we know as the hair shaft.
The main point is that the engine where new hair production takes place.
Damage to the follicle will cause loss of hair and permanent serious damage to the follicle will cause irreversible balding.
If prevention of hair loss can be achieved the most effective target is the follicle along with substances that might impact its ability to produce new hair growth.
The primary substance that we know damages the follicle is the androgen hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
DHT is a form of testosterone which is produced in the hair cell and takes from 4 to 8 years to dramatically impact the appearance of a head of hair.
It is also thought to be responsible for over eight out of ten cases of balding and thinning hair.
Stop DHT and you will be giving yourself an eighty percent chance to prevent hair loss.
Sounds simple right? Well not exactly.
The problem arises in the fact that normally when action is taken much of the damage has already been done with from 25,000 to 50,000 scalp hairs already being lost.
Many other hair follicles have experienced DHT induced damage.
The magnitude of the problem combined with the difficulty in reinvigorating one dead or damaged follicle little alone 50,000 makes reversal challenging.
The best attempt at this monumental task so far is the former prescription blood pressure medication now over the counter topical hair re-growth formula minoxidil.
If minoxidil use if implemented early enough it is very effective (90%) in protecting existing hair but it is only successful in re-growing new hair in about 3 out of ten cases.
So in reality for prevention of hair loss to become a reality treatment must be implemented at the follicle level before balding and thinning hair starts to occur.
But even if a person is late to the party there is a good chance they can slow the balding process to crawl allowing them to keep their hair for many years to come.
There are a vast array of products on the market formulated to prevent additional hair loss and re-grow existing hair containing a wide variety of ingredients such as saw palmetto, nettle root, natural oils, magnesium, zinc, and B vitamins which focus on follicle health and blocking the damaging androgen hormone DHT.
If you suspect hair loss runs in your family and believe prevention of hair loss is something you should consider now, or if you are already experiencing balding or thinning hair and are ready to take action, these hair maintenance and re-growth products are an affordable option worth considering.