The trigger for male pattern baldness, also called androgenic alopecia, is DHT, a powerful sex hormone that can adversely affect the hair and prostate gland too. One large study that was done in Australia showed that the prevalence of mid-frontal hair loss increases as people age and affects 57% of women and 73.5% of men aged 80 years and over. The most common form of baldness is a progressive hair thinning condition called androgenic alopecia or 'male pattern baldness' that occurs in men.



Temporary loss of hair can occur in areas where sebaceous cysts are present for one week to several weeks in length. Correcting a hormone imbalance may prevent further hair loss. If the thyroid gland is overactive or underactive, hair may fall out; treating thyroid disease will help remedy this.

Some drugs or medications can cause hair loss, which improves when you stop taking the medicine; medications that can cause hair loss include blood thinners, medicines used for gout, and chemotherapy drugs used for cancer, too much vitamin A supplementation, birth control pills and antidepressants. One type of baldness is called traction alopecia, which is most commonly found in people with ponytails or cornrows who pull on their hair with excessive force. Recognizing and treating an infection may help stop hair loss.

Hair loss may occur if male or female hormones, known as androgens and estrogens, are out of balance; correcting the hormone imbalance may stop the hair loss. Hypothyroidism can cause hair loss, especially thinning of the outer third of the eyebrows. Hair loss may occur as part of an underlying disease, such as lupus or diabetes.

Minoxidil is a drug that's used daily to prevent hair loss but may create heart problems; the hair it grows is very fine, only on the top of the head and may fall out again soon after the drug is stopped. Very little testing has been done on the long-term effects of Minoxidil on women. Hair loss treatments and remedies range in price from free to expensive.

Surgery is another method of reversing hair loss and baldness, although it may be considered an extreme measure. Stress reduction can be helpful in slowing hair loss. Minoxidil is a very expensive drug, costing about one hundred dollars per month for daily treatment.

Please be aware there are side effects and serious side effects sometimes with the drugs that are commonly used for hair loss. Regular aerobic exercise can help keep androgen levels naturally lower while maintaining overall health, lowering stress and increasing SHBG. There are natural home remedies and many recipes for making mixtures to apply topically to the scalp.

Olive oil and rosemary remedy for hair loss - use equal amounts of olive oil and oil of rosemary; combine them in a bottle, shake vigorously, massage into the scalp, put on a cap and shampoo in the morning. Apple cider vinegar used as a hair rinse may stimulate hair growth. Raw onion remedy for hair loss - take half a raw onion and massage the scalp with it; cover the head overnight, shampoo and rinse in the morning.

Asian remedy for hair loss - rub sesame oil on your scalp every night, cover with a cap or old towel; in the morning wash with an herbal shampoo, rinse with a solution of one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in one quart of water. Massage the scalp nightly with oil made of one part rosemary oil and two parts almond oil. Onion juice and honey remedy for hair loss: prepare a hair-growing elixir by combining 1/4 cup of onion juice with one tablespoon of honey; massage the scalp with the mixture every day.

Make sure to test remedies on a small area first and check with your hair loss doctor or skin doctor before trying any natural home remedy if it includes any irritating ingredients. Try lying on a slant board with head down for 15 minutes a day, but clear it with your doctor first. Circulation to the scalp is important.

Vodka and cayenne remedy for loss - mix one jigger of vodka with a 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (test on skin first for sensitivity) and rub it on the scalp; blood rushes to the hair follicles stimulated by the vodka and cayenne pepper - be careful if you try it. One patient reported that he used coconut oil on his hair and scalp for a year and during that time his hair became thicker and he hade more of it on the top of his head where he had been receding a bit; good as a hair gel too. Try scalp massage every day.

If large amounts of hair are lost it's important to see a doctor or skin doctor to rule out an underlying disease. If you experience any form of hair loss that causes you concern, make an appointment with your doctor to discuss the treatment options available to you for your particular condition. Concentrate on boosting your immune system to give your hair the best chance to regrow.