Male pattern baldness, also called alopecia, is characterized by hair receding from the lateral sides of the forehead, known as a receding hairline; an additional bald patch may develop on top. It's much easier to prevent the falling out of healthy hairs than to regrow hair in follicles that are already dormant. Baldness is simply the state of lacking hair where it usually grows, especially on the head.

Many women notice hair loss about three months after they've had a baby; during pregnancy, high levels of certain hormones cause the body to keep hair that would normally fall out and when the hormones return to pre-pregnancy levels that hair falls out and the normal cycle of growth and loss starts up again. If the thyroid gland is overactive or underactive, hair may fall out; treating thyroid disease will help remedy this. Poor digestion, parasites and nutrient deficiencies such as iron or biotin deficiency shouldn't be overlooked as possible causes.

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder also known as "spot baldness" that can result in hair loss ranging from just one area to every hair on the entire body. If a medicine is causing your hair loss, your doctor may be able to prescribe a different medicine or you may find you really don't need the medicine at all. About 3 or 4 months after an illness or a major surgery, you can suddenly temporarily lose a large amount of hair; this hair loss is related to the stress of the illness.

Hair loss may occur as part of an underlying disease, such as lupus or diabetes. In the past it was believed that baldness was inherited from a person's maternal grandfather; while there's some basis for this belief, both parents contribute to their offspring's likelihood of hair loss. Tumors and skin growths can also induce localized baldness.

There are prescription drugs, herbal remedies and topical applications for hair loss. Go a more natural way with treatment if possible; taking hair loss drugs require many months of exposure to chemicals. There are natural home remedies and many recipes for making mixtures to apply topically to the scalp.

Please be aware there are side effects and serious side effects sometimes with the drugs that are commonly used for hair loss. Immunosuppressants applied to the scalp have been shown to temporarily reverse alopecia areata, though the side effects of some of these drugs make this therapy questionable. Stress reduction can be helpful in slowing hair loss.

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. Minoxidil is a very expensive drug, costing about one hundred dollars per month for daily treatment. Propecia is available with a prescription; comes in pill form, is only for men and may take up to six months before you can tell if it is working.

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. Massage the scalp nightly with an oil mixture made of one part rosemary oil and two parts almond oil. 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.

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. Garlic oil remedy for hair loss - at bedtime, puncture a couple of garlic pearles, squirt the oil on the scalp, massage, cover with a cap, shampoo and rinse in the morning. Try using double-strength herbal sage tea as a hair rinse or apply to scalp every day as a tonic.

Rub vitamin E oil into the scalp nightly. Try scalp massage every day. Polygonum Multiflorum is a traditional Chinese cure for hair loss; whether the plant itself is useful, the general safety and quality control of herbs imported from China can be questionable.

Circulation to the scalp is important. 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. Apple cider vinegar used as a hair rinse may stimulate hair growth.

Remember that regrowing hair is a slow process, so don't look for results overnight for any remedy or treatment you try. Remember that any drugs you take for hair loss will be a long term commitment; consider the risks to your health before doing this. Keep in mind that hair loss should be continually treated, preferably natural however, even after it stops.