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Androgenic Alopecia
The medical name for any hair loss is “alopecia.” Androgenic
alopecia thus means hair loss in men—male pattern baldness. Ironically,
female pattern baldness is called androgenic alopecia in women.
Though androgenic alopecia accounts for the bulk of hair loss in both sexes,
its
cause remains unknown.
Diagnosing androgenic alopecia
The pattern and appearance of hair loss—the classic
M-shaped hairline cause by receding at the temples—leads
to the diagnosis of androgenic alopecia in men. The dermatologist
will take a man’s family history as well. Diagnosing
genetically determined androgenic alopecia in women may
require a skin biopsy to rule out other causes of hair
loss, including skin disease, reaction to medication,
or poor hair care practices.
Treating androgenic alopecia
Those men and women who want to confront their androgenic
alopecia have a variety of treatment options. Two drug
treatments hold out the possibility of halting hair
loss. For both men and women, minoxidil (Rogaine) stimulates
the hair follicles when applied to the scalp. It slows
hair loss for many and causes new hair growth for some.
Finasteride (Propecia) is a pill that slows hair loss
in men. With either drug, hair loss returns when treatment
stops. Consequently, many men and women prefer hair
pieces, hair weaving, or hair replacement surgery to
drug treatments.
Prognosis for androgenic alopecia
Hair loss from androgenic alopecia is permanent. In and
of itself, male pattern baldness poses no medical risk.
However, baldness can damage self-esteem and contribute
to anxieties over aging. Psychological stress is the
only complication of androgenic alopecia noted by the
National Institute of Health’s medline.
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