Hair Loss as a Corollary to Age

Hair on the scalp is continuously lost in human beings. When we are young, we do not suffer hair loss, because the lost hair is continuously replaced by the new hair that sprouts up. As everything slows down during old age, the lost hair is not replaced at a proportionate rate, making loss of hair an insignia of old age. This reduced production of new hair is what leads to hair loss at all ages, especially in male pattern hair loss.

However, the low rate of hair replacement is not the only cause of hair loss. Hair loss can happen by the loss of pigment from the hair as well. If you compare the hair of a younger person with that of an older person, you will see that the older person’s hair strands are much thinner because it contains no pigment. As such, the overall thickness of hair is lost in old age and this is translated as loss of hair.

This latter type of loss of hair is more common in women whereas the male pattern hair loss results more from the failure of the hair follicles to replace the lost hairs. In men hair loss generally starts with a receding hairline, with hair climbing back from the forehead. Hair loss in men can be due to action of hormones, or sometimes a reaction to certain medicines taken during an illness. Male pattern hair loss is very often an inherited trait. However, thinning of hair also contributes to hair loss in men as they age.

A certain amount of hair loss is expected as a person ages. It is not possible to completely reverse that trait of hair loss. Hormones, proteins, pigments, all play their part in this loss of hair. However, a certain amount of hair loss prevention also can be managed by increasing the amount of protein in the diet and also by taking some nutritional supplements that contain vitamins for hair loss.

There are various treatments that can be used to prevent hair loss and promote hair growth.