Androgenic Alopecia, or male pattern baldness, is one of the most common hair loss conditions across the globe, with a third of all 30 year-olds and half of all men over the age of 50 experiencing some degree of shedding. But given how hair protects the top of the head from sunburn and overheating, provides warmth in winter and even acts as a vitally important means of communication via the many different hairstyles humans adopt, it is interesting that the process of natural selection did not cause baldness to die out.
Baffling Baldness
Why? The honest answer is: nobody knows for sure. There is evidence of pattern hair loss being experienced by our close evolutionary relatives – The Great Apes – so it clearly has been a part of our genetic lineage for a very long time. There are many possible theories to explain why it has stayed with us.
Four Theories On Hair Loss
Below are four possible theories, all developed by different scientists attempting to understand why male pattern baldness is so prevalent:
1. Frank Muscarella and Michael Cunningham argue that baldness is associated with wisdom and longevity – both of which are attractive qualities in a mate.
2. Taking a very different view, Peter Kabai has suggested that by exposing more skin to sunlight, baldness boosts Vitamin D levels, thus protecting bald men against prostate cancer. Given that male pattern baldness is believed to be triggered by dihydrotestosterone, a biochemical that has been linked to prostate cancer, there may be some truth to this explanation.
3. Baldness signals dominance and status. Suggesting that a bald head acts as a sort of advertising board for emotions, in particular the red flush that accompanies anger, is drawing upon a common feature in nature, in which red is associated with aggression and high social standing.
4. The link between Androgenic Alopecia and dihydrotestosterone also presents another possibility: that male pattern baldness advertises vigour and sexual prowess. This would be because dihydrotestoterone is a product of the metabolisation of the hormone testosterone – responsible for the development of body hair, dense bones, muscles, and the sex drive. Men and women with elevated testosterone levels tend to have stronger sex drives, and a bald pate could be a way of advertising this to others.
Evolutionarily Useful, But No Longer Vital
Whatever the reasons for its appearance, there is no need to accept baldness if you don’t wish to. In these days of individual expression, sun-cream and good diets, what’s more important is that you choose whatever option is best for you, rather than simply accepting whatever cards Mother Nature has dealt you. By using a combination of the clinically proven medications Minoxidil or Propecia (licensed by the MHRA and approved by the FDA) and our exclusive range of Hair Growth Boosters to complement them, hair loss can often be successfully treated. If you’re interested in exploring your hair loss treatment options, why not book an appointment with one of our experts today?
The Belgravia Centre—————————————————————————————————–
The Belgravia Centre is the leader in hair loss treatment in the UK, with two clinics based in Central London. We offer clinically proven treatments for hair loss, as part of comprehensive treatment programmes offered by our hair loss specialists. Our in-house pharmacies produce high-strength medications for hair loss that contain medically proven ingredients and are available at no other clinic worldwide. Treatment programmes are available by visiting the centres or for home-use, anywhere in the UK or the rest of the world. View our hair loss success stories, which are the largest collection of such success stories in the world and demonstrate the levels of hair regrowth that so many of Belgravia’s patients achieve. You can also phone 0800 077 6666 for our hair loss helpline or to arrange a free consultation.
This entry was posted
on Friday, March 15th, 2013 at 11:00 am and is filed under General Hair Loss, Hair Loss, Hair Loss News, Male Hair Loss.
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