Hair loss or baldness is a somewhat confusing issue for a number of people mainly because there are those who do not realize what causes the loss of hair and what are the preventive factors associated with it. Additionally complicating the issue are the cultural and social issues that are related to it as well and this can provide additional unwanted stress to many people as well. So, it would be wise to provide a general overview on this topic so as to shed some light on the many misconceptions related to it.
On a baseline level, hair loss derives from the progressive thinning of a person’s hair in the form of male pattern baldness, a condition that is known by its “official” name as androgenic alopecia. This condition specifically refers to the gradual loss of hair found in men due to genetics that takes place over an extended period of time.
Of course, there are a variety of other factors that can contribute to hair loss or baldness. Stress, for example, has been known to lead to hair losses when the level of stress reaches critical levels. Then, there is common loss of hair associated with people who wear a pony tail as the stress on the follicles can cause baldness over time. Additionally, those who undergo chemotherapy or other radiation treatments that may yield the unfortunate side effect too. Whatever the reason a person loses his or her hair, however, the fact remains that it has only been recently that this issue has not been met with ridicule by society.
When it comes to the social aspect of baldness this had changed significantly in recent years. If one were to look at the image of those people who suffered from hair loss in the past they were often portrayed in a buffoonish manner. If you look at any sitcom from the 1970’s or 1980’s, the use of baldness and hair loss as the butt of jokes is very common. This, however, has changed dramatically in recent years thanks to an acceptance of sorts of balding celebrities who have influenced pop culture and the image of beauty so to speak.
Now, what would an overview of hair loss be without a look at the future of hair loss products? With the advent of a number of new products and surgical procedures designed to combat this issue, will it not be surprising to see a permanent cure for hair loss and baldness in the near future or is that merely wishful thinking? Time will tell. |
|
