Sooner or later most men find that their hair, once so luxuriant, has now become thinner in some places, with the scalp showing beneath the separate strands. Their foreheads become more prominent and this changes their appearance a little.

This is something that happens to nearly all men as they age and it has to do with many factors.

The process of hair fall occurs all the time. We may not notice it because we have so many, but a glance at our brush or comb will soon convince us that this is so. Usually a new hair soon appears in the follicle and the process of hair growth goes on.

As men age however, this hair fall and growth process is interrupted. Due to a variety of factors, the hair that is lost is not replaced. The process of going bald has now begun and will continue until the crown of the head is completely devoid of hair, with just a sprinkling of hair on the lower part of the head.

Genetics plays a major part in hair loss. If our father is bald, the possibility of our becoming bald also is a certainty. This is called male pattern baldness or AndrogeneticAlopecia and the gene responsible can be inherited from either parent.

If our male relatives are not bald and we begin to lose our hair at an alarming rate then the cause could be somewhere else. Hair growth is not constant and some hair remains dormant for long periods, a condition called Telogen. Certain events can trigger the dormant condition in hairs and cause them to fall out at an alarming rate.

This is called Telogen Effluvium and can be caused by a variety of factors. Among these factors is a severe illness involving high fever and infection. Some medications can also precipitate Telogen Effluvium, especially treatment involving chemotherapy. In certain cases, a deficient nutrition can trigger the condition.

Another condition in which hair loss is severe is called Alopecia Areata in which hair loss occurs in circular patches. This condition is thought to be due to an autoimmune disorder with antibodies attacking the hair follicles. Another condition called Cicatricial Alopecia occurs when an inflammation occurs near the hair follicle, causing the hair to fall out and leaving a scar in the area.