Recently in Japan researchers have identified a gene that appears to be associated with hair loss in mice, which is leading some to believe that it may also be responsible for hair loss, known as alopecia, in people. In an interview the scientist when on to say that although this discovery was amazing, they have no intentions at this time to work towards further research with this gene and how it may be helpful to humans. But with hair loss treatment, both for men and women, being a multi-billion dollar industry here in the US alone, you can bet someone will!

In the last decade, science and medicine have made immense strides in hair loss treatments. With the growth and development of surgical procedures and the advent of 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, having to live with hair loss is no longer a necessary evil. But be warned, with all the good comes the bad. There are numerous products marketed today that are nothing more than proverbial “snake oils”.

Hair Loss Myths
In this day and age it is surprising that lots of people don’t know fact from fiction when it comes to hair loss. Myths may still exists because people are reluctant to talk about an issue that may be emotional and sensitive, or because so many companies still seek to exploit myths to promote and sell there useless products. Following are some popular myths regarding hair loss to be on the lookout for:

1. HAIR LOSS IS INHERITED FROM YOUR MOTHER’S SIDE
Hair loss is NOT determined by your mother’s father alone. But the genetic link can be to either or to both the mother’s and father’s side of the family. So stop blaming your grandfather for your lack of hair.
2. WEARING A HAT CAUSES HAIR LOSS
Wearing a hat has nothing to do with hair loss, but many do wear hats to hide. Imagine if this were true, we would have an Army of bald soldiers!
3. BETTER USE A BRUSH AND NOT A COMB
Actually, most experts will tell you, your hair reacts better to a comb than a brush. Brushing it will only lead to split ends and hair breakage, not to male pattern baldness.
4. STANDING ON YOUR HEAD PREVENTS HAIR LOSS
The theory is by adding more blood to the head that it would stimulate growth. Wouldn’t this be nice? However, sleeping upside down hanging on some contraption will not prevent you from losing your hair.
5. CUTTING YOUR HAIR WILL MAKE IT THICKER
By cutting your hair you make it appear thicker mostly due to the removal of split ends, but it doesn‘t get thicker truly. It will look just like it did before once it grows back.
6. BLOW DRYING CAUSES HAIR LOSS
Although it is possible to damage hair by exposing it to very high temperatures, there is no evidence that hair dryers cause thinning hair. However, brittle and breakable hair can be a result of too hot or too much drying. Let common sense guide you and dry to your heart’s content.
7. WASHING YOUR HAIR TOO MUCH CAUSES HAIR LOSS
Being cautious of what chemicals we put in our hair is wise, but hair-care products do not harm hair. The same goes for frequency, shampooing in itself does not cause hair loss. You can wash your hair as often as you like, although three times a week is the recommended amount.
8. EXCESSIVE USE OF CARE PRODUCTS CAUSES HAIR LOSS
There are no hair-care products that cause hair loss. Tame and sculpt your locks with as much gel or mousse as you desire.
9. MITES AND CLOGGED FOLLICLES CAUSE PATTERN BALDNESS
A newer myth is that mites cause hair loss. Some manufacturers claim that pattern hair loss is due to a hair mite called the demodex mite that can be removed with certain shampoos. Although mites and other organisms can be found on the scalp, they do not cause hair loss. Many also believe that clogged hair follicles cause hair loss. Clogged hair follicles lead to ingrown hairs, not hair loss.
10. HAVING MORE SEX CAN GROW HAIR
There is no truth to the idea that having more sex means the less hair you’ll lose! Nor is there any truth in the rumors that the chemicals released during sex have any effect. Science has yet to find any truth to this fantasy. All the same, my advice is to keep experimenting with this theory, who knows what you may discover!

Hair Loss Facts
Currently the FDA has only approved two non-surgical hair loss treatments. These two are finasteride, most common as Propecia and minoxidil, most common as Rogaine. Other treatments may or may not help stop or reverse hair loss, but they are not formally approved by the FDA.

1. A combination of hormones and genetic factors are responsible for male and female pattern hair loss.
2. A typical scalp contains 100,000 to 150,000 hair follicles.
3. Blondes have the greatest number of scalp follicles followed by brunettes. Redheads have the fewest number of scalp follicles.
4.  More than half of men and women in the United States experience hair loss. About 30% of people have hair loss by age 30 years, and about 50% have hair loss by age 50 years.
5. Hair grows at an average of one-fourth to one and a half inches per month.
6. The hormone responsible for hair growth are called Androgens. These hormones must be present for growth of body hair, however the growth of scalp hair is not dependant on the hormone.
7. Hair is the fastest growing tissue in the body, second only to bone marrow.
8. We lose normally 100 hairs per day from the scalp.
9. Many drugs and chemicals can cause hair loss.
10. Thyroid imbalance and iron deficiency are reversible causes for hair loss.

Conclusion
Hair loss can definitely be a factor in a person's self image, promoting depression and anxiety, and even causing stress. Hair loss is so common that most of the time it’s not considered  a disease but instead a normal variation of aging. Whenever we feel unattractive or self conscious about something, there is a danger that these feelings can have an ill effect on self esteem, relationships and even job performance. If you are suffering emotionally due to hair loss, it is important to treat it. Just taking action is a step in the right direction and will make you feel better knowing that you are doing something about it. But I can’t stress this enough, do your research! There are many hair loss treatments on the market that don't really work, while a select few actually work extremely well. When choosing a hair loss treatment, read, read, read! Consult your doctor. Make sure any treatment or product has minimal side effects and no contraindications with any current health condition you have or medication you are taking. It is important to be aware of that some hair loss treatments have resulted in very bad side effects.

And at the end of the day, after all is said and done, if it all just seems too complicated, there’s always the option guys like Yul Brynner, Michael Jordan, and myself have opted for; bald is beautiful, baby!