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If baldness is a concern of yours, then you probably know that not only are there several causes but also many contributing factors to each cause. One of the main causes is damage to the follicle itself. How can this happen? There are many reasons this can occur, and you need to know what kills hair follicles.
First of all, you may not know what a follicle even is. The follicles are sac-like tubes that contain the roots. Attached to each follicle is the sebaceous gland. This gland is what secretes the oily substance sebum which is what lubricates the skin and hair.
The root that the follicle is surrounding is what is responsible for creating hair growth by stimulating the production of keratin which brings about the actual growth. Simply put, if your follicle is damaged, your chances of growing new hair diminish greatly. It’s very important to protect your scalp and prevent damage to the follicles in order to prevent baldness.
There are some obvious factors that result in follicle damage and destruction. Scalp disorders and traumas or damage is one of them. Follicles can not withstand constant high temperatures. Direct exposure to the sun and even blow dryers are common culprits that overheat the follicle.
Another main cause of follicle destruction is chemical exposure. Certain medications that you might use for the treatment of another ailment may contain a chemical that damages follicles. Unfortunately the benefits of chemotherapy for cancer patients far outweighs the disadvantages. The most noticeable disadvantage is baldness in chemotherapy patients. That is because the aggressive chemical treatments to the body kill the follicles.
One of the most common but yet not widely known causes of follicle damage is the hormone called DHT. DHT is present in both men and women and comes from the hormone testosterone. Post-menopausal women are at greater risk of having higher levels of the DHT. The loss of estrogen during menopause means that testosterone can take over and release more DHT. DHT kills the follicle by attaching to it and suffocating it until it falls out.
Now that you know what kills hair follicles, you can take some steps to prevent this from happening. Protect your head from heat, avoid stress, and most importantly avoid medications that contain chemicals that may cause damage if possible. There are also herbal extracts and some prescriptions available that may help with the regulation of the DHT hormone.
