The most common form of hair loss is androgenetic alopecia, and somewhere in the region of 98 per cent of men who experience balding find out that it is due to this most common cause of hair loss. This type of alopecia in men is known as male pattern baldness, but it is not just males experience this normal hair loss condition. The same proportion of women experience hair loss as men, but female pattern baldness expresses itself as a general thinning of the hair rather than a balding crown and receding hair line at the temples as seen in men. This condition is genetic, and is not thought to be affected by outside influences or changes in external factors such as stress or illness whatsoever. Treatments for this type of balding are more readily available for men than women due to the hormones contained within the medication, some of which promote facial hair growth.

It has been suggested in a recent study that smoking increases the rate of men’s hair loss; although some experts are warning that the results of the study may be unreliable. It is thought that smoking causes hair loss through restricting blood flow to the scalp and increasing hormone production which in turn damages follicles, contributing to hair loss. It seemed that the most likely candidates were men suffering from androgentic alopecia, also known as male pattern baldness.

The study was conducted to find potential causes of men’s hair loss, with control factors such as age, diet, height, weight and family history being taken into account. Researchers found that there was a strong correlation between smoking and male pattern baldness, the most common form of men’s hair loss. The results of the study were published in Archives of Dermatology with the conclusion that younger men who were experiencing the onset of androgenetic alopecia should be advised to give up smoking.

The study was conducted on 740 men in Taiwan, and the results are said to be evidence of the significant impact smoking has on hair loss. It has been noted however that hair loss between different ethnic groups varies significantly; therefore the study cannot be taken as conclusive proof across the board that smoking is a definite cause of men’s hair loss.

Experts do however point out that smoking is well known to reduce the health of individuals as well as decrease circulation. Both of these can be a cause of androgenetic alopecia; bringing the majority of professionals to the conclusion that giving up the cigarettes is a healthy option, whether or not it has been proven to have a significant impact on men’s hair loss.