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Balding Solution for Men and Women

Androgenetic alopecia (male and female pattern balding) is by far the most common cause of hair loss amongst men and a serious problem for many women. There are three important components which are responsible for both female and male balding:

1. A genetic predisposition for balding to occur

2. Excessive presence of male hormones

3. Aging – enough time for the first two factors to occur

Both men and women produce male hormones that have a useful role to play in both sexes; but the fact that androgens occur in much higher concentrations in men explains why male pattern baldness is more common than the female balding.

DHT the root cause of hair loss

It is metabolism of male hormones (androgen/testosterone) which is main cause of hair loss and male and female pattern balding both in men and women.

The metabolism of androgen involves an enzyme called 5 alpha reductase which combines with the hormone (testosterone) and converts it to DHT (Dihydro-testosterone). DHT is a natural metabolite of our body.

The cause of male and female pattern balding

Some individuals, both men and women, are genetically pre-disposed to produce more DHT than the normal individuals. It is this accumulation of DHT and its effect on the cells inside the hair follicle and root which is one of the primary causes of male and female pattern balding.

When DHT gets into the hair follicle and root, especially a region called the dermal papilla, it changes the cell’ activity and prevents necessary proteins, vitamins and minerals from providing nourishment needed to sustain life in the hairs of those follicles. Consequently, hair follicles are reproduced at a much slower rate.

This shortens their growing stage (anagen phase) and or lengthens their resting stage (telogen phase) of the follicle. DHT also causes hair follicle to shrink and get progressively smaller and finer. This process is known as miniaturization and causes the hair to ultimately fall. DHT induced androgenetic aloepcia is responsible for 95% of all hair loss.

Blocking the synthesis of DHT at the molecular level forms the basis for the treatment of MPHL (male pattern hair loss) and FPHL (female pattern hair loss). There are many natural DHT blockers and a number of drugs which are used for medical hair restoration.

Advancement in Hair Transplantation

A standard hair transplantation procedure involves the removal of donor strip of hair from the back of the head from where the follicular unit grafts are dissected under a microscope. These grafts are then preserved in saline and are then transplanted on a bald patch on the crown area of the scalp.

Given the time consuming and tedious nature of this procedure, a hair transplant surgeon is often able to transplant only about 500 to 600 follicular unit grafts per day. However, thanks to the recent hair transplant advances, this technique is often replaced by the follicular unit extraction (FUE). The cost per graft of FUE is typically twice the cost of the standard follicular unit hair transplant procedure discussed above but it is comparatively faster and minimally invasive.

Some hair transplant advances

In a typical FUE procedure a small round punch is made in the donor area to directly extract 1, 2, 3 and 4 hair follicular unit grafts. The follicular units extracted using this process is typically referred to as “blunt dissection” where a punch is made to envelope the entire follicular unit separating it from the surrounding soft tissues.

Once the underlying follicular unit is separated from the surrounding tissues, it is easily extracted using a small forceps. The small holes left behind after the follicular unit extraction gradually heal over the next few days and are not detectable to the naked eye once the patient’s hair grows out. The healing time is much less than the donor strip extraction procedure.

While the FUE procedure has been adopted by most hair transplant clinics, the standard strip excision method is still the most popular hair transplant procedure because it is more economical than the FUE.

Moreover, due to some recent hair transplant advances such as the use of trichophytic closure technique, the linear donor scar created by the strip excision procedure is now often rendered almost undetectable to the naked eye. This advancement in the hair transplantation technique has made FUE procedure relatively less appealing.

Hair transplantation research

Besides the hair transplant advances in the transplantation procedures, a lot of research is also underway to clone the hair. If the hair transplantation research is successful it will be possible to make several copies of donor hair in the laboratory. The application of this technique would be used in the form of hair transplantation. In the traditional procedures, the biggest limitation is often the donor which is not able to meet required density. However, hair cloning promises to overcome this problem by having the amount of hair required to be grown in a laboratory from a single donor hair and then implanting it into the scalp.

Hair transplantation research for cloning is very difficult and there are many hurdles that have to be overcome regarding the safety and cosmetic characteristics of the cloned hair. Some hair transplantation research has also provided breakthrough for some hair loss medication like Dutasteride.

Will Using A Body Building DVD Work

Using a body building DVD doesn’t offer the same benefits as working out in your gym under the watchful gaze of the instructor. But you could use it to provide some inspiration if you are feeling a little bit overwhelmed and wonder if you will ever see the results you crave. They are also a great source of information on bodybuilding helping you to become more familiar with the terms of the sport. The better productions will also include sections on the types of cardio exercise routines you should be following as well as useful hints and tips on your new bodybuilding diet.

They should recommend plenty of vegetables and fruit, whole grains, nuts, seeds, low fat dairy products, lean meat, fish and eggs. They shouldn’t be suggesting that you take steroids but if you are going to do a lot of weight training you may want to consider some protein supplements. Discuss this first with your instructor.

Body building DVDs should be rated so that you know whether you are looking at exercises for beginners or those that know their way around the weights. You will probably not have the correct equipment at home but you can often substitute normal household items such as bottles of water or bags of sugar. Don’t be tempted to think that you cannot do yourself an injury using these items. Lifting any sort of weights can cause a problem – just ask the mother of any young child.

You should always obey the rules of exercise even when working out at home. Always do your warm up and cool down exercises. Never start on a full stomach and don’t overstretch yourself. Drink enough to keep you hydrated but don’t over do it with the liquid intake. You should eat small meals one to two hours before you start exercising.

Chose a DVD aimed at the type of results you are looking to achieve. You can get bodybuilding DVDs that target specific projects for example the swimsuit workouts tend to be very popular. If you want to follow a bodybuilding program for women aimed at achieving the perfect bikini body, buy one from a trainer who looks like you would want to. If you are into the muscle look then buy a DVD from one of the women bodybuilding champions. Don’t bother wasting your time using a bodybuilding DVD aimed at men as weight training for women involves a totally different exercise regime. You do not want to end up confused.

Look for a bodybulding program designed by an expert in this field. If the DVD promises to increase your chest size, dump it as this is a huge myth associated with female bodybuilding. If anything lifting weights may increase the width of your back but unfortunately is not the way to achieving larger breasts.

In addition to completing the workout on your body building DVD, do get outside in the air to go running, walking or any other form of aerobic activity. Not only will you lose weight but you will also feel better.

What Is The Correct Diet For Body Building

There is a common myth going around that you can go on a see all, eat all diet for body building. The theory is that as you are lifting weights, you will burn off anything you eat. This is pure nonsense. If you continue to eat unhealthy foods you will never get the body you desire.

When bodybuilding or following any other form of exercise, you should also look at your eating habits. Instead of eating three large meals a day, you need to start eating five to six smaller ones every 3 hours or so. This will help to burn calories by speeding up your metabolism but it will also stop you feeling deprived which is a common feature of some diets. Also if you are working out and your body is not getting enough fuel you can enter something called the catabolic state. This is where your body thinks you are actually starving and starts to store calories as fat and feeds on lean muscle instead. The exact opposite of the effect you are trying to achieve which is to build lean muscle and burn calories!

Eating quality food more regularly, you should also find your blood sugars are more regulated and you are less likely to reach for a sugary snack. Every meal in your diet for bodybuilding should include a mixture of food groups. If you only eat carbohydrates at one meal sitting, your energy levels will spike and crash. You will also produce too much insulin tempting your body into becoming a fat storing device.

Your body needs a combination of protein and complex carbohydrates to work at its optimum levels. Good examples of proteins that you should be consuming are eggs, chicken and turkey breast, tuna and good quality red meats. You also need some good fats in your diet although less than 30% of your calorie intake should come from unsaturated fats.

Diet supplements are big business in the world of bodybuilding. Some work, others don’t and some actually harm your health. Approach all supplements with a degree of caution. If they are being recommended as part of your routine, ask why? What is it that you are specifically lacking that taking these powders or pills will accomplish?

If you are a vegetarian or a vegan and want to start weight training you need to be extra careful. Unless you have a great well balanced diet, you may find that you lack energy and focus. This doesn’t mean that you have to start eating meat but a lot of bodybuilders do eat eggs, tuna and other fish. In other words they cease to be strictly vegetarian but do still avoid meat. They ensure that they eat a wide variety of vegetables, complex carbohydrates and good sources of vegetable protein such as Kidney beans and tofu. Vegans can be successful bodybuilders without compromising their beliefs but they need specialist help and advice on their diet for bodybuilding.