The progression of androgenetic alopecia follows an almost immutable path. As early as the 1950s, Dr Hamilton drew up a seven-stage scale which is still the benchmark.
Testimony of Florian
Below, take a close look at our Clauderer chart, based on our experience. On the right, mark the stage you are at. On the left, mark your age bracket. The first red arrow shows where you'll be in 10 years' time, the next two arrows where you'll be in 20 years' time.
From incipient baldness to confirmed baldness, the rate of progression varies from one man to another.
Some people will be bald at 30 (if they do nothing), others will be barely bald at 70. It all depends on how strong the genetic factor is and how each person reacts to it. How early the first symptoms of baldness appear is always a determining factor: it's between the end of puberty and the age of 35 that androgens exert their strongest negative influence on scalp cells. This influence diminishes thereafter and should normally diminish gradually after the age of 45.Family background (your father, grandfathers, uncles, but also mother, grandmothers or aunts) is an important factor in the diagnosis.
Conclusion
The earlier you start treatment, the better your chances of keeping your hair, whatever your age.
Hair loss is continuous, from late adolescence (17, 18), sometimes even before. If you don't do something about it very quickly, you could end up bald by the time you're in your thirties.
Your hair falls out in fits and starts, often when you're under stress (exams, work-related problems, etc.). After each period of hair loss, you have the impression that it's over, but it starts again some time later. Regrowth becomes rarer and, around the age of 25, you become aware of incipient baldness.
At first, your hair loss is subtle, often without you noticing. But around the age of 30, you notice a noticeable frontal recession and your hair is noticeably less full on the vertex and the top of your head.
In less marked cases, alopecia is even more insidious. It begins around the age of 20, so gradually that the person concerned is unaware of the very gradual thinning of their hair. They only become aware of a certain lack of hair around the age of 30 or 35.
The cause of your hair loss is a genetic susceptibility of your scalp to the action of androgens. Androgen is the generic term for all male sex hormones, the main one being testosterone. These hormones are secreted at 95 % by the testicles and 5 % by the adrenal glands.
More precisely, androgens are transformed - in the scalp - into a new hormone, DHT (dihydrotestosterone). This hormone is the result of the synthesis of androgens by an enzyme located in the scalp: 5-alpha reductase.
It is important to understand that it is not the quantity of testosterone secreted that is at stake, but the more or less 'voracious' way in which it is captured and then converted into DHT by the genetically programmed follicles. In other words, it is a local disorder, limited to the hair follicle. In medical terms, this is known as a 'receptor' disease.
DHT causes hair follicles to undergo a physiological process of premature ageing. It accelerates the life cycle of certain types of hair. This acceleration puts the hair follicles and roots through a hellish rate of production, forcing them to "botch" their work and produce increasingly fine, short hair.
Eventually, exhausted, the follicles become miniaturised and end up producing only a fine fuzz, or nothing at all. The speed at which baldness develops therefore depends largely on the hair follicles' receptiveness to androgens, which is part of our genetic make-up.
Bald men have long believed (and some still do) that their baldness is due to above-average production of sex hormones. Those who lost their hair benefited from the popular belief that they were unusually virile. This was a happy consolation, but it's not true. We now know that it is not the quantity of androgens secreted that causes hair loss, but the transformation of these into DHT.
The most common aggravating factor in androgenetic alopecia is linked to psychological problems: chronic stress, violent emotional shock, or even stress due to hair loss itself...
The following are also frequently cited: an excess of bad cholesterol, certain medical treatments, an unbalanced diet - all these causes can slow down normal hair growth in an androgenetic environment.
From anti-hair loss shampoos to hair transplants, the market is full of treatment options for male hair loss.
No shampoo can be considered an anti-hair loss treatment: hair is born in a hair follicle located under the skin. How can you believe that a shampoo that, by definition, remains on the surface, will be able to act on hair growth? However, a shampoo that is poorly adapted to the skin of your head can be damaging: if it is too abrasive, it can lead to more or less pronounced flaking (dandruff) and itching (the skin 'pulls'). If it is too gentle, the shampoo will not do its job and, if the skin is not properly washed, the pores may become blocked and prevent hair from growing properly.
Often recommended to men to treat hair loss, drugs such as Minoxidil or Finasteride and its derivatives have proved effective against alopecia. Beware, however, of possible side effects.
Frequently performed on men, hair transplants are often seen as a last resort when all else fails. The technique has evolved considerably in recent years and is now widely used. Before having a hair transplant, you are strongly advised to compare the types of services on offer to avoid any possible disappointment.
Our natural treatments effectively combat alopecia in men.
Centre Clauderer has been offering effective natural treatments for baldness for over 50 years. After a thorough diagnosis, we will advise you on the most suitable treatment programme to stimulate hair regrowth.
Today, Centre Clauderer can provide you with serums (N° 6R and N° 7R in particular): these serums have been shown in in-vitro tests (see study by Dr Morot, doctor in cell biology, CHU Besançon) to act much more quickly and with more effective results than Minoxidil at 5%.
Food supplement. Regenerates your hair at the root.
Accelerates hair growth. Strengthens hair. Moisturises the scalp.
Helps neutralise hair loss. Prolongs hair life.
Helps neutralise hair loss. Prolongs hair life.
Androgenetic alopecia is a common form of hair loss, often recognised by its characteristic progression. In men, it usually begins with a receding hairline at the temples, creating an "M" shape. Over time, baldness can extend to the crown of the head.
Although it varies from person to person, many men begin to notice the first signs in their twenties or thirties. However, it is common for some men not to show these symptoms until later, in their forties or fifties.
Men and women experience hair loss differently. In men, it is often associated with marked baldness. In women, on the other hand, alopecia generally results in a thinning of the hair, particularly at the top of the head, without any marked receding of the hairline.
Hair loss is difficult to prevent completely due to its strong genetic component. However, certain measures, such as adopting a good hair care routine, a healthy lifestyle and stress management, can help to slow its progression. Drugs such as Minoxidil and Finasteride have also been developed to treat and potentially delay the progression of hair loss in men.
Not necessarily. Although genetics play a major role, there is no guarantee that all men with a family history will develop baldness.
Hair transplantation is a proposed solution for many men suffering from androgenetic alopecia. The procedure involves removing hair from a DHT-resistant area of the scalp and transplanting it into balding areas. As technology has evolved, techniques such as Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE) and Direct Hair Implantation (DHI) have been developed, offering natural, long-lasting results. However, it is essential to consult an experienced specialist for the best results and to understand that, although hair transplants can restore hair, they do not stop the natural progression of alopecia.
Jean-François Cabos is the creator of a unique hair care method based on the research he coordinated, which led to the publication of the book "Cheveux, Racines de Vie" with Hélène Clauderer by Robert Laffont (Collection "Réponses/ Santé").
