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GENETICS AND HORMONES

We are born with a pre-determined genetic blueprint; we arrive at birth pre-coded with our own personal barcode taken from the gene pool supplied by our individual ancestors.  This dip into the gene pool will provide the gene coding which will determine virtually everything for each individual from the colour of our eyes and our height, to our temperament, our mathematical ability and the eventual appearance of grey hair in later life.  This set of instructions is initiated and controlled by the hormones, a group of complex chemical compounds, released by the various glands in the body in minute quantities, acting as chemical messengers, the veritable “conductors of the orchestra”.

Any change or interference to this hormone messenger network or to the hormone receptors in the body will have dramatic consequences for our physiological make up and possibly our overall well being.  Disturbance or non-functioning of the hormone system should be referred to an endocrinologist, a hormone specialist.  Distortion of the hormone levels may result in hair loss, or increased hair growth, or hair growth in the wrong places.

The hormone system may be disturbed by a number of factors, possibly hormone anomalies present at birth, and also any subsequent systemic illness or condition will potentially alter the hormone levels.  To obtain optimum hair growth and condition you must be quite simply “fit and well”.

Stress is heavily contra-indicated, or not advised and high stress levels must be managed or controlled.  Stress raises the hormone levels, especially Adrenalin.  The body’s defence mechanism is triggered and non-essential body activities are shut down, this unfortunately includes hair and skin growth which, as far as the body is concerned, are non-essential, secondary activities, as indeed they are compared with the primary organ activity of the heart, brain, lungs, kidneys, etc.  It is, of course, possible to have quite major hormone changes, which are naturally occurring, puberty for both men and women and childbirth and the menopause for women.  The sex hormones are released at puberty, oestrogen levels increase dramatically during pregnancy, (oestrogen can increase two hundred fold in pregnancy and the consequent drop in levels after birth can lead directly to postnatal depression), and oestrogen production ceases almost completely when the ovaries are no longer functioning after the menopause and it will be no surprise that each of these naturally occurring major hormone shifts have an immediate effect on hair growth and hair condition.  The stage is thus set and we will all follow, barring major events, the pre-arranged genetic pathway and no other factors or influences come close in comparison in their effect and complete control over our hair growth.  The miniature vellus hairs on the babies, the appearance of pubic hair at adolescence, the sudden growth of hair from the ears in men after the age of 50, they are all controlled by the hormones.  They are truly the chemical wizards; they have magical powers and control.

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