If baldness is a concern for you, then you probably know that there are not only several causes, but also many factors that contribute to each cause. One of the main causes is damage to the follicle itself. How can this happen? There are many reasons why this can occur, and you need to know what kills hair follicles.

First of all, you may not know what a follicle is. The follicles are sac-like tubes that contain the roots. Attached to each follicle is the sebaceous gland. This gland is the one that secretes the oily substance sebum, which is what lubricates the skin and hair.

The root that surrounds the follicle is responsible for creating hair growth by stimulating the production of keratin which causes the actual growth. Simply put, if your follicle is damaged, your chances of growing new hair are greatly diminished. It is very important to protect the scalp and avoid damage to the follicles to prevent baldness.

There are some obvious factors that result in the damage and destruction of the follicle. Scalp disorders and trauma or damage is one of them. The follicles cannot withstand constant high temperatures. Direct sun exposure 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 to treat another ailment may contain a chemical that damages the follicles. Unfortunately, the benefits of chemotherapy for cancer patients far outweigh the disadvantages. The most notable disadvantage is baldness in chemotherapy patients. That’s because harsh chemical treatments on the body kill the follicles.

One of the most common, but not yet well known, causes of follicular damage is the hormone called DHT. DHT is present in both men and women and comes from the hormone testosterone. Postmenopausal women are at a higher risk of having higher levels of DHT. The loss of estrogen during menopause means testosterone can take over and release more DHT. DHT kills the follicle by sticking to it and suffocating it until it falls off.

Now that you know what kills your hair follicles, you can take a few steps to prevent this from happening. Protect your head from heat, avoid stress, and most importantly, avoid medications that contain harmful chemicals if possible. There are also herbal extracts and some prescriptions available that can help with the regulation of the DHT hormone.