Oxidative stress

Is oxidative stress one of the main causes of hair loss or baldness?

The ingenious nature of the cells and the way in which they can be affected by external stimuli, including those that cause hair loss, is the focus of many studies today. The genetic condition of male-pattern baldness is increasingly associated with oxidative stress, particularly in the case of premature hair loss in young men.

What is oxidative stress?

Oxidative stress is defined as the process of cell damage arising from the production of free radicals. Free radicals are generally small atoms or molecules with a high reactive capacity that are, in most cases, a consequence of aerobic metabolism. This damage is aggravated by a state of physiological or psychological tension resulting from internal or external adverse physical, mental or emotional stimuli, which tend to disrupt the body's functions.

Our body is under constant bombardment from oxidative stress. It is believed that the causes derive from a large variety of problems associated with our lifestyles and environment. These causes are attributed to actions that range from smoking or excessive alcohol consumption to an unbalanced diet that includes an excess of sugars, animal proteins and preservatives.

Several studies have already investigated this link. One of them analysed the cells of the dermal papilla, located in the hair follicles. The cells were extracted from men who suffered from androgenetic alopecia; in other words, from men who were genetically predisposed to male-pattern baldness. Cells were also extracted from men without alopecia. The dermal papilla cells of the men with androgenetic alopecia seemed to be more sensitive to environmental stress than those without and, consequently, the former aged faster.

In a more detailed study, it was found that the dermal papilla cells of the lower half of the scalp were not affected. It was then discovered that male-pattern baldness only causes hair loss and thinning around the upper half of the scalp, where the dermal papilla cells secrete higher levels of growth factor in response to H₂O₂, but not in response to oxidative stress associated with cell growth.

This discovery suggests that oxidative stress may perform a vitally important role in the pathogenesis of male-pattern baldness, both in cell ageing and in the secretion of hair follicle inhibitory factors. What this means is that exposure to oxidative stress factors clearly accelerates the manifestation of a condition previously associated purely with genetics.

Link to the study à

Leading a healthy lifestyle, maintaining a balanced diet and avoiding certain bad habits may be a way of reducing oxidative stress and, as a consequence, delaying the onset of hair loss. Unfortunately, male-pattern baldness cannot be avoided forever: when men suffer androgenic alopecia, they face a process that sooner or later will lead to hair loss. So, they can choose to let nature follow its course or use clinically tested products that intervene and halt the process.

REDENHAIR products are formulated to block the process generated by androgenic alopecia, stop the formation of DHT, stabilise hair thinning and stimulate its regrowth. It is vitally important to maintain a routine treatment to achieve the best benefits. The REDENHAIR ritual comprises a set of key products for nourishing the hair, keeping it healthy and reversing the process of hair loss that is accelerated largely by oxidative stress.