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 happen, 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 that 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 prevent damage to the follicles to prevent baldness.

There are some obvious factors that result in follicle damage and destruction. Scalp disorders and trauma or damage is one of them. The follicles cannot withstand constant high temperatures. Direct sun exposure and even hair dryers are common culprits that overheat the follicle.

Another main cause of follicle destruction is chemical exposure. Certain medications that you might be using 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 noticeable disadvantage is baldness in chemotherapy patients. That’s because harsh chemical treatments to the body kill the follicles.

One of the most common, but still not well understood, 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 greater risk of having higher levels of DHT. The loss of estrogen during menopause means that testosterone can take over and release more DHT. DHT kills the follicle by attaching itself to it and suffocating it until it falls out.

Now that you know what kills 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 chemicals that can cause harm if possible. There are also herbal extracts and some recipes available that can help with the regulation of the DHT hormone.