# Men's Hair Loss > Coping with Hair Loss in Everyday Life >  Question for Doctors-Is hair loss considered a DISEASE?

## Artista

*To our IAHRS DOCTORS*  (and all else)
 Someone that I know and you know  has *FOCUSED too much* on the thought  that hair loss is categorized as a 'disease'.

I take issue with that.
An official definition of 
'Disease'(noun)
*a disorder of structure, an  illness*  or function in a human, animal, or plant, esp. one that produces specific signs or symptoms  that affects a specific location : a condition that prevents the body or mind from working normally.

As I see it,,male pattern balding  is a natural occurrence and not a disease.

*Doctors,,please chime in on this.*  thank you

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## fred970

A disease is when organs are dying.

The hair follicle is an organ.

Therefore, hair loss is a disease.

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## Artista

Recent scientific medical studies have proven that hair 100% minimized/affected by MPB go into a dormant phase . They do NOT die my friend

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## redy

why does it matter?

we can call it whatever we want but in the end, it just sucks and it's not going to do anything other than hurt our self-esteem - and then the rest is up to how you handle that.

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## Artista

Exactly my point. ...the rest is up to how WE ALL handle It.
*ESPECIALLY* on this community forum and of course, the Live show.

My point is this, If someone is already suffering clinical or emotional depression and then on top of that  then *he is told that  hair loss is defined as a DISEASE* 
then how in the world is that going to help him to better his life  or anyone elses?

*Fred970* gave us his point of view this way --- 
*"A disease is when organs are dying"*.  


Based on that assertion alone , how could anyone label hair loss as a disease unless of course one is very depressed. .

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## clandestine

Unfortunately, Artista, we are all for the most part rather depressed.

Hair loss is a disease of the body, and a disease on the mind.

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## Notcoolanymore

Artista,

I think you and I view this hair loss stuff pretty similar.  We both see this hair loss stuff as an effed up thing we have to deal with, but we don't let it bother us to the point where we are letting it destroy our lives.  Sure we would love to have all of our hair back, but we are not going to lock ourselves in our homes, and waste years, because we are not satisfied with our appearance.

Just to make it very clear, yes hair loss has had an impact on my life.  I don't like the way it has changed my appearance, but I haven't let it keep me from living my life, getting a college degree, having a great relationship with my wife, etc.  

And no my wife isn't unattractive, but I did meet her before I started losing my hair.  haha.

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## Notcoolanymore

As far as categorizing hair loss as a disease, I personally don't care.  It sucks plain and simple.  Now am I going to put it in the same ball park as cancer, HIV, or other deadly disease, hell no.  If I was given the choice this minute either suffer from hair loss or cancer, I choose hair loss in a second.  JFSI has said many times that he would rather have cancer than be a hair loss sufferer.  It sounds more ridiculous every time I hear him say that.  He tried to validate his point by saying that cancer is at least treatable and hair loss is not.  That is completely false.  Both are treatable, but unlike the treatment for hair loss, when cancer treatments fail, the result is death.

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## Artista

*Notcoolanymore*.. you said it all so *VERY WELL*! I am in complete agreement with you thanks for your comments bro.

*Doctors*..please add anything relevant to this conversation if you have the time..thanks  :Smile:

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## Artista

*Notcoolanymore*  (your still cool by the way)

I wanted to reassert some of what you said--
" *JFSI* (*JOE from STATEN Island*) has said many times that he would *rather have cancer* than be a hair loss sufferer. 
It sounds more ridiculous every time I hear him say that.
He tried to validate his point by saying that cancer is at least treatable and hair loss is not. *That is completely false*. (OF COURSE)
Both are treatable, but unlike the treatment for hair loss, when cancer treatments fail, 
*THE RESULT IS DEATH* " (TRUE)
*
Joe* , I know your reading this thread...*Notcool*' made a very VALID  assertion.
This is something that *Spencer Kobren and myself* have been TRYING to get through to you for the longest time.
This rule applies to us all--LIVE your life NOW!

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## baldozer

Its not a disease, its natural. Even apes like chimpanzees experience baldness. Compare a young chimpanzee with an older chimpanzee, and you would often notice that the older chimpanzee has far lesser hair on its head.

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## walrus

> Its not a disease, its natural. Even apes like chimpanzees experience baldness. Compare a young chimpanzee with an older chimpanzee, and you would often notice that the older chimpanzee has far lesser hair on its head.


 Chimpanzees can also suffer from diabetes. Does that make it 'natural'?

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## baldozer

> Chimpanzees can also suffer from diabetes. Does that make it 'natural'?


 Diabetes can kill you, but baldness does not. So, how can you classify it as a disease.

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## walrus

> Diabetes can kill you, but baldness does not. So, how can you classify it as a disease.


 Not all diseases kill either. Both of your points are moot.

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## Artista

> Its not a disease, its natural. Even apes like chimpanzees experience baldness. Compare a young chimpanzee with an older chimpanzee, and you would often notice that the older chimpanzee has far lesser hair on its head.


 (Joe from Staten - *REREAD Baldozer's*  great response). 
*Hair loss is a natural occurrence in MANY  mammals. Not just humans as I have been trying to get through to you.
Thank you Baldozer !!* 

Hi *Walrus*, Diabetes is a serious health ISSUE properly categorized as a DISEASE. For some people, if diabetes is not properly treated they could DIE early.

*That IS NOT the case for hair loss.*
Yes it is a disturbing natural occurrence for a good &#37; of us humans but* it is NOT a medical health risk.*
Unless of course, a person has serious mental depression to begin with ,then hair loss just adds to that persons  decline (if both issues are untreated).

Now here is why I think hair loss was initially labeled under a loose category of 'disease' 

*PRIOR to 21st century medical science ADVANCEMENTS,*
 it was *ASSUMED* that once hair had been 100% minimized  that it was dead. 
That * ASSUMPTION* of hair 'death'  was *DISPELLED / proven WRONG* due to the advancements in TODAY'S medical science.
In other words, minimized hair is NOT dead. *It is DORMANT.* 
That is just one of the reasons why you hear of MANY  clinics/companies working on treatments and possible cures.


(*Baldozer*  what do you think? )

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## walrus

> (Joe from Staten - *REREAD Baldozer's*  great response). 
> *Hair loss is a natural occurrence in MANY  mammals. Not just humans as I have been trying to get through to you.
> Thank you Baldozer !!* 
> 
> Hi *Walrus*, Diabetes is a serious health ISSUE properly categorized as a DISEASE. For some people, if diabetes is not properly treated they could DIE early.
> 
> *That IS NOT the case for hair loss.*
> Yes it is a disturbing natural occurrence for a good &#37; of us humans but* it is NOT a medical health risk.*
> Unless of course, a person has serious mental depression to begin with ,then hair loss just adds to that persons  decline (if both issues are untreated).
> ...


 Artista, none of my posts specifically claimed that hair loss is a 'disease'.

I was pointing out that Baldozer is using flawed logic.




> Its not a disease, its natural. Even apes like chimpanzees experience baldness.


 This implies that if an animal can have it, it is natural and not a disease. This is false, humans and animals share many of the same diseases. Zoonoses for example.

The second point was:




> Diabetes can kill you, but baldness does not.


 Prognosis has no bearing on whether or not something is classified as a disease. Many diseases are non-lethal.

Wikipedia contains plenty of information on the definition of disease: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disease

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## baldozer

> (Joe from Staten - *REREAD Baldozer's*  great response). 
> *Hair loss is a natural occurrence in MANY  mammals. Not just humans as I have been trying to get through to you.
> Thank you Baldozer !!* 
> 
> Hi *Walrus*, Diabetes is a serious health ISSUE properly categorized as a DISEASE. For some people, if diabetes is not properly treated they could DIE early.
> 
> *That IS NOT the case for hair loss.*
> Yes it is a disturbing natural occurrence for a good &#37; of us humans but* it is NOT a medical health risk.*
> Unless of course, a person has serious mental depression to begin with ,then hair loss just adds to that persons  decline (if both issues are untreated).
> ...


 But I've read that although a hair follicle does retain the ability to produce hair till 5 years or so, after that time it becomes totally dead. So, if you have recently started going bald, something could be done about it, but if you have been bald for long, nothing can be done. I think the best solution would be to clone your whole scalp that starts growing hair as it was when you were born, and then transplant it over your head. Just hair cloning doesn't seems that good, as you would have to transplant hair by hair and also take care of the angle and direction of the transplanted hair. That is too laborious, time consuming and unreliable.

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