|
Hair Loss Care - Hair Loss Treatment & Solution
All of us shed some hair routinely as part of the hair's normal growth cycle. In fact, it's normal to loose up to one hundred hairs per day. At any given time approximately 90 percent of the hair on our heads is actively growing (known as the anagen phase); the other 8 percent is in a resting or dormant state (catagen phase). After a few months, the remaining 2 percent of the resting hair sheds (telogen phase), resulting in a loss that is not noticeable. The shed hair is replaced when the cycle starts all over again.
However, hair loss, or alopecia, occurs when this growth cycle is disrupted, either when clumps of hair fall out from the roots, hair breaks off at or near the scalp, or it ceases to grow altogether. There are a number of reasons this might happen.
Sometimes hair loss is a normal consequence of life stages, such as during the postpartum period when hormonal changes cause large amounts of hair to fall out (termed telogen effluvium), or during menopause, when a lack of hormones may make hair thinner. At other times, hair loss is a short-term response to a health problem -a sudden weight loss, severe infection or illness, and even stress. After the crisis, hair usually resumes its normal growth.
Too frequently, hair thinning or loss is progressive and permanent. It's due to years of very harsh styling practices that damage either hair strands or hair follicles. The three main types of hair loss that afflict women are traction alopecia, follicular degeneration syndrome, and hair breakage. But there are other types you should be aware of as well. The main difference between hair loss in men and women is that men tend to have pattern baldness. This means they lose hair in certain areas. Men tend to develop receding hairlines. Women generally tend to lose hair all over and experience a thinning result yet they retain their hairlines.
If you've experienced significant hair loss, you may want to consider changing your hair styling regimen completely. If you have alopecia, many older women opt for shorter styles or naturals, which are easier to maintain. If you relax your hair, do it on a less frequent schedule-no more than four times a year. After a while, healthy hair follicles produce hair that is thin, short and more brittle than normal hair In some people, this happens slowly, in others, it happens more quickly. When it happens quickly is when hair loss is most noticed.
There are many forms of hair loss, too many to name. Here are the most common:
- Androgenic Alopecia - The most common form. Commonly called male pattern baldness.
- Traumatic Alopecia - Hair that has been torn out of the scalp.
- Drug-Induced Alopecia - Hair loss due to drugs, be them good or bad.
- Alopecia Areata - Small patches of hair loss. Is reversible.
Examine the shed hairs to determine if there are small white balls on the ends of the hair (sign of a telogen hair). Also take a close look at the hair near your scalp. Are there a number of strands that have only grown out to an inch or so? Is the hair along your hairline thin or broken off? Is the scalp discolored or is there a rash or bumps? When in doubt schedule an appointment with a dermatologist for a complete evaluation. Hold off on any touch-ups or hair treatments until you've identified the source of the problem. There are a wide range of causes of female hair loss, and when it happens it can be distressing. However, there are plenty of products available to help restore a full head of hair.
Hair Loss is also called alopecia and baldness. Hair loss is considered a normal variation and not a disease. Baldness or hair loss is typically something only adults. Baldness typically refers to excessive hair loss from your scalp and can be the result of heredity, certain medications or an underlying medical condition. Hair loss usually develops gradually and may be patchy or diffuse (all over). Roughly 100 hairs are lost from your head every day. The average scalp contains about 100,000 hairs. Both men and women tend to lose hair thickness and amount as they age. Inherited or "pattern baldness" affects many more men than women. Some women also develop a particular pattern of hair loss due to genetics, age, and male hormones that tend to increase in women after menopause. The pattern is different from that of men. Female pattern baldness involves a thinning throughout the scalp while the frontal hairline generally remains intact. Many women notice hair loss about 3 months after they've had a baby. This loss is also related to hormones. Hormonal problems may cause hair loss. During pregnancy, high levels of certain hormones cause the body to keep hair that would normally fall out. More than half of men and women in the United States experience hair loss. About 30% of people have hair loss by age 30 years, and about 50% have hair loss by age 50 years.
Alopecia areata disease causes hair loss on the scalp and sometimes elsewhere on the body. Some medicines can cause hair loss. Medicines that can cause hair loss include blood thinners (also called anticoagulants), medicines used for gout, medicines used in chemotherapy to treat cancer, vitamin A (if too much is taken), birth control pills and antidepressants. Most people lose about 50 to 100 head hairs a day. These hairs are replaced — they grow back in the same follicle on your head. Hair loss may occur as part of an underlying disease, such as lupus or diabetes. Certain infections can cause hair loss. Fungal infections of the scalp can cause hair loss in children. A number of things can cause excessive hair loss. For example, about 3 or 4 months after an illness or a major surgery, you may suddenly lose a large amount of hair. This hair loss is related to the stress of the illness and is temporary. In general, most hair loss is not associated with systemic or internal disease, nor is poor diet a frequent factor. Thyroid disease can cause hair loss, but thyroid tests on people who have ordinary hair loss are usually normal. Although many medications list "hair loss" among their potential side effects, drugs are also not overall common causes of thinning or lost hair.
Hair loss can occur if any of the stages of hair growth become disrupted. Trichotillomania is a psychological disorder in which people repeatedly pull their hair out, often leaving bald patches. Having Androgenetic alopecia may mean you experience hair loss as early as during your teen years. For men, this type of baldness is typically characterized by hair loss that begins at the temples and crown. Male-pattern baldness is the most common cause of hair loss in men. Male pattern baldness runs in the family. Men who have this type of hair loss usually have inherited the trait. Men who start losing their hair at an early age tend to develop more extensive baldness. Hair loss in women can be absolutely devastating for the sufferer's self image and emotional well being. Unfortunately, society has forced women to suffer in silence. It is considered far more acceptable for men to go through the same hair loss process. Women can suffer from alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis just like men. Women can experience patch baldness for the same reasons as men (stress, poor nutrition, etc.), as well as due to hormonal changes from pregnancy and certain eating disorders.
Many conditioners, shampoos, vitamins, and other products claim to help hair grow. Medicines may also help slow or prevent the development of common baldness. Surgical procedures to treat baldness are expensive and can be painful. One medicine, minoxidil (brand name: Rogaine), is available without a prescription. It is applied to the scalp. Both men and women can use it. Injections of cortisone into the scalp can treat alopecia areata. Treatment is usually repeated monthly. Finasteride's hair-raising success is due to its ability to specifically inhibit Type II 5-alpha-reductace, the enzyme that converts testosterone into a more potent androgen dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Hair transplantation has improved dramatically over the last several years. During a hair transplant, healthy hairs are harvested from an area of the scalp with normal hair growth. Individual hairs are then placed into areas of hair loss. Spectral DNC is the world’s most effective topical hair loss treatment designed for androgenic alopecia and other types of hair loss in men.
|
|