Hair Loss Advice

It is normal to lose between 50-100 hairs a day, this is part of the hair renewal process. However most people suffer from excessive hair loss at one time in their life. There are many reasons for this including medication, radiation, chemotherapy, exposure to chemicals, hormonal and nutritional factors, thyroid disease, generalized or local skin disease, and stress.

Many of these causes are temporary and a few are permanent. These are some of the more common reason for hair loss.

HORMONAL BEHAVIOUR

Since hormones both stimulate hair growth and cause hair loss, hormonal changes by far have the biggest impact on hair loss. These can affect both men and women in the following ways:

This is the most common cause of thinning and affects both men and women. Men generally have hair loss concentrated in a specific pattern from the front through to the crown. Women tend to have thinning throughout their head without being in any specific pattern. This type of hair loss is caused by the androgen DHT, or Dihydrotestosterone. Since everyone has DHT that is produced by their bodies and only some people suffer from hair loss there has to be another factor involved. This other factor is having follicles that have a greater number of Androgen receptors for the DHT to attach to. This is the component that is inherited through the genes. To date the most effective preventative treatments are anti androgens, drugs that prevent the creation of DHT. In the future gene therapy will one day be able to alter the genes to prevent the follicles from being affected by DHT.

Childbirth

After pregnancy many women experience a loss of hair, this is caused many hair simultaneously entering the resting (telogen) phase. Within two to three months after giving birth, some women will notice large amounts of hair coming out in their brushes and combs. This can last one to six months, but resolves completely in most cases. This condition is caused by the hormonal changes that take place after a woman’s body recovers from her pregnancy.

Birth control pills

Women who have a genetic predisposition to suffer from Androgenic Alopecia can have it occur at a much younger age by taking birth control pills. The hormonal changes that occur trigger the onset of the Androgenic Alopecia. If a woman has a history of female pattern loss in her family she should advise her doctor before going on the pill. After the discontinuation of the pill the woman may notice that her hair begins shedding two or three months later. This may continue for six months when it usually stops. In some cases the process cannot be reversed and the woman may not regrow some of the hair that was lost.

DISEASE OR ILLNESS INFLUENCES

Since the follicle is a very sensitive it does respond to imbalances in the body. Most hair loss causes by disease or illness is temporary and resolves itself after the body has returned to a healthy condition.

High fever, severe infection, severe flu

Sometimes one to three months after a high fever, severe infection or flu, a person may experience hair loss, this is usually temporary and corrects itself.

Thyroid disease.

Both an overactive thyroid and an underactive thyroid can cause hair loss. Thyroid disease can be diagnosed by your physician with laboratory tests. Hair loss associated with thyroid disease can be reversed with proper treatment.

Deficient diet

Some people who go on low protein diets, or have severely abnormal eating habits, may develop protein malnutrition. To help save protein the body shifts growing hair into the resting phase. If this happens massive amounts of hair shedding can occur two to three months later. A sign of this is if the hair can be pulled out by the roots fairly easily. This condition can be reversed and prevented by eating the proper amount of protein. Its very important when dieting to maintain an adequate protein intake.

Medications

Some prescription drugs may cause temporary hair shedding in a small percentage of people. Examples of such drugs include some of the medicines used for the following: gout, arthritis, depression, heart problems, high blood pressure, or blood thinner. High doses of vitamin A may also cause hair shedding.

Cancer treatments.

Chemotherapy and radiation treatment will cause hair loss because it stops hair cells from dividing. Hairs become thin and break off as they exit the scalp. This occurs one to three weeks after the treatment. Patients can lose up to 90 percent of their scalp hair. The hair will regrow after treatment ends and patients may want to get wigs before treatment. There are some drugs in development to help prevent this hair loss from occurring.

Low serum iron

Iron deficiency occasionally produces hair loss. Some people don’t have enough iron in their diets or may not fully absorb iron in their diets. Women who have heavy menstrual periods may develop iron deficiency. Low iron can be detected by laboratory tests and can be corrected by taking iron pills.

Major surgery/chronic illness

Anyone who has a major operation – a tremendous shock to the system – may notice increased hair shedding within one to three months afterwards. The condition reverses itself within a few months but people who have a severe chronic illness may shed hair indefinitely. A relatively unknown fact is that hair transplantation surgery can actually cause additional hair loss or “shock fallout”. Hairs lost from shock fallout usually don’t regrow.

Alopecia Areata

This type of hair loss is believed to be caused by the immune system reacting to hair follicles as if they were antibodies and shutting them down. The hair loss is usually limited to a coin sized area and all the hair in the area is lost leaving a totally smooth round patch. In a more severe rarer condition called Alopecia Totalis, all hair on the entire body is lost, including the eyelashes. Treatments include topical medications, a special kind of light treatment, or in some cases drugs.

Fungus Infection (Ringworm) of the scalp

Caused by a fungus infection, ringworm (which has nothing to do with worms) begins with small patches of scaling that can spread and result in broken hair, redness, swelling, and even oozing. This contagious disease is most common in children and oral medication will cure it.

Stress

Stress can cause hair loss is some people. Usually it occurs 3 months after the stressful event has occured and it may take 3 months after the stress period has ended for the hair growth to resume. In most cases it is temporary if the person is not predisposed to genetic or Androgenic Alopecia, if they are stress may trigger the onset of genetic hair loss or may worsen existing Androgenic hair loss.

MECHANICAL DAMAGE CAUSES HAIR LOSS

Damage to the hair can be self inflicted either by intentional or unintentional means. Some people going through stress continuously pull at their hair until it comes out. Styling hair by bleaching, braiding and straightening can also cause damage and results in hair being lost.

Trichotillomania or Hair Pulling

Some children and less often adults play with their hair by pulling on it or twisting it. This can be part of a behavioral problem or a bad habit that is often done unconsciously. If the behavior is not stopped permanent hair loss can result from the constant stress on the hair. Its best to seek the help of a mental health professional to solve this problem.

Hair Styling Treatments

Many people change the appearance of their hair by using chemical treatments like dyes, tints, bleaches, straighteners, relaxers and permanent waves. If correctly done and done using reputable products, its rare to have any damage. However, hair can become weak and break if any of these chemicals are used too often. Hair can also break if the solution is left on too long, if two procedures are done on the same day, or if bleach is applied to previously bleached hair. Some chemical relaxers do contain powerful chemicals and there have been instances of people get chemical burns from these products resulting in permanent hair loss. Only go to qualified hair stylists and if doing it yourself make sure you only use reputable products and follow the product directions.

Hair Braids/Weaves

Many black women and some black men braid their hair or wear hair weaves. Under normal conditions these cause no problems. However if the weave is attached too tight or the braids are wrapped too tight, they put a constant strain on the hair follicle. If this is done for an extended period of time permanent hair loss can result. This is known as Traction Alopecia and is fairly common among people who braid or weave their hair. Make sure the person applying the braids or weave is qualified to do so and don’t wear braids or weaves continuously for extended periods of time.

www.thewestminsterpractice.com

Thinning hair, hair loss and especially baldness are stressful and traumatic issues for men as they grow older. At least 50% of male population of earth suffers from hair loss problems and this percentage is higher for men in developed world, due to tense life, unhealthy nutrition and pestiferous climate. Moreover, if your father had hair loss then you probably encounter with the same hair condition because “male pattern baldness” is a hereditary disease.

Treating hair loss has interested physicians and scientists through out history and many natural and pharmaceutical cures has been proposed. Recently, medical researches have finally proved the overall cause of hair loss. An androgenic hormone (named dihydrotestosterone or DHT) gradually increases in the receptors at hair follicles as men grow up and as a result, hair follicles shrink, hair becomes thinner, progressively falls and eventually no new healthy hair grows.

The understanding of the cause of hair loss does not mean that there has been success in discovery of hair loss treatment. Many pharmaceutical, beauty products and natural remedies “promise” to improve hair health but nothing can be considered as panacea. Below there are some natural treatment (some have been used for centuries) that concern hair loss. Of course, treating hair loss may last long and therefore you should be patient and determined. You will not see a new head full of hair after just one or two treatments. Nevertheless, repeated use will probably offer you a better looking, healthier and fuller hair.

A widely used home remedy is with use of herb Aloe Vera. It is believed that by rubbing your head with leafs of Aloe Vera, you achieved balanced scalp’s Ph, improved circulation to the area and stimulated hair follicles able to provide new healthy hair.

Another popular treatment with essential oils suggests before going to bed, to apply to head a blend composed of 4 essential oils and 1 vegetable oil: 2 drops of lavender oil, 2 drops of rosemary oil, 2 drops of thyme oil and 2 of cedarwood oil based in 50 ml of jojoba vegetable oil. After applying, massage your scalp for half an hour or more, in order the blend to have the time to take action and then give it a rinse. If you are not experienced with aromatherapy blends, you can benefit from essential oils by just adding 4 drops of bay oil to your normal shampoo.

Finally, follow these everyday advices for stronger and healthier hair. After shampooing your hair, you dry it naturally or use a hairdryer. Remember that you should never rub or wring your hair with a towel to dry it. This will damage the brittle and breakable hair. You can also wrap a large and thick towel around your hair and wait until the towel absorb the water. Moreover, if you choose the hairdryer solution, do not overdo with it, because too hot or too much drying leads to undesirable results. Additionally, keep in mind that sleeping in a tight braid can cause hair breakage or loss of hair over time.

Hair loss is not a problem unless it is excessive. Hair loss is a normal process (45 to 60 hairs/day), the hair that falls out is continuously replaced by newly grown hair. Hair loss is a gradual process, some research has indicated that it takes 5 years or more for follicle roots to fully cease. Baldness or hair loss is usually something only adults need to worry about. Hair loss may occur if male or female hormones, known as androgens and estrogens, are out of balance.

The more you look around at your fellow colleagues, the more you see that hair loss is on the rise. Sadly, they’re struggling secretly with this hair loss, trying to solve the problem on their own. Many people experiencing premature hair loss simply resign themselves to a process that is as inevitable as growing old. An emphasis should be placed on determining the true cause of hair loss as a prerequisite for developing an appropriate and effective course of treatment.

Women and hair loss aren’t two things that people usually associate with each other. Women generally don’t suffer from androgenic alopecia because their levels of testosterone are too low to exert a damaging influence. Women experiencing hair thinning especially in their late twenties and early thirties experience social insecurity, anxiety and depression. Ironically, stress itself is the main reason why many women are facing hair loss and what appears to be early balding. Even more disturbing is that nearly 80 percent of the time, women’s hair samples show symptoms of thyroid diseases or hormone imbalances, which are serious manifestations of stress-related disorders.

The most common form of baldness is a progressive hair thinning condition called androgenic alopecia or ‘male pattern baldness’ that occurs in adult male humans and other species. In male- and female-pattern baldness, the culprit is something called dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, which is derived from androgen, a male hormone. There is no consensus regarding the details of the evolution of male pattern baldness.

One theory suggests baldness evolved in males through sexual selection as an enhanced signal of aging and social maturity, whereby aggression and risk-taking decrease and nurturing behaviours increase. The assertion that MPB is intended to convey a social message is supported by the fact that the distribution of androgen receptors in the scalp differs between men and women, and older women or women with high androgen levels often exhibit diffuse thinning of hair as opposed to male pattern baldness.

Standing On One’s Head Alleviates Baldness… The “blood-flow” theory, which led men to stand on their heads in the 1980s, can be found in the advertising for many of the fake hair loss treatments for sale on the internet.

Hair products such as hot oil treatments and chemicals used for permanents can cause inflammation to the hair follicles, which can also result in scarring and hair loss. If your hair loss is caused by one of these temporary conditions, then you can try to address the cause (like stress or improving your nutrition) or you can wait it out (for example if your hair loss is caused by medical treatments or too many hair treatments). A number of treatments are available for female pattern hair loss including topical minoxidil lotion (not recommended for pregnant and breast feeding women) and antiandrogen medication. To date the most effective preventative treatments are anti androgens, drugs that prevent the creation of DHT. Provillus is the natural hair loss treatment that limits the conversion of male testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and in turn prevents hair loss.

In general, most hair loss is not associated with systemic or internal disease, nor is poor diet a frequent factor. Not only do experts not know how much hair loss is normal, they also don’t have any standardized way of assessing the amount of hair lost on an average day.