Hair loss

Alternative Names

Hair loss, Baldness

What is Hair loss

Hair loss is a condition that can start with a few extra hairs in the sink or in your comb. It can frequent progress to a bare scalp.

Baldness typically relates to excessive hair loss from your scalp. It can be inherited. Hair loss can affect everyone.

In most cases, people do not treat their baldness, but some people may cover it up with hairstyles, makeup, hats or scarves. There are certain medicines and surgical procedures for the treatment of hair loss. Your doctor should identify the cause of it and prescribe the possible treatments.

Signs and symptoms

If you have one of the following symptoms, it means that you have a hair loss:

• Blurred vision, excessive hunger, excessive thirst, fatigue or weight loss which can be caused by diabetes, an eating disorder or poor nutrition
• Itchy, raised and red patches on the scalp caused by ringworm
• Loss of facial or body hair, burning or itching of scalp due to alopecia areata
• Rash over cheeks and the bridge of the nose, malaise, unexplained fever, mouth sores and swollen lymph nodes due to lupus
• Scalp itching, tightness or soreness and dry brittle hair that can be caused by hypothyroidism or the use of styling products or tools
• Sensitivity to cold, weight gain, fatigue, depression, dry brittle hair, joint or muscle pain or heavier menstrual periods due to hypothyroidism
• Sensitivity to heat, weight loss, jitteriness, irregular menstrual periods and swollen glands due to hyperthyroidism

Possible complications

Hair is a sign of health and attractiveness, so loss of your hair can greatly reduce your self-image and self-esteem. You can minimize your risk of complications of hair loss by specific treatment plan that your doctor prescribed you.

Possible complications of hair loss include:

• Dry skin on the scalp
• Embarrassment
• Poor self-image and self-esteem
• Stress

What causes

The main cause of hair loss is hereditary baldness, known as androgenetic alopecia or male/female pattern baldness. It can also be caused by specific hair disorders, medications, normal hormonal changes, stress and poor nutrition.

Hair loss can appears as thinning in which you may not notice hair falling out or as shedding in which bunches of hair fall out.

In the most common type of hair loss (androgenetic alopecia), men are exposed to lose hair on the front hairline and forehead and on top of the head. Finally, only hair around the ears, the sides and the back of the head remains. Women suffering from hair loss typically have gradual thinning throughout the scalp, but commonly on the top of the head.

Sometimes, certain conditions such as trichotillomania (compulsively pulling at the hair) or alopecia areata (in which the immune system attacks hair follicles) lead to obvious patches of hair loss.

Prevention

To prevent hair loss you should take the following steps:

• Eat a nutritionally balanced diet.
• Handle your hair gently. Do not use hair dryer.
• Avoid tight hairstyles such as braids, buns or ponytails.
• Avoid compulsively twisting, rubbing or pulling your hair.
• Counsel with hair care experts about styling techniques that minimize the effects of balding.
• You may use minoxidil (Rogaine) that promotes new hair growth and prevents further hair loss.

Treatment

Minoxidil (Rogaine). It provides insignificant regrowth of hair on areas of the scalp that have become bald. This medication is more effective in younger people who have just noticed signs of hair loss.

Propecia is a prescription medication that used for male pattern hair loss. Propecia blocks the formation of the male hormones in the skin that can trigger hair loss. You should discuss the safeness of it with your doctor.

Hair transplantation is the process of the relocation of plugs of skin from parts of the scalp containing active hair follicles to bald areas. The transplanted hair may drop out, but new hair usually starts to grow from the transplanted follicles within several months.

Scalp reduction is a cosmetic surgery that tightens the scalp so that hair-bearing skin from the back and sides of the head is pulled toward the crown. Then hair can be transplanted to the remaining bald area at the top of the head. This process is painful and it does not guarantee prevention of an age-related hair loss.