Hair Loss ? The Universal Malady | Gnet Health and Fitness

Hair loss is one of the major psychological dilemmas faced by a person. It is a universal malady affecting men and women of all ages and drastically affects the self image. It does not cause any physical harm but psychologically it takes its toll on the confidence and self esteem of a person. This malady not only affects men, as mostly believed, but women as well.

Types of Hair Loss

Medically hair loss is known as alopecia ? which means loss of hair from the head or body while the term baldness is generally used for male pattern baldness or androgenic alopecia. There are different types of hair loss and their treatment is based upon their type. Most commonly observed type is male pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia. That?s the reason we can see many men with thinning hair on the top of their head.

Different types of hair loss are:

1. Androgenic Alopecia ? is the major type of hair loss. It is also known as male-pattern baldness or permanent-pattern baldness. Androgenic alopecia or male-pattern baldness is the most common cause of hair loss in men. It is usually inherited. In male-pattern baldness, hair loss typically results in a receding hair line and baldness on the top of the head.
   Women can also develop androgenic alopecia or female-pattern baldness. In females, the hair becomes thin over the entire scalp rather than just on top like men.

2. Alopecia Areata ? Hair loss occurs in patches. It typically presents with sudden hair loss causing patches to appear on the scalp or other areas of the body. If left untreated, or if the disease does not respond to treatment, complete baldness can result in the affected area.

3. Alopecia Totalis ? Complete baldness in any affected area.

4. Trichotillomania ? Compulsive pulling of hair which results in hair loss.

5. Alopecia Universalis ? When the entire body suffers from complete hair loss, it is referred to as alopecia universalis. It is similar to the hair loss which occurs with chemotherapy of cancer.

6. Traction Alopecia ? Hair loss due to extra stress or pull (traction) on the hair is known as traction alopecia. Hairtyling routines such as tight ponytails, tight braids, pigtails or using tight hair rollers exert pull or traction on your hair causing hair loss. If the pulling is stopped before scarring of the scalp develops, the hair will grow back normally. However, if scarring occurs, it can result in permanent hair loss.

Hair Growth and Loss Cycle

Briefly speaking, normal hair growth cycle lasts for about 2-3 years. Each hair grows approximately 1 cm per month during this phase. About 90 percent of the hair is growing at any one time. About 10 percent of the hair is in a resting phase which lasts about 3 to 4 months after which the resting hair fall out and new hair start to grow in its place.

It is normal to shed some hair each day as part of this cycle but some people experience excessive hair fall. Hair loss of this type can affect men, women and children of any age.

A Deeper Insight into the Hair Cycle

Hair root is known as hair follicle. Its growth occurs in cycles. Each growth cycle consists of three phases:

1. Anagen ? a long growing phase of 3-4 years.
2. Telogen ? a short resting phase of about 3 months.

At the end of the resting (telogen) phase, the hair falls out and the follicle again enters Anagen. So new hair starts growing in the follicle and the cycle starts all over again. Normally about 100 hairs reach the end of their resting phase each day and fall out. So hair loss up to 100 hairs per day is normal and nothing to worry about.

The special scientific terminology for this kind of hair loss is

1. Telogen effluvium ? Clinical hair loss occurs when more than 100 hair start to fall out per day. This is known as Telogen effluvium. This happens because due to some triggering factor, like stress, more hair enter the resting phase and fall out at the end of this phase.

2. Anagen effluvium ? Another kind of hair loss (Anagen effluvium) occurs due disruption of the growing phase which causes abnormal loss of Anagen hair so hair fall increases and there is lack of Anagen (growing) hair to replace them.

Reasons for Hair Loss

There are many reasons for hair thinning or falling out. Some of them can be resolved and successfully treated. The main causes of thinning hair for both men and women are common and easy to diagnose.

Following are some of the reasons which can cause hair thinning and fall-out:

Medications & Drug-induced hair loss

Some medicines and drugs can have unwanted side-effect of hair loss, e.g. steroids and chemotherapy. Consult your physician or pharmacist if you notice hair loss, especially on starting a new medication regimen. In most cases it is easily reversible once you discontinue the medication.

Drugs cause hair loss by interfering with the normal cycle of scalp hair growth. Medications can lead to two types of hair loss: telogen effluvium and anagen effluvium.

1. Telogen effluvium ? (discussed above) is the most common form of drug-induced hair loss. It usually appears within two to four months after taking the drug. This condition causes the hair follicles to go into their resting phase (telogen) and fall out too early.

2. Anagen effluvium ? is hair loss that occurs during the anagen phase of the hair cycle ? when the hair is actively growing. It prevents production of new hair. This type of hair loss usually occurs within a few days to weeks after taking the medication. It?s most common in people who are taking chemotherapy drugs for cancer and is often severe, causing people to lose most or all of the hair on their head, as well as their eyebrows, eyelashes, and other body hair.

This kind of hair loss is reversible once you discontinue the culprit medication. The severity of such kind of hair loss depends on the type of drug and dosage, as well as a person?s sensitivity to that drug.

Hormones

Hormonal problems can cause hair loss. If your thyroid gland is overactive or underactive, your hair may fall out. This can be resolved by treating your thyroid disease.

Hair loss can occur if male or female hormones, known as androgens and estrogens, are out of balance. Correcting the hormone imbalance may stop your hair loss. Many different hormone fluctuations, abnormalities, birth control regimens and medications are associated with hair loss so if you see no other reason for your hair loss, consult your doctor and get blood tests done to determine levels of hormones in your body.

Many women notice hair loss about 3 months after they?ve had a baby. This loss is also related to hormones. During pregnancy, high levels of some hormones cause the body to keep hair that would normally fall out. When the hormones return to pre-pregnancy levels, that hair falls out and the normal cycle of hair growth and loss starts again.

The way you treat your hair

Tight ponytails and headbands, chemical hair treatments, improper use of heated styling tools can all cause breakage due to trauma to hair follicles and scalp. Hot oil hair treatments or chemicals used in permanents can cause inflammation (swelling) of the hair follicles which can resulting in scarring and hair loss. Discuss your daily hair treatment regimen with your hair stylist who can identify local trauma by the patterns of breakage and educate you to avoid and correct the problem. If they can?t help you, they will refer you to a physician or dermatologist who can. Hair relaxer solutions and hot hair irons can also induce hair loss.

Stress ? can affect your hair the same way it affects other major organs like the heart. Physical and mental traumas can cause hair loss and thinning. Many people experience whitening of hair or hair loss after severe illness because prolonged illness puts heavy stress on your system. Such hair loss can occur even three to six months after a traumatic event has occurred. Try to identify the cause and make some changes to your busy routine to reduce stress.

Scalp Health ? Scalp health is of utmost importance for healthy hair. Dry, flaky, infected or clogged scalp is most damaging for your hair. Your first line of defense here is your hair stylist who can examine your scalp and identify build-up of hair products, excessive production of sebum (the oily substance produced naturally by your scalp), and fungal or other infections. These conditions can all reduce cell respiration at the base of hair because sticky styling products, which are not removed well enough, attracts dirt and bacteria that plug up the pores and follicles leading to serious infections. If your hairstylist notices any signs of infection, he or she can refer you to a dermatologist for treatment and resolution of the problem.

Infection ? Certain infections can cause hair loss. Fungal infections of the scalp can cause hair loss. Fortunately, these infections are easily treated with antifungal medicines.

Diet ? A healthy diet is central to the health of the hair. When we restrict calorie intake the body determines what it needs to keep functioning under limited nutrition. The highest priority is heart ? it keeps ticking, while hair is of less priority ? so it falls out.

Age ? Hair thinning is also a common sign of aging as natural hormones reduce in production and can be seen by the pattern of the thinning. Women are predisposed to general thinning while men have genetically predisposed receptors located in certain areas which results in male pattern baldness.

Underlying disease ? Hair loss can also occur due to underlying medical conditions, such as iron deficiency, lupus or diabetes. Since hair loss may be an early sign of a disease, it is important to find the cause so that it can be treated.

Popular News Services Verify Hair Loss Is Universal Malady

BBC News: (Click article for full size)

MSNBC News: (Click article for full size)

Available Treatment Options

1. Medicines ? Hair loss is now a clinically treatable condition. That?s why a special section has been dedicated to the the discussion of medicines for hair loss and their mode of action.

2. Egg Oil ? In Indian, Japanese, Unani (Greek & Arabic) and Chinese traditional medicine, Egg Oil has been used as a treatment for alopecia. It nourishes the scalp, promotes new hair growth, reduces hair fall and retards premature graying. It also improves the health of hair by making it thicker, reducing dandruff and preventing split ends or damage due to chemical coloring.

3. Corticosteroids ? Injections of cortisone into the scalp can be used to treat alopecia areata. This type of treatment is repeated on a monthly basis. Physician may prescribe oral pills for extensive hair loss due to alopecia areata. Results may take up to a month to be seen.

4. Hormonal modulators ? Oral contraceptives or anti-androgens like spironolactone can be used for female-pattern hair loss associated with androgenic alopecia.

5. Surgical options ? Treatment options such as follicle transplant, scalp flaps, and follicle unit extraction (FUE) are available. These procedures are generally chosen by those who are self-conscious about their hair loss. These options are expensive and surgical.z There is a risk of infection and scarring. Once surgery has occurred, it takes 6 to 8 months before the quality of new hair can be assessed.

6. Hair transplant ? A dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon takes tiny plugs of skin, each which contains a few hair, and implants the plugs into bald sections. The plugs are generally taken from the back or sides of the scalp. Several transplant sessions may be necessary.

7. Scalp reduction ? This process is the decreasing of the area of bald skin on the head.After some time, the skin on the head becomes flexible and stretched enough that some of it can be surgically removed. After the hairless scalp is removed, the space is closed with hair-covered scalp. This procedure is generally done in combination with hair transplantation to provide a natural-looking hairline.

8. Wigs ? As an alternative to medical and surgical treatment, some patients wear a wig or hairpiece. They can be used permanently or temporarily to cover the hair loss. Natural looking wigs and hairpieces are available.

Medication to the Rescue

Androgenetic alopecia or male/female pattern hair loss is mostly due to hormones. This kind of hair loss is most prominent in men because it is linked with testosterone ? the male sex hormone. Testosterone is converted to di-hydro-testosterone (DHT) which attacks hair follicles and cause hair loss.

The extent to which hair follicles are vulnerable is under genetic control so genes determine how much hair loss will occur (hence some men are more bald than others) while the triggering factor is DHT.

A point to wonder is that if hair loss is linked with testosterone ? the male sex hormone, then why do women suffer from this kind of hair loss? Very few people know that 90% of testosterone is made by testes while remaining 10% is made by kidneys. So in women the kidney-manufactured testosterone is present which, when out of balance, can result in high levels of DHT resulting in female pattern baldness. This small amount of testosterone is also responsible for facial hair of women, which is in fact a male characteristic.

Another main culprit is the enzyme 5 alpha reductase which is responsible for the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone.

Last but not least ? healthy scalp is essential for healthy hair. Everything ranging from scalp massage to improve blood flow to deep cleansing shampoos contribute to health of scalp and hair.

So medicines aim at following:

1. Prevent DHT to interact with hair cells.
2. Inhibit the 5 aplha reductase enzyme and stop the formation of DHT.
3. Improve scalp health by cleansing it, opening up the clogged pores or improving blood flow to scalp and follicles.

Following Medicines are currently at the forefront of latest medical treatment.

Minoxidil ? (Rogaine) is a non-prescription (available over the counter) medication approved for androgenic alopecia and alopecia areata. Minoxidil is used externally and comes in a liquid or foam that is sprayed or rubbed into the scalp twice a day.

1. Minoxidil dilates the blood vessels in scalp which causes more blood to flow to the scalp and hair follicles. This nourishes the scalp and hair follicles with increased amount of nutrients and natural antioxidants present in the blood which prevents hair fall and revives dormant follicles.

2. Minoxidil mostly stops further hair loss but in some cases its revives hair growth which can take 8 to 12 months to be noticeable. Treatment is continued indefinitely because if the treatment is stopped, hair loss resumes again.

3. Minoxidil is also available in combination with other products which deep cleanse the scalp and open up clogged pores to provide better penetration of minoxidil into the scalp.

4. Most frequent side effects are mild scalp irritation and allergic contact dermatitis. Stop using minoxidil if you experience any of these symptoms.

Saw palmetto ? or Serenoa repens, is a herbal remedy obtained from fruit of the American dwarf pine tree. It has dual mode of action.

1. It has the ability to inhibit 5 ? reductase levels without affecting testosterone levels in men so it is used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia and Hair loss.
2. Extracts of saw palmetto have partial antagonistic affect on testosterone receptors.

These 2 actions advocate saw palmetto being used as hair loss remedy. Saw palmetto is a safe herbal supplement which has none of the side effects associated with similar agents like finasteride. Saw palmetto has no known drug interactions.

Finasteride ? (Propecia) is a prescription drug. It is used in androgenetic alopecia or male-pattern hair loss. It is taken internally in a pill form on daily basis.

1. Finasteride is not indicated for women and is highly contraindicated in pregnant women because it can severely damage fetus. So it is a men-only drug. Treatment is effective within 6 to 8 months.
2. Side effects include decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory dysfunction, gynecomastia, and myopathy. Treatment should be continued as long as positive results occur. Side-effects disappear once treatment is stopped but then hair loss also resumes again.

As proven by various clinical research studies, the mechanism of action of saw palmetto and finasteride is very much similar. Most people prefer to use Saw Palmetto instead of Finasteride because of the the numerous side effects of finasteride which require a doctor?s prescription and supervision during its use.

Clinical Studies Research Hair Loss and Advocate the Use of Saw Palmetto

1. ?The main cause of hair loss appears to be depleted iron storesand low intake of the essential amino acid l-lysine. Correction of these dietary imbalances stops the excessive hair loss and returns the hair back to its former glory.?
   (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.0412-5463.2001.00110.x/abstract;jsessionid=0CC4539AC2084887CDCAE6A6E65E54C9.d03t01)

2. ?Administration of saw palmetto can be effective and its use stimulates hair growth. Adverse effects of saw palmetto therapy are usually mild and its use does not appear to result in significant drug interactions.?
   (http://rd.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-59745-383-7_10)

3. ?Botanically derived 5AR inhibitors, liposterolic extract of Serenoa repens (LSESr) and beta-sitosterol, in the treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia (AGA) show a highly positive response to treatment of alopecia.?
   (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12006122)

4. ?Serenoa repens is a useful alternative to alpha 1-receptor antagonists and finasteride in the treatment of men with hairloss and BPH.?
   (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8922564)

5. ?Feelings of loss of self-confidence, low self-esteem and heightened self-consciousness are identified in people affected by hair loss.?
   (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1468-3083.2001.00229.x/abstract)

6. ?Eliminating scaling problems is important as is good hair care advice.?
   (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2230.2002.01076.x/abstract)

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Source: http://www.gnet.org/hair-loss-the-universal-malady/

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