The average scalp contains about 100,000 to 150,000 hair.
The normal hair life cycle lasts for 2 to 3 years. At any given point of time,
about 90% of the hair on your scalp is growing and about 10% of the hair is in
a resting phase. After 2-3 months, the resting hair is shed and new hair starts
to grow in its place. It is normal to shed some hair every day. You lose
roughly 100 hair strands every day. But, some people may experience more than
normal hair loss. Partial or complete loss of hair is called alopecia.
If your hair loss is distinctly noticeable. you need to find
out what kind of hair loss you are suffering from. The various different kinds
of hair losses are:
Natural hair loss:
The rate of hair growth slows as you age. Both men and women
tend to lose hair thickness and amount as they age. If you notice gradual
thinning of hair with age, then you have Involutional alopecia. More and more
of your hair follicles go into a telogen (resting) phase. The remaining hair
becomes shorter and fewer in number.
Temporary hair Loss:
You may experience temporary hair loss over the scalp weeks
to months after a stress episode like child birth, fever, severe illness,
stress and sudden weight loss. The hair shedding will decrease after few
months. Such type of hair loss is called Telogen effluvium. This happens due to
changes in the growth cycle of hair. A large numbers of hairs are in the
resting phase (telogen) at the same time. After 2-3 months, there is massive
shedding and subsequent thinning.
Male or female
pattern baldness:
If you are a male with a receding hairline and gradual
disappearance of hair from the crown, you may be suffering from Androgenic
alopecia referred to as male pattern baldness. In this condition, you may
experience hair loss as early as in your teens or early 20s. Men with
androgenic alopecia may notice hair loss at the top of the scalp and a receding
hairline particularly along the temples. The typical pattern begins at the
hairline which then gradually moves backward and forms an ‘M’ shape. Finally
the hair becomes finer, shorter, and thinner, and creates a U-shaped pattern of
hair around the sides of the head. Miniaturization is the progressive decrease
of the hair shaft’s diameter and length in response to hormones causing
thinning of hair. It is characteristic of androgenic alopecia. Hair follicles
that are producing healthy hair begin to produce thinner (decreased in
diameter), shorter, more brittle hair with weaker shafts. It is a genetically
predisposed condition that can affect both men and women. If you are a woman
with general hair thinning over the entire scalp and most extensive hair loss
at the crown with front hairline intact, you may be suffering from androgenic
alopecia referred to as female pattern baldness. The central hair part may
become wider with time. As hair thinning occurs, the scalp becomes
progressively more visible. The hair loss rarely progresses to total or near
total baldness. You may notice hair thinning in your 20s but you are not very
likely to experience noticeable thinning until your 40s or later because the
pace of hair loss tends to be gradual.
The various medications and methods to counter androgenic
alopecia are:
1.Medications like Minoxidil and Finasteride which are
maintenance measures for long term use.
2.Cosmetic measures
like different hairstyles or wigs, hairpieces, hair weaves and extensions, hair
fiber powders or artificial hair replacement to disguise the hair loss.
3.Surgical restoration
is the only permanent solution to baldness.
4.Platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy can be used to stimulate
the growth of follicles, thereby reversing hair miniaturization seen in
androgenic alopecia and even preventing hair loss.
5.Homeopathy is another popular remedy that has proved
effective against hair loss.
Patchy hair loss:
If you are a child or young adult with one to two totally
smooth, round patches of hair loss, mostly on the scalp, you may be sufferinf
from Alopecia areata. The hair loss may also be seen in the eyebrows, and arms,
legs or beard. It is often sudden in onset. The hair usually grows back in 6
months to 1 year in one area but will fall out in another area. In some people
the hair may become thinner without any patches of baldness. In some, it may
grow and break off, leaving short stubs which resemble exclamation point.
Alopecia areata is generally considered an autoimmune condition, in which the
body attacks its own hair follicles. In alopecia totalis, an extensive form,
the entire scalp goes bald. If you have complete loss of scalp hair and body
hair, you have alopecia universalis. It is the most severe form of alopecia
areata and can occur at any age. For severe forms, treatment includes injecting
small amounts of steroids like triamcinolone into affected patches to stimulate
hair growth. Other treatments such as oral steroids, immunosuppressives,
Contact immunotherapy or Psoralen with Ultraviolet A Light (PUVA) therapy are
available.
Tinea capitis or ringworm of the scalp
It’s fungal infection of the scalp which usually affects
school-age children and goes away at puberty. It’s rare in healthy adults. It
involves only parts or whole of the scalp. Hair breaks off at areas that are
infected causing bald scalp with small black dots. The skin has inflamed (red
swollen) round, scaly areas and pus-filled sores called kerions. You may have a
low-grade fever or swollen lymph nodes in the neck. The scalp is itchy. It is
contagious from sharing combs and hats.Once the infection is cured, the hair
grows back. Griseofulvin, terbinafine or itraconazole are used for 4 – 8 weeks
to treat ringworm in the scalp
Traction alopecia
This is a type of hair loss caused by force applied to the
hair because of particular hairstyles. You may notice small, localized hair
loss in certain areas caused by persistent pulling or force on hair roots.
Tight braids and ponytails can pull hard enough on hair to make them fall out.
Hair pulling disorder:
Some people have the habit of voluntarily twisting or
pulling their own hair often the scalp and eyelashes. This is referred to as
Trichotillomania. It is a psychological disorder seen most frequently in
children. Hair patches in trichotillomania show broken-off hair.
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