There is a surprising number of myths and misunderstandings about hair loss (alopecia). Until you know the factors causing alopecia, it is impossible to treat it appropriately. We provide the facts for you.
How Does Hair Grow?
Humans have roughly 100,000 hairs at any time, although this varies according to a growth cycle, and these hairs increase by approximately six inches every year. Hair is made up of the visible shaft, which is not alive, and the root/follicle that lives inside the scalp.
Differences In Hair Loss Between Men And Women
Men and women follow different patterns of hair loss. After menopause, women may start to lose hair, while in men it takes place anywhere from their 20s onwards. The hairline recedes first in males followed by the temples and the crown of the head. In females, hair thins from the top of the head. Androgenetic alopecia is the name for this common type of baldness in women and men.
Heat And Chemicals
Bleaching and coloring hair, using straighteners and blow-drying can make hair weaker and thinner. This makes it seem as though you have less hair. Applying traction to hair by pulling it tightly in certain styles can wrench it out.
Shampooing
Some people believe that not washing your hair often enough will clog the pores, causing baldness. This is not true and unclogging the pores will not result in hair growing back. Hair does fall out during shampooing, but this is normal.
Headgear
Wearing a hat will not result in baldness. Blood provides the hair with oxygen. Hair does not get its oxygen from the air.
Medical Causes
Some medical treatments and prescription medicines are responsible for alopecia. Related diseases are arthritis, cancer, hypertension, thyroid problems, heart conditions, and iron deficiency anemia. Medicine to treat depression could also cause hair loss. Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that can result in baldness in 2% of the population.
Temporary Hair Loss
Telogen effluvium is a condition in which the number of hair follicles decreases. This can be due to stress, hormonal fluctuations, diet, medications, and disease. The condition is not permanent.
Ringworm
Ringworm is caused by a fungal infection. It results in patchy bald spots. Usually, medication is required to get rid of the condition after which hair growth returns to normal.
Risks for Baldness
The biggest risk indicator for alopecia is having a parent who had the condition. Hair loss progresses with age but can occur at any time when other factors are present. Other aspects that put one at risk are losing a large amount of weight, a very stressful experience, a bad diet, and medical conditions and/or treatments.
Hair Transplants
There are two options for hair transplants, either surgical or non-surgical. The latter does not have a great success rate, with 70% of customers being dissatisfied with the results. It is accomplished by inserting hair into a mesh base to form a hair piece.
On the other hand, the surgical treatment removes hair from where it is abundant and transplants it to areas affected by alopecia. See the Different Types of FUE Hair Transplant for a full background on follicular unit extraction. This method can only be used with one’s own hair, like any transplant where the body will reject foreign material.
Hair loss is often temporary, but in other cases there are solutions at hand.
