Many people seek treatment for hair loss without first determining what is causing their hair loss, which is one of the most troubling aspects of hair loss treatment.
At best, patients may waste money on worthless “wonder cures” or even legitimate treatments that aren’t right for them. In the worst-case scenario, some people may be endangering their health by self-prescribing powerful pharmaceutical drugs. I have no objections to hair loss patients saving money by purchasing cheap generic drugs over the internet, but I feel they should at the very least seek confirmation from their physician that the drug they choose is acceptable for their requirements.
It’s vital to recognise that some hair losing is natural before we look at the most common reasons of premature hair loss. Follicles, which are little organs in the skin that are designed to create a single hair, produce hairs in the following cycle:
1. Long growth period (Anagen Stage) – this stage lasts two to seven years, with an annual growth rate of six inches on average (15cm).
2. Catagen Stage (short transition period) – the Catagen Stage is a two- to four-week transition period. During this phase, the hair shaft detaches and goes higher within the follicle.
3. Resting stage (Telogen Stage) – this three-month interval allows the hair to separate from the scalp and fall out.
At this point, new hair begins to grow, completing the regular hair development cycle. Hair thinning or early baldness can be caused by a variety of diseases that interfere with the natural hair growing process.
Androgenetic alopecia, which accounts for up to 95 percent of all pattern hair loss in both men and women, is the most common cause of hair loss in both men and women. It’s commonly associated with ageing and develops in predictable phases over time. Each follicle has its own genetically programmed growth cycle, with some follicles staying active for a shorter time than others. As a result, inherited baldness patterns emerge, which we are all familiar with.
The following variables must be present for this type of baldness to occur:
1. A inherited propensity causes hair loss (as explained above).
2. There are male hormones present.
3. Aging – or, to put it another way, enough time for the first two variables to work.
Both men and women produce male hormones like testosterone and DHT. These are beneficial to both sexes, yet they are found in dramatically different amounts in each. Androgen levels are higher in men than in women, which explains why men are more impacted by hair loss.
In a nutshell, these hormones affect the hair growth cycle in the following ways:
1. The 5-alpha-reductase enzyme is abundant in some hair follicle and sebaceous gland cells.
2. The enzyme 5-alpha-reductase converts testosterone to DHT.
3. DHT causes the terminal hairs to shrink in size.
4. This leads in short, fragile, and fluffy vellus hairs with insufficient scalp coverage.
5. The hairs gradually grow less and shorter until they are completely gone.
Alopecia areata is an immune system disorder that causes follicles to cease producing hair in specific areas of the head. It can proceed to the point where all of the hair on the head has fallen out (alopecia totalis) or there is no hair on the body at all (alopecia totalis) (alopecia universalis).
The hair will generally regrow on its own, but the condition can be quite distressing for sufferers while waiting for that to happen, especially because the cause can be difficult to define. Consult your doctor if you feel you’re suffering from this type of hair loss. Your doctor will conduct a physical examination and prescribe blood tests to determine the cause.
In persons who have recently experienced trauma, telogen effluvium is defined by a widespread thinning or shedding of hair over a period of months. The following are some of the most prevalent causes: childbirth, major surgery, severe illness, psychological stress, and chemotherapy. The good news is that the abnormal development pattern of telogen effluvium is only temporary and reversible.
Before settling on a treatment approach, a variety of other less common causes of hair loss must be ruled out. Traction alopecia is hair loss caused by constant pulling, usually as a result of hair styling. Over-styling, exposure to chemicals, and the sun can create broken hairs, which can contribute to thinning. Finally, acute illnesses or nutritional deficiencies may cause hair loss in varied degrees as a side effect.
I hope that this brief essay has demonstrated that understanding the underlying reasons of hair loss is not always straightforward. After you and your doctor have discovered out what’s causing your hair to fall out, you can concentrate on getting it back to its former glory. The good news is that the majority of hair loss can be effectively treated. We’ll look at some of the most successful hair loss treatments available in the next instalment of this series.
