Hair Loss Remedy - Hair loss: major cause of concern for beauty conscious people
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Hair loss is something that mostly affects adults, although in some cases teens can be found losing hair. Hair loss during adolescence is generally caused by sickness or irregular food habits. Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment too generally lose their hair. Some people lose their hair for adopting hairstyle such as in braids that keeps pulling on their hair for a long time. Hair loss can cause a stress especially among those concerned for their look.
However, the good news is that hair loss is considered to be temporary phenomenon in teens. Once this problem is treated, hair grows back.
Normal cycle of hair growth and loss
The period between 2 and 6 years is generally perceived to be the normal cycle of hair growth. During this phase each hair grows by approximately 1 centimeter every month. Nearly 90 percent of hair grows at a time. The remaining 10 percent hair in a resting phase starts falling out after next 2 to 3 months and is replaced with new hair.
Shedding some hair every day is a part of this cycle. However, some people may undergo excessive hair loss. This type of hair loss may occur in men, women and children.
Causes of excessive hair loss
Excessive hair loss can be caused by a variety of reasons. A person suffering illness or undergoing major surgery may start losing a large amount of hair in the next 3 to 4 months. However, the hair loss which is caused mainly due to stress of the illness is a temporary phenomenon.
Hormonal disorder can also result in hair loss. A person with overactive or underactive thyroid gland may experience hair loss. But treatment of thyroid disease may help solve the problem of hair loss. Imbalance in male or female hormones such as androgens and estrogens may also lead to hair loss. Once the hormonal imbalance is corrected hair stops falling.
In many cases women can experience hair loss three months after delivering baby. This type of hair loss is linked with hormones.
In pregnant women, a high level of certain hormones cause the body to sustain hair which normally falls out. Once the hormones return to pre-pregnancy level that hair starts falling out resulting in the normal cycle of hair growth and loss. Moreover certain medicines can also lead to hair loss. But the condition improves after you stop taking medicines.
Blood thinners (also known as anticoagulants), medicines used for gout, chemotherapy to treat cancer, overdose of vitamin A, birth control pills and antidepressants generally result in hair loss.
Hair loss can also occur due to certain infections. Children experience hair loss due to fungal infections of the scalp. The infection can be treated through anti fungal medicines. Underlying diseases like lupus and diabetes may also cause hair loss.
Hair loss can be an early symptom of a disease and therefore it is necessary to know the exact cause so that it can be treated.
Irregular or poor eating habits can also cause hair loss. The problem can be seen with people with eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. Because of poor eating body is unable to get enough protein, vitamins, and minerals which are required to sustain hair growth.
Some vegetarian teens can also experience hair loss in case non-meat sources do not supply them with enough protein. Some athletes are also prone to hair loss because of development of iron-deficiency anemia.
Hair loss due to improper care of hair
The pull on your hair with the use of pigtails, cornrows or tight hair rollers may cause traction alopecia which eventually results in loss of hair. Hair normally grows back if the pulling is stopped before development of scarring on the scalp.
However, scarring can result in permanent hair loss. Scarring and hair loss can occur through inflammation or swelling of the hair follicle with the use of hot oil hair treatments or chemicals in permanents (also known as “perms”).
Common baldness
The term “common baldness” usually refers to baldness of male-pattern or permanent-pattern. Male-pattern baldness is common in men. This type of hair loss in men is usually inherited.
Men experiencing hair loss at an early age generally tend to develop baldness with aging. Hair line recedes and baldness develops on the top of the head in male-pattern baldness. In female-pattern baldness which occurs in women hair becomes thin over the entire scalp.
What can a doctor do to stop hair loss?
Your doctor may ask you something about medicines, if your are taking, or your diet. You may be asked if you had suffered any illness recently. Your doctor would perhaps also like to know your way of taking care of your hair.
Women with problem of hair loss may be asked about menstrual cycle, pregnancies and menopause. Your doctor may also subject you to medical examination to know about other causes affecting your hair. Finally, your doctor may ask you to undergo blood tests or biopsy (taking a small sample of cells to examine under a microscope) of your scalp.
Treatment for hair loss
Since hair loss is caused by a variety of reasons, treatment lies in the nature and type of hair loss. If you are experiencing hair loss due to medicine, your doctor may prescribe some different medicine.
Detection of an infection or its treatment can also help overcome the problem of hair loss. Correction of hormonal imbalance may also help check hair loss.
Development of common baldness stops or becomes slow with medicines. A medicine named minoxidil (Rogaine) can be available without a prescription. It can be used both by men and women. Another medicine, named finasteride (brand name: Propecia) can be found through prescription. Finasteride is available in pills and is meant for men only.
All such medicines may take time upto six months to show any change of condition. In case you do not find any improvement through medicines you may have an option of adopting hairstyles or wearing wigs, hairpieces, hair weaves or artificial hair replacement.
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