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Maxabout.com > Tips
Things To Know About Hair LossAdded on:5/24/2008 3:42:22 PM
In Hair Care Tips Rated by 1 users
Scalp hair is considered an essential part of appearance in both men and women. Given our society's emphasis on looks and beauty, it should be no surprise that hair loss is viewed with great concern by many people.
The medical term for baldness is alopecia. When patchy baldness appears as a chronic condition, it is referred to as alopecia areata.
Let's take a look at some basic facts relating to hair loss. Hair can be in a growing phase or in a rest phase. The growth phase lasts anywhere from two to six years. This is followed by a rest phase where the hair is not growing and is basically nearing the end of its life-cycle.
Research has shown that roughly 10% of scalp hair is in a rest phase at any point of time. This hair will typically fall out in about two to four months' time. It will then be replaced by new hair that grows in its place.
Hair strands on the scalp grow at an average rate of one centimeter a month. Nine out of ten strands of scalp hair are in a growth phase at any given point.
It is entirely normal for both men and women to lose some hair every day. This is the hair belonging to the 10% rest phase group. Hair loss problems occur when the rate of loss of hair exceeds normal levels.
Hair loss is often thought to be a bigger problem for men than for women, but it can occur in both sexes. It can even occur in children - there is no specific age group that is never affected by hair loss.
What causes hair loss? Many different factors may be responsible. Stress induced by illness can be a reason. For instance, some people lose a lot of hair within a few after they have surgery of any kind. This is usually because of the stress associated with the disease and the surgery. Hair loss in such cases is usually temporary and the hair tends to grow back over time. However, losing significant amounts of hair over a fairly short time frame can be an unsettling experience for the person concerned.
Hormonal imbalances can cause hair loss. If the estrogen - androgen balance in the body is upset, hair loss may be one of the results observed. The same thing can occur when the thyroid gland becomes over/under-active. In such cases, rather than treat the hair loss per se, it will be necessary to treat the underlying cause, which is the thyroid gland function or the hormone balance issue.
Women may lose hair following childbirth. During pregnancy, hormone levels in a woman's body are elevated and as a result, hair that would normally fall out is retained. After delivering the baby, her hormone levels return to normal. Then the hair growth and loss cycles also return to normal causing her to lose hair.
Many types of medication result in hair loss as one of their side effects. In such cases, the hair loss problem may be cured when the patient stops taking the drug. Some examples of such medication include contraceptive pills, anticoagulants (or blood thinners), high doses of vitamin A, chemotherapy drugs (these are notorious for causing loss of hair), gout medication, antidepressants and many more.
Infections can cause hair loss too. Children may occasionally get fungal infections on the scalp, which causes loss of hair. Such infections can be treated fairly easily and the hair usually grows back after the infection clears up. In addition, diseases like lupus and diabetes can cause hair loss as well. In fact, hair loss is often considered a symptom of these diseases. That's why it is important to uncover the real causes of hair loss.
Hair that is not well cared for can fall out too. Some hair styles like pigtails and tight rollers cause hair to be pulled outwards, resulting in a condition called traction alopecia. Problems relating to this condition can be prevented if stress on the scalp is stopped before the scalp becomes scarred. If the scalp has been scarred, it may result in permanent loss of hair.
Hair loss can cause distress to the affected person, even if it is not the result of any serious condition. Proper care of hair following commonsense guidelines can help.
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