WHAT CAUSES HAIR LOSS?
PART 3 OF AN INFO SERIES ON HAIR TRANSPLANTS
Hair loss: it’s a problem.
Whether it takes the form of thinning hair or the growth of unsightly bald patches, hair loss (or alopecia) can take a mean toll on a person’s confidence and psychological health.
As with any problem, it’s important that we understand the root causes of alopecia in order to prevent further damage, and seek quality treatment.
Read through our guide to learn about some of the common types of hair loss, and the reasons behind them.
Hair Loss Due to Androgenic Alopecia
Androgenic alopecia is the leading cause of baldness around the world.
Caused by a sensitivity to the hormone DHT, androgenic alopecia is a source of lowered confidence for men and women across the world. It is more commonly known as male-pattern or female-pattern baldness.
The severity of the condition varies from case to case, and patients are classified according to either the Norwood Scale or the Ludwig Scale for diagnosis. As a general rule, however, hair loss due to androgenic alopecia is permanent when untreated, but reversible in the hands of a qualified hair restoration specialist.
The best way to address androgenic alopecia is to consult a medical specialist for your options. People turn to dietary supplements, oils, shampoos, and natural “medicines”, only to find themselves in no better shape. A professional consultation is the best way to know how you should proceed given your case.
Among those who have been diagnosed by medical specialists, the common treatments include:
- Topical application of minoxidil. Minoxidil is a antihypertensive vasodilator used to treat androgenic alopecia.
- Hair transplant surgery. In recent years, hair transplant surgery has seen dramatic improvements. Advanced methods such as direct hair implantation make it possible to achieve natural results without scarring or other visible signs of a procedure.
Hair Loss from Lifestyle
Your lifestyle and general health play a big role where hair fall is concerned.
Telogen effluvium is a medical condition that drastically increases the amount of hair a person would naturally shed. Factors like high stress, sudden weight loss, and the use of certain medical or recreational drugs can lead to noticeably thinner hair.
This form of hair loss is reversible, and will not lead to either total or permanent baldness.
There are many ways to prevent hair loss due to lifestyle factors:
- Cut down on smoking. Over a decade ago, the medical community flagged the risk that tobacco use poses on the hair and scalp. Reducing or eliminating your cigarette consumption can make for thicker hair.
- Manage your stress. Hormones produced during periods of intense stress can prevent new hair follicles from growing. Healthy ways of coping with stress can lead to greater hair retention (and a longer, happier life!)
- Limit your sun exposure. Prolonged exposure to sunlight can lead to the drying and brittleness of hair. We recommend getting a healthy amount of sunlight, and taking preventive measures like wearing a hat or using protective products if sunlight can’t be avoided
Hair Loss from Diet
The right diet is good for more than a sharp mind and healthy body –it also affects the growth and loss of hair.
There are certain key nutrients that the human body needs in order to keep hair growing according to the natural schedule. The best diet for preventing hair loss includes the proper amounts of iron, fatty acids, biotin, and protein.
The volume of lost hair tends to scale according to the gravity of one’s nutritional deficiencies. Simply put, the greater you lack in these hair-friendly nutrients, the worse your hair loss becomes.
There are plenty of guides to the types of food that promote hair growth, but here are a few to keep in mind for the next time you do your grocery shopping:
- Eggs. Eggs are a terrific source of protein and biotin, which help keratin production and prevent alopecia, respectively.
- Spinach. Iron-rich food items like spinach can help prevent hair loss due to iron deficiency: one the most common dietary causes of hair loss.
- Fatty fish (ex. salmon). Rich in omega-3, varieties of fatty fish can do wonders for promoting hair growth and density, while also helping your hair achieve a healthy gloss.
- Nuts. Nuts can provide a good number of hair-friendly nutrients such as fatty acids, vitamin E, and zinc
Hair Loss Due to Traction Alopecia
Tight hairstyles, the frequent use of caps or hats, and even a bad habit of pulling your hair can lead to hair loss over time.
Traction alopecia is the loss of hair due to heavy and recurring stress placed on a person’s hair. Wearing tight ponytails, braids, or dreadlocks can cause increased hair loss due to strain given enough time, and so can a habit of wearing headgear that causes excessive stress.
Similar to hair loss from lifestyle factors, traction alopecia is reversible and rarely ever leads to complete baldness. However, the bad habits at its core may lead to the same psychological injuries that follow other victims of hair loss.
Prevent traction alopecia by keeping the following pointers in mind:
- Wear tight hairstyles sparingly. It’s perfectly fine to style your hair in tight braids or ponytails on an occasional basis; however, we advise against making them your go-to look –play around with looser hairstyles, and you’ll be all the better for it.
- Don’t tug on your hair. If you’re the sort of people who grips or tugs at their hair when thinking, or when stressed, we suggest you break the habit.
- Stick to loose headwear. While the right hat can complete a look, the wrong cap worn too often can ruin your hair. If you wear hats or caps on a regular basis, choose a size that leaves your hair with a comfortable amount of space.
Hair Loss Due to Alopecia Areata
Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder, meaning that in these cases, hair loss is caused by the body’s own immune system. Medicine has yet to define the specific cause behind this form of baldness, although it has been linked to thyroid disorders, lupus, and other autoimmune disorders.
People suffering from alopecia areata experience one or many patches of baldness, most noticeably across the scalp –though this form of baldness can strike any place on the body that grows hair.
Hair loss due to alopecia areata is rarely permanent, but cases exist where patients with bald patches fail to recover the lost hair after the standard period of a year.
Due to a lack of understanding among the medical community, and because of the unpredictable nature of the disorder, no permanent cure exists for alopecia areata. It can be treated however, through immunomodulation –balancing the immune system with the use of corticosteroids.
If you suffer from hair loss but aren’t sure of the cause, your best course of action is to seek a professional diagnosis from a licensed doctor.
Don’t fall into the trap of self-diagnosis, or buying “cures” that turn out to do more harm to your scalp than good.