Hair loss is not a life-threatening or even a serious medical condition. While it is a problem that is more common in men, it can occur in women as well. Hair loss need not be only on the scalp, it can occur on any part of the body. What is often ignored is that while this is not a physical ailment, hair loss can have a serious psychological impact on the person suffering from it. The change in appearance can affect both self-confidence and interpersonal relationships negatively and by doing so, detract from the quality of personal and professional life. Understanding the causes of hair loss will help reduce the negative self-image that often comes with it and knowing the steps that can be taken to prevent it will enable the problem to be dealt with in a positive manner.
The Causes of Hairfall
The most common reasons for hair loss include:
- Heredity: Androgenic alopecia is an age-related condition of hair loss that results in male or female pattern baldness which is usually seen as a receding hairline and bald spots on the head in men and thinning hair on the top of the head in women. This occurs more frequently in families that have a history of hair loss.
- Hormonal Factors: Hormonal changes can lead to temporary hair loss or permanent baldness. These changes do not affect only women, although pregnancy, childbirth and menopause are major causes. Thyroid and other glandular problems that affect both sexes can lead to hair loss.
- Medical Conditions: Many medical conditions (such as alopecia areata which is immune system related) or scalp infections can lead to hair loss. Psychological problems such as trichotillomania (a hair-pulling disorder) also cause hair loss.
- Medications: Many medications and dietary supplements including those used for cancer, cardiac ailments, depression and so on may lead to hair loss.
- Radiation: Radiation therapy used to treat cancer often leads to sudden and severe hair loss.
- Hair styles: Hairstyles that pull on the hair or exert pressure on the scalp can cause the hair roots to weaken and the hair to fall out. Some hair grooming procedures like permanents are also bad for the hair and weaken it. Many so-called home remedies for hair regeneration often do more harm than good.
- Stress: Hair loss after a very stressful physical or emotional occurrence is common. Normally, the loss is temporary.
- Sexual Transmission: Some sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis can result in bald patches developing on the scalp, beard, eyebrows, etc.
- Thyroid Ailments: Any thyroid gland problem can cause hair loss.
- Poisons: Even small amounts of poisons like arsenic, mercury, thallium and lithium unknowingly ingested with food, can lead to hair loss. This is often the first sign of poisoning.
Prevention
It is possible to prevent some types of hair loss from occurring, but not all. For example, genetically caused loss, as in the case of male or female pattern baldness, cannot be prevented. However, some steps can be taken to prevent or at least reduce the extent of hair loss due to other factors. These include:
- Increasing the amount of protein in the diet. Insufficient protein in the metabolism can affect hair growth.
- Being tested for vitamin deficiency. Inadequate amounts of some vitamins and minerals like iron and zinc in the body can affect hair growth.
- Being careful of fad diets. These diets may or may not lead to the weight loss that they claim to achieve, but they often are lacking in the nutritional essentials that the body, including the hair, needs to regenerate and remain strong.
- Using hair regeneration products, especially over-the-counter ones, without medical advice. Hair loss can have many causes and a product that claims to treat one condition may have a counter-effect on another hair loss cause.
- Avoiding hairstyles that pull on the hair such as tight buns or pigtails. The pressure that is placed on the scalp and hair roots can, over time, cause the roots to weaken and the hair to fall.
- Avoiding excessive hair styling and grooming treatments. Excessive blow-drying, the use of hair dyes, curling irons, bleaching,hair sprays to keep the hair in place and other such treatments can cause the hair to become weak and fall out.
- Keeping the scalp and hair clean with the regular use of gentle shampoos that do not damage the hair will help keep it strong and healthy.
Hair Loss Prevention and Hair Regeneration
Finding the cause of hair loss is not simple. A variety of factors have to be considered and the problem could be caused by more than one condition. If you are worried about hair loss, the best way to stop the problem and help the hair become strong and regain its vitality is to consult cosmetic medicine experts. For this, the best place is a reputed hospital with a specialized Cosmetic Medicine Department. Specialists in hair loss will examine you and as certain the causes, both obvious and underlying, for the hair loss and then prescribe the right treatment option to reverse the condition.
Hair regeneration is also possible nowadays. There are treatments like PRP injections that can lead to new hair growth. Hair transplants where hair is surgically removed from the back of the head or another part of the body and then transplanted to the scalp are another option to consider when the hair loss has reached an advanced stage.
Hair loss is not life-threatening and a bald person can live a full, happy and productive life. However, if the hair loss is causing mental or emotional stress, then there is no need to suffer needlessly. Consulting expert cosmetologists is the first step to preventing hair loss and examining the possibilities of hair regrowth.