HAIR LOSS

 Medically known as “Alopecia”: Hair loss can happen for different reasons. It Could be baldness or thinning of hair; sometimes, hair loss is a side effect of a health problem that needs to be addressed and could correct itself when the health problem is appropriately treated.

There are some common types of Alopecia:

1. Androgenic Alopecia: It’s also known as male- or female-pattern hair loss, this is usually hereditary.

2. Alopecia Areata: This is also known as patchy baldness. According to the  American Academy of Dermatology, bald patches can show up anywhere on your body, but many people get a round or oval patch on the scalp.

3. Alopecia totalis: This is a form of alopecia areata that makes you lose all the hair on your scalp.

4. Traction Alopecia: This is caused by putting stress on hair through repeated pulling or stretching.

5. Cicatrical Alopecia:  This is a “scarring” type of alopecia. It involves inflammation that destroys hair follicles. The destroyed follicles get replaced by scar tissue, resulting in permanent hair loss in the area. Sometimes the condition brings on symptoms like itching, pain, and a sensation of heat.

There are a few known causes of hair loss: 

i. Hormonal imbalance 

ii. Drugs

iii. Physical Trauma 

iv. Stress & Anxiety

v. Undernutrition 

vi. Excessive hair care 

HORMONAL IMBALANCE:

Androgens play a role in female and male pattern baldness. Additionally, thyroid problems, pregnancy, and childbirth could cause widely fluctuating hormones to lead to hair loss.

In female-pattern baldness, androgen could cause weak hair follicles, also leading to excess shedding.

Male pattern baldness, on the other hand, is related to an increase in an androgen called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). 

Other causes of alopecia include high blood pressure, heart disease, prostate cancer, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

In thyroid problems, either an under-active thyroid (hypothyroidism) or an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism), could result in hair loss because each condition causes a hormonal imbalance.

Autoimmune diseases of the thyroid gland, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Graves’ disease may also contribute to hair loss. 

In pregnancy, estrogen levels skyrocket which might temporarily alter the hair growth cycles, thus, the likelihood to experience less hair loss than normal.

Moreover, as estrogen levels return to normal after pregnancy, you may notice more hair loss than usual. 

Furthermore, it is also not uncommon for postpartum moms to notice thinning hair or even patches of baldness. 

When the body recovers, the hair follicles will also.

The hair loss is usually temporary.

While postpartum hair loss isn’t exactly preventable, it could be minimized by taking it easy on the hair and keeping up with prenatal vitamins.

DRUGS: 

Hair loss could be a side effect of some medications taken for common health problems. This is known as “drug-induced hair loss”.

Examples of drugs inducing alopecia include: 

-Oral contraceptives,

-anti-depressant,

-anti-inflammatories,

-excess vitamin A,

-retinoids,

-beta and calcium channel blockers.

These chemicals could all lead to thinning hair or baldness. 

Additionally, Some chemotherapy drugs used to treat cancer are known to cause total hair loss as they work to destroy cancer cells.

Once you stop taking any medication that causes hair loss, your hair should grow back.

PHYSICAL TRAUMA: 

When the body is under serious physical stress, the natural cycle of hair growth and rest can be disrupted, resulting in hair loss, often in the form of thinning hair — the hair may even come out in clumps.

Any shock to the system, such as a severe accident, surgery, burns, or serious illness, could also shock the hair follicles. This may result in up to 50 to 75 percent of the hair falling out.

 This type of hair loss is also known as telogen effluvium, and it may resolve within six to eight months.

Infections and illnesses could also lead to hair loss. A high fever or a severe infection all contribute to temporary hair loss. Other physical traumas may include fungal skin infections, as well as bacterial infections like syphilis, which could all be responsible for balding or thinning hair.

STRESS AND ANXIETY: 

While stress is often a short-term cause of hair loss, severe stress or anxiety may be associated with hair-pulling disorder or trichotillomania. Researchers believe this mental health condition is related to obsessive-compulsive disorder and other types of anxiety disorders.

Aside from compulsive hair pulling, other signs of trichotillomania include feeling relief or pleasure after hairs are pulled, as well as noticeable patches of hair loss.

UNDERNUTRITION: 

Deficiencies in certain vitamins and minerals could lead to hair loss and diminished hair growth because they aid in the hair growth cycle and cellular turnover.

Examples of vitamin deficiencies that could cause hair loss include inadequate protein, biotin, zinc, and iron, according to the AAD.

Poor nutrition might also lead to all kinds of nutrient deficiencies, which in turn can result in hair loss, from thinning hair to patches of baldness.

EXCESSIVE HAIR CARE: 

All hair products that have chemicals contribute to hair loss. Hair dyes, hair styling gels, keratin treatments, and hair sprays make the hair roots weak. Shampoos and conditioners are less likely to cause hair loss unless they have a high chemical presence.

Using hair styling products and hair dyes occasionally does not cause so much damage, but frequent usage is harmful to hair.

Notably, scalp infections and irritation can occur because of the chemicals present in hair styling products. It might also result in increased dandruff and itching that damages the hair follicles, preventing hair growth.

 To balance the damage caused, hair specialists recommend engaging with hair conditioning and nourishing procedures after using hair styling products. As for hairstyling with heat appliances,  the use of heat protectants to minimize as much damage as possible is encouraged.

If you are experiencing any of these problems, do well to visit your dermatologist for proper diagnosis and treatment. It is also very important that you avoid self-medicating.