Prevent or Stop Hair Loss, Thinning of hair, types and factors of hair loss and remedies

Thinning hair may be caused by lifestyle habits, genetics, or both. Certain medical conditions may also lead to thinning hair. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), its normal to lose between 50 to 100 hairs per day. Any more than this means you could be shedding more than you should. Thinning hair refers to minor to moderate hair loss. Unlike widespread hair loss, thinning hair does not necessarily cause baldness. It does, however, give the appearance of thinner spots of hair on your head.

Hair loss can affect your scalp and or your entire body. It can be as a result of heredity, hormonal changes, medical conditions or medications. Anyone can experience hair loss, is more common in men.

Baldness typically refers to excessive hair loss from your scalp. Hereditary hair loss with age is the most common cause of baldness. Some people prefer to let their hair loss run its course untreated and unhidden. Others may cover it up with hairstyles, makeup, hats or scarves. And still, others choose one of the treatments available to prevent further hair loss and restore growth.

Thinning hair happens gradually, which means you have time to pinpoint the causes and figure out the best treatment measures.

Lifestyle habits are key contributor to thinning hair. These include:

• Over-treating your hair: This includes colour treatments, perms, relaxers, and more.

• Using harsh hair products: such as extreme-hold hair sprays and gels. Temporary colour can also be harsh on your hair.

• Wearing your hair up too tightly: Whether you are wearing an up-do or pulling your hair up in a ponytail for working out, this can tug on your hair and break it from the follicles, causing thin spots over time.

• Not getting enough iron, folic acid, and other minerals in your diet. These all help follicles produce hair naturally.

• Experiencing uncontrolled stress. Stress is related to an uptick in hormones like cortisol. Too many stress hormones may kill off new hairs trying to grow from the hair follicles.

Thinning hair may also be hereditary. Underlying medical considerations can also lead to this condition. You might have thinning hair if you:

Before pursuing hair loss treatment, talk with your doctor about the cause of your hair loss and treatment options. Hair loss can appear in many ways, depending on what is causing it. It can come on suddenly or gradually and affect the scalp or your whole body. Some types of hair loss are temporary, and others are permanent.

Signs and symptoms of hair loss may include:

 

• Gradual thinning on top of the head: This is the most common type of hair loss, affecting both men and women as they age. In men, hair often begins to recede from the forehead in a line that resembles the letter M. Women typically retain the hairline on the forehead but have a broadening of the part in their hair.

 

• Circular or patchy bald spots: Some people experience smooth coin-sized bald spots. This hair loss usually affects the scalp only, but it sometimes also occurs in beards or eyebrows. In some cases, your skin may become itchy or painful before the hair falls out.

 

• Sudden loosening of hair: A physical or emotional shock can cause hair to loosen. Handfuls of hair may come out when combing or washing your hair or even after gentle tugging. This hair loss usually causes overall hair thinning and not bald patches.

 

• Full-body hair loss: Some conditions and medical treatments, such as chemotherapy for cancer, can result in the loss of hair all over your body. The hair usually grows back.

 

• Patches of scaling that spread over the scalp is a sign of ringworm. It may be accompanied by broken hair, redness, swelling and, at times, oozing.

When to see a doctor?

See your doctor if your child or yourself are distressed by hair loss and want to pursue treatment. Also, talk to your doctor if you notice sudden or patchy hair loss or more than usual hair loss when combing or washing your or your child's hair. Sudden hair loss can signal an underlying medical condition that requires treatment.

People typically lose about 100 hairs a day. Usually does not cause noticeable thinning of scalp hair because new hair is growing at the same time. Hair loss occurs when this circle of hair growth and shedding is disrupted or when the hair follicle is destroyed and replaced with scar tissue.

Hair loss is typically related to one or more of the following factors:

 

• Family history (heredity). The most common cause of hair loss is a hereditary condition called male-pattern baldness or female-pattern baldness. It usually occurs gradually with ageing and in predictable patterns — a receding hairline and bald-spots in men and thinning hair in women.

 

• Hormonal changes and medical conditions: A variety of conditions can cause permanent or temporary hair loss, including hormonal changes due to pregnancy, childbirth, menopause and thyroid problems. Medical conditions include alopecia areata, which causes patchy hair loss, scalp infections such as ringworm and a hair-pulling disorder called trichotillomania.

 

• Medications and supplements: Hair loss can be a side effect of certain drugs, such as those used for cancer, arthritis, depression, heart problems, gout, and high blood pressure.

• Radiation therapy to the head: The hair may not grow back the same way as before.

• A very stressful event: Many people experience a general thinning of hair for several months after a physical or emotional shock. This type of hair loss is temporary.

• Certain hairstyles and treatments: Excessive hairstyling or hairstyles that pull your hair tight, such as pigtails or cornrows, can cause hair loss called traction alopecia. Hot oil hair treatments and permanents can cause inflammation of hair follicles, that can lead to hair loss. If scarring occurs, hair loss could be permanent.

Risk factors: Many factors can increase your risk of hair loss, including:

• Family history of balding in either of your families

• Age

• Significant weight loss

• Certain medical conditions, such as diabetes and lupus

• Stress

Prevention: Most baldness is caused by genetics (male-pattern baldness and female-pattern baldness). This type of hair loss is not preventable.

 

These tips may help you avoid preventable types of hair loss:

 

• Avoid tight hairstyles, such as braids, buns or ponytails.

• Avoid compulsively twisting, rubbing or pulling your hair.

• Treat your hair gently when washing and brushing. A wide-toothed comb may help prevent pulling out hair.

• Avoid harsh treatments such as hot rollers, curling irons, hot oil treatments, and permanents.

• Avoid medications and supplements that could cause hair loss.

• Protect your hair from sunlight and other sources of ultraviolet light.

• Stop smoking. Some studies show an association between smoking and baldness in men.

• If you are being treated with chemotherapy, ask your doctor about a cooling cap. This cap can reduce your risk of losing hair during chemotherapy.

 

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