Hair Loss: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Alopecia, or hair loss, is a fairly common condition. Although it’s more common in older people, anyone can get it, even kids. Baldness typically refers to a significant loss of scalp hair. The most frequent cause of baldness is hereditary hair loss as people age. Some people would rather let their hair loss progress naturally without treatment or camouflage. Others may disguise it with hats, scarves, makeup, or hairstyles. Others decide to use one of the treatments on offer to stop further hair loss or encourage growth.

It is estimates that between 50 and 100 hairs fall out on average every day. Your head has about 100,000 hairs, so that slight loss is not noticeable. In most cases, new hair grows in to replace the lost hair, but this isn’t always the case.

Hair loss can occur suddenly or gradually over many years. It could be either temporary or permanent, depending on the underlying cause.

What Causes Hair Loss?

Hereditary
Stress
Bad Diet
Medication side effects
Certain medical conditions (diabetes and lupus)

Hereditary:

As people get older, their hair tends to thin out and become less dense. This kind of baldness is typically not brought on by a disease. Age, heredity, and changes in the testosterone hormone are all factors in it. There are many more men than women who experience inherited or pattern baldness. After puberty, male pattern baldness can develop at any time.

Stress:

One-half to three-quarters of scalp hair may fall out in response to physical or emotional stress. When you shampoo, comb, or run your hands through your hair, hair frequently falls out in handfuls. This may not become apparent for several weeks or months after the stressful event. Over the course of 6 to 8 months, hair loss declines.

Bad Diet:

The most prevalent nutrient deficiency in the world, iron deficiency can result in hair loss. The health of your hair follicles and hair growth are both significantly influenced by vitamin D. According to research, vitamin D supplements helped some people whose vitamin D deficiency was causing hair loss to regrow their hair. Zinc aids in preventing hair follicle shrinkage and slowed growth and is essential for the health of hair follicles. Additionally, it aids in the recovery of hair follicles. Deficits in the following nutrients, in addition to the vitamins and minerals previously mentioned, have been linked to hair loss in studies:

Biotin
vitamin B12
folate
copper
riboflavin

Medication Side Effects:

Below are the some of the medications which may cause hair loss:

Blood pressure
Inflammation medication
Anti-depresssant
Cholesterol Lower medication
birth control meds
Retinoids

What are the symptoms of Hair Loss?

Gradual thinning of the head hair
Bald patch that slowly grows
a receding hairline that is more noticeable with time
Ponytail gets thinner

Treatment for Hair Loss:

There are several ways to treat hair loss but the treatment depends on the cause of the hair loss. The first line of treatment will probably consist of medications.

OTC medications typically come in the form of topical creams, gels, foams, solutions, or solutions that are applied directly to the scalp. The majority of products have a minoxidil ingredient.

In particular for male pattern baldness, prescription medications like finasteride may be helpful. Although some people who take finasteride experience new hair growth, this medication is taken daily to slow hair loss.

If medications prove ineffective to you, you can opt for hair transplant surgery. You might require several procedures over time if your hair loss is progressive in some cases.

A scalp reduction is another method that involves the removal of a hairless section of your scalp and the replacement of that section with a hairy section. Another choice is a flap, whereby your surgeon covers a bald spot with hair-covered scalp.