Whether you are male or female, the frustrations and sometimes embarrassment that come with hair loss are often the same. We typically lose about 100 hairs a day. This usually isn’t noticeable because new hair is growing in at the same time. Noticeable hair loss occurs when this cycle of hair growth and shedding is disrupted or when the hair follicle is destroyed and replaced with scar tissue. Anyone can experience hair loss, but it’s more common in men.
Hair loss is typically related to one or more of the following factors:
- Family History: The most common cause of hair loss is a hereditary condition called male-pattern baldness or female-pattern baldness. It usually occurs gradually as a person ages. Common patterns include a receding hairline and bald spots with men and thinning hair with women.
- Hormonal Changes: A variety of conditions that cause hormonal changes can cause permanent or temporary hair loss: pregnancy, childbirth, menopause and thyroid problems.
- Medical Conditions: diabetes, lupus, significant weight loss, alopecia areata, which causes patchy hair loss, scalp infections such as ringworm and a hair-pulling disorder called trichotillomania.
- Medications and Supplements: Certain drugs, such as those used for cancer, arthritis, depression, heart problems, gout and high blood pressure can sometimes cause hair loss.
- Traumatic Event: Some people experience a thinning of hair several months after a physical or emotional shock. This type of hair loss is usually temporary.
- Certain Hairstyles and Treatments: Excessive hair styling or hairstyles that put strain on your hair, such as ponytails or cornrows, can cause a type of hair loss called traction alopecia. Hot oil hair treatments and permanents can cause inflammation of hair follicles that can also lead to hair loss. If scarring of the follicles occur, hair loss could possibly be permanent.
Can hair loss be prevented? The answer to this depends on the cause. Although you can’t reverse natural balding, you can protect hair from damage that may eventually lead to thinning. Many people put an enormous amount of stress on their hair. The use of hair dryers, hot curlers, hair dyes, permanents, tight braids, and hair straightening products, may lead to dry, brittle, and thinning hair.
Good hair hygiene with regular shampooing is a basic step. Good nutrition, especially adequate levels of iron and vitamin B, can also be helpful. Treatment of underlying medical conditions like thyroid disease, anemia, and hormonal imbalances may also be useful in prevention.
At Dermablue, we provide a comprehensive medical work up to determine the underlying cause of your hair loss and provide long term solutions to actively treat your concerns. Hair loss treatments we offer at Dermablue include:
- Prescription topical and oral treatments
- Evaluation and treatment for hormone imbalance
- Evaluation and treatment for thyroid imbalance
- Evaluation and treatment for iron and vitamin imbalance
- Hair restoration
- Minimally invasive hair transplant
Get back to the old you with hair restoration, hair transplants, and hormone therapy. Contact us today to schedule a consultation!
