Health

The Woes of Hair Loss

The Main Cause of Hair Loss
One of the most distressing forms of scalp disorders is alopecia, also known as male pattern baldness. The symptoms of this genetically predetermined disorder include physical changes in the hair, including loss of normal vigour and elasticity. Eventually, the hair can become thin and brittle and begin to fall out. While this type of baldness is referred to as male pattern baldness, it can occur in either sex. With females, however, the hairline becomes sparse, but does not recede.

For some people, thinning hair or even balding can begin to appear during puberty. It is caused by a change in the hormonal balance, with the main culprit being an overabundance of androgen. Heredity is the predominant factor in male pattern baldness as it determines which "target follicles" will be susceptible to these powerful androgens. Hair loss in women generally occurs after menopause, reflecting decreased levels in estrogen, and thus comparatively higher levels of androgens in the system

Contributing Factors for Hair Loss
There are a number of contributing factors causing hair loss which, if treated, are reversible:
Stress. Excessive anxiety, a sudden shock or physical stress from surgery or chemotherapy may also cause hair loss. You could include, in this category, a lengthy or severe illness. In the case of a lengthy illness, the general condition of the hair may indicate your overall poor state of health. However, when your health is restored, the hair normally grows back on its own -- without any special treatment.

Nutritional Imbalance. A vitamin and protein deficient diet provides inadequate nutrients for the scalp, thus affecting hair growth. For example, crash diets often cause excessive hair loss.

Impaired Scalp Circulation. If the scalp is very tight, blood circulation to the follicles is reduced and the hair "starves." There are several factors which contribute to making a scalp tight. They include changes in climate, medication, discontinuing birth control pills, and postpartum hormonal imbalances.

Externally Caused Damage. Washing your hair with a shampoo that is too strong can gradually strip it of its natural oils and lead to hair loss. In some cases, hair preparations and shampoos can also cause allergic reactions.

Normal Hair Loss and the Beginning Stages of Balding
Most people lose an average of 40 to 70 hairs per day. For the most part, we are unaware that we are losing those hairs. If your hair is healthy and heredity is on your side, those hairs will be replaced and the hair loss will not be noticeable.

The first warning signs of baldness appear when excessive amounts of hair fall out when you brush your hair. You may also find a lot of hairs on your pillow, or even some thinning on the temple or on the crown of your head. More advanced signs of creeping baldness is a definite recession of the hairline. Even if your genes have predetermined that you will ultimately lose your hair, there still are several steps you can take to slow this process down.

Pregnancy Causes Female Hair Loss
It is common for women just completing pregnancy to experience female baldness. Usually after two to three months after giving birth, a woman will notice a moderate to large amount of hair from their comb or brush. At this point, the woman's hair follicles are going into a resting phase. This lasts between one to six months after a woman gives birth and is resolved after the body recovers from pregnancy. Causes of female hair loss like this can be attributed by further hormonal changes that happen to a woman as she recovers from pregnancy.

Birth Control Pills Causes Female Hair Loss
Women, at younger stages of their lives, can experience causes of female hair loss resulting from birth control pill usage. The effect of female hair loss seems to be greater if the women already have family history of baldness. The hormonal changes brought on by birth control pills can cause the onset of Androgenic alopecia. Androgenic alopecia is the female hair loss caused by hormonal imbalances. Female hair loss usually occurs two to three months after discontinuing use. The length of female hair loss can be between one to six months and usually stops naturally. Unfortunately in some cases, a portion of the female hair loss may not regrow.