Thankfully modern medicine is progressing in leaps and bounds and intensive research is being carried out in the area of hair loss. Herewith we include some basic information on it as a starting point for someone who is seeking assistance in this important personal matter.
The official term for hair loss is Alopecia and it can mean either the total or partial loss of hair. If your are suffering from this you need proper information before you can accurately start treating your hair loss. There are several considerations that the information will give you which you should use to determine the severity of your hair loss and also help you to understand what treatment options are available to you.
What To Consider
When it comes to hair loss information there is a lot out there and first you need to determine what type of loss you have. The condition can develop gradually and it may also be patchy or it may occur all over the body. Every day nearly one hundred hair are shed from the healthy human head. An average human scalp will contain about a hundred thousand hairs. Hair will survive for about four and a half years while growing at about half an inch each month. Then in the fifth year the hair will fall out to be replaced by a new one within six months. The genetic form of hair loss results when the body fails to produce sufficient new hairs whilst being accompanied by excessive hair loss.
As people age they tend to lose the same amount of hair thickness and amount whether they are men or women. Men are more likely to have inherited pattern baldness then women. By the time they turn thirty about 25% of men will start to go bald and about two-thirds of men will be either completely bald or have balding patterns by the time they turn sixty. The typical pattern baldness will have a receding hairline along with thinning around the crown. If men do not have testosterone as a result of a genetic abnormality or castration then they will not develop pattern baldness since the pattern baldness needs testosterone.
Before assuming you have the common kinds of hair loss if is important to consider other causes of hair loss. While baldness is not typically a result of any single factor it can be related to aging, heredity and testosterone levels. Other possible causes of hair loss include hormonal changes, a serious illness, medications, excessive shampooing or blow-drying, emotional or physical stress, nervous habits, burn or parasites such as ringworm.
Other Things To Know
Another important part of hair loss information is to determine when you need to visit your doctor. You should visit your doctor under several conditions. First is you have an atypical balding pattern. Also if you are losing hair rapidly or at an early age. If your hair loss is accompanied by any pain or itching. If you have red, scaly or otherwise abnormal skin on your scalp. If there are other acne, facial hair or menstrual irregularities. If you have bald spots on other areas of your body such as the beard or eyebrows.
Will your doctor be able to help you? If you are suffering baldness as a result of another ailment, your doctor will no doubt be able to provide you with medication to overcome these ailments and as a result you may experience hair re-growth.
If your doctor cannot diagnose any ailment that might be contributing to your hair loss he or she will probably refer you to a hair clinic for further treatment.