Hair Loss and Balding Causes Symptoms prevention and Treatments

Hair Loss and Balding

by general definition are

Hair loss is typically considered the domain of aging men,
but this equal-opportunity condition — which has many
causes — can affect virtually anyone.
hair loss may occur at any age of adult
because of many  verses factor are affected by hair
loss like ageing tension and many other hormonal and
metabolic factor
Everyone sheds about 100 hairs each day as part of the
normal hair growth cycle, but excess loss is usually a
distressing .

Symptoms & causes

Most people’s hair grows about a half-inch per month, and
about 90 percent of your hair is actively growing at any
given time, with the other 10 percent in dormant phase.
After two or three months, this dormant hair falls out and
its follicles begin growing new hair as other follicles begin a
dormant phase.
Shedding hair is different from hair loss, when a hair falls
out and doesn't grow back. People often shed hair during
stressful events, such as childbirth, a breakup or divorce or
during times of grief.
"It still doesn’t feel good, and it takes the hair to reach a
certain length where you perceive its presence,"
 "So it feels like a hair loss, but it's not a hair loss."
Alopecia is the medical term for hair loss, and it doesn’t
only happen on the scalp. Some illnesses and medications
can trigger balding over the entire body, though genetics
account for most cases on the head, according to
the Cleveland Clinic.
Aside from heredity, noticeable hair loss can be caused by
wide variety of factors, including:

Harsh hairstyles or treatments: 

Hairstyles that consistently
use rubber bands, rollers or barrettes, or pull hair into tight
styles such as cornrows, can inflame and scar hair
follicles. So can incorrectly used chemical products such
as dyes, bleaches, straighteners or permanent wave
solutions. Depending on the degree of damage, resulting
hair loss can be permanent.
Hormone imbalances: In women, hormonal shifts from
birth control pills, pregnancy, childbirth, menopause or
hysterectomy can induce more hair follicles than normal to
enter the dormant phase.

Illness or surgery: 

The stress from sickness or surgery
may prompt the body to temporarily cease nonessential
tasks such as hair production. Specific conditions can also
trigger it, including thyroid disorders, syphilis, iron
deficiency, lupus or severe infection. An autoimmune
condition called alopecia areata, which has no cure,
causes rapid body-wide hair loss.

Medications and vitamins: 

Cancer chemotherapy, which
attacks hair follicles in its attempt to kill all fast-growing
cells around the body, is a well-known reason for hair loss.
Other medications’ side effects include hair shedding as
well, such as some that treat high blood pressure and gout
(a painful joint condition caused by a buildup of uric acid).
Excessive levels of vitamin A also contribute.
Nutritional deficits: Heavy dieting or eating disorders such
as bulimia and anorexia can temporarily stun hair follicles
to cease growth. This can also occur from insufficient
protein, vitamin or mineral intake.

Aging: 

A natural effect of growing older is slowed hair
growth.
Women usually don't go completely bald, but loss hair on
the top of the head or the temples. Men tend to lose hair
on their temples, and are more likely than women to go
completely bald, Day said.

Diagnosis

doctor  will examine the person's scalp and take a
history of medical or stressful events "to see what's been
going on in their life and their world
The physician may take a biopsy — a small patch of
skin that includes the hair follicle — and send it to a
pathologist to determine if an autoimmune disease, such
as lupus, is the cause of the hair loss.
Examining the hair and follicle can also determine whether
someone has a bacterial or fungal infection, Day said.

Treatment & medication

Hair loss remedies range from the mild to the extreme and
the inexpensive to the costly. Much depends on how much
hair is gone and how high a priority it is to mask its
absence or replace it.
 treatments include:
Hair weaves or wigs: Typically expensive, wigs and hair
weaves either completely cover the head or add to existing
hair, restoring the appearance of a full head of hair. They
are especially practical for cancer patients and those
whose hair loss is temporary.
Topical creams and lotions: Over-the-counter minoxidil can restore
some hair growth, especially in those with hereditary hair
loss. It is applied directly to the scalp. Prescription-strength
finasteride (Propecia) comes in pill form and is only for
men. it may take up to six months to tell if
these medications are working.
Anti-inflammatory medications: Prescription steroid-based
creams or injections can calm follicles damaged or
inflamed by harsh chemicals or excessive pulling.

Surgery:

 Men tend to be better candidates for surgical hair replacement
techniques because their hair loss is often
limited to one or two areas of the scalp. Procedures
include grafting, which transplants from one to 15 hairs per
disc-shaped graft to other locations. Scalp reduction
removes bald skin from the scalp so hair-covered scalp
can be stretched to fill in the bald areas. Side effects
include swelling, bruising and headaches.
Hair-growth laser treatment can also help stimulate hair
follicles and improve growth,

Natural and alternative therapies

alternative
therapies may not help hair regrow and many are not
supported by medical research. However, other treatments
that reportedly improve alopecia areata include Chinese
herbs, acupuncture, zinc and vitamin supplements,
evening primrose oil and aroma therapy.
Viviscal, a natural supplement, has also shown more hair
growth in men compared to those who took fish extract in
clinical trials