Is your hair falling out excessively? Inexplicable hair loss can be worrisome & daunting for anyone. However, such people need not lose hope as there is often a means of fixing it.
On an avg. people shed 50-100 strands of hair daily which is basically hair in its cycle of growth and replacement. However, hair falling out might be an indication of a rather grave medical disorder that necessitates examination by dermatologists & possibly treatments.
Here are 9 reasons for hair loss & ways of dealing with them.
1) Telogen Effluvium
It is an occurrence often noted post-pregnancy, major surgical procedure, dramatic weight reduction, or when one is acutely stressed out, wherein excess hair shedding occurs daily, generally when one shampoo, styles, or brushes hair.
It could even be the side-effect of particular medicines like antidepressants, beta-blocker drugs, or NSAIDs.
In telogen effluvium, hair would be shifting quicker than usual from the growth stage to the dormant stage prior to a swift shift to the falling (telogen) stage.
Symptoms
Classically women would spot hair fall six weeks to three months subsequent to undergoing some stress-ridden episode and during its worst stages losing fistfuls of hairs.
Testing
Though there is the absence of any testing for this condition, the physician would enquire about the person’s latest occurrences in life & checking for a mini ‘club-shaped bulb on the root of shed hair which indicates hair has been through a total growth cycle indicating that phase might have accelerated because of stresses.
Damage Control
During several situations, like gestation or major operation, one might simply have to be biding time till hair falling slackens. In the case of medicine is the offender then discussing with the physician on reducing the dose or a switch to some other drug. In case it is stress-linked then proactively try to allay anxieties.
2) Heritable Hair Falling Out
The AAM states that heritable hair loss called androgenetic alopecia is the highly pervasive reason for hair fall with genes coming from either maternal or father’s end of the kin, although one might have a greater likelihood of having it when mom, as well as dad, had hair fall.
Symptoms
Females with such attributes have a tendency of having hair-thin out at the hair-line at the rear of the bangs. It has a slow development commencing even among women in their twenties. Females would be more susceptible in case their moms have such hair-thinning patterns. In several cases, hair fall would be all over the scalp area.
Testing
Examination of hair-loss patterns would be done by dermatologists to ascertain whether it is heritable & might suggest blood analysis for excluding other reasons. Scalp would be biopsied at times for checking whether replacement of hair strands have been with mini strands, a sure-shot indication of such heritable hair fall.
Damage Control
Hair fall rate could be slackened by application of Rogaine (minoxidil) on the scalp two times daily and is effective across genders, though females must ideally be using a lesser-strength formulation for preventing unwanted side-effects. Especially expectant or breastfeeding mothers must not use this formula. Males are given treatment with Propecia or finasteride, an orally taken drug.
3) Hypothyroid Condition
Also known as an over-active thyroid don several key roles in our body and when a person does not have the apt level; alterations in body functions would be noticed.
Symptoms
Hypothyroidism or shortage of hormone might be causal to an array of symptoms like inexplicable weight increase, weariness, feeling constipated, depression, problems trying to concentrate, and greater brittleness in nails, hairs & skin.
It has a greater prevalence among females, particularly those in their fifties. It afflicts around five percent of the United States populace, though it is almost ten folds more common among females.
Hyperthyroidism (excessive hormone) could be causal to inexplicable weight reduction, cardiac palpitation, anxiety, irate behavior, loose bowels, damp skin, muscular weakening & a shocked look in the eyes. Hair fall too could result due to metabolism being revved up.
Testing
Blood analysis for measurement of TSH manufactured by the pituitary gland in an endeavor at coaxing the thyroid into producing the hormone. An excessive amount is generally indicative of hypothyroid condition whereas irregularly low amounts indicate hyperthyroid condition.
Damage control
The physician would give a prescription of thyroid hormone medicines for restoring amounts to regular. Normal TSH testing may be carried out for ensuring an apt dose.
4) Lupus
It is an incessant autoimmune disorder wherein the immune system of the body launches a self-assault on healthful tissues. It has a tendency of striking females in their reproductive years.
Symptoms
It mostly leads to intense weariness, headache, ulcer in the mouth, agonizing swell-up in joint areas, and several individuals developing butterfly-similar rashes athwart the nasal bridge & develop greater sensitivity to the sun’s rays. Fever, swell up of hand, feet & about the eye areas, chest pains & becoming anemic are also some symptoms experienced.
Hair fall could even arise that could be mild-ranging & noted when one shampoos or brushes hair or being far acute – being shed in patches & alongside rashes over the scalp. Often such symptoms are similar in several disorders.
Testing
Rheumatologists would do an examination of joint, other tissue for indications of any inflammations like pains, swell up, reddishness, heat. Blood analysis and even determining whether the patient has 4 from the eleven diagnostics criteria group established by the ACR would be done, although lesser criteria alongside skin being biopsied might at times be indicative of lupus.
Damage Control
Treatment with orally taken medicines like prednisone would be given by the doctor. For those with rashes over the scalp would be given a topically applied cream prescription by dermatologists.
5) Iron-Deficit Anemia
Those females experiencing heavy menses or not eating ample iron-laden food items might be susceptible to have iron deficits in their body wherein there are inadequate RBCs in their blood.
Symptoms
Intense weariness, feeling weak, skin paleness, headaches, problems trying to concentrate, coldness in hand-feet, hair fall, and breathlessness even without much exertions.
Testing
Blood analysis, blood amounts of hematocrit.
Damage Control
Consuming iron-laden food items like dark green leafy veggies, cereals with fortification, beans, fishes, pork, ideally alongside food forms high in vitamin C that improve more iron being absorbed by the body.
Females require eighteen milligrams of iron daily & eight mg for menopausal females. Also enquiring from the physician if iron supplements intake is needed or locate supplement products exclusively intended for hair fall with constituents, iron, silica, biotin, L-cysteine.
6) Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
A condition afflicting 5 million females in the U.S. wherein imbalanced hormone levels lead to excess male hormone production and mostly making such females infertile.
Symptoms
Hair growth over the face, erratic menses, pimples & ovarian cyst formations. Though such women would be experiencing hair fall over the scalp there would noticeable hair growth on other areas of their body.
Testing
Blood analysis for checking high amounts of DHEAS, testosterone.
Damage Control
A contraceptive pill like Yasmin or prescription of Aldactone or spironolactone for blocking testosterone or even weight reduction could assist by lowering the impact of testosterone.
7) Scalp Skin Problems
A non-healthy scalp could be inflammation-causative making hair growth trickier. Skin problems causing hair fall comprise of psoriasis, fungus-caused infections like ringworms, dandruff.
Symptoms
Dandruff is causal to scalp shedding skin hence the greasiness experienced & yellow-colored scales shed over the shoulder area or in hairs due to Malassezia yeast form, hormonal variations, or excessive oiliness on the skin’s surface.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder causing excess skin production leading to quite thick-appearing whitish scales on the scalp that would be bleeding when fiddled with. Such fungus causing ringworms – contracted when one touches infection-ridden individuals or animals, cause reddish patch formations on the scalp that might be diffusing.
Testing
Physical examination of scalp would assist in determining what problem one has or fungus cultures & possibly scalp biopsied for pinpointing ringworm presence.
Damage Control
Every condition generally necessitates prescriptions – medicinal shampoos for treating dandruff, medicines, or light therapy in case of psoriasis & orally used anti-fungal medicine to treat ringworm.
8) Alopecia Areata
It is an autoimmune condition affecting both genders analogously and activated due to stresses or sicknesses.
Symptoms
Alopecia Areata causing spherical, even balding patches over the scalp, eyebrow areas, or leg. In alopecia, the total is hair is lost totally on the scalp whereas hair being lost throughout the body is known as alopecia Universalis. Several persons have cited that prior to the bald patch occurring they sensed some tingling sensation or irritations in that region.
Testing
Blood analysis for checking hormone, ANA, iron reserves; observation of hair fall patterns could generally ascertain whether one has alopecia areata.
Damage Control
Intra-lesional corticosteroids are generally the treatment for alopecia areata while in several situations, Rogaine or minoxidil might even be helpful. Stress reduction is most vital.
9) Excessively Hair-Styling
When hair is excessively styled, shampooed & dyed it could have a damaging effect on the mane. Chemical substances, heat could cause hair weakening, breakage & falling off. Mostly it is a combo of treatment types like when one colors, blow-dries, or uses keratin therapy.
Symptoms
When hair falling occurs due to exterior harm from being styled then it would basically be breaking off and one would notice the club-type telogen bulb at the tip.
Testing
Some physicians conduct the pulling test wherein a mini fistful of around fifty hair filaments are pulled in a gentle manner for checking if hair coming off has bulbous tips.
Damage Control
Avoiding excess usage of devices that are overheating the hairs. Hairdryers must be placed on cool & less setting & reduce the frequency with which one irons hair. Avoid dying hairs more than a single or duotones its usual color as more radical the color variation, greater chemical substances required that could be causal to hair breakage.
When using gels/sprays on the hairs, combing through them instantaneously and not waiting since they harden & have a greater likelihood of breaking.
Hair condition does not simply impact appearance but also a crucial marker of overall health. In case one experiences hair fall then do meet an experienced dermatologist for the same.
