hair loss
Causes
An adult sheds roughly 100 hairs a day, but with around 100,000 hairs on your head, you’re unlikely to notice a loss of 0.1% unless your hair is long enough to clog the drain.
Progressive hair loss is extremely common, showing that 85% of men and 40% of women suffer from hair loss worldwide. The causes of hair loss can be various, such as:
ANDROGENIC ALOPECIA
When the number of hairs that shed begins to increase significantly, you likely have androgenetic alopecia. This occurs when hair follicles slowly shrink, the growth phase shortens, and the resting phase becomes longer. Now a smaller hair follicle produces thinner hair, and as the follicle continues to shrink with each new cycle, it becomes less strongly attached to the scalp, making shedding easier. Over time, the reduced growth phase means that hair cannot grow for very long, and eventually the growth phase becomes so short that the hair doesn’t even have a chance to emerge through the surface of the skin. Testosterone is responsible for this, converted into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which actually causes follicle shrinkage. Still, why do some of us convert more testosterone into DHT and thus become bald faster than others? This is where family inheritance comes into play: to know whether your DHT levels will be high, you should look at your family history from both your father's and mother’s side. One of the biggest studies on male hair loss carried out at the University of Edinburgh in 2017 examined 52,000 men and identified 287 different genetic signals associated with hair loss. Their findings suggest that the long-standing theory that men inherit hair traits less from the mother and more from the father carries some weight. In the study, researchers found that although most genetic signals were scattered across the genome, 40 were directly linked to the X chromosome that we inherit from our mothers.
So looking on the bright side, if your maternal grandfather had a full head of hair into old age, you might be lucky. But if he was bald, you might follow the same path. However, these traits often skip a generation, so there is still hope.
Androgenetic alopecia in early stages can be controlled and treated. In cases where therapy fails or the patient comes in late, the only solution is hair transplantation.
Alopecia Areata
Alopecia areata is a condition in which the immune system attacks hair follicles and causes hair loss. While hair can be lost from any part of the body, alopecia areata typically affects the head and face. Hair usually falls out in small, round patches about the size of a quarter, but in some cases the hair loss is more extensive. Most people with the condition are healthy otherwise and have no other symptoms. The course of alopecia areata varies from person to person. Some have recurring hair loss episodes throughout their lives, while others experience only one episode. Recovery is also unpredictable: in some people hair fully regrows, while in others it does not.
In the case of alopecia areata hair transplantation is not possible; first it is important to treat the underlying condition. That is why it is very important that a doctor examines you and prescribes therapy and further treatment plan.
Hair Treatment
If you dye or subject your hair to pulling (tight ponytails) or certain chemicals, you may damage the hair. Over time, this damage can lead to hair loss.
If you want, you can change the way you care for your hair, which may prevent hair loss. Once a hair follicle is damaged, hair cannot regrow from that follicle. Many damaged follicles create permanent bald spots.
Infection of the Scalp
Numerous infections and diseases may lead to hair loss. Infections causing high fever, fungal scalp infections, and bacterial infections such as syphilis can be responsible for baldness or hair thinning.
Treatment of the underlying infection can restore hair growth and prevent future hair loss. Therefore, your first step is to seek medical help for the primary health problem.
Scalp Psoriasis
Many people with psoriasis eventually develop scalp psoriasis. This may lead to hair loss.
Hair tends to regrow when scalp psoriasis clears, but this takes time. By following a dermatologist’s advice, you may be able to prevent hair loss.
Pressure on Hair
If you have not destroyed the hair follicles themselves, there is a possibility of recovery and regrowth. To allow hair to regrow, you must stop placing pressure on the hair root.
Hair tends to grow back when scalp psoriasis clears up, but it takes time. By following your dermatologist's advice, you may be able to prevent hair loss.
Childbirth, Illness or Other Stressors
A few months after childbirth, recovery from illness or surgery, you may notice many more hairs on your brush or pillow. This may also occur after a stressful period in your life, such as divorce or the death of a loved one.
If stress ceases, your body will adjust and excessive hair shedding will stop. Once shedding stops, most people see that their hair regains its normal fullness within 6 to 9 months.
Age
With age, most people notice hair loss, because hair growth slows. At some point, hair follicles stop growing, which causes hair on our scalp to thin.
Caught early, hair-loss treatments help some people regrow hair.
Medications
Certain types of medications, such as antidepressants, antibiotics or taking large amounts of vitamin A or selenium (which can be toxic), may cause hair loss.
If you suspect your hair is falling out because of medications you are taking, it would be best to consult your doctor, who can change your therapy to one that does not affect hair loss.
Hormonal Imbalance
Depending on which hormones are disturbed, hair loss may be reversible or permanent.
Uhvaćen rano, tretmani protiv opadanja kose pomaže nekim ljudima da ponovo izraste kosa.
HAIR AND SKIN CLINIC
Your
Expectations
The donor hair region is somewhat limited. The good news is that hair taken from the donor region is not prone to falling out. This means you don’t have to worry that if you undergo a hair transplant now, that same hair will fall out later. But what you must consider is where to best use the hair from the donor region.
The question you should ask yourself is: If you have enough donor hair to cover only one area, and not several, which area would you be most satisfied with?
Entering with realistic expectations is very important for a good outcome of hair restoration, and your doctor will help you with that during the exam.
HAIR AND SKIN CLINIC
Consultation
Diagnosis
Male baldness, which research suggests affects up to two-thirds of men by age 35, can begin to show even as early as age 18. From 18 to 29 years of age, your hair is still forming. What you might consider a receding hairline might simply be what is called a mature hairline, which is not quite the same as a receding line.
By age 35, any hair loss you may experience usually stabilizes. This doesn’t mean that you can’t have a hair transplant earlier, but it’s a good idea to wait until rapid hair loss slows so your doctor can get a good understanding of your hair loss pattern.
Hair transplantation relies on using donor hair from the back of the head. If you choose to transplant hair too early, you may disperse donor hair too broadly in one area, leaving too little for later when you need it elsewhere. This also depends on your hair’s natural density/
That is why it is best to have a consultation with a doctor who would examine your hair and the region that should be the donor region. Based on that, the doctor proposes either further treatment or hair transplantation.
You can have the consultation in person or online.