It is normal to shed hair every day and the truth is we loose between
100-125 hairs on any given day. Hair that is shed falls out at the end
of growth cycle. At any given time 10% of our hair is in what is called a
“resting phase” and after 2-3 months resting, hair falls out and new
hair grows in its place. Some people, however, experience more hair loss
than is normal.
As we get older, both men and women experience some hair loss. It’s a
normal part of the aging process. Called Androgenetic Alopecia, it
accounts for 95% of all hair loss. Androgentic Alopecia often runs in
families and affects some people more than others. In men it is often
referred to as Male Pattern Baldness.
It is characterized by a receding hair line and baldness on the top
of head. Women, on the other hand, don’t go entirely bald even if their
hair loss is severe. Instead, hair loss is spread out evenly over their
entire scalp.
Hormones play the dominant role when talking about Androgenetic
Alopecia. Simple put, both men and women produce testosterone.
Testosterone can be converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) with the aid
of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase. DHT shrinks hair follicles causing the
membranes in the scalp to thicken, become inelastic and restrict blood
flow. This causes the hair follicles to atrophy. As a result, when a
hair does fall out, it is not replaced.
Needless to say, men produce more testosterone than women and experience more hair loss.
While Androgenetic Alopecia is the number one reason why individuals
experience hair loss, it is not the only one. Medical conditions such as
hypothyroidism, ringworm and fungal infections can cause hair loss.
Certain medications such as blood thinners, gout medication, birth
control pills and too much vitamin A can cause sudden or abnormal hair
loss as can following a crash diet, sudden hormonal changes,
chemotherapy and radiation.
Emotional stress, pregnancy, or surgery can also cause our hair to
fall out and is usually not noticed until 3-4 months after the stressful
event has taken place. Stress can cause a slowing of new hair growth
because a larger number of hair follicles enter into the resting phase
and no new hair growth is experienced.
Another way in which individuals experience hair loss is due to
mechanical stressors on the hair and scalp. Wearing pigtails, cornrows
or tight rollers that end up pulling on the hair can scar the scalp and
cause permanent hair loss. Hair products such as hot oil treatments and
chemicals used for permanents can cause inflammation to the hair
follicles which can also result in scarring and hair loss.
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