Hair Loss Treatment – Signs, Causes & Prevention

We all find strands of hair almost everywhere at hour home. Bathroom drains, beds, tables, carpets and what not. This indicates that hair loss is a natural phenomenon. We all shed hair every day and it is healthy too. If you find excess hair strands than normal or if you see there is a significant reduction in your hair volume, then it is time to realize that your hair loss is beyond normal. By observing the early signs of hair loss you should immediately know the cause of alopecia (hair loss).  There are different causes of hair loss and hair loss treatment methods differ by the condition. Before learning about different methods of hair loss treatment or how to prevent hair loss, let us know the basics, signs and causes of hair loss.

Hair Loss Signs

While it is common to see hair strands every day, the amount of hair loss varies depending on several conditions. The initial signs of hair loss may go unnoticed. The general hair loss signs frequently noticed are:

• Thinning of hair – Seen in both men and women
• Occasional inflammation or scarring of the scalp – Seen in both men and women.
• Excessive hair strands seen on your combs, drain holes etc. – Generally seen in women.
• Increase in height of your forehead. This indicates excessive loss of hair on the frontal lobe area – Commonly observed in men.
• Irregular loss of hair on scalp, eyebrows and other parts of the body – Observed in children and young adults.

Hair loss in men is commonly observed as a bilateral loss above the forehead. This is known as pattern hair loss and the initial appearance is called as Widow’s Peak. The hairline receds on both sides of your forehead giving a characteristic ‘M’ shape pattern of your hairstyle. The male pattern hair loss is due to the effect of hormones and genetics. Though the Widow’s peak isn’t an indicator of reversible hair loss, it is essential to understand why you are losing hair.

Pattern hair loss in women (also known as female pattern hair loss – FPHL) is thinning of hair. Women with pattern hair loss will rarely go bald. The cause of female pattern hair loss is unknown. Thinning of hair can be assessed by regular checkup of your scalp. If you see more skin on your scalp, understand that your hair is thinning.

Both men and women can observe thinning of hair by observing certain symptoms and signs

• More hair on your comb or brush.
• Hair strands on your pillow.
• Excess hair clogging your bathroom drains.
• More hair on your bath soaps.
• Sun burning of the scalp.

Other signs which are not reliable but can show hair loss are

• Thinning of hair after a shower or swim.
• Dandruff
• Itchy scalp

Observe your daily activities related to hair care. Check the volume of hair strands on your hairbrush, bath soaps etc. Look for the skin on the scalp. An increase in exposure of the skin indicates hair loss. Clumps of hair on the bathroom floor is also an indication of hair loss.

Now that we know the signs of hair loss, it is important to understand the causes. Some hair loss treatments are directed towards the cause and eliminating them.

Stress

Stress can affect every part of your body. Most common symptoms of stress are seen in hair and skin. Stress can be both physical and emotional. Whatever might the type, too much of stress will result in hair fall. The characteristic hair loss due to stress is called as Telogen effluvium.

Physical stress can be of any form. These include:

• Excessive work at your home or office
• Postural stress such as back pain
• Trauma
• Pregnancy
• Illness
• Surgical procedures

Emotional stress is another major cause of hair loss. Numerous factors will result in emotional stress. Your relationship with family members, job success, fear of failure, academics (for students), work pressure and much more. Fear of hair loss or constant thoughts of hair loss is another cause of hair fall. Most of the times emotional stress will manifest into chronic stress. Another disorder that results in hair loss due to stress is Trichotillomania. This disorder is commonly seen in people with chronic emotional stress (depression, OCD, anxiety etc). People with this disorder have a chronic urge to pull their hair.

The relationship between stress and hair loss is very complex. This can be related to increasing adrenaline levels. Adrenaline is a stress hormone which increases its levels during various stressful situations. Adrenaline will not result in hair loss. Increase in adrenaline level will increase the secretion of testosterone. Testosterone is a male hormone (androgen) and will affect the life cycle of hair follicles. Excess testosterone will result in hair fall.

People tend to ignore themselves when subjected to stress. Sometimes we ignore our health and diet under stress. This will affect your health (nutritional deficiency) and immune system resulting in hair loss.

Nutritional Deficiency

The primary component of a hair follicle is Keratin, a protein. Various vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates and fatty acids are required for the normal health of hair follicles. Nutritional deficiency will damage the structural integrity of hair resulting slow hair growth and also hair loss. The various nutrients that are required for maintaining proper health of hair and scalp are:

• Iron
• Zinc
• Biotin
• Selenium
• Nicotinic acid or Niacin
• Omega (3 and 6) Fatty acids
• Vitamin A, D, E and H
• Folic Acid
• Antioxidants
• Selenium

Deficiency of any of the above-mentioned nutrients will affect the general health as well as the hair growth. Minerals such as Iron and Zinc are extremely important for the hair growth. Proteins are also an essential part of the health of the hair. As the hair contains the protein keratin, consumption of protein-rich foods is essential.

Every food we take have either direct or an indirect effect on hair growth. Having a balanced diet is essential. It will maintain your overall general health and improves the hair condition.

Auto Immune Diseases

An autoimmune disease is a condition where our body’s natural defence mechanism (immunity) attacks our own cells. The exact cause is unknown. The immune cells of our body destroy healthy cells resulting in various signs and symptoms. Some symptoms can be mild while some will be severe. Of all the known autoimmune diseases, there are more skin related disorders than other body parts.

Women are more prone to autoimmune diseases than men. There is no cure for autoimmune diseases and the treatment is directed towards the symptoms. Some autoimmune diseases are restricted to a specific organ while some affect the whole body. Most of these are chronic conditions while few are life-threatening.

The various autoimmune diseaseas that cause hair loss are:

1. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) or Lupus

It is most common and chronic form of lupus. It causes severe fatigue, pain in joints, hair loss, rashes (butterfly rash seen in women) etc. More than 2 million people in the United States are diagnosed with Lupus.

2. Alopecia

Alopecia is a synonym used for hair fall. Few people know that it is an autoimmune disorder. In this disease, the hair loss is seen in patches. The immune cells attack the hair follicles resulting in excessive hair loss. There are three types of Alopecia :

Alopecia Areata – Affects the scalp and causes less than 50% of hair loss.

Alopecia Totalis – Complete loss of hair restricted to the scalp.

Alopecia Universalis – Total loss of hair on the entire body. It is very rare. It is caused due to the inheritance of an autosomal recessive gene.

3. Grave’s Disease

It is an autoimmune disease which causes the hyperfunctioning of the thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism). The thyroid gland produces excess amounts of thyroid hormone. This will increase basal metabolic index (BMI) at a higher rate and the body activities are sped up. One of the many symptoms of Grave’s disease is hair loss.

4. Hashimoto’s Disease

This disease also affects the thyroid gland but the thyroid gland underperforms. The immune cells cause inflammation in thyroid gland resulting in decreased thyroid hormone levels. The common symptoms are weight loss, hair loss and fatigue.

5. Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease in which immunity cells react with gluten (wheat protein). Though this order primarily affects the digestive tract, it may manifest into a condition known as Dermatitis herpetiformitis (DH). DH causes skin blisters, itchy skin and scalp, pus-filled papules. Since DH primarily affects the skin, hair loss is commonly observed.

6. Systemic sclerosis or Systemic scleroderma or Diffuse scleroderma

Systemic sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that destroys connective tissues. There are two forms of systemic sclerosis:

Localized – Affects skin on face, hands and feet.

Systemic – Includes most of the vital organs such as heart, kidneys, liver and GIT.

The affected skin becomes hard and thick. The symptoms differ widely from person to person.

Endocrine Disorders and Hormones

Hormones secreted by endocrine glands play a pivotal role in hair growth. A balanced level of hormones will maintain the natural and structural integrity of hair follicles. Any disturbance resulting in fluctuation of hormone levels may affect the health of scalp and hair.

An increase or decrease in hormone levels will result in hair fall depending on the condition. Some endocrine disorders that cause hair loss are:

• Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (very rare, one in one million)
• Cushing Syndrome
• Diabetes Mellitus
• Hypopituitarism
• Hypoparathyroidism
• Hypothyroidism (most common in women)
• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
• Certain Autoimmune diseaseas that affect the endocrine glands

The endocrine system work on a negative feedback mechanism. If there is an increase in hormone level the production of hormones stops. And if there is insufficient hormone levels, the production increases. If the natural feedback mechanism is disrupted, by any means, it affects the general health of the body depending on the endocrine gland.

Unexplained or Sudden Weight Loss

Abrupt weight loss can be due to several reasons. It can be due to a disease, disorder, syndrome, genetic mutation, cancer, drugs, malnutrition, improper eating habits, or sometimes idiopathic (unknown). Hair loss due to sudden weight loss is a side effect and not a direct symptom. Unexpected hair fall associated with weight loss is useful in the diagnosis of certain diseases. Example: AIDS

Several research articles show that there is a direct correlation between weight loss and hair loss. More weight loss means more hair loss. This is attributed to the fact that a person losing weight is deprived of nutrition resulting in hair loss.

Hairstyle Products That Contain Toxic Chemicals and Hair Styling practices

Hairstyling products are in use since ages. Initial use of these hair styling products may not cause hair loss. Prolonged use or a chronic use will result in hair loss. Continuous hairstyling practices such as dying, bleaching, heat styling and perm can destroy the hair structure.

Hair dyes, heat styling and other chemicals will not cause direct hair loss. It will rather damage the structural integrity of the hair follicles. These chemicals will cause thinning of hair resulting in hair fall on a prolonged use.

Other hair styling practices such as curling, pulling hair tightly for a ponytail (Traction alopecia), straightening irons can cause permanent damage.

Infections

There are number of infections that cause hair loss. Fungi are the major pathogens that infect the scalp and cause various hair problems. Certaian bacterial and viral (syphilis) can also cause hair loss. These infections either restrict the hair growth or cause hair loss, either way hair and scalp are affected.

There are numersous reasons which cause scalp infections. The most common causes are:

• Dry scalp.
• Escessive oily scalp.
• Close contact.
• Use of contaminated combs, pillows, grooming equipments.
• Not shampooing or cleaning the scalp for prolonged duration.

The major scalp infections are:

Bacterial Folliculitis – Formation of pimples on scalp resulting in hair loss.

Fungal Infections – A chronic condition also known as Malassezia infections. Symptoms include itchy scalp and dandruff.

Lice – Parasitic insects that inhabit the scalp. Commonly seen in children between 5 to 14 years old.

Ringworm – Also fungal infection with characteristic round patches causing hair loss.

Lichen Planus – A chronic rash present on the skin of various body parts.

Syphilis – Sexually transmitted viral disease.

Leishmaniasis – A protozoic infection affecting the cutaneous tissue (cutaneous leishmaniasis).

Chemotherapy & Certain Cancers

Chemotherapy is one of the primary treatment modality for treating cancer. The drugs used in chemotherapy attack and destroy cancer cells. These drugs act by identifying rapidly multiplying cells (cancer cells) and killing them. But there are many healthy cells in our body which are in an active multiplication phase. Hair cells are one of them.

These drugs destroy the active multiplying hair cells in scalp resulting in complete hair loss. This is not only seen on the scalp but also other parts of the body such as eyebrows, eyelashes, pubic area and arm pits. There can be complete hair loss all over the body.

Some cancers such as Hodgkins disease (lymphoma) will also result in hair loss. This disease will cause swelling of lymphnodes generally around neck and armpit.

Genes

The hereditary information is passed to generations in the form of DNA. The sequence of DNA which are coded for a particular function is called as Gene. Human skin colour and health of hair are controlled by many alleles on a single gene. Hence a single sequence of DNA will not predetermine the colour, health and structural integrety of both skin and hair.

Most men above 50 years of age suffer from hereditary – pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia). This condition is also seen in women but women rarely go bald. Though pattern baldness in men is not completely a hereditary condition, it is influenced by hormones, age and environmental factors.

The genes responsible for baldness is present on X chromosome. If both mother (XX) and father (XY) have the gene for baldness, it is most likely that children will go bald. If the maternal grandfather is bald, it is very likely that the mother will carry the gene (carrier) and highly likely for the male child to become bald.

Pregnancy

During pregnancy or after delivery there will be rapid changes in hormones. These hormone fluctuations push the hair follicles into resting phase i.e, telogen phase. At any point of time during pregnancy, there will be more hair follicles in telogen phase than anagen phase.

After delivery, there will be an increase in hair loss due to the fact that there are more hair follicles in resting phase. This condition is called as Telogen effluvium, affecting entire scalp. Usually, in a couple of months, the hair loss will minimise. The hormones will come to normal levels in 2 – 3 months after delivery and there will be hair growth too. Baldness or excessive thinning of hair during pregnancy or lactation period is very rare.

Medications

There are numerous medications which cause temporary hair loss. If the usage of medicine is stopped, hair growth reoccurs. Change in dosage will also help in hair growth. There are some medicines which need to be used for a long time. Ex: Hypertensive drugs. Use of these drugs can result in permanent baldness or pattern baldness.

The medications associated with Hair loss

• Hypertensive Drugs – ACE inhibitors, Diuretics
• Drugs for irreuglar heart beat – Beta Blockers
• Acne Trreatment Medications
• Antibiotics, antifungals and antiviral drugs
• Contraceptive pills or Birth control pills
• Anti Coagulants
• Pain Killers or NSAIDs (Non Steroidal Anti-inflammatory drugs)
• Retinoids (Vitamin A)
• Thyroid medications (hypo or hyper)
• Chemotherapy drugs (Ex: Toptecan, vinorelbine etc)

Hair loss caused by most of the medications are temporary and reversible. Some drug alternatives are efficient in preventing the existing medical condition and also reduces hair loss. Consult your physician before switching to an alternative medicine.

Aging

With growing age, there will be many changes in our body. Men and women post 50 years experience noticeable changes in hair. Greying of hair is first seen in early 30’s of most men. Men with hereditary-pattern baldness experience a drastic change in hairline and hair colour. The genes, hormones and environmental factors all together will sum up the effect. 50% of men above 50 years go bald.

Post menopausal women experience thinning of hair. Greying is also noticeable. The pigment producing cells will age along with us and stop producing the pigment, resulting in a grey colour of hair. Oil glands of the scalp will become less efficient and result in the dry or scaly scalp. Other structural changes such as brittle shafts, small hair follicles etc are also noticeable along with age.

Hair Loss Treatment

Now that we know the signs, symptoms and causes of hair loss, it is essential to know the various hair loss treatment methods available. In many conditions, hair loss treatment or hair fall soilution is a symptomatic treatment. For example, if there is hair loss in an autoimmune disease the treatment is to lessen the hair fall instead of treating the cause. There are various methods with which you can prevent the hair loss. Some are done under expert care while some are DIY methods.

Change in your existing medications (for chronic medical conditions) or starting a new drug regime for hair loss treatment must be done with extreme caution. Do not alter your daily medications without your doctor’s advice.

Medications

There are various oral and topical medicines that help in hair growth. Out of many drugs, two have been approved by FDA, USA.

1. Minoxidil – It is also called as Rogaine. This medicine is available for both men and women. It can be applied topically to the bald spots to initiate hair growth. Note that it takes lot of time to for the new hair to grow after the topical application.
2. Proscar/Propecia – Finasteride is the the generic name of this drug. This drug is available as oral pill and you need a prescription to buy it.

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Other medications which can prevent hair loss are:

• Tagamet
• Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) – Estrogen and Progesterone
• Spironolactone

All these medications generally (ex: minoxidil) work by enlarging the blood flow to the roots of hair follicles. Increased blood flow will enhance cellular activity and thus hair growth.

Any medication, must be used with extreme caution. Consult your dermatologist before using any drug regime for hair loss treatment. Some drugs may cause extreme side effects. For example, uncontrolled use of Propecia will result in impotence in men.

Surgery or Hair Transplant

Depending on the degree of hair loss, cause and condition multiple hair transplant surgeries may be required. Like any other surgery, there are risks in this procedure as well. The risks include:

• Infection
• Scarring
• Trauma

Consult your dermatalogist or skin transplant specialist for further information.

Laser Treatment

Lasers do not directly cure hair loss instead they stimulate hair growth. In a case study, low light laser therapy (LLLT) was used for both men and women with pattern baldness and other forms of hair loss (alopecia, chemotherapy etc). Collecting the data from several similar case studies, it is concluded that lasers help in hair growth.

These lasers can be used as an in-office treatment or home handheld devices. These devices simulate the blood flow to the affected scalp and thus help in hair growth. They are proved to be efficient and safe in both men and women with pattern baldness.

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Now that you’ve known the hair loss treatment methods for hair loss, it is also important to prevent it. Regular hair care, proper diet and stress free environment will help you fight hair loss and also aid in hair growth.

Shampoos, Conditioners and Serums

Hair fall shampoo or any normal shampoo depends on the type of skin/scalp, hair fall condition, the chemicals used (good chemicals) and the type of hair you have. If you are using a wrong shampoo, you might not see the result you are expecting. Considering all the factors, you should select an ideal hair loss treatment shampoo suitable for you.

Dry hair needs a little extra moisturizing shampoo. Dry hair is easily subjected to wear and tear. Hair shafts will break easily. You need a good moisturizing shampoo, conditioner and hair serum to prevent hair loss. Your hair volume will decrease if you have dry hair. Conditioning your hair is important too. Buy shampoo and and a conditioner combo pack along with any hair growth serum.

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Hair serum will protect your dry hair from breaking and nourishes the roots. It prevents the hair shafts from breaking by forming a protective barrier around the follicles.

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Oily hair does not need any extra conditioning. You can use conditioner only at the tips (for women) to prevent hair splits. You must use a dry shampoo which does not suck all the oil from your scalp. Frequent hair washing isn’t advised to the people with oily hair. Make sure to balance the pH of the scalp by using an appropriate shampoo.

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If your hair is normal and still you are experiencing hair fall, you must consider medicated shampoos. You might have an itchy scalp or dandruff. A medicated shampoo is an excellent remedy for these issues.

If dandruff is your problem, use a good anti-dandruff shampoo twice a week. Some anti-dandruff shampoos help in fighting eczema (skin disease) which is another major cause of dandruff. Ketoconazole is one of the best drug used for treating dandruff, dry or itchy scalp and also eczema. Shampoos containing Ketoconazole as an active ingredient is ideal anti-dandruff shampoo.

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Along with anti-dandruff shampoo, use a shampoo which is suitable for all hair types. Since your hair is normal, you don’t need any extra hair loss treatment regime. Use a shampoo which helps in the normal health of a damaged hair and suitable for all hair types.

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Curly hair is difficult to manage. You need a lot of extra care to keep the natural appearance of your curly hair. Dyed hair also needs extra care as curly hair. Dyed hair will not respond to regular shampoos. You need to use special shampoos and conditioners. Use Art Naturals Argan Oil Shampoo mentioned above for both curly hair and dyed hair. It is an excellent shampoo which will moisturize, nourish and strengthens your hair follicles.

Frequent changing of shampoos also proved to show better results. You can use shampoo of your personal choice. Keep in mind the type of your hair and what your hair needs. A good shampoo which has moisturizers and prevents hair loss may not be good if you have oily hair. Understand your problem and chose appropriate hair loss treatment shampoos, conditioners and serums.

You can also use certain shampoos which are enriched with proteins an dvitamins. As proteins and vitamins are essential for hair growth, direct application of these can be very effective.

Biotin is very effective in thickening the diameter of individual hair shafts. This means there will be an increase in hair volume as well. Vitamins along with protein shampoo have the ability to strengthen individual hair follicles. You can use protein and vitamin shampoo individually or together.

Other best products for hair loss treatment:

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Nutrition

Hair follicles contain vitamins, proteins and minerals like any other part of our body. Some diseases and malnutrition will deprive the required nutrients for the normal health of our body. This will affect your hair growth too. In these circumstances, hair loss treatment methods include a nutritional diet and supplements. These supplements will be in the form of pills or topical applications (oils, shampoos and serums).

Studies have proved that there is a direct relation between hair loss and diet. A regular diet which is deprived of certain proteins, vitamins and minerals than normal will affect your hair growth. Follow a balanced diet which will help you prevent hair loss and help in hair growth as well.