Hair loss: causes and treatment

Hair loss occurs all over the body or affects the scalp. Hair can fall out constantly or with a certain frequency. This problem is more frequently-met in men.

Causes of hair loss for women and men

Hairs loss can be forced by one or more of next-mentioned.

1. Hereditary predisposition. If one of the relatives suffered from alopecia, then this state can be transmitted further down the family line.
2. Hormonal disorders, in particular after pregnancy or childbirth, in menopause, if there are problems with the thyroid gland, etc.
3. Scalp infections. Ailments provoked by infection, eg. Ringworm may cause patches of hair loss.
4. Psychological defects: trichotillomania is an ailment in which a person pulls out the hair on his/her head.
5. Taking meds for a long time. In addition, some drugs in their composition have components that provoke hair loss.
6. Passing radiation therapies. After that, hair may no longer be as thick as prior to it.
7. Severe stressful situation. Patients face thinning hairlines soon after a major shock.
8. Excessive use of styling products. These refers to, in particular, hair ties, tight clips, hot oil and permanent procedures.

Among points being able to negatively affect the situation and aggravate it:

• age – more often people of the age category after forty suffer from baldness;
• poor nutrition, not rich in vitamins;
• diabetes.

Alopecia symptoms

Its symptoms may vary. It all depends on what forced the development of this state. Alopecia manifests itself abruptly and sudden throughout the body, or may proceed gradually, affecting only the scalp.

General symptoms are as follows.

1. Hindhead hairline thinning. It is frequently-met in men. Hair loss in women: hair parting begins to expand little by little.
2. Rounded bald patches. Some people face hair loss in eyebrows and beards.
3. Head’s skin becomes painful.
4. Hair falling out in handfuls when washing.
5. Baldness of areas all over the body. Medical procedures, in particular chemotherapy courses, lead to this state.
6. Exfoliation of large scalp parts. It’s one of the signals indicating ringworm. In addition, the skin may turn red, crack, and sanious discharge may appear on it.

Treatment methods

Mostly, loss of hair does not require special therapy. If its manifestations are excessive, physicians may prescribe the following.

1. Minoxidil. This is medicine for preventing hair loss in men.
2. Steroid injections in places where bald patches appear.
3. Therapy with immune drugs.
4. Therapy with ultraviolet light.
5. Hair transplant. Doctors take hairs from the head’s back and deliver it to balding areas.
6. A surgical operation in which the scalp is reduced – several sections are stretched and sutured.

Hair transplants cost depends on the degree of development of the defect and damage to the areas.