Our hair is made of a type of protein called Keratin. Each hair –strand consists of a root below the skin and a follicle from which the hair root grows. There is a follicle at the end of hair bulb which produces melanin that gives color to the hair. Hair loss can affect men, women and children. It is important to stop hair loss as early as possible.
The normal cycle of hair growth lasts for two to six years. The hair grow about one centimeter per month during this period. Shedding a few strands each day is normal. Mostly one loses about 50 to 100 of them per day. However, if you lose more, then it becomes a matter of worry.
Causes Of Hair Loss
Normally hair loss is related to heredity, aging and hormones. There are other causes as well, like poor diet, child birth, emotional or physical stress, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal imbalance, blow drying and excessive shampooing. Hair loss is gradual and may be patchy or all over. The medical term for hair loss is Alopecia. It affects about 50% of all men over the age of 50 and 40% of women who have reached menopause. This cause is mostly permanent unless treated.
Typical male hair loss involves a receding hairline. There might be thinning around the crown with some bald spots. Ultimately, there will be a horseshoe ring of hair around the sides.
Due to heredity, age and male hormones, women develop a particular pattern when they lose hair. These hormones generally increase after menopause. Female pattern of hair loss is mostly thinning throughout the scalp. The front hairline normally remains intact.
Hair loss during adolescence means that a person may be sick or just not eating right. Losing hair can be stressful during this time, especially when you are really concerned about your appearance. Mostly, hair loss during this period is temporary. Hair usually grows back after the problem that caused it, is corrected.
Treatment Of Hair Loss
To stop hair loss, it should be treated with Minoxidil (Rogaine) and Finasteride (Propecia). These drugs have been proven to re-grow hair. They also slow down hair loss. But the problem is that as soon as you discontinue their use, the result is further hair loss.
Different treatments are available for different types of hair loss. If a particular medicine is causing hair loss, your doctor should prescribe a different medicine to stop hair loss. Anti-fungal medicine may also help in case of fungal infection. Correcting the hormonal imbalance may stop hair loss. The only solution for ending hair loss permanently is by a hair transplant. Hair transplant gives a natural looking result, as it is your own hair being transplanted.
Finally, hair loss may be an early sign of a disease yet to be detected, for example, lupus or diabetes. It is necessary to detect the cause to stop hair loss.