What is hair loss? Hair loss can start as a few strands of hair in the sink or comb, then progress to a bare scalp. Most people shed between 50 and 100 hairs a day. But with 100,000 hairs on your scalp, that amount of hair loss won’t be noticeable. Gradual thinning is part of aging, however it can lead to baldness when the rate of shedding exceeds the rate of growth, when new hair is thinner than hair that falls out, or when hair comes out in patches.
Hair loss or baldness can be the result of heredity, certain medications, or an underlying medical condition. Anyone, men, women, children, can develop this condition. Other causes of alopecia include poor nutrition, hormonal changes, hair treatments, scalp infection, or trichotillomania (hair pulling disorder).
The medical term for baldness is alopecia. The most common type of alopecia is pattern baldness or androgenic alopecia. It affects 1/3 of men and women and is usually permanent just like circatricial (scarring) alopecia. Circatrial alopecia is a rare condition that occurs when inflammation damages and scars hair follicles, causing permanent hair loss. Other types of alopecia include alopecia areata (small, round, smooth patches), telogen effluvium (triggered by stress or disease), traction alopecia (caused by regular styling, ponytails, braids, or tight curls), and anagen effluvium. (affected hair growth). by chemotherapy drugs).
How to prevent?
If you notice sudden hair loss, or more hair loss than usual when combing or washing your hair, see a doctor. Sudden hair loss may indicate an underlying medical condition that may require medical attention.
A complete medical history, family history, and physical exam will be done to aid in the diagnosis. The pattern, the rate of hair loss, the appearance of nearby hairs and the accompanying symptoms are considered. Some tests may be done before treatment, such as pull test, skin scrapings, punch biopsy, and screening for related diseases.
Unfortunately, baldness, whether permanent or temporary, cannot be cured. However, there are hair loss treatments that help promote hair growth or hide baldness.
Medicine
The effectiveness of medications to treat hair loss depends on the cause, extent, and individual response. The following are the types of drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration:
- Minoxidil (Rogaine): An over-the-counter medication approved to treat androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata. It is a liquid or foam that can be rubbed into the scalp twice a day to regrow hair and prevent further loss.
- Finasteride (Propecia): A prescription pill to take daily. It works by preventing the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, which is responsible for shrinking hair follicles. Like minoxidil, its benefits stop once it is discontinued. It is only approved for men.
- Corticosteroids: Injection of corticosteroids into the scalp to treat alopecia areata. Pills may be prescribed for severe hair loss.
- Anthralin (Dritho-scalp): Available as a cream or ointment, to promote hair growth in cases such as alopecia.
Surgery
- Hair Transplant: There are techniques such as pinch grafts, mini-grafts, micro-grafts, slit or strip grafts to treat androgenic alopecia. A dermatologist or cosmetic surgeons take small pieces of skin, each containing one or a few hairs, from the back of the scalp. The plugs are then implanted in the bald sections.
- Scalp reduction: The skin on the scalp is stretched enough that part of it can be surgically removed. The space is now enclosed with scalp covered in hair.
These procedures are expensive and risky. If you want to consider this mode of treatment, go to board-certified dermatologists, plastic surgeons, or cosmetic surgeons.
Wigs and hairpieces
An alternative to medication and surgery is to wear wigs or hairpieces to cover the bald area. Quality, real-looking hairpieces and wigs are available in the market.