Hair loss is one of the common problems among all of us. All hairs are shed at the end of their growth cycle, so some degree of hair loss is normal. If you have excessive hair loss, it makes sense to first understand the possible causes. There are many possible causes of hair loss, however most hair loss is normal, and part of each person’s genetic programme.
The most common type of hair loss is related to both genetic and hormonal make up, and is called androgen-dependent hair loss. About 50% of children with a balding parent of either sex will themselves become bald over a period of time.
Commonly used name for this type of hair loss is male or female pattern baldness:
Male pattern baldness: Is characterized by a receding hairline, and moderate to extensive loss of hair, especially on the crown area.
Female pattern baldness: Causes an overall thinning of hair on the head, and a moderate loss of hair on the crown or at the hairline.
What are the causes of Hair Loss?
One of the primary cause of hair loss is a high amount of the male hormone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) within the hair follicle. DHT is produced from testosterone in the prostate, various adrenal glands, and the scalp. After a period of time, an over abundance of DHT causes the hair follicle to degrade and shortens the active phase of the hair.
Another factor that has been linked to hair loss is the amount of sebum in the scalp. Sebum contains a high amount of DHT, and clogs pores in the scalp, both of which cause the malnutrition of the hair root. The amount of sebum in balding hair is related to the amount of oil in the hair. Meanwhile most doctors agree that frequent shampooing is advised in hair loss cases with oily scalps.
The most important cause of hair loss is inadequate nutrition. Even a partial lack of almost any nutrient may cause hair to fall. But hair grows normally after a liberal intake of these vitamins. A high protein and an iron rich diet is recommended for hair loss. An adequate intake of raw vegetables, fresh fruits, salads, green leafy vegetables should be included in the diet on a regular basis.
Another important cause of falling hair is stress, such as worry, anxiety and sudden shock. Stress leads to a severe tension in the skin of the scalp. This adversely affects the supply of essential nutrition required for the healthy growth of hair.
General debility, caused by severe or long standing illnesses like typhoid, syphilis, chronic cold, influenza and anaemia, also gives rise to hair disorders. It makes the roots of the hair weak, resulting in falling of hair. An unclean condition of the scalp can also cause loss of hair. This weakens the hair roots by blocking the pores with the collected dirt. Heredity is another predisposing factor which may cause hair to fall.
How can Hair Loss be treated?
The healthy condition of the hair depends, to a very large extent, on the intake of sufficient amounts of essential nutrients in the daily diet. Hair is made of keratin, a protein, which also makes up the nails and the outer layer of our skin.
A well Balanced Diet
Women require 60 grams, men 80 to 90 grams, adolescent boys and girls 80 to 100 grams of protein daily. It is supplied by milk, buttermilk, yogurt, soyabean, eggs, cheese, meat and fish. A deficiency of some of the B vitamins, of iron, copper and iodine may cause hair disorders like falling of hair and premature greying of hair.
Persons with a tendency to lose their hair should thus take a well balanced diet. An adequate quantity of vegetables seeds, nuts green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, egg and milk should be included in their diet regularly.
Surgical Hair Restoration
There are many surgical procedures which will help to restore the hair from falling. Surgical restoration is the only permanent solution to baldness. It involves a series of operations that extract plugs of scalp from the sides and back of your head, where hair grows densely, and implant them on top and in front, where you are going bald.
Scalp Reduction
Scalp reduction is performed on patients with well-defined bald spots in the crown area of the scalp. It is sometimes done in conjunction with hair transplantaion to reduce the size of the bald scalp, especially in patients who do not have enough donor hair to cover the bald areas.
Tissue Expansion
Silicon bags are inserted beneath an area of hairy scalp and gradually inflated with saline water over a six-week period. This causes the hair-bearing skin to stretch, thus increasing the amount of hair-bearing scalp. After removing the bags, expanded hair bearing skin is lifted and moved to an adjacent bald area where a similar sized patch of scalp has been excised.
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