General Info about Hairloss

General Info about Hairloss

Hair specialist (examining person's head). "Well, I am sorry, Mr. Rao, but your
baldness has gone too far. I am afraid the only cure is a transplant. "Don't be daft
man, I'd look bloody stupid with a kidney on my head."
Hairloss is one of the common problems among all of us. All hair are shed at the
end of their growth cycle, so some degree of hairloss is normal. If you have
excessive hairloss, it makes sense to first understand the possible causes. There are
many possible causes of hairloss, however most hairloss is normal, and part of each
person's genetic program.
The most common type of hairloss is related to both genetic and hormonal make up,
and is called androgen-dependent hairloss. 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 hairloss 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 Hairloss ?
One of the primary cause of hairloss 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 hairloss 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 hairloss cases with oily scalps.
The most important cause of hairloss 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 and an iron rich diet is recommended for
hairloss. An adequate intake of raw vegetables, fresh fruits, salads, green leafy
vegetables should be included in the diet on a regular basis.
What are the causes of Hairloss ?
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 Hairloss 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. 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.
How can Hairloss be treated?
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.