What is alopecia, or the 'Common baldness'? What does hair thinning really mean?
Well all of these things can usually means male-pattern baldness. This is also known as androgenetic alopecia. Men who start losing their hair at an early age tend to develop more extensive baldness. Typically results in a receding hair line and baldness on the top of the head. Women may develop female-pattern baldness. In this the hair can become thin over the entire scalp.
Some people prefer to let their baldness run its course untreated and unhidden. Others may cover it up with hairstyles, makeup, hats or scarves. And still others choose one of the medications and surgical procedures that are available to treat alopecia. Anyone can experience hair loss men, women and children.
There are different types of alopecia Permanent and Temporary.
Permanent hair loss
Male-pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia): For men, it\'s typically characterized by a receding hairline at the temples and balding at the top of the head known as alopecia. When it is related to hormones (androgens) and genetics, it is known as androgenetic alopecia, or more commonly 'balding'. Pattern baldness can begin early, even in the teens or early 20s. The end result may be partial or complete baldness.
Female-pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia): Women with permanent hair loss usually have diffuse thinning on the scalp due to increased hair shedding or a reduction in hair volume, or both. Women usually maintain their front hairline and rarely experience complete baldness. Females that are losing their hair with age are in which hormone tests are normal. 40of women by age 50 show signs of hair loss and less than 45of women actually reach the age of 80 with a full head of hair.
Cicatricial (scarring) alopecia:'Scarring Alopecia' refers to a diverse group of rare disorders that destroy the hair follicle. This rare condition occurs when inflammation damages and scars the follicles. Sometimes the patchy hair loss is associated with itching or pain. Cicatricial alopecia is not hereditary, is not contagious, and typically occurs in healthiest patients, in both women and men. ---Lichen planopilaris, Frontal fibrosing alopecia, Central centrifugal alopecia, Dissecting Cellulitis, Pseudopelade, Folliculitis decalvans, Discoid Lupus are names that fall in Cicatricial alopecia.---
Temporary hair loss
Alopecia areata: Usually occurs in small, round, smooth patches. Usually the disease doesn\'t extend beyond a few bare patches on the scalp, but it can cause patchy hair loss on any area that has hair, including eyebrows, eyelashes and beard. In rare cases, it can progress over the entire body. In 1-2of cases, includes your entire scalp; the condition is called alopecia totalis. If it involves your whole body, it\'s called alopecia universalis. Soreness and itching may precede the hair loss, but symptoms are often minimal. Alopecia areata affects both genders.
Telogen effluvium: Is probably the second most common form of hair loss. This type of temporary hair loss occurs suddenly, most often after a significant illness or major life stress. The hair on top of the scalp thins more than it does at the sides and back of the scalp. Handfuls of hair may come out when combing or washing your hair or may fall out after gentle tugging. This type of hair loss usually causes overall hair thinning and not bald patches.
Traction alopecia: Caused primarily by pulling force being applied to the hair. For which the hair follicles get damaged due to extensive tightening. Bald patches can occur if you regularly wear certain hairstyles, such as pigtails, braids or cornrows, or if you use tight rollers. Hair loss typically occurs between the rows or at the part where hair is pulled tightly. Men and women who have suffered from Traction Alopecia have found that the hair loss occurs most at the hair line.
Anagen effluvium: In this type of hair loss, actively growing hairs in the anagen (growth-phase) it is caused by radiation therapy to the head and systemic chemotherapy, especially with alkylating agents. Around 90of the average person\'s hair follicles are at this stage at any one time. It can be quite extensive as it affects all follicles of active growth, and starts soon after beginning therapy and is more extensive than in the telogen effluvium state. In the weeks after the therapy has been completed, the hair cycles re-establish themselves. The hair may not return as thickly as before chemotherapy.
Causes:
Disease. Hair loss also may occur as part of an underlying disease, such as lupus or diabetes. Certain infections fungal infections of the scalp can cause hair loss in children but can be easily treated with antifungal medicines. (It is important to find the cause so that it can be treated.)
Medical treatments. About 3 or 4 months after an illness or a major surgery; People undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy may develop alopecia. This hair loss is related to the stress of the illness and is temporary. After your treatment ends the hair typically begins to regrow.
Hormonal changes. Hormonal problems; thyroid gland is overactive or underactive (usually can be helped by treatment thyroid disease), male or female hormones, known as androgens and estrogens, are out of balance (Correcting the hormone imbalance)
Many women notice hair loss about 3 months after they\'ve had a baby. also related to hormones During pregnancy, high levels of certain hormones cause the body to keep hair When the hormones return to pre-pregnancy levels, that hair falls out (the normal cycle of growth and loss starts again.)
Medications. Blood thinners (also called anticoagulants), medicines used for gout, high blood pressure or heart problems, vitamin A (if too much is taken), birth control pills and antidepressants.
Hair treatments: Pigtails, cornrows or use of tight hair rollers that pull on your hair can cause a type of alopecia. On some cases scarring can cause permanent hair loss. Hot oil hair treatments or chemicals used in permanents ('perms') may cause inflammation of the hair follicle, which can result in scarring in which the hair will not grow back. ©
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