Overview
Hair loss can be emotionally devastating no matter what your age or sex. Thinning hair or bald spots can affect your self-image and confidence level and make you appear older than you are. The condition may occur because of an inherited tendency or can be a sign of a medical problem. Hair loss treatment is aimed at stopping future hair loss and regrowing hair in problem areas.
Identification
Hair grows in a 2-to-3 year cycle, with 90 percent of hair growing at any one time, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). The remaining 10 percent of hair is in a resting phase and will fall out after 3 or 4 months. Under normal conditions, when a hair falls out, a new hair replaces it. When hair loss occurs, a new hair does not grow or the new hair grows much shorter than the original hair.
Types
Both males and females can develop androgenetic alopecia, also called male pattern baldness or female pattern hair loss. Androgenetic alopecia causes hair to stop growing on the top of the head in males, but only causes thinning hair throughout the scalp in women. Traction alopecia causes hair loss on areas of the scalp in which the hair has been pulled tight. This type of hair loss may occur if women consistently wear hair in tight styles that pull at the scalp, such as cornrows or braids. Alopecia areata causes hair loss in small round patches about the size of a quarter, according to the Mayo Clinic, while cicatricial alopecia causes patchy hair loss due to scarring of hair follicles.
Causes
Hair loss can also occur when certain medications are used. Medications that may cause hair loss include chemotherapy drugs and heart, high blood pressure, arthritis, gout and depression medications. Hormonal changes, including pregnancy, menopause and using hormonal birth control methods, may also cause hair loss. Other possible causes of hair loss include the use of harsh hair products, inadequate nutrition, scalp infections and diseases, such as lupus or diabetes. Temporary hair loss may occur after a severe infection, major surgery, high fever, severe infection or flu or chronic illness, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). Some people develop trichotillomania, an irresistible compulsion to pull hair from their scalp, eyebrows and other parts of the body.
Treatment
If hair loss is caused by an underlying medical condition, treating the condition may resolve the problem. Female pattern hair loss can be caused by an abnormally high level of a male hormone called androgen. Taking anti-androgen medication may reduce hair loss and thinning hair. If hair loss occurs as a side effect of a medication, it may be possible to change the medication. Minoxidil, a topical medication, may be effective in reducing hair loss and regrowing hair in bald spots for both men and women. Finasteride, an oral medication approved for men only, may also be effective in hair regrowth. Results from these medications may not be evident for up to 6 months, according to the AAFP.
Hair Restoration
If medical treatment is not effective in regrowing hair, hair restoration techniques, such as hair transplants or scalp reduction, may be needed. Hair transplants are used to transplant healthy strips of hair to balding areas. Good candidates for hair transplantation include people who have thinning hair, well-defined baldness and limited hair loss due to burns or scalp injury, according to the AAD. During scalp reduction, loose skin is removed on the scalp, decreasing the bald area. Depending on the size of the treatment area, both scalp reduction and hair transplantation may be used.
About this Author
Jill Leviticus has been a writer for 20 years. She writes business, health and travel articles for several online publications and worked as a writer for a hospital and a nonprofit research foundation. Leviticus has a degree in journalism from Lock Haven University and works as a public relations writer.
