What are Hair Loss Problems?
BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery), 6 years of experience
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What is the meaning of Hair Loss?
Hair loss or alopecia is a condition in which there is heavy loss of hair. Hair loss problems can affect just the scalp or the entire body, and it can be temporary or permanent.
It is normal to lose about 50 to 100 hairs a day. New hair normally replaces the hair that is lost. However, that doesn’t always happen.
Hair loss can happen gradually over the years or can happen abruptly. If you notice a loss of more hair than usual, contact your doctor.
In this article, we will be discussing in detail hair loss problems.
- What is the life cycle of Hair Growth?
- What are the types of Hair Loss?
- What are the Causes of Hair Loss?
- What are the risk factors of Hair Loss?
- What are the symptoms of Hair Loss?
- How to diagnose Hair Loss?
- What is the treatment of Hair Loss?
- How to prevent Hair Loss Problems?
- What is the cost of Hair Loss Treatments in India?
What is the life cycle of Hair Growth?
The life cycle of hair growth is divided into three phases:
- Anagen: Active hair growth phase that lasts for two to eight years.
- Catagen: Transitional growth of hair that lasts for two to three weeks.
- Telogen: Resting phase that lasts for approximately two to three months. At the end of this phase, the hair sheds and a new hair replaces the old one, and the hair growth cycle starts again.
What are the types of Hair Loss?
The following are the different types of hair loss:
Anagen effluvium:
- This type of hair loss is caused by certain medications that can poison a growing hair follicle, for example, in cases of chemotherapy.
Telogen effluvium:
- This is caused due to an increase in the number of hair follicles that reach the telogen phase, that is, the stage where the hair falls out.
Androgenic alopecia:
- It is a genetic condition that can be seen in men and women.
- It is also known as male pattern baldness, or female pattern baldness depending on which sex it affects.
- In men, this condition is usually seen in the teenage years or the early 20s. It is characterized by a gradual loss of hair from the crown and the frontal scalp and results in a receding hairline.
- In women, this condition is usually seen after the age of 40. It is characterized by the general thinning of hair over the complete scalp, with most of the hair loss seen at the crown.
Involutional alopecia:
- It is a natural condition of hair thinning and hair loss due to age.
- Many hair follicles go into the resting phase, and the remaining hair becomes shorter and lesser in number.
Alopecia areata:
- This condition usually starts suddenly and results in patchy hair loss in children and young adults.
- This may result in alopecia totalis, which is complete baldness.
- In most cases, the hair returns in a couple of years.
Alopecia Universalis:
- It leads to the loss of all the body hair, including the eyelashes, eyebrows, and public hair.
Trichotillomania:
- It is most often seen in children
- It is a psychological condition in which an individual pulls out his/her own hair.
Scarring alopecias:
- It is a condition that leads to a permanent loss of hair.
- It can occur due to certain inflammatory skin conditions like folliculitis, cellulitis, acne; and other skin disorders like lichen planus (a condition that causes swelling and irritation of the skin, hair, nails, and the mucous membrane) that may result in the formation of scars that destroy the ability of the hair to regenerate.
- Hair that is tightly woven and pulled, and hot combs can also cause permanent hair loss.
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What are the Causes of Hair Loss?
Hair loss can occur due to:
- Heredity or family history
- Radiation therapy (high-energy beams used for the treatment of cancer)
- Hormonal changes, which are commonly seen in childbirth, pregnancy, menopause, and thyroid disorders
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- Medical conditions like trichotillomania, alopecia areata (immune system related disorder), ringworm (a contagious fungal infection of the skin and the scalp)
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- Medications like chemotherapy drugs (cancer treatment drugs), drugs used for the treatment of arthritis, heart problems, high blood pressure, and depression
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- Stress
- Illness
- Childbirth
- Excessive hairstyling
- Chemical hair treatments
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What are the risk factors of Hair Loss?
The following factors increase the risk of hair loss:
- Age
- Stress ( Know more about- What are anti-anxiety drugs? )
- Excessive weight loss
- Poor nutrition
- Family history of baldness
- Medical conditions like diabetes and lupus (an inflammatory condition in which the immune system attacks its own tissues)
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What are the symptoms of Hair Loss?
The symptoms associated with hair loss include:
- Gradual thinning of hair on the scalp
- Patchy bald spots
- A receding hairline
- Sudden loss of hair patches
- Full body hair loss
- Excessive shedding of hair
- Patches of broken hairs
- Horseshoe-shaped hair loss pattern that leaves the crown of the head exposed
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How to diagnose Hair Loss?
- Physical examination: The doctor first examines the patient physically and asks about the diet and hair care routine of the patient. The patient is also asked about his/her medical and family history.
- Blood test: This test helps in determining the medical condition that may lead to hair loss.
- Pull test: The doctor gently pulls many hair strands to see how many come out. This helps in determining the stage of the hair shedding process.
- Light microscopy: A special instrument is used for the examination of the hairs trimmed at their bases. It helps in diagnosing the possible disorders of the hair shaft.
- Scalp biopsy: The doctor will scrape samples from the skin or a few hairs plucked from the scalp for the examination of the hair roots under a microscope. This helps in the diagnosis of any underlying infection which may be causing hair loss.
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What is the treatment of Hair Loss?
The treatment for hair loss includes the following:
- If hair loss is caused due to an underlying condition, treatment for that disease will be required to cure the hair loss problem.
- If a certain medication is causing hair loss, the doctor may advise you to stop using the medication for a few months, or recommend using a substitute medication.
- In cases where hair loss occurs due to hormonal changes, like in cases of pregnancy, or due to stress, no treatment will be required. The hair loss will stop on its own after some time.
- In case of hair loss that occurs due to a particular hairstyle or because of chemical hair treatments, avoiding these things can help in the treatment of hair loss.
- In cases of nutrition deficiency that may be causing hair loss, the doctor may recommend using multivitamins and other supplements.
- Medications: Certain medications can be useful in treating hair loss problems. These medicines include:
- Minoxidil: This medicine comes in the form of a liquid, foam, and shampoo. It is applied to the scalp skin twice a day for men, and once a day for women. Minoxidil helps in hair regrowth or slowing the rate of hair loss, or both.
- Finasteride: This medication can be taken daily by men in the form of a pill. It helps in the slowing of hair loss, and may also help in new hair growth.
- Other medications that may be used for the treatment of hair loss include oral dutasteride and spironolactone.
- Surgery: A hair transplant surgery involves the removal of hair from that part of the head that has hair, and transplanting it to a bald spot.
- Laser therapy: A low-level laser device is used for the treatment of hereditary hair loss in men and women.
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There are many dermatologists in India where hair transplant is done with great success and accuracy.
How to prevent Hair Loss Problems?
The following tips can help in preventing hair loss problems:
- Protect your hair from direct sunlight
- Stop smoking
- Use a cooling cap to reduce the risk of losing hair during chemotherapy
- Be gentle with your hair
- Use a wide-toothed comb
- Avoid chemical hair treatments
- Avoid curling irons, hot rollers, and hot-oil hair treatments
- Avoid hairstyles that tighten the hair
- Use chemical-free shampoo, hair conditioner, and hair oil
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What is the cost of Hair Loss Treatments in India?
The total cost of hair loss treatments in India can range from around INR 5,000 to INR 1,50,000. However, the cost of the procedure may vary across different hospitals according to the type of treatment done. There are many big hospitals and specialized doctors in India for hair loss treatments. The cost varies across different hospitals.
If you are coming from abroad, in addition to the expenses of hair loss treatments, there will be a cost of staying in a hotel, cost of living, and cost of local travel. So, the total cost of hair loss treatments in India will be around INR 7000 to INR 2,00,000 which varies according to the type of hair loss treatment.
We hope that we were able to answer all your questions regarding hair loss problems through this article.
If you need more information and treatment of hair loss problems, then contact a Dermatologist.
We only aim to give you information through the article. We do not recommend medication or treatment in any way. Only a doctor can give you the best advice and correct treatment plan.
