Nowadays we can often meet men and women with sparse hair or totally bald. No one can feel secured against the hair loss, it can affect each of us, regardless the gender.
Hair loss causes are distinguished as Exogenous (external) and Endogenous (internal) ones. Endogenous causes – hormonal status changes, autoimmune disorders, infectious diseases, feeding disorder, including avitaminosis, genetic predisposition, disbacteriosis and others. Exogenous causes – stresses, physical, chemical, infectious, radiological injuries of the scalp, physical overexertion, unfavorable ecological factors, side effects of some medicines and others. Hair loss types
The modern literature differentiates between 5 main types of hair loss, each of which requires a specific treatment.
1. Androgenic alopecia (male pattern)
2. Temporary hair loss (female pattern)
3. Focal alopecia
4. Hair growth high frontal line
5. Posttraumatic hair loss
Androgenetic alopecia accounts for 95% of hair loss among men and 5% among women. Hair is affected by the derangement of renal metabolic processes, especially due to the testosterone neutralization and secretion disturbance. During the pubescence period, when a considerable increase of the testosterone level is observed, the first signs of hair loss are detected at the age of 20 years.
Male pattern
Temporary hair loss occurs among 95% of women. As opposed to the androgenetic type, the temporary hair loss occurs in the top area and the frontal hairline is preserved. It’s thought to be primarily conditioned by the genetic predisposition, age, endocrine system and hormone (androgens) quantity disorder.
Matter of concern to each third man
Alopecia among men is conditioned by the testosterone conversion into the dehydrotestosterone, which leads to the hair papilla atrophy, spasm of hair root vessels and feeding disorder, due to which hair loss can occur both at the age of 30 and 60 years.
Hair loss due to the thyroid gland function disorder
Excessive hair loss (more than 60-100 hairs a day) can be the result of the thyroid gland hyperfunction (hyperthyroidism) or hypofunction (hypothyroidism).
Anxiety, stress, emotional shock
Long lasting stress can also cause hair to fall out. Deep emotional and physical troubles can cause excessive hair loss even 2-3 months after the stressful event.
Pregnancy
Women sometimes notice a temporary hair quality improvement during pregnancy. Hair becomes luxuriant because of the estrogen level increase in this period, though 2-4 months after the childbirth the normalization of the estrogen level leads to hair loss.
Focal alopecia
This type of baldness, which is conditioned by deep emotional experience, is characterized by different sizes of the bald foci. This is the result of a self-aggression. The organism seems to perceive the hairs as foreign particles and tries to get rid of them.
Female hair loss, resembling the male baldness
This type of hair loss is the result of the male hormone impact (there is not much of it in the female body). This type is met among the women at the age of 18-44 years. Of course it doesn’t lead to hair loss – the hair becomes thin, the bald top becomes gradually apparent. Parallel to this condition seborrhea is often observed.
Menopause
Gradual suppression of the estrogen and progesterone female hormones production brings to the predomination of the male hormones level. The age of 50 years is crucial for women. Stressful situation, conditioned by the psychological nature of the problem, often leads to the hair loss.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy results in the hair follicle growth suspension. Hair growth cycle is restored after the therapy.
Radiation-therapy, which is widely used in oncology, leads to the irreparable damage of hair, in case the radiation is directed at the scalp. This often damages the hair follicles, thus causing an irrevocable alopecia.
