Hair Loss Problems
Male pattern
baldness is the major cause of hair loss but there are a lot
more hair problems as illustrated below.
Alopecia
This is a general term for baldness, of which there are a
number of different varieties. Some types are permanent while others are only
temporary, albeit the time scale can vary enormously.
Some people
may have
alopecia without it really affecting them at all whereas other sufferers go
through a great deal emotionally trying to cope with it. Listed below are the
main types of alopecia.
Alopecia Areata
 This is normally first noticed as a small bald patch on the
scalp. Usually a number of patches in an area of the scalp develop and
eventually join up to form larger patches.
A patch can sometimes form overnight,
so that the hairs that are shed are found on the pillow in the morning. This can
be a very frightening experience for someone when it happens for the first time.
The skin in the patch is usually pale and glossy, with no hairs present. The
hairs around the patch are usually short and of a frayed appearance that can
easily be pulled out, which is the last thing that should be done.
The cause of alopecia areata is not fully understood by
doctors. Some people have a family history that could suggest a genetic link.
However stress and shock have
also been blamed as reasons for the problem, while very
often there is just no explanation at all.
Often the hair regrows on its own accord after about a month,
while at other times the bald patch will clear up completely only to move to
another area of the scalp.
Medical advice should be sought as worrying about the
condition can actually make it worse.
Whilst there is no actual cure for the
condition, just being reassured that you are not suffering from some major
disease, will help ease the distress this problem can cause.
Alopecia Totalis
This is the complete loss of scalp hair combined with the
loss of eyebrows and eyelashes, as well as beard hair in men.
Regrowth is rare
once the condition is established, so medical help should be sought as quickly
as possible. However a cure is normally unlikely to be found.
Alopecia Universalis
This is the total loss of all body hair as well as all the
scalp hair. Once this is established regrowth is extremely unusual.
This
condition could be caused by severe shock, or even an accident such as falling
out of a tree.
Again medical advice should be sought as soon as possible,
although very little can be done to regrow the hair.
Androgenic Alopecia
The popular name for this problem is male pattern baldness.
This is the most common type of baldness and most men will suffer from it,
although the degrees of severity can vary from trivial to very extreme.
It can
start in the late teens, mid thirties or even at old age. The hair line recedes
and there is loss from the crown until the whole vertex is void of hair.
This
may develop over a few years or it can span about ten years. There is a
reduction in the length of time the anagen stage lasts and the hairs gradually
become shorter and finer.
Eventually the hairs do not regrow, and the follicle
closes. Hence baldness occurs.
Male pattern baldness has a definite genetic link. Increasing
age can also be an influencing factor. After the menopause, androgenic alopecia
develops in many women, this is often disguised by having the hair permed.
You
see rather a lot of women around the menopause age with permed hair which can
help hide the problem that often clears up after treatment. There are just as
many bald women as bald men in geriatric wards of the hospitals.
Traction Alopecia
Traction alopecia is baldness due to placing to much tension
on the hair, causing it to loosen in the follicle.
If a pony tail is too tight
there may be hair loss at the frontal hair line. Tight plaiting can result in
hair loss at the sides of the base of the plait.
Attachment of hairpieces may
cause hair loss at the point of attachment. The hair should grow back once this
bad practice is discontinued, but can be permanent if the habit goes on too
long.
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