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It is normal to lose some hair every
day. The truth is we loose between
100-125 hairs on any given day. That
seems like a lot of hair when you
are looking at a thinning scalp.
There really isn't anything you can
do to stop this natural process.
Hair that is shed falls out at the
end of growth cycle. At any given
time 10% of our hair is in what is
called a “resting phase” and after
2-3 months resting, hair falls out
and new hair grows in its place.
Some people, however, experience
more hair loss than is normal.
As we get older, both men and women
experience a higher rate of hair
loss. It’s a normal part of the
aging process. Called Androgenetic
Alopecia, it accounts for 95% of all
hair loss. Androgentic Alopecia
often runs in families and affects
some people more than others. In men
it is often referred to as Male
Pattern Baldness. It is
characterized by a receding hair
line and baldness on the top of
head.
If your dad lost a lot of his
hair by the time he was 30ish, you
can expect the same pattern for your
own hair loss. Expect it, don't
accept it. There is help for this
condition that can greatly reduce
your hair loss.
Women, on the other hand, don’t go
entirely bald even if their hair
loss is severe. Instead, hair loss
is spread out evenly over their
entire scalp. Even though this is
less common, if it is happening to
you, it seems like the end of the
world.
Hormones play the dominant role when
talking about Androgenetic Alopecia.
Simple put, both men and women
produce testosterone. Testosterone
can be converted to
dihydrotestosterone (DHT) with the
aid of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase.
DHT shrinks hair follicles causing
the membranes in the scalp to
thicken, become inelastic and
restrict blood flow. This causes the
hair follicles to atrophy. As a
result, when a hair does fall out,
it is not replaced. :(
Needless to say, men produce more
testosterone than women and
experience more hair loss.
While Androgenetic Alopecia is the
number one reason why individuals
experience hair loss, it is not the
only one. Medical conditions such as
hypothyroidism, ringworm and fungal
infections can cause hair loss.
Certain medications such as blood
thinners, gout medication, birth
control pills and too much vitamin A
can cause sudden or abnormal hair
loss as can following a crash diet,
sudden hormonal changes,
chemotherapy and radiation.
Emotional stress, pregnancy, or
surgery can also cause our hair to
fall out and is usually not noticed
until 3-4 months, or longer, after
the stressful event has taken place.
Stress can cause a slowing of new
hair growth because a larger number
of hair follicles enter into the
resting phase and no new hair growth
is experienced.
Another way in which individuals
experience hair loss is due to
mechanical stressors on the hair and
scalp. Wearing pigtails, cornrows or
tight rollers that end up pulling on
the hair can scar the scalp and
cause permanent hair loss. Hair
products such as hot oil treatments
and chemicals used for permanents
can cause inflammation to the hair
follicles which can also result in
scarring and hair loss.
It is vitally important that you
take care of the hair you have.
There is no guarantee that it will
always come back. Too much scalp
abuse will definitely cause
irreparable damage.
So, if that was then and this is
now... Meaning the damage has been
done and you can't turn back the
clock, what do you do now?
Save the Hair You Have.
If you still have a full head of
hair, now is the time to start
thinking about hair loss. If you
have already lost some hair, it's
not too late to slow the process.
Often we have to fix our hair
with clips and gels to look
appropriate for work or school. As
soon as you are home, let your hair
down. Wash the gels and sprays our
of your hair and let your scalp
relax.
Massage your scalp daily with
your fingers or a scalp massager.
Use caution not to pull or twist the
hair during your massage.
Avoid harsh chemicals such as
dyes and perms when ever possible.
Get a new hair do that doesn't
involve chemical processing.
Try our Hair Styler
to pick a new do.
Our Top Recommendation for Hair
Regrowth:
We recommend
The
Provillus Hair Regrowth
System for Men and Women
Check the Resource box on the
right side of this page for other
Hair Regrowth Resources. |
