Hair loss advice

Causes About 90 percent of the hair on most people's scalps is in a two to six year growth (anagen) stage at any given time. The other 10 percent is in a two to three month resting (telogen) phase, after which time it is shed. Most people shed 50 to 150 hairs a day. Once a hair is shed, the growth stage begins again as a new hair from the same follicle replaces the shed hair. New hair grows at a rate of approximately one half inch each month.

What causes alopecia areata -  Alopecia areata is classified as an autoimmune disease, but the cause is unknown. People who develop this type of baldness are generally in good health. Some scientists believe that some people are genetically predisposed to develop alopecia areata and that a trigger, such as a virus or something else in the environment, sets off the condition. A family history of alopecia areata makes you more likely to develop it. With alopecia areata, your hair generally grows back, but you may lose and regrow your hair a number of times.

Baldness typically refers to excessive hair loss from your scalp and can be the result of heredity, certain medications or an underlying medical condition. Anyone men, women and children can experience hair loss.

What is the normal cycle of hair growth and loss? -  At any one time, about 10 percent of the hair on your scalp is in a resting phase. After 2 to 3 months, the resting hair falls out and new hair starts to grow in its place. This growing phase lasts for 2 to 6 years. Each hair grows approximately 1 centimeter per month during this phase. About 90 percent of the hair on your scalp is growing at any one time.

What causes hair loss?   The most common cause of hair loss is genetics you inherit the tendency to lose hair from either or both of your parents. This is called male pattern or female pattern hair loss, or androgenetic alopecia. (Alopecia is the medical term for hair loss.) About half of all people have this type of hair loss by about 50 years of age.

What causes excessive hair loss? -  A number of things can cause excessive hair loss. For example, about 3 or 4 months after an illness or a major surgery, you may suddenly lose a large amount of hair. This hair loss is related to the stress of the illness and is temporary. Hormonal problems may cause hair loss. If your thyroid gland is overactive or underactive, your hair may fall out. This hair loss usually can be helped by treatment of the thyroid disease. Hair loss may occur if male or female hormones, known as androgens and estrogens, are out of balance. Correcting the hormone imbalance may stop your hair loss.

Your hair loss may have started with a few extra hairs in the sink or in your comb. But now you can't look in the mirror without seeing more of your scalp.

Alopecia areata With alopecia areata, baldness usually occurs in small, round, smooth patches. You may lose only scalp hair, or you may lose body hair as well.

Is hair loss normal?   Everyone normally has some hair loss every day. In fact, it is normal to lose up to about 100 hairs a day. However, some people can lose a lot of hair early in life because it usually runs in the family, inhereted from a parent or grandparent or because of disease, medications, stress, injury, or damage to the hair.

Signs and symptoms The medical term for hair loss is alopecia. Pattern baldness (androgenetic alopecia), the most common type of alopecia, affects roughly one third of men and women. It's typically permanent. Another type of alopecia, alopecia areata, can be temporary. It can involve hair loss on your scalp or other parts of your body.

What causes androgenetic alopecia  -  Androgenetic alopecia is caused by heredity. Although it's most common among men, it can also affect women. A history of androgenetic alopecia on either side of your family increases your risk of balding. Heredity also affects the age at which you begin to lose hair and the developmental speed, pattern and extent of your baldness.

Hair loss may lead to baldness when the rate of shedding exceeds the rate of regrowth, when new hair is thinner than the hair shed or when hair comes out in patches.