Decoding hair loss: causes, remedies, and prevention

Hair loss may be a particularly upsetting condition for many people, both men and women, young and old, in a society where our appearance often plays a large role in our confidence and self-esteem. Alopecia may also be broken down into the words “hair” and “to fall,” but it is currently used as a broad phrase to represent hair loss, thinning hair, or baldness.

Having knowledge of the hair cycle

Understanding the basics of the hair development cycle is crucial before we get into the topic of hair loss. The anagen (growth) phase, catagen (resting) phase, and telogen (shedding) phase make up this cycle, according to Dr. Kashish Kalra, MD, dermatologist and head of department at Max Smart Hospital in New Delhi. Normally, 70% of your hair is growing, 20% is resting, and 10% is being lost. 50 to 100 hairs fall out every day, and new ones grow in their place organically.

types of baldness

According to Dr. Kashish Kalra, hair loss expresses itself in many ways and is not a universal problem. The main causes of hair loss are excessive hair loss and thinning, which often coexist to produce hair loss. Some people have significant hair loss, while others have moderate hair thinning. Let’s examine these circumstances in more detail:

1. Excessive hair loss: Hair loss of between 50 and 100 strands per day is normally regarded as normal. Excessive hair fall is defined as daily hair loss that is more than this range. It’s important to recognize the difference between the two since significant hair loss may be a sign of underlying health problems or lifestyle choices that need attention and maybe treatment.

2. Hair loss is mostly caused by genetic reasons. Males and females experience it in various ways. The hairline is usually affected first, then the crown, with hair loss in males commonly starting at the temples. Females, on the other hand, have a distinctive pattern with a center thinning and a broadening separation.

reasons of hair loss

Dr. Kashish Kalra identified the following reasons of hair loss:

1. Nutritional aspects: Imbalances in thyroid, hormone, and critical vitamin levels may cause hair loss. It’s crucial to have a balanced diet and treat any nutritional deficits.

2. Lifestyle decisions: Harsh beautification procedures like dyeing, straightening, and rebonding are widespread in large cities like Delhi. These procedures often employ chemicals that might harm hair and make hair loss worse.

3. Stress and hormonal changes: Hair loss may be brought on by stress, significant life events, and hormonal imbalances such PCOD. Steps to stop additional hair loss include managing stress and seeing a doctor.

She said, “Conditions including alopecia areata and scarring alopecia may also lead to hair loss. These problems need for specialized care, which should be provided right away by an experienced dermatologist.

Dr. Nina Madnani, a consultant dermatologist, aesthetic dermatologist, hair specialist, and vulvologist at the PD Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre in Mahim, Mumbai, brought her expertise to the situation and stated, “There are many reasons for alopecia and alopecia can hit all ages right from childhood to right up to old age. Alopecia is often divided into two categories: non-scarring cases where there is a very strong prospect of recovery and scarring cases where the whole skin has been harmed by the inflammation. First and foremost, dietary factors, including telogen effluvium and postpartum nutrition, are the most frequent causes of non-scarring alopecia. One of the most typical causes is postviral fever, which may occur after a virus like dengue, malaria, or covid and cause significant hair loss. Second, anemia from iron shortage may result in hair loss. Another ailment, called alopecia areata, is an autoimmune disorder that causes patches of hair loss. Therefore, each of these disorders is treated and recoverable.

Dr. Nina Madnani emphasized that cancer patients using treatments may have anagen effluvium, which is a sudden loss of hair and hair breakage. She said that after the chemotherapy drugs are discontinued, the majority of these patients usually make a full recovery. Certain inflammatory conditions, such as lupus erythematosus or lichen planus, may cause alopecias with scarring. These conditions may result in scarring, as can scalp burns or injuries or chemical treatments that can result in alopecia with scarring. In certain circumstances when the inflammation completely destroys the hair follicles, they never recover. The hair follicles may potentially be harmed by using excessively hot hair dryers very near to the scalp. Additionally, female pattern hair loss—which is caused by hormones or genetics but is also accompanied by a concomitant worsening if there are any deficiencies—is a very significant cause of alopecia or baldness that we are seeing very frequently in women. In this condition, women experience a diffuse loss on the frontal part of their hair. Male pattern baldness, which is inherited, is the most prevalent cause in males.

Hair loss remedies and preventative measures

According to Dr. Kashish Kalra, a significant section of the population is affected by hair loss, which is sometimes mistaken for a condition rather than an illness. For many people, controlling hair loss and perhaps postponing or reversing baldness are typical goals. For individuals looking for practical answers, understanding the phases of hair loss and potential treatments is essential. She added details:

1. Drugs and injectables: FDA-approved drugs like finasteride and minoxidil may be useful in halting hair loss. Off-label peptide therapies also seem to be effective in postponing hair loss and encouraging growth.

2. Injectable therapies: Mesotherapy and Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy are becoming more and more well-liked procedures. While PRP treatment utilizes the patient’s blood to stimulate the hair follicles and encourage growth and thickness, mesotherapy involves injecting nutrients into the scalp.

3. Hair transplant: Surgical intervention may be required in severe instances of hair loss. Hair is removed from the donor region and transplanted to bald or thinning areas during hair transplant surgery. This is carried out utilizing a variety of methods, including Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE), and is regarded as a permanent treatment.

As to Dr. Nina Madnani’s advice, “We first need to determine what kind of alopecia it is. The factors must also be considered while choosing a remedy. If it is female pattern hair loss, we must do research to see if there isn’t a B12, iron, thyroid, or D3 shortage. We often don’t do any blood tests on males with male pattern baldness, and since alopecia areata is linked to other autoimmune disorders, we could perform a CBC or thyroid profile on individuals with the condition. Therefore, in an effort to determine the cause, we may also need to do biopsies.

“We examine the hair under high magnification in an instrument called the Tricoscope,” she said. We can also see the condition of the scalp, whether it has any diseases that are causing follicular damage, and the type of hair, including broken hair indicative of a fungal infection, hair pulled out by some people due to trichotillomania, and variations in hair diameter indicative of male pattern baldness or female pattern hair loss. Therefore, we must customize the patient’s therapy based on the cause.

Hair loss is a complex problem with many causes and treatments. It is crucial to seek the advice of a trained dermatologist whether you’re thinking about preventative measures, drugs, injectable treatments, or even hair transplant surgery. This is because early intervention and the proper therapy may make all the difference in properly controlling and preventing hair loss. Keep in mind that your hair demands professional attention, not hasty cures from unskilled sources.