Hair loss or Alopecia, undeniably, is a pressing concern among both men and women. Being a far-fetched issue with causes – known and unknown, this has subsequently incited the need to find possible solutions that if not completely resolve hair loss issues, will, nevertheless, slow the progression of this problem. Having acknowledged this, preventive methods for the causes identified there remain to be discovered here. Check the hair loss reasons and how to prevent it in this article.
Hair Loss – Who Is Affected?
Call it hair loss in simpler terms, alopecia, or baldness, all these signify various degrees of hair loss. While losing single strands of hair may not cause any concerns, its slow progression to baldness definitely will. Of note, this stage is marked by an excessive loss of hair from the scalp.
Leaving aside the people least worried about hair loss, the remainder of the earth’s population is highly haunted by this issue.
Remarkably speaking, it is the men who suffer the most; however, women too can present with forehead baldness with hair receding from their hairline.
Alopecia Areata, the other name for hair loss, is characterized by an autoimmune disorder, which attacks the hair follicles, resulting in patchy hair loss.
Though baldness and alopecia both signify hair loss, the one thing that strikes a major difference between these conditions is that while baldness affects only the scalp, alopecia can affect any part of the body, i.e., where hair is meant to grow – for instance, the armpit, pubic area, and the beard.
Why Do People Lose Hair?
Various causes have been attributed to the hair loss problem. However, the top 10 causes accounting for hair loss in both men and women have included the following:
| Hair Loss, Causes, and How These Impact Men and Women | |||
| Causes | Explanation | Presentation in Male | Presentation in Females |
| Alopecia Areata | An autoimmune disorder.Affects hair follicles. Incessant hair falls because the hairs do not stick to their place. Can affect any part of the body. | Receding hairline with hair miniaturization seen on the frontal and vertex scalp | Mostly affects the vertex and the mid-frontal scalp areas. |
| Hormonal Changes | Can lead to temporary or permanent hair loss. | No particular pattern in men regarding hair loss from hormonal changes. | Manifest as hormonal changes due to pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause. Additionally, thyroid problems are also a poignant cause of hair loss in women. |
| Age | Aging is a major factor in hair loss. No new hair or hair regrowth. | Baldness by age 60. This is related to the normal function of the testosterone hormone, causing male-pattern baldness. Hair loss occurs at the temples or on the top of the head. | Similar pattern of baldness in women. |
| Radiation therapy to the head | Use of radiation therapy to either the head or neck region. | Hair loss in the area of radiation. | Same for women. |
| Hairstyles | Baldness by age 60. This is related to the normal function of the testosterone hormone, causing male-pattern baldness. Hair loss occurs at the temples or on the top of the head. | Rare in men | Highly common in women. |
| Hair treatments | Specific hairstyles, such as ponytails or pigtails tightly pull the hair backward. These are enough to cause traction alopecia. | Certain dyes and hair colors with high chemical content in them can cause permanent hair loss. | |
| Hereditary | Androgenic alopecia is the common name for hair loss due to hereditary reasons. | Shows male-pattern hair loss, i.e., baldness. | Female-pattern hair loss is seen. Baldness again. If a woman’s first-degree relatives suffer from hair loss, the same will her condition be. |
| Medications | Some medications pose significant side effects, and hair fall is one among them. For instance, cancer medications, drugs for arthritis, heart issues, blood pressure, gout, and depression. | In men, vitamin A, chemotherapy, and certain antibiotics cause male-pattern hair loss. | Oral contraceptives and hormone-replacement therapy that cause hormonal changes can trigger baldness in females. |
| Stress | This is the most potential cause of hair loss. It is often manifested as gradual hair thinning in a person who has undergone either physical or emotional shock. Nevertheless, the hair loss is temporary. | Common in both men and women. Telogen Effluvium is the type of hair loss common in both these genders. | |
| Infection | A condition called folliculitis decalvans can potentially cause permanent hair loss. However, this is rare in women. | Occurs mostly in men. | |
Signs And Symptoms Of Hair Loss
The following are the signs and symptoms of hair loss in both men and women. Please refer to the table below for the same.
| Hair Loss – Signs and Symptoms | Description |
| Gradual thinning on the top of the head | Presents as the most common type of hair loss.Affects most people as they advance in their age.Presents as hair receding from the hairline in men.Broadening of the forehead in women(Older women generally tend to have receding hairline, otherwise called frontal fibrosing alopecia). |
| Circular-cum-patchy spots of hair loss/baldness | A potential sign of ringworm. Characterized by scaly patches. Also present as broken hair, redness, and swelling with some kind of oozing of fluid. |
| Sudden loosening/shedding of hair | Hair loss presents as circular or patchy spots. Affects the scalp, beard, and eyebrows. |
| Full-body hair loss | Cancer treatments that require chemo/radiation therapy result in hair loss to all parts of the body. |
| Scaly patches spread over the scalp | Gradual thinning on the top of the head |
Methods To Prevent Hair Loss
Preventing further hair loss depends on how quick one is in recognizing hair fall and considering measures to treat the same.
| Factors Causing Hair Loss | Preventive Measures |
| Hereditary | Early detection and undergoing treatments to either help with hair regrowth or stop or slow the progression of hair loss. |
| Age | Treatment to help with hair regrowth |
| Cancer Treatment | Wearing a cooling cap before, during, and after chemo/radiation therapy sessions. |
| Alopecia Areata | Treatment to stimulate hair regrowth. |
| Childbirth, illnesses, and stressors | Hair loss should subside after a certain period to resume hair regrowth. |
| Hair care treatment | Resorting to natural ingredients in hair care. |
| Hairstyle pulling on the scalp | Consider altering the hair-do. |
| Hormonal imbalance | Treatment to prevent hair loss. |
| Scalp Infection | Treatment to clear the infection and assist with hair regrowth. |
| Medications with hair loss as a side effect | Slowly weaning off through physicians’s advice. |
Conclusion
Reiterating the facts mentioned so far regarding hair loss, its causes, symptoms, and possible preventive measures, what could be concluded here is that if only hair loss is detected early with causes identified then and there, one can avail appropriate treatment to either initiate hair regrowth or prevent further hair fall.
