Hair Loss and Its Causes

المؤسسة المشاركات : 22515

Hair Loss and Its Causes

[ندعوك للتسجيل في المنتدى أو التعريف بنفسك لمعاينة هذه الصورة]

What is the normal cycle of hair growth and loss?

The
normal cycle of hair growth lasts for 2 to 6 years. Each hair grows
approximately 1 centimeter (less than half an inch) per month during
this phase. About 90 percent of the hair on your scalp is growing at any
one time. About 10 percent of the hair on your scalp, at any one time,
is in a resting phase. After 2 to 3 months, the resting hair falls out
and new hair starts to grow in its place.

It is normal to shed
some hair each day as part of this cycle. However, some people may
experience excessive (more than normal) hair loss. Hair loss of this
type can affect men, women and children.

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 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.

Many women notice hair loss about 3 months after
they've had a baby. This loss is also related to hormones. During
pregnancy, high levels of certain hormones cause the body to keep hair
that would normally fall out. When the hormones return to pre-pregnancy
levels, that hair falls out and the normal cycle of growth and loss
starts again.

Some medicines can cause hair loss. This type of
hair loss improves when you stop taking the medicine. Medicines that can
cause hair loss include blood thinners (also called anticoagulants),
medicines used for gout, medicines used in chemotherapy to treat cancer,
vitamin A (if too much is taken), birth control pills and
antidepressants.

Certain infections can cause hair loss. Fungal
infections of the scalp can cause hair loss in children. The infection
is easily treated with antifungal medicines.

Finally, hair loss
may occur as part of an underlying disease, such as lupus or diabetes.
Since hair loss may be an early sign of a disease, it is important to
find the cause so that it can be treated.

Can improper care of my hair cause hair loss?

Yes.
If you wear pigtails or cornrows or use tight hair rollers, the pull on
your hair can cause a type of hair loss called traction alopecia (say:
al-oh-pee-sha). If the pulling is stopped before scarring of the scalp
develops, your hair will grow back normally. However, scarring can cause
permanent hair loss. Hot oil hair treatments or chemicals used in
permanents (also called "perms") may cause inflammation (swelling) of
the hair follicle, which can result in scarring and hair loss.

What is common baldness?

The
term "common baldness" usually means male-pattern baldness, or
permanent-pattern baldness. Male-pattern baldness is the most common
cause of hair loss in men. Men who have this type of hair loss usually
have inherited the trait. Men who start losing their hair at an early
age tend to develop more extensive baldness. In male-pattern baldness,
hair loss typically results in a receding hair line and baldness on the
top of the head.

Women may develop female-pattern baldness. In this form of hair loss, the hair can become thin over the entire scalp.

Can my doctor do something to stop hair loss?

Perhaps.
Your doctor will probably ask you some questions about your diet, any
medicines you're taking, whether you've had a recent illness and how you
take care of your hair. If you're a woman, your doctor may ask
questions about your menstrual cycle, pregnancies and menopause. Your
doctor may want to do a physical exam to look for other causes of hair
loss. Finally, blood tests or a biopsy (taking a small sample of cells
to examine under a microscope) of your scalp may be needed.

Is there any treatment for hair loss?

Depending
on your type of hair loss, treatments are available. If a medicine is
causing your hair loss, your doctor may be able to prescribe a different
medicine. Recognizing and treating an infection may help stop the hair
loss. Correcting a hormone imbalance may prevent further hair loss.

Medicines
may also help slow or prevent the development of common baldness. One
medicine, minoxidil (brand name: Rogaine), is available without a
prescription. It is applied to the scalp. Both men and women can use it.
Another medicine, finasteride (brand name: Propecia) is available with a
prescription. It comes in pills and is only for men. It may take up to 6
months before you can tell if one of these medicines is working.

If
adequate treatment is not available for your type of hair loss, you may
consider trying different hairstyles or wigs, hairpieces, hair weaves
or artificial hair replacement.

الموضوع : Hair Loss and Its Causes المصدر :منتديات تقى الإسلامية الكاتب: El Helalya
توقيع العضو/ه:El Helalya