Archive for the ‘Hair Loss’ Category

Top Four Hair Loss Information Myths

Friday, May 2nd, 2008

by Irina Thorton

Information on hair loss and its treatment about on the internet. Unfortunately, though, some of these hair loss information are irrelevant or may even just be myths and misconceptions on the condition. Before you decide on what to do about your balding condition, you should take not of top hair loss information myths.

Myth #1: Only men suffer from hair loss.

Women suffer hair loss, too. Recent hair loss information reveals that women are about just as likely to have the condition. The reason why we do not often hear about hair loss information for women is that the condition itself is not yet entirely socially acceptable. We seem to have this idea that a woman should always have full locks of hair.

One other reason why female hair loss is overlooked is because women do not obviously manifest hair loss as much as men do. Hair loss information and observation will reveal that a lot of men eventually end up with bald tops. Women however usually suffer only from diffuse thinning or hair loss. They don’t completely go bald unless their hair loss conditions are due to causes other than genes and hormones.

Myth #2: Hair on your brush is a sign of a hair loss condition.

Finding strands of hair on your brush or on your pillow in the morning might make you think that you already have a serious case of hair loss. Common hair loss information reveals though that it is normal to lose a few strands of hair daily.

It has been established that 80%-90% of a person’s hair is in the growing phase at any one time. The remaining percentage of hair is in the resting phase which will eventually lead to hair shedding. The hair that you find on your brush everyday may just be the strands that are scheduled to fall.

Myth #3: Hair products and styling can make you lose your hair.

Although using too many hair products can damage hair, they do not necessarily cause the kind of alarming hair loss that may lead to balding. Take note though that you should always check the product that you use on your hair. They should be approved for safe consumer use.

There is some hair loss information that says that some hairstyles like tight ponytails and corn rolls could lead to a type of hair loss known as traction alopecia. The tightly bound hair may eventually get pulled from the scalp. You can however immediately remedy this by refraining from tightly tying your hair.

Myth #4: Nothing can be done about hair loss.

FDA approves of two drugs for hair loss treatment. As a hair loss information, keep in mind though that only one can be safely used by women. Surgical procedures have also been known to effectively remedy the problem of thinning hair or balding.

Other than the medical methods, there is supplementation. Many natural products containing herbal hormone blockers and nourishing vitamins and minerals also effectively address the problem of hair loss.

About the Author:

The Many Causes of Hair Loss

Sunday, April 20th, 2008

by C S Liner

With lots of Causes of hair loss a major on that is common to both men and women is because of genetic reasons. Because of the nature of hair loss getting it for the first time can be most upsetting. With genetic problems they are initially difficult to treat and diagnose.

Another universal cause if follicle damage which can occur because of lots of different environmental and lifestyle choices. While there are many follicle damage problems that can’t be rectified, there are some that can be fixed easily. In fact many just require a change in styling and care methods.

How do hair follicles get damaged?

As women and men lose hair, follicle damage can sometimes be blamed. Hair follicle damage has been known to be caused by, excess chemicals, damage by heat and follicle breaks. These causes are every day type of damage and can be modified to stop further hair loss.

Using chemicals on the hair, such as gels, mousses and hair sprays was once only a female practice. Today both men and women use hair chemicals on hair for daily styling. These chemicals become one of the causes of Hair loss when used to an extent that hair follicle damage occurs. Hair follicles can be rendered unable to produce new hair or unable to produce hair at all, if the chemicals burn, damage or kill the hair follicle.

With todays fast paced world The humble hair dryer has now become a standard fixture in both males and females hair care arsenal. Unfortunately this is not always a good thing the heat from a hair dryer can and has caused hair loss. This cooking of ones hair is definitely frowned upon by many hair care officianados.

Hair brushing can cause follicular breakage leading to Hair loss. This breakage occurs when hair is pulled and ripped during the hair brushing act. The more damage that occurs during the hair brushing, the less new hair that may grow from the follicle. Hair follicle damage from brushing can occur with both dry and wet hair brushing. Hair knots and tangles are the normal cause of follicle breakage.

How Can I Prevent These Types of Hair loss?

With some types of hair loss common to either men or women, the universal hair loss addressed here have been shown to affect both men and women. some ways of helping alleviate these problems is to keep the chemical usage to a minimum. Also try to use your hair dryer on the lowest possible setting to reduce even more hair problems. An finally when brushing don’t rush take it easy and be kind to your hair. The real answer to stopping hair loss is to alter your behavior before its starts, prevention is better than cure.

About the Author:

What You Need To Know About Male Hair Loss

Saturday, April 5th, 2008

by Irina Thorton

There’s no need to deny. At some point in our lives, we have thought about whether you were eventually going to lose hair like some people we know. You may even already be showing some signs of male hair loss. Don’t panic, your condition is probably normal and non-life threatening but you don’t necessarily have to live with it.

Male Pattern Baldness

There are many kinds of hair loss conditions but it has been discovered that around 95% of hair loss conditions are categorized under androgenetic alopecia. We often think that male hair loss begins when a man reaches adulthood. It is possible however for some to begin having the condition during the teen years. The first sign of thinning and male hair loss is often observed in the temple areas. In time though, true male hair loss may eventually result in complete bald areas typically on the crown or top of the head.

Cause

From the term androgenetic alone, we can see that it comes from “andro” which means hormones and “genetic” which means genes. This means that most male hair loss cases can be inherited hormone initiated conditions. Men who suffer from hair loss actually inherit a certain sensitivity to the hormonal reactions that lead to male hair loss.

How does the pattern of hair loss start? The pattern of hair loss begins when the male hormone testosterone comes into contact with the enzyme 5-alpha reductase. Testosterone is then converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). It is DHT that gets into hair follicles and binds with receptors. It will then begin to hamper the function of hair follicles, causing them to shrink and preventing them from producing new healthy hair strands.

Common Treatments

Surgical procedures are the most effective kinds of treatment. A surgeon may have to move some hair strands from a well covered area to the bald spot. Other procedures include reducing the bald scalp area or increasing the area of the scalp which still has hair. Depending on the kind of surgery you may have to undergo, your doctor may have to look into your suitability as a surgery candidate. Factors that may affect your suitability for male hair loss surgery include your age, type of hair and hair color.

Another option would be to take medications. A popular kind of medication blocks DHT or 5-alpha reductase. As some users would point out though, some medications may produce side effects and hair growth may not be so quick. The quality of hair growth is also not always as desired.

Alternative Treatment

One alternative to male hair loss surgery and medication is supplementation. Men can now take natural, herbal supplements to promote hair growth. Natural products are a good choice if you do not want to spend too much on surgery or if you do not want to experience the side effects of medication. A lot of these natural products also function as DHT and enzyme blockers, thus effectively reducing male hair loss. Natural ingredients such as saw palmetto have been known as effective blockers. Another plus factor to natural supplementation is that you also get a lot of nourishment for your scalp and hair.

There is always hope for people suffering from male hair loss. It’s just a matter of looking for the right product.

About the Author:

Hair Loss & Male Pattern Baldness Treatments

Wednesday, March 26th, 2008

by Andrew Kelly

When asked to picture a man in his late fifties most of us would bring to mind a balding, slightly overweight character. Sadly the odds are that we would be close to the mark as most men develop at least one type of baldness as they get older. Hair can live for about five years but, as there thousands of hairs on the head, we can lose an enormous amount each and every day and hardly notice. Many men bald in a specific way referred to as male pattern baldness.

Androgenetic alopecia is the correct medical terminology for the kind of hair loss which is more commonly known as Male pattern baldness (MPB) (alopecia is the more general medical name for hair loss). It would appear that the cause of MPB is dihydrotestosterone, a hormone that has an effect upon the scalp’s hair follicles.

Often very alarming, and sometimes somewhat upsetting, the onset of MPB at an early age can come as something of a shock for anybody no matter how prepared you are. Unfortunately it is not uncommon for men of around 20 to notice the early signs of MPB such as a receding hair line. Androgenetic alopecia can start at any time but commonly between the ages of 20 - 50. Sadly, if your father developed MPB at an early age it is highly likely that the same will happen to you as the problem is genetic.

Today’s modern man is often under more pressure than previous generations. Ageism seems rampant and one of the key signs of a man’s age is his hair, or rather, the lack of it. For this, and many other reasons, many men feel the need to either hide their male pattern baldness or to treat it. Luckily modern medicine offers a number of solutions, some are very new and yet some, such as the use of wigs, very, very old.

Male pattern baldness is not, strictly speaking, a medical condition. As it is genetic there is little that can be done to ‘cure’ it. However there have recently been a couple of interesting drugs developed that help to stop the progression of MPB. If these drugs do not work, or you already have extensive baldness, you have no option than to use a wig, or hair piece, or spend a small fortune on cosmetic surgery.

Minoxidil is an incredible topical application that really does help reduce the ongoing effects of androgenetic alopecia. Most people interested in MPB will be more familiar with the product that use this amazing ingredient, Rogaine. Annoyingly it does not really make the hair grow back and you need to keep on using it continually for it to stop hair loss.

Another chemical, Finasteride, halts hair loss and MPB by stoping the bodies production of dihydrotestosterone. Found in products such as Proscar and Propecia, Finasteride is an oral medication. Unfortunately, just like with Minoxidil, if you stop taking it the hair loss starts again.

Cosmetic surgery for male pattern baldness is incredible but, if it goes wrong, it can be a complete nightmare. Please, if you are planning such cosmetic surgery, do not take short cuts. Make use you use the best cosmetic surgeon available in your area. After all, we are talking about one of the most visible parts of your body.

The oldest solution to male pattern baldness is the wig. The butt of many jokes the wig can be the solution you have been looking for. Of course, if you choose unwisely you could end up looking somewhat ridiculous but today it is possible to buy wigs that are of the highest quality. The best wigs are expensive but they are well worth the investment. Using real hair it is possible to find all different hair styles and colors so finding one that it perfect for you should not be a problem.

About the Author:

Exploring Postpartum Hair Loss

Thursday, March 20th, 2008

by Jamie Bollig

Hair loss after pregnancy is not uncommon and while it may be a cause of additional stress for new mothers, it is important to note that this type of female hair loss is treatable. Postpartum hair loss is normally identified when a women notices excessive amounts of hair loss while showering or shampooing.

The symptoms associated with being postpartum and hair loss generally go hand in hand as the body has experience major traumatic changes. A woman’s hormones go through major changes during pregnancy and immediately thereafter. This radical increase in hormones has a direct impact on the health of skin cells, including hair follicles, thus leading to postpartum hair loss.

This specific form of hair loss in women does not generally require treatment as a woman’s hair growth will return to normal after hormonal levels are able to rebalance. Some women are especially sensitive when it comes to their hair and may want to take preventative measures to in order to hold hair loss down to a minimum.

As a new mother may, you may want to want to switch to gentler hair care products as well. Baby shampoos are gentle and clease adult hair just as effectively as the hair of an infant. Try to avoid styling products and blow drying at all costs as they will only serve to aggravate your postpartum hair loss condition.

Pregnant women and those who have just given birth should be especially careful to avoid the chemicals involved in hair dying or perming. Hair loss after pregnancy is guaranteed to become worse if the hair is exposed to these damaging ingredients.

Notably, there is not very much research detailing whether or not the chemicals in hair care products are damaging to babies. Yet another reason to stay away from these products altogether. It is recommended that women who are pregnant or breastfeeding stay away from salons altogether as breathing in the chemicals from dyes may be just as harmful as topical absorption.

Female hair loss may be caused by genetics or illness, so it is important to know if you are predisposed to hair loss before pregnancy. Unfortunately, hair loss caused by postpartum hormonal changes may only be the start of your hair loss experience. Knowing more about your odds of hair loss will leave you better equiped to deal with your unique situation.

Check with your hair care professional if you have any questions regarding your postpartum hair loss. He or she is familiar with the condition and will be able to provide additional information for dealing with your condition.

About the Author: