The Truth About Hair Loss
It is normal to shed hair every day and the truth is that we lose between 100-125 hairs on any given day. Hair that is shed falls at the end of the growth cycle. At any time 10% of our hair is in what is called a resting phase and after 2 to 3 months of rest, hair loss and new hair grows in its place. Some people, however, hair loss than normal.
With age, both men and women have some hair loss. It is a normal part of aging. It is known as androgenetic alopecia, which represents 95% of total hair loss. Androgentic alopecia often runs in families and affects some people more than others. In men it is often referred to as male pattern baldness. It is characterized by a receding hairline and baldness on the top of the head. Women, moreover, is not completely bald, but hair loss is severe. Instead, hair loss is spread evenly over your scalp.
Hormones play a dominant role when talking about Androgenetic Alopecia. Simply put, both men and women produce testosterone. Testosterone can be converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), with the help of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase. DHT shrinks hair follicles causing the membranes in the scalp to thicken, it becomes elastic and limit the flow of blood. This causes hair follicles to atrophy. Consequently, when the hair falls out, not replaced.
Needless to say, men produce more testosterone than women and experience more hair loss.
While androgenetic alopecia is the main reason why individuals experience hair loss, is not alone. Diseases such as hypothyroidism, ringworm and fungal infections can cause hair loss. Some drugs such as anticoagulants, gout medicines, birth control pills and too much vitamin A can cause sudden hair loss or abnormal as you can follow a crash diet, sudden hormonal changes, chemotherapy and radiation.
Emotional stress, pregnancy or surgery can also cause hair to fall out and usually not noticed until 3-4 months after the stressful event has taken place. Stress can cause a slowing of new hair growth because a larger number of follicles enter the resting phase and no new hair growth is experienced.
Another way in which individuals have the hair loss is due to mechanical stressors on the hair and scalp. The use of pigtails, braids or tight rollers that end up pulling the hair of the scalp can cause scarring and permanent hair loss. Hair products such as hot oil treatments and chemicals used in permanent hair follicles can cause inflammation that may also result in scarring and hair loss.
For some, hair loss may be early warning sign of a more serious condition such as lupus or diabetes, so it's important to talk with your doctor. If you or someone you know is suffering from hair loss, here are some alternative health ideas that can help naturally.
Recommendations for Wellness
If you are taking prescription drugs, the doctor and find out if your medication is contributing to hair loss.
Avoid mega-doses of vitamin A. Too much vitamin A can cause hair to fall out.
Yoga, exercise, meditation or find some other practice that help reduce anxiety and stress levels.
Massage the scalp with rosemary oil in an olive oil base. Both rosemary oil and massaging the scalp can stimulate the circulation of the scalp and promote hair growth.
If you are a woman, are the female hormones tested. If they are imbalanced, talk to your doctor about bio-identical hormone replacement.
If you wear pigtails, braids, use a curling iron, hair dryer or hot rollers, try changing your hairstyle to one that puts less pressure and stress on your hair and scalp.
If hot oil treatments or chemicals such as those used in permanent cause inflammation of the scalp, discontinue their use, or reduce the number of times you are using.
Use mild shampoos and conditioners to avoid unnecessary damage to the hair.
In men, the root of herbs such as saw palmetto and licorice help block the formation of D HT. The same applies to integration with zinc. As a benefit, studies show that these supplements may help prevent prostate enlargement.
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