Hair Loss Happens

Hair Loss Happens...
Learn the Root Causes & Treatment Options

 

Hair loss happens to many of us, but you don't have to accept it. You can fight it every step of the way. As the president of National Hair Centers, I see people every day, not only changing their look, but changing their lives. A good head of hair, for many folks, is a self-esteem booster. This isn't an issue of vanity. In most cases, it's an issue of confidence.

According to the Mayo Clinic, a person sheds approximately 50 to 100 hairs on average per day. This is considered normal hair loss. With more than 100,000 hairs in the scalp, this daily loss is not enough to cause alarm. However, for nearly 35 million men and 21 million women in the United States, (source: American Hair Loss Association), hair loss is not only a cause for alarm, it's the cause of a great deal of heartache and distress—especially for women.

An estimated 40 percent of all women will experience hair loss, temporary or permanent, before the age of 40. This is a surprising and shocking statistic, even for us in the hair loss field. It begs the question of why. Why is hair loss becoming so prevalent? What causes hair loss in women? Can it be prevented? What, if any, solutions are available?

Root Causes for Hair Loss:

Alopecia

Alopecia is the medical term for hair loss. It is an autoimmune disease, causing the body’s immune system to attack the body, and in this case, the hair follicles. In some cases, the patients will lose hair in patches all over the body (Alopecia Areata); all the hair on the head (Alopecia Totalis); or lose all the hair on the entire body (Alopecia Universalis).

Hormonal Changes

According to the Mayo Clinic, hormonal changes and imbalances can cause temporary hair loss. Hormonal changes often occur in women during pregnancy, childbirth and menopause. Hormonal imbalances are usually responsible for only temporary hair loss, and once your hormone levels go back to normal, so will your natural hair growth cycle.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is intended to destroy rapidly growing cancer cells in the body, but unfortunately also kills rapidly growing cells in the roots of the hair. In most cases, the hair will grow back after cessations of the chemotherapy treatment.

Thyroid Conditions

Thyroid patients may experience hair loss at a younger age than they normally would, and can lose hair quickly. This is because an abnormal thyroid can wreak  havoc on the body, causing hair cells to shut down, redirect energy elsewhere. Once treatment begins, hair loss should slow down or stop altogether.

Nutritional Deficiency

Hair loss can occur in women who are not getting the recommended amount of nutrition in their diets. Nutrition deficiencies can cause increased hair shedding by weakening hair shafts, which in turn cause hair breakage. This also slows down the regrowth process. Nutrition deficiencies can be as easy to fix as a simple change in your diet. In turn, good nutrition will not only be beneficial to your scalp but to your whole body and overall health.

Physical and Emotional Stress

Hair loss induced by stress usually occurs after severe trauma such as an illness, or death of a loved one. According to the American Hair Loss Council, the body stops hair growth during highly stressful periods to focus on repairing other elements of the body. Once you have had time to de-stress, the growth period should return to normal.

The good news is, regardless of cause, there are a wide variety of solutions available. Three-step laser therapy, for instance, utilizes low level cool laser light to help stop hair loss and stimulate growth. This program also incorporates light scalp massage to stimulate follicles and a regimen of hair re-growth products and vitamins. 

Another option to consider is Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). It's a simple out-patient procedure which transplants healthy hair follicles from one are of the scalp to another to stimulate permanent, new growth.

Hair extensions have also become popular. It can add length and thickness. Non-surgical hair restoration will also add thickness and can provide a full head of natural hair, with body and movement, both wet and dry.

If you begin to notice a significant change in your hair, it is always wise to consult a physician or speak with a hair loss specialist; there are hair loss treatment options available for all stages of hair loss. And without feeling ashamed or embarrassed, you deserve to explore and investigate all your options, and what might work best for you. Hair loss is an affliction that can be treated, you don't have to just live with it. 

For women struggling with hair loss, National Hair Centers hosts a Women’s Support Group every third Thursday of the month beginning at 6:00 p.m. The group is open to the public and provides emotional support and education. To attend contact National Hair Centers at 602-230-0000 or visit www.nationalhair.com.

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