The subject of hair loss can apply to any of us throughout our lives and hair loss (alopecia) can affect just your scalp or your entire body, and it can be temporary or permanent.
It can be the result of heredity, hormonal changes, medical conditions or a normal part of aging. Anyone can lose hair on their head, but it’s typically more common in men.
There’s no one reason behind hair loss—causes can range from the simple and temporary (like a vitamin deficiency and poor diet) to the more complex, like an underlying health condition. Often it can be thyroid disease, anaemia, protein deficiency, secondary syphilis, after pregnancy, chemotherapy, and low vitamin levels may cause hair loss.
It’s not only typically medical reasons either, as body dysmorphia is magnified now more than ever thanks to our digital world, and there have been links with the onset of male and female baldness to mental health conditions ranging from anxiety to depression. It shows that our lifestyles are certainly affecting us physically and people are actively looking at ways to counteract their thinning hair.
What causes hair loss?
How is it diagnosed?
Hair loss has so many causes and the sooner you find the cause, the better your chance of getting results you want. A dermatologist is a doctor who is trained to diagnose conditions that affect our skin, hair, and nails. They can get to the root of the problem, and in many cases, successfully treat hair loss. A dermatologist will want to pinpoint the cause of your hair loss, by gathering information. They will ask a series of questions, as it’s important to know how long you’ve had hair loss and whether it came on quickly.
They will look closely at your scalp, nails, and any other area with hair loss. This exam provides vital clues about what’s happening and they will test the health of your hair by gently pulling on your hair, which tells your dermatologist a lot about how your hair is growing and whether it’s prone to breaking.
If your dermatologist suspects that the cause of your hair loss could be a disease, vitamin deficiency, hormone imbalance, or infection, you may need a blood test or scalp biopsy. These tests can be done in your dermatologist’s office.
When it comes to losing hair, many people are willing to try ways to improve their appearance. Our hair is an important part of our identity and if there is a pill or potion that will restore thinning hair and reverse baldness. Hair loss treatment is now a popular industry offering anxious men and women hair loss treatments in a variety of forms
There are a few avenues to try such as FUE hair transplants, shampoos, conditioners, medications, essential oils and various kinds of supplements. Treatments should coincide with taking better care of your hair too, such as not using products that are too strong for your hair, persistently using heat tools and tying your hair up tightly.
Remember that help is out there and it may take some trial and error to find out what treatment might be the best course for you.
