Hair Loss and Its Causes

Hair loss in men or women can contribute to the appearance of looking older than chronologic age. One of the hair restoration procedures may be used alone, or in combination with a procedure for facial skin rejuvenation to take years off of a patient’s apparent age.

In general, most hair loss is not associated with systemic or internal disease, nor is poor diet a frequent factor. Thyroid disease can cause hair loss, but thyroid tests on people who have ordinary hair loss are usually normal. Although many medications list for "hair loss" among their potential side effects, drugs are also not overall common causes of thinning or lost hair. On the other hand, with cancer treatments and immune suppression medications, hair loss is not uncommon. One useful way to classify hair loss is by whether the loss is localized and patchy, or whether it affects large areas or the whole scalp.

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. Then 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 6-8 months before you can tell if one of these medicines is working.

Some scientists consider male hormone testosterone to be the major cause. Testosterone is much closely connected with heredity. If a man has inherited the necessary genes for loss of hair, a little of testosterone is formed by some of the hair roots into a derivative called dihydrotestosterone. And in fact, it is dihydrotestosterone that is responsible for hair loss. So dihydrotestosterone is present in the surface sebum of hereditably predisposed people. When a hair is shed it enters the follicle reacts inside there chemically. Dihydrotestosterone miniaturizes these hair root and follicle and the new hair growing through it will be finer. When the new fine hair is later shed dihydrotestosterone again miniaturizes the follicle and hair root and so on until baldness occurs

Although hair loss can occur with the stress of any illness, it is also a particular symptom of many different diseases. Most differ in the pattern of hair loss, and almost never resemble Male Pattern Baldness. It's also important to recognize that hair loss is seldom the first and only presentation of these diseases. Most hair comes back when the disease goes away or is adequately treated. Some of the diseases associated with hair loss are as follows: Addison's disease, Hyperthyroidism (Hashimoto's thyroditis), Hypothyroidism, Iron Deficiency, Scarring, Seborrheic Dermatitis, Secondary Syphilis , Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), and Vitiligo (there are others)

For most hair related problems, internal medicine plays important role then external application. In recent times hair & scalp have become target of many ailments. There are many problems that can be associated with hair & scalp due to: 1. Air and water pollution. 2. Use of shampoos and conditioners containing harsh chemical. 3. Use of common combs and brushes in establishment such as barbershops and beauty saloons. Problem associated with scalp arise