Hair loss (alopecia) is the condition that can affect just your scalp or your entire body, and it can be temporary or permanent.
Hair loss can come on suddenly or gradually and affect just your scalp or your whole body.
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 more common in men.
Symptoms
- Gradual thinning on top of the head
- Circular or patchy bald spots
- Sudden loosening of hair
- Full-body hair loss
- Patches of scalp that spread over the scalp
Causes
- Family history (heredity)
- Hormonal changes and medical conditions
- Medications and supplements
- Radiation therapy to the head
- A very stressful event
- Hairstyles and treatments
Risk factors
- A family history of balding on your mother’s or father’s side
- Age
- Significant weight loss
- Certain medical conditions, such as diabetes and lupus
- Stress
- Poor nutrition
Here are some tips from the Adonis group of hospitals to prevent yourself from hair loss
- Leave your hair its natural color and texture. If that is not an option for you, give hair time to recover between blowouts and chemical treatments.
- Use a basic shampoo designed for your hair type. When curling your hair, choose less-damaging sponge rollers. Also, brush using a moderately stiff, natural-bristle brush, which is less likely to tear your hair.
- Proper hair brushing can do as much for the condition of your hair as any over-the-counter product. Be gentle, and avoid brushing your hair when wet, when it is especially fragile. It is best to use a wide-toothed comb on wet hair.
Diagnosis of the hair loss
Before making the diagnosis, the doctor will likely give you a physical exam and then ask about your diet, hair care routine, and medical and family history. You might also have tests, such as the following:
- Blood test. This might help uncover medical conditions that can cause hair loss.
- Pull test. The doctor gently pulls several dozen hairs to see how many come out. This helps determine the stage of the shedding process.
- Scalp biopsy. The doctor scrapes samples from the skin or from a few hairs plucked from the scalp to examine the hair roots under a microscope. This can help determine whether an infection is causing hair loss.
- Light microscopy. The doctor uses a special instrument to examine hairs trimmed at their bases. Microscopy helps uncover possible disorders of the hair shaft.
Treatment
If hair loss is caused by an underlying disease, treatment for that disease will be necessary. If a certain medication is causing the hair loss, the doctor may advise you to stop using it for a few months.
There are some medications that are using to treat hereditary hair loss. That your doctor may prescribe you.
Another treatment option of hair loss is hair transplant surgery. Hair transplants are typically more successful than over-the-counter hair restoration products. In the Adonis group of hospitals, we provide possible surgery treatment by the FUE method.
