THE TRUTH ABOUT HAIR LOSS

There are numerous factors that contribute to hair fall like stress, genetics, over dieting, chemicals, even certain hair styles. It is also common among patients who just gone through a major surgery, given birth or illness. Hormones also cause hair loss, hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism can increase hair fall. Dihydrotestosterone or DHT is a really important hormone and yet it’s the leading cause of hair loss. Birth control pill, anticoagulants, anti depressants and of course chemotheraphy can cause hair loss.Generally, 100 to 150 hair strands are being shed off in a day. 150 strands seem to be a lot but this is still considered normal, anything above this number is known as increased hair fall. 

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Luckily, there are a lot of hair loss treatments available on the market today. But it’s important to identify the type of hair loss a patient is experiencing. For instance, if a certain medication is causing hair loss like an anticoagulant, a different or an alternative medication can be prescribed. This is the reason why it is crucial to see a doctor or a hair expert like a trichologist.

Typically, a hair loss treatment may not even be prescribed. There are conditions where hair loss is short-lived and hair naturally grows back naturally in a few months. Of course, hair loss treatment can be prescribed to hasten hair growth but it is really not necessary.

There are conditions where it is imperative to use hair loss treatments, especially with androgenetic alopecia or male/female pattern hair loss. This is a genetic type of hair loss that typically starts by age 30 year old. Hair loss is progressive until a rim of hair is left around the temples and back portions of the head. In some cases, total hair loss can occur. Fortunately, total baldness in women is rare and only generalized hair loss occurs.