SLP Hair Loss Causes

What Causes Hair Loss?

If you grew up believing that baldness is caused by vitamin deficiencies, poor circulation to the scalp or too much hat-wearing, you might be surprised to know that all of these theories have been disproved. Also untrue:

You can tell if you'll lose your hair by looking at your maternal grandfather and uncles.

Forty-year-old men who haven't lost their hair never will.

Brushing your hair 100 strokes each day makes your hair healthier.

Experts say that baldness, or alopecia, is primarily caused by a combination of aging, hormonal changes and family history of baldness (on either parent's side). There are generally two types of hair loss:

Anagen effluvium - Permanent hair loss caused by the destruction of hair follicles.

Telogen effluvium - Temporary hair loss due to transitory damage to the follicles.

Anagen effluvium is generally due to internally administered medications, such as chemotherapy agents, that poison the growing hair follicles. Telogen effluvium is due to an increased number of hair follicles entering the resting stage.

Common causes of telogen effluvium include physical stress and emotional stress, mental illness and medication.

Baldness is not usually caused by disease, but is related to aging, heredity, and testosterone. In addition to the common male and female patterns from a combination of these factors, other possible causes of hair loss, especially if in an unusual pattern, include:

Hormonal changes (for example, thyroid disease, childbirth, or use of the birth control pill)

A serious illness (like a tumor of the ovary or adrenal glands) or fever

Medication such as cancer chemotherapy

Excessive shampooing and blow-drying

Emotional or physical stress

Nervous habits such as continual hair pulling or scalp rubbing

Burns or radiation therapy

Alopecia areata -- bald patches that develop on the scalp, beard, and, possibly, eyebrows. Eyelashes may fall out as well. This is thought to be an immune disorder.

Tinea capitis (ringworm of the scalp)

Androgenetic Alopecia

95 percent of permanent hair loss is due to androgenetic alopecia, a hereditary condition that affects millions of men, women and children. This condition is characterized by what we call pattern baldness. Male pattern baldness generally starts with a receding hairline at the front or thinning of the crown hair and gradually progresses until, in extreme cases, only a thin horseshoe-shaped rim of hair remains at the back and sides of the head. Female pattern baldness, which has received more attention in recent years, refers to general thinning of hair all over the scalp, usually beginning at around age 30 and becoming more noticeable after 40 and particularly after menopause.

Hair Care Suggestions:

In order to help alleviate the problem of hair loss it may help if you:

Wash your hair daily with a mild shampoo; dirty hair lies flatter and looks more sparse.

Avoid anything that could make the hairs liable to break. After washing don't rub your hair vigorously or use a hot hairdryer. Rather, pat the hair dry with a soft towel or use a low setting on the dryer or, even better, let it dry naturally. Use a brush with soft bristles. Use a creame rinse detangler to undo any tangles, rather than pulling with a comb.

Protect bald areas from sun damage. Hair products with sunscreen have been specially prepared for this purpose. Use non-scented and non-greasy products.