Can I Stop Hair Loss
How do I stop hair loss? is a pretty common question for guys to ask when they notice their thinning hair or a newly receding hairline. The problem is that depending on who you ask , the answer can be different.
Well, youre in luck today, my friend. Because everything you read on Keeps is expert-backed by leading hair loss experts .
Unfortunately, the answer to How do I stop hair loss? isnt an easy yes or no. We know, we knowwe also wish our bodies werent so complex.
So, before we tell you how to stop hair loss, were going to walk through some commonly asked questions to help you better under why its not so simple.
What Questions Should I Ask My Healthcare Provider
- What is the cause of my hair loss?
- How many strands of hair am I losing per day?
- What type of hair loss do I have?
- Will my hair loss be permanent?
- Whats the best treatment for me?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Hair loss may cause you distress whether it happens because of genetics, a disease, or even stress. Know that there are some treatments you can try, and expert dermatologists are there to help you. Your hair loss may be able to be reversed. See your healthcare provider as soon as you notice something wrong because the sooner you start treatment, the better.
Why Hair Falls Out
Hair grows and eventually falls out as part of its normal cycle. It can build up on hair brushes, pillows, or shower drains.
Most people will not notice the natural hair loss that occurs daily. Hair thickness and the hairline usually remain the same.
People are more likely to notice excessive hair loss. This is a good time to take action as it may be due to an underlying condition. Symptoms of excessive hair loss include:
- sudden loss of hair
- noticeable thinning
There are several possible reasons for excessive hair loss.
One of the most common causes is due to genetics. According to a 2019 review, pattern baldness affects up to 50% of men and women.
Commercial products could help to slow and treat this type of balding. One example of these products is Rogaine.
Pattern baldness occurs slowly with aging. Some more immediate causes of hair loss include:
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How To Fight Genetic Hair Loss
Most men and women will notice gradual hair loss as they age, or experience hair thinning. But according to a 2019 article published by Harvard Medical School, four in 10 people will experience hair loss due to their genetics.
How will you know if your hair loss is inherited or a result of stress or disease? Genetic hair loss, also known as hereditary pattern baldness, almost always affects your hairline up to the middle of the top of your head, John Kahan, MD, a hair restoration specialist in Beverly Hills, California tells WebMD Connect to Care.
Men may experience pronounced hair loss that starts at the temples or hairline and proceeds in an M-shaped pattern. A womanâs genetic hair loss often is less obvious but more widespread.
On the other hand, if you are losing hair from the back of your head or in clumps or patches, then itâs almost certainly not a hereditary factor and needs a doctorâs attention, says Kahen.
What Is Hair Loss
Hair loss is the condition of losing hair from certain areas of the body and not having the lost amount grow back. It can affect men and women at any age and can be caused by a number of factors.
But the biggest majority of hair loss cases are related to androgenetic alopecia, which most men and women go through in their adult life.
Mind you, Ive said not having the lost amount grow back, because hair loss happens when you either:
Consistently lose more hair than you can grow in a certain period of time, or,
Are unable to regrow the hair youve lost.
I know both sounds the same, so let me explain:
When you get down to the causes of hair loss, youre either going to end up with a variable reducing your hair growth, or a variable that is increasing the rate youre losing hair. So, while a part of the methods weve included on this list will focus on decreasing your hair loss rate, the other part of them will focus on increasing your hair growth rate.
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What Age Does Female Pattern Baldness Begin
While many women will begin noticing changes to their hair in their 30s and 40s, it’s possible for women in their teens and 20s to report thinning hair.
According to Donovan, about six to 10 per cent of women will experience hair thinning in late high school or early university.
I always tell the doctors I teach that if a patient comes in to see you at 17 or 18, dont have in your mind that female balding doesnt occur at this age because youre going to miss these important diagnoses, Donovan adds. It certainly can occur in many ages.
Artificial Hair Thickening Products Risk Analysis
Yes, there are products that you simply apply on the hair, and they immediately make your hair appear thicker, but, be warned:
Products like Toppik and Couvre are commonly used for this purposes but if you are serious about stopping the progression of hair loss then you must understand that even artificial enhancers will cause some amount of inflammation in the scalp and will increase the amount of hair falling out of your scalp so you can still use this, but do not use as a daily thing perhaps on special occasions but regular use of artificial enhancers like Toppik and Couvre, will increase progression of hairline receding.
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Hair Loss On Other Parts Of The Body
Losing hair on other parts of the body can be more noticeable than hair loss on the scalp. Alopecia areata can cause hair loss on the eyebrows, beard, nose hairs, pubic hair, and eyelashes apart from the head. Some people with alopecia areata may even lose all hair on the body, which is then called alopecia universalis.
What Are The Signs Of Balding
There are several different signs that you might be starting to experience hair loss .
From thinning hair all over your head to a receding hairline, male pattern baldness comes in many forms.
Recognizing the signs of male pattern baldness is an important part of the treatment or prevention process.
Because male pattern baldness occurs in stages, it may be possible to recognize the signs early enough to reverse hair loss or prevent any further damage to your hairline.
Below, weve listed three warning signs that you should be aware of, as well as simple but effective ways that you can take action to prevent your hair loss from getting worse.
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What Are The Cycles Of Hair Growth
Hair goes through three cycles:
- The anagen phase can last from two years to eight years. This phase generally refers to about 85% to 90% of the hair on your head.
- The catagen phase is the time that hair follicles shrink and takes about two to three weeks.
- The telogen phase takes about two to four months. At the end of this phase, the hair falls out.
Your shorter hairs like eyelashes, arm and leg hair and eyebrows have a short anagen phase about one month. Your scalp hair can last up to six years or even longer.
Burning Or Stinging On The Scalp
Some people who have alopecia areata may experience a burning or stinging sensation in their scalp before hair loss occurs.
If these signs occur, you may have an infection on your scalp. It is important to treat the infection as soon as possible to prevent it from spreading, as well as further hair loss. An untreated infection on the scalp can lead to skin abscesses , pus, extreme pain, and baldness.
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How Do I Know If I Have Female Pattern Baldness
The Canadian Hair Loss Foundation notes a common sign of female pattern baldness is the widening of the central part of the hair at the top of your scalp. The hair thinning becomes most evident on the top and sides of the head.
Another sign of female pattern baldness is changes to the diameter of your ponytail. If you’ve noticed your ponytail thinning or an increased amount of shedding, it may be time to see your doctor or dermatologist.
Can You Reverse Genetic Hair Loss
According to Harvard Medical School, hair loss due to hereditary factors cannot be regenerated significantly, if at all. If your hair loss began at an earlier age, the chances that it will increase over time are high.
But there are options to slow down the development of hair loss. Certain medications are available for certain types of hair loss but you will have to be extremely disciplined when using the medication daily.
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What Causes Excessive Hair Loss
A number of things can cause excessive hair loss. For example, about 3 or 4 months after an illness or a major surgery, you may suddenly lose a large amount of hair. This hair loss is related to the stress of the illness and is temporary.
Hormonal problems may cause hair loss. If your thyroid gland is overactive or underactive, your hair may fall out. This hair loss usually can be helped by treating your thyroid disease. Hair loss may occur if male or female hormones, known as androgens and estrogens, are out of balance. Correcting the hormone imbalance may stop your hair loss.
Many women notice hair loss about 3 months after theyve had a baby. This loss is also related to hormones. During pregnancy, high levels of certain hormones cause the body to keep hair that would normally fall out. When the hormones return to pre-pregnancy levels, that hair falls out and the normal cycle of growth and loss starts again.
Some medicines can cause hair loss. This type of hair loss improves when you stop taking the medicine. Medicines that can cause hair loss include blood thinners medicines used for gout, high blood pressure, or heart problems vitamin A birth control pills and antidepressants.
Certain infections can cause hair loss. Fungal infections of the scalp can cause hair loss in adults and children. The infection is treated with antifungal medicines.
Find The Hair Loss Treatment That Is Right For You
If youve noticed hair loss and want to stop it, one of the most effective ways is to block the androgen dihydrotestosterone the hormone that causes hair loss using a combination of finasteride, minoxidil and a hair thickening shampoo.
The most effective hair loss treatments, such as 5-reductase inhibitor finasteride, are designed to stop further hair loss. This means that the earlier you start taking them, the more of your hair youll be able to preserve.
In some cases, drugs like finasteride and minoxidil can cause you to regrow some of your lost hair, although theres no guarantee that this will happen.
Our guide to DHT and hair loss explains more about how hair loss treatments like finasteride work, and the potential effects you can expect from starting the treatment.
If you are worried about whether or not you can grow your hair back, a hair transplant may be the option for you.
You can also complete an online consultation with our healthcare providers to learn more about whats causing your hair loss and how you can encourage hair growth.
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Noticeable Hair Loss In Women Can Be Deeply Distressing Here Are Some Medical Treatments That May Help
About one-third of women experience hair loss at some time in their lives among postmenopausal women, as many as two-thirds suffer hair thinning or bald spots. Hair loss in women often has a greater impact than hair loss does on men w, because it’s less socially acceptable for them. Alopecia can severely affect a woman’s emotional well-being and quality of life.
The main type of hair loss in women is the same as it is men. It’s called androgenetic alopecia, or female pattern hair loss. In men, hair loss usually begins above the temples, and the receding hairline eventually forms a characteristic “M” shape hair at the top of the head also thins, often progressing to baldness. In women, androgenetic alopecia begins with gradual thinning at the part line, followed by increasing diffuse hair loss radiating from the top of the head. A woman’s hairline rarely recedes, and women rarely become bald.
There are many potential causes of hair loss in women , including medical conditions, medications, and physical or emotional stress. If you notice unusual hair loss of any kind, it’s important to see your primary care provider or a dermatologist, to determine the cause and appropriate treatment. You may also want to ask your clinician for a referral to a therapist or support group to address emotional difficulties. Hair loss in women can be frustrating, but recent years have seen an increase in resources for coping with the problem.
Why Is My Hair Suddenly Thinning
Suddenly thinning hair could be caused by a variety of reasons, such as a period of extreme stress, pregnancy, discontinuing birth control pill use, hormonal changes, a high fever, or pulling at your hair.
Sudden hair thinning thats persistent or hair falling out in clumps could be the sign of an underlying medical condition. Talk with your doctor if this occurs.
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Can Hair Loss Be Reversed
Yes and no. It depends on what type of hair loss youre experiencing.
Some types, like cicatricial alopecia, are permanent, while others that may be caused by stress or a medical condition are temporary. Once the cause has been identified and eliminated, your hair should start growing back.
Generally speaking, if the trigger goes away or whatever caused the injury to the hair follicle, then the hair will recover over a period of four to six months to a year, says Dr. Bergfeld.
What Is The Relationship Between Hair Loss In Women And Menopause
During menopause, you might see one of two things happen with your hair. You might start growing hair where you didnt before. Or, you might see the hair you have start to thin. One cause may be changing levels of hormones during menopause. Estrogen and progesterone levels fall, meaning that the effects of the androgens, male hormones, are increased.
During and after menopause, hair might become finer because hair follicles shrink. Hair grows more slowly and falls out more easily in these cases.
Your healthcare provider will do a thorough examination and take a detailed history to help you deal with changes in hair growth. You may be directed to have your iron levels or thyroid hormone levels tested. Your medications might be changed if what you take is found to affect hair loss or growth.
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