Fungal Infections Cause Loss Of Hair In Patches
In some cases, a scalp infection may be causing your loss of hair. Ringworm is a fungal infection that is especially common in children. Ringworm of the scalp, called tinea capitis, can cause your scalp to become scaly and your hair to fall out, usually in patches. This fungal infection is easily treated with anti-fungal medication, which will stop the loss of hair.
Showing Signs Of Balding Take A Proactive Approach
Youre not going to be able to preserve your head of hair if you dont take action. The sooner you spot the problem and start a treatment program, the better your chances are to stop hair loss. The challenge that a lot of people face is spotting the signs of balding before losing a significant portion of hair.
Here are the most common reversible signs of balding.
Blame Prescription Medication For Loss Of Hair
Certain prescription drugs include loss of hair among their potential side effects. Among the types of medication that can potentially cause hair loss are blood thinners, vitamin A supplements, some arthritis drugs, antidepressants, gout medication, medication for certain heart problems, blood pressure medication, and birth control pills. If a prescription medication is causing your loss of hair, your doctor may be able to prescribe an alternative medication.
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What Is Male Pattern Baldness
Put simply, male pattern baldness refers to a loss of hair on the scalp in men. It can be identified by the hair it affectsthe condition wreaks havoc upon the top of your head, Dr Friedmann explains, while the back and sides are spared.
Male pattern baldness generally progresses in one of three ways: a receding hairline, thinning of the hair on the crown, or a general thinning of the hair all over the top of the head, he says.
How Is Hereditary Hair Loss Diagnosed
Your doctor will ask you questions about your hair loss, including the pattern of your hair loss and whether you have any other medical conditions. Your doctor will also examine your hair. No tests are needed to diagnose hereditary hair loss, but blood tests may be done to rule out other conditions that can cause hair loss.
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Genetic Hair Loss: How To Avoid And Treat
Balding is one part of aging that is a hard thing to come to terms with. You can look to Patrick Stewart who has said that he started going bald by age twenty and thought that his career would be ruined forever because of it, which couldnt be further from the truthahem, Star Trek or X-Men, anyone?
However, not all of us have the self-confidence and the time to be blockbuster movie stars, and some would like to take worrying about our appearance off the table. If you find that hair loss is one of these items youd instead not think about, read below to find out preventative and helpful measures to slow the balding process down if not entirely, at least a little.
Where Do The Genes Come From
We know that genes play a huge role, but where do these genes come from?
The common wisdom around hair loss is that it is dependent on the genes you inherit from your mothers side of the family. So, if your maternal grandfather was losing hair rapidly by his 40s, there is a good chance that you will too.
That said, a balding father can be just as good an indicator of your hairs future, especially for men. The age-old myth that the hair loss gene is inherited from your mothers side is simply derived from the fact that many of the genes related to hair are contained in the x chromosome, passed down by the mother. However, there is no single gene for baldness it is a combination of over 100 different genes making it just as easily inherited from your fathers side.
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How Can I Stop Being Bald At A Young Age
The perspective on how to stop baldness at a young age is extremely helpful. Diagnosing and starting treatment while the hair is still thin or thin has a positive effect on the success rate. If there is only wrong diet or shampoo preference behind hair loss, taking early precautions is more effective to stop baldness. The cause of baldness at a young age can also be a harbinger of a major disease. It is possible to get early treatment with a few specialist doctor consultations and blood tests.
If the causes of baldness at a young age are hereditary, there is no treatment method. In this case, hair transplantation is the only option for how to stop baldness. Hair transplantation is the addition of live hair cells, which are usually supplied from the back of the head, to the spilled area by microsurgery. Living cells will have new hair after 6 months. This method is very effective for those who experience genetic hair loss. It is possible to prevent baldness by getting it done exactly a few times in a lifetime. However, it is beneficial to apply for this solution before it is too late.
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Why Is My Hair Falling Out
Wonder why your hair is falling out? The answers may surprise you. Many women suffer with sudden hair loss, and most loss of hair has a reason whether genetic, stress, diet, medication, or certain health conditions.
The most common type of hair loss is the kind that you inherit, called androgenetic alopecia. With genetic hair loss, you lose your hair gradually, and hair loss increases with age. But in some cases, other factors may lead to your hair falling out. It is especially likely that a nongenetic factor may be causing your loss of hair if your once thick, healthy hair suddenly and noticeably begins falling out.
Most of us normally shed 50 to 100 hairs a day. This loss of hair generally does not cause thinning of hair because at the same time new hair is growing on your scalp. But sudden hair loss is something to take seriously. According to the Mayo Clinic, this loss of hair occurs when the cycle of hair growth and shedding is disrupted or when the hair follicle is destroyed and replaced with scar tissue.
Hair disorders such as androgenetic alopecia are the most common cause of hair loss, affecting about 80 million people in the United States, including both men and women. Women with hereditary hair loss most commonly notice a widening part in the front and center of the scalp with generalized thinning, while men see bald patches on the head.
But other than genetic reasons, there are many factors that can result in hair loss, including:
- Age
- Poor nutrition
- Stress
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What Is Genetic Hair Loss
Genetic or hereditary baldness is the most common cause of hair loss. By the age of 40, men and women will experience some form of baldness, most of which will have started in their 20s and 30s. Women, on the other hand, wont experience baldness quite as much until they hit menopause.
Genetic balding is not a disease it is a natural sign of aging and your bodys response to testosterone levels. While baldness was initially thought to be inherited from the maternal side, researchers now know that a change of standards in hormones and the genetics from both sides of the bloodline are the cause. There is little to do to stop the natural process, and there are some ways to begin to regrow hair again or preventative measures that will help keep the balding process at bay.
Is Male Pattern Baldness Related To Androgenic Alopecia
Yes! In fact, its the exact same condition. Androgenic alopecia is just the more scientific name for male pattern baldness .
Its important to note though, that while Keeps is all about helping men with their hair loss, androgenic alopecia is not just a condition that affects men. Women can also suffer from androgenic alopecia, and in that case its unsurprisingly called female pattern hair loss. Harvard has a great article on the topic that dives more deeply into it.
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Treatment For Hair Loss
Although there is no cure for hair loss, a number of treatments can slow or reduce hair loss, stimulate partial regrowth or replace damaged hair. Surgical hair transplantation can help some men who have advanced balding.Despite advances in our understanding of hair loss, there are limits to current treatment. In particular, age-related hair loss and inherited forms of hair loss are difficult to reverse, although treatment may prevent further loss and produce partial regrowth. Non-surgical treatments include lotions and tablets. These generally need to be used continuously for the benefits to be maintained. If you stop treatment, regrowth will cease and hair loss will resume.Cosmetic options include wigs and hairpieces.A number of other treatments have been suggested for hair loss, including massage, vitamin supplements, herbal remedies , zinc, amino acids, hair lotions and tonics. None of these have been shown to promote hair growth or prevent hair loss. There is also no scientific evidence that the use of lasers is effective.If you are unsure, consult with your doctor before starting treatment.
Thinning Hair And Hair Loss: Could It Be Female Pattern Hair Loss
For most women, FPHL begins in midlife, when a woman is in her 40s, 50s, or 60s. It can begin earlier for some women.
FPHL is a progressive condition. This means women tend to continue losing hair. But women do not lose all of their hair, as do some men. Instead, your part often gets wider. Hair near your temples may recede. Without treatment, some women eventually develop widespread thinning.
Treatment can prevent hair loss from worsening and help women regrow their hair. Treatment delivers the best results when started at the first sign of hair loss.
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Relax And Reduce Stress To Help Your Hair Grow
You may not know it, but stress affects your health in a number of different ways. It can zap your energy, make you feel physically ill, and even cause your hair to fall out.
Thats right, stress can play a role in contributing to thinning hair. On its own, stress-related hair loss is usually temporary and may grow back over time.
All Your Genetic Hair Loss Questions Answered
February 18, 2019 By Advanced Hair Studio
What exactly are the genetic aspects of hair loss, and can it be stopped or at least reduced? With a bit of luck and early intervention, you will definitely see some positive results. However, genetics are powerful, and it can be hard to fight them.
After all, genetic hair loss is the predominant form of hair loss around the world, so if you are beginning to notice some hair thinning, you are in good company. That said, it can be incredibly stressful at the time, so read on to find out what you can do about it.
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Krox20 Protein Scf Gene
Researchers from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas have identified a protein called KROX20, which switches on cells in the skin and tells them to become hair. Furthermore, these hair precursor cells then go on to produce a protein called stem cell factor , which plays a critical role in hair pigmentation.
When the SCF gene was deleted in the hair precursor cells in mice, they grew gray hair that turned white with age. Moreover, when the KROX20-producing cells were removed, the hair ceased growing, and the mice became bald.
With this knowledge, we hope in the future to create a topical compound or to safely deliver the necessary gene to hair follicles to correct these cosmetic problems, said Dr. Lu Le, associate professor of dermatology at UT Southwestern.
Future work by the team will focus on finding out whether KROX20 and the SCF gene stop functioning properly and lead to male pattern baldness.
Genetics Underlying Male Pattern Baldness
A study led by the University Edinburgh in the United Kingdom discovered 287 genetic regions involved in male pattern baldness. Many of the genes that the researchers identified were linked with hair structure and development.
We identified hundreds of new genetic signals, said Saskia Hagenaars, a Ph.D. student from the University of Edinburghs Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology. It was interesting to find that many of the genetics signals for male pattern baldness came from the X chromosome, which men inherit from their mothers.
Not only could the teams findings help to predict a mans likelihood of experiencing severe hair loss, but they could also provide new targets for drug developments to treat baldness.
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Microneedling And Hair Transplantation
Microneedling has gained popularity and has been found to be beneficial in stimulating hair regrowth in alopecia. It was previously used for cosmetic purposes and is now used to improve topical drug delivery. Microneedling uses multiple fine needles, generally attached to a roller, to create tiny punctures in the skin that stimulate neovascularization, release growth factors, and promote the expression of Wnt proteins. Hair growth is a result of the release of certain growth factors and activation of the hair bulge, and Wnt proteins have been found to stimulate dermal papillae stem cells, leading to hair growth. Microneedling is generally used in conjunction with topical therapy such as minoxidil and it has been used with PRP. Studies assessing the efficacy of microneedling in conjunction with topical minoxidil are small, but some have reported statistically significant results.
Results from other studies are varied however, it appears that microneedling may increase penetration of topical drugs into the scalp, thereby promoting effectiveness.10 This may be something for providers to consider in those patients in whom traditional topical therapy has been ineffective.
A Dermatologists Diagnosis Is Best Before Treating Hair Loss
If you think you have FPHL, its important to see a dermatologist for a diagnosis. Women develop hair loss for many reasons. Other common causes of hair loss in women can look a lot like FPHL. Each of these causes requires different treatment. Without the right treatment, hair loss often continues.
You can find a dermatologist in your area by going to Find a Dermatologist.
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The Causes Of Hereditary Baldness
Non-genetic hair loss can be caused by excessive hair coloring, bleaching, use of heat tools, tight ponytails, and/or hair pulling, but this isnt the case for genetic hair loss. If you are predisposed to hereditary baldness, you can do everything right for your scalp and still lose your hair.
Youve probably heard before that if your mothers father was bald, you have a good chance of inheriting the trait as well. This is because the gene for baldness the androgen receptor is located on the X chromosome, which is inherited from the mother. But studies have found that men whose fathers are bald run a higher risk of having male-pattern baldness than those whose fathers havent experienced hair loss.
In addition to balding patterns, children can also inherit dihydrotestosterone sensitivity from their parents. DHT is a sex hormone in men that causes their hair follicles to shrink over time, and is what eventually causes male-pattern baldnesss.