Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia
Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia may occur as a result of hair products or styling techniques that damage hair follicles. The use of hair relaxers, blow dryers, curling irons, and hair extensions can cause central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, as can the process of creating a permanent wave, or a perm.
The frequent application of oils, gels, or pomades can also cause this condition, which may be reversible if you stop using these hair products or styling techniques. Our dermatologists may recommend taking medication to help hair grow back.
How Does Hair Grow
Your scalp is home to about 100,000 hairs. Each one has its own life cycle. A follicle produces a single hair that grows at a rate of half an inch per month. It hangs in there for 2 to 6 years, then stops for about a month. When the next cycle starts up, that hair falls out. At any given time, most of your locks are in the growth phase.
What Are Some Tips For Dealing With Hair Loss In Women
There are some things you can do on your own. You might check with your stylist or try some of these:
- Coloring your hair adds volume to the strands, making your hair seem fuller.
- Massaging your head, like when you are washing your hair, can stimulate blood flow to the scalp and hair follicles.
- Getting your hair cut shorter, and having layers added, can make your hair seem fuller.
- Using the right kind of shampoo can also help. Look for a shampoo that adds volume without using sulfate detergents.
- Using the right kind of product at the right time can also help. There are products that add volume that you add while your hair is still wet. However, using too much product can add weight.
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Why Am I Losing My Hair Is It Genetic
If you have male pattern baldness, you are losing your hair because your body is becoming increasingly sensitive to male sex hormones called androgens. The extent to which your scalp is affected by this process is hereditary.
You can also lose your hair because of illness or surgical procedures, stressful circumstances, changes in hormone levels and scalp infections. But in many cases hair loss is not permanent.
Lack Of B Vitamins Can Cause Hair Loss
Lacking certain vitamins and minerals may also lead to thinning hair or hair loss in women. Some dermatologists believe that not eating enough red meat or following a vegetarian diet may affect hair loss.
Red meat and other animal foods are rich in iron, a mineral that supports hair and body growth. Women are already prone to iron deficiency due to blood loss during menstruation, so not taking in enough iron in the diet may lead to deficiency.
Eating disorders, like anorexia nervosa, may also lead to vitamin deficiencies and thinning hair. In particular, deficiencies thought to affect hair include those in zinc, amino acid L-lysine, B-6, and B-12.
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Can You Measure Hair Loss
Yes. Doctors use the Savin scale. It ranges from normal hair density to a bald crown, which is rare. The scale helps document female pattern baldness, a condition your doctor might call androgenic alopecia. You probably know it as male pattern baldness, but it affects about 30 million American women. Experts think genes and aging play a role, along with the hormonal changes of menopause. Your hair could thin all over, with the greatest loss along the center of the scalp.
Cosmetic Options For Hair Loss
When medical treatments fall short, women can also consider cosmetic options to make up for lost hair, such as wearing a wig. At the other end of the spectrum is hair transplantation, a surgical procedure that moves active follicles from the back of the scalp to areas where the hair is thinning. Once transplanted, the hair grows normally.
Hair transplantation is typically performed as an outpatient surgical procedure. In appropriate patients, it can be extremely successful, but it wont work for everyone, says Dr. Scott. One drawback is the expense: it can cost thousands of dollars and is not covered by insurance. The procedure also requires recovery time. And it may not be appropriate for women who have diffuse thinning across the whole scalp. Its more effective in treating smaller, more defined areas of balding.
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Signs Of Balding In Men
Balding is assessed using the Hamilton-Norwood classification system. This system focuses on recognizing two possible major patterns of hair loss that can be seen:
Temples
Hair starts thinning around the temples and at the top of the back of your head, which is called the crown or vertex.
Receding hairline
Hair starts thinning and moving back around the front of the head on the sides, often called a receding hairline.
Here are some of the other signs of balding in men you might notice:
Top of the head
Thinning hair on the top of your head can happen over time. You wont go bald overnight youll probably start to notice thinning especially at the top of your head for many years before baldness becomes fully visible.
One of the most common types of thinning in men is the receding hairline, which makes an M shape as the two sides recede at a faster rate than the middle of the scalp.
What Causes Thinning Hair
The average guy is born with 100,000 hair follicles on his head. This hair follicle count remains consistent throughout life.
What doesn’t always stay the same, however, is hair health and how much hair thins over time. Hair follicles can also stop growing hair, or simply shed more throughout each day.
A typical person sheds about 50 to 100 hairs daily, and anything beyond that can be defined as excessive hair loss.
All of us lose hair as part of the hairs natural growth cycle. This happens in three stages:
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Anagen stage: The strand of hair is actively growing. This generally lasts two to six years.
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Catagen stage: During this roughly three-week transition phase, the hair strand stops growing and is getting ready to shed.
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Telogen stage: The strand of hair is expelled from the follicle. After the hair sheds, the follicle remains dormant for about three months before sprouting its next strand of hair.
Male pattern hair loss is often caused by genetics, habits, other health conditions or a combination of all of the above. The most common causes of hair thinning among men include:
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Over-treating hair, using harsh products or washing hair too often
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Wearing tight buns or hats
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Not eating a well-balanced diet, which includes enough iron, folic acid and other minerals that fuel normal follicle growth
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Chronic stress, which can cause cortisol levels to spike, and lead to extra hair loss
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Fast weight loss, or about 20 pounds or more in a few months
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Autoimmune diseases
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Increased Sensitivity On Your Head Or Scalp
Another common sign that you may be losing your hair is if you start to notice a significant change in sensitivity to the elements: cold, hot, wet, etc. When you step into cold or hot weather, try to pay attention to how it feels on your head. Has anything changed? For example, feeling the wind whistling through a thinner crown of hair can be pretty noticeable in the winter months. Also when your hair starts to thin you’ll lose more of the protection it provides against the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
If you start to experience sunburns on the top of your head, and you never did before, its a good sign you’re losing some hair.
What Are Some Effective Types Of Treatment For Thinning Hair
If you find yourself hyperventilating in the aisles of Whole Foods and buying $70 worth of biotin, take a step back. Though its use as a hair- and nail-growth supplement is prevalent, research demonstrating the efficacy of biotin is limited and most has focused on nails. “We don’t really have great data supporting its use,” says Henry. “The original studies on biotin and hair were actually quite small because of this, I don’t recommend very high doses of biotin. Further, high doses of biotin can interfere with some blood tests, especially in older patients and patients with a history of heart disease.”
Many women may have had these supplements recommended to them at some point, but unless there is a severe natural deficiency , it’s typically preferable to incorporate proven lifestyle changes, like a nutrient-filled diet and decreased stress.
There are a few treatments, like platelet-rich plasma injections, that do work. “PRP contains a number of compounds that are unique to platelets that stimulate growth and reduce inflammation,” explains Firshein. “Platelets work similarly to how they do in other parts of the body by repairing damaged areas and helping them to regrow.”
Hair loss is incredibly common, and women should not have to suffer in silence or try to hide their hair loss for fear of being seen as unattractive or old. Aging is a natural and beautiful process, and whether it’s going gray or thinning out, it is time we normalize beauty at every age.
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My Hair Is Thinning Will It Grow Back
Losing hair is a natural process that happens to everyone, every day. We all lose an average of 80 hair strands a day, but our hair is continually growing in cycles to replenish itself. However, if you have been noticing an unusual amount of hair loss, you might be worried you are going bald.
Many men will notice their hair thinning when they are still in their 20s or 30s. Some of the most common signs of balding include a receding hairline, more hair appearing in the sink and shower, and a sudden change in how your hair reacts to brushing.
Don’t panic. Hair thinning and baldness are two different things, and both have multiple treatment options.
How To Test Your Hair Porosity At Home
There is a simple way you can test your hair’s porosity at home. You just need two things: a glass of water and a strand of hair. It is recommended that you try this after washing the product and build-up from your strands to get the most accurate reading. “Start by combing your hair to release strands that are shedding, and then take those stands and drop them into your glass of water,” says Groover. “Hair that is low porosity will float. Hair that is ‘normal’ porosity will float and then begin to sink slowly. Hair that is high porosity will sink immediately.”
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Tips For Styling Thin Hair
Styling thin hair is similar to styling fine hair: youre going to be looking for root lifts, says Hall. Things like dry shampoo, mousses, and thickening sprays can all help create volume and fullness where there isnt any naturally. Unless you have fine and thin hair, you could also use a thickening paste, which is more of a creamy pomade, or a lightweight balm if you have a shorter style and want more hold. Salt sprays, when sprayed on damp hair and left to dry, can create natural-looking texture and volume as well.
When youre choosing products, avoid shine. Use light, matte, not-shiny products to give you some texture that doesnt look too structured, says Axe master barber Pedro Rosario. Think about it: you may notice more scalp through thin hair when its wet, so products that are shiny will give the same effect. And if you know that your hair is actually thinning, and not just naturally thin, Hall recommends looking for treatment-based products that will help style your hair without damaging it further. A shampoo or conditioner, for instance, thats specifically formulated for thinning hair will likely contain ingredients to help keep the scalp and hair follicles healthy and the hair strong.
Whats Next For Thinning Hair
Now that you know the signs and a few reasons for thinning hair, itâs time to take action. you have options for treating hair loss at every stage of the process. So whether youâve just started or have a noticeable bald spot now, there are hair loss solutions available to you. Consult with an expert like Dr. Feinberg at the hair restoration center of New Jersey & New York to learn more about your hair loss and what you can do to restore your hair.
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Your Hair Feels Lighter
This can be rather subtle, but you may start to feel that your hair doesnât have the same weight anymore. you may also notice this especially if you wear a ponytail. The ponytail may not only feel lighter but may also be smaller in appearance and take more looping of the elastic band to keep it in place.
What Questions Might Your Healthcare Provider Ask To Diagnose And Categorize Your Hair Loss
Your healthcare provider might ask about your habits:
- What kinds of hair products do you use?
- What kinds of hair styles do you wear?
- What types of food do you eat ?
- Do you have a habit of pulling your hair out ?
They might ask about your history:
- Has anyone in your immediate family experienced hair loss?
- Is there anything stressful going on in your life?
- What medications and supplements do you take every day?
- Has hair loss ever happened to you before?
- What foods are in your diet?
And, they might ask about your observations:
- How long have you been losing hair?
- Have you been shedding more?
- Have you noticed hair loss in places other than your scalp, like your eyebrows? Leg and arm hair?
- Does anything worsen your hair loss?
- Does anything improve your hair loss?
- Have you noticed hair loss occasionally or has it been going on continuously?
- Have you noticed if your hair growth has changed?
- Has your hair been breaking more often?
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Restore Your Hair: Restore Your Confidence
Many men wonder whether they need to pursue treatment to reverse the effects or if they can grow the hair back on their own. Although hair re-growth may be possible, you should also know when to seek professional help.
If the reason for thinning hair is genetics, it will not grow back on its own. To grow back a healthy, full head of hair, you’ll need to take action, and that involves reviewing different hair loss options.
We recommend seeking out proven, FDA-approved treatments to remedy the situation, instead of looking at shortcuts. Propecia, which is a prescription medication that restores hair follicles to their former glory, is a popular option.
At the Helendale Hair Center, we offer a line of topical solutions that can regrow hair with continuous use for a less invasive approach to hair revival. We also offer treatment options such as light therapy, prescription medication, injections, and follicle transplants.
Other options include light therapy that stimulates hair thickening, platelet-rich plasma treatments that promote hair regrowth, and in advanced cases hair transplants that will restore your hair. 75 percent of men in the United States suffer from hair loss to some extent. You can reverse the effects by scheduling a consultation at The Hair Center at Helendale.