Ringworm And Hair Loss
Ringworm is a fungal skin infection that causes patches of hair loss. The official medical name for ringworm on the scalp is tinea capitis. The infection starts out as a small pimple that grows larger. Affected areas are itchy, red, inflamed, scaly patches with temporary baldness. The skin may ooze. People may have one or more bald spots. Ringworm is more common in children, but adults can get it, too.
The fungus triggers hair loss by causing hair to become brittle and to break off. The skin often appears most red around the edge of the lesion, with a more normal appearing skin tone in the center. That is one of the reasons the condition is called ringworm. The condition is contagious with skin-to-skin contact. It is also transmissible by infected combs, hairbrushes, unwashed clothing, and surfaces in gyms, showers, and pool areas. Your doctor can treat ringworm with oral antifungal medication. Ringworm on the scalp is one potential cause of hair loss in women that is reversible.
About Hair Loss Or Hair Thinning
Hair loss is one of the most well known side effects of cancer treatment. For many people losing their hair can be distressing and devastating.
It can be a constant reminder of your cancer and what youre going through. But for most people, their hair will grow back once treatment has finished.
Cancer drugs can cause:
- mild thinning of your hair
- partial hair loss, or loss of patches of hair
- complete hair loss
Chemotherapy is the type of cancer drug treatment most likely to cause hair loss.
Complete hair loss is very unlikely with any other type of treatment. But some other cancer drugs can cause hair thinning. It is not possible to tell beforehand who will be affected or how badly.
Hair loss also depends on factors such as:
- the type of drug or combination of drugs you are taking
- the dose
- the route
- how sensitive you are to the drug
- your drug treatment in the past
The Need For Cam In Hair Loss
Hair loss is a disorder with significant adverse psychological effects, including low self-esteem, low confidence, and negative influence on social interactions 52% of women and 28% of men report being very to extremely upset by their alopecia . As a result, patients who do not see significant improvements in hair growth with conventional therapy often turn to CAM.
AGA, also known as male or female pattern hair loss, is the most common form of hair loss, affecting up to 50% of the adult male and 40% of the adult female population . Current FDA-approved treatment options for hair loss are limited to topical MXD , oral finasteride , and low-level light therapy . Unfortunately, all therapies are limited by their incomplete efficacy and risk of recurrence after cessation . Side effects related to MXD include facial hypertrichosis in 35% of women and contact dermatitis in 6.5% of patients . Systemic finasteride also boasts a large adverse effect profile including sexual dysfunction and post-finasteride syndrome with associated depression and/or psychosis . More invasive procedures for hair restoration include hair transplantation surgery or injections of platelet-rich plasma, which are costly, time-consuming, and require multiple treatment sessions.
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Biotin And Low Level Laser Therapy
Biotin is a B vitamin that is essential for your health. You most likely get plenty of it in your diet in egg yolks, yeast, liver, and other foods. Thats good news because too little biotin can cause hair loss. Does that mean that taking mega-doses of it will give you more hair? Probably not. No scientific studies have shown biotin to prevent or treat hair loss. Learn more about biotin and hair loss.
You may have heard that laser combs, brushes, hoods, and caps can help halt hair loss. The theory is that when hair follicles absorb laser light at a certain level, it stimulates hair to grow. But theres not enough evidence that any of these devices restore hair or prevent balding.
Who Should Buy A Hair Loss Treatment
Hair loss becomes increasingly common as men get older. If youve noticed hair starting to accumulate in your sink drain, your hairline starting to recede around your temples, or thinning in your hair on the crown of your head, you should seriously consider a hair loss treatment.
Starting sooner rather than later is best modern hair loss treatments are pretty effective when it comes to halting hair loss, but actually stimulating regrowth is more difficult.
It does happen, but you cant count on a miracle. Better to start hair loss treatment now than to wait until youve already lost a lot of hair.
While people typically associate hair loss with middle age, many men start to lose their hair in their twenties, or even their late teenage years.
Without hair loss treatment, these men are likely to be completely bald by their early thirties. Some men can rock a bald head, but if you dont want to be relegated to one hairstyle for the rest of your life, get a hair loss treatment now versus later.
Even if you think youll eventually get a hair transplant, most hair transplant doctors will insist that you use some kind of hair loss treatment for six months or a year minimum beforehand to stabilize your hair follicles, and so your transplants dont fall out too.
Regardless of whether you opt for a hair transplant some day, youll need to be on a hair loss treatment, so better to do it sooner rather than later.
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Other Treatments For Hair Loss
Some at-home strategies and lifestyle changes may help minimize hair loss.
Certain vitamins and supplements may be helpful. Vitamin A, vitamin C, B vitamins, and vitamin D are all beneficial for hair health. Iron and zinc may also curb hair loss.
A high protein diet may be recommended. Hair is made up of protein, so getting enough protein in your diet is important for hair growth.
Other professional treatments include laser devices and microneedling. Steroid injections, hair transplants, and platelet-rich plasma procedures may be options to consider, although these are more common treatments for inflammatory hair loss.
Why Treat Hair Loss Early
If there are such effective hair loss treatments, why does it matter that you treat hair loss early? Because hair loss treatments are most effective when you still have hair.
The reason is that once a hair follicle cell is dead, itâs difficult to revive it. Itâs gone. When most of your head is bald, youâre largely limited to hair transplants of living hair follicles.
However, if your follicles are still alive, thereâs hope.
The medications described above work by blocking the DHT that disrupts your hair follicles. These treatments help protect your follicles and keep them working.
Thatâs why the best way to treat hair loss is to prevent it by engaging in treatment early: the sooner you get treatment, the more follicles can be protected and can continue to work properly. Treating hair loss early while your hair follicles are still alive will give you the best shot at the treatment being effective.
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Cancer Treatment Is A Trigger
Radiation and chemotherapy used to treat cancer are some of the common causes of hair loss in women. Both therapies harm hair follicles in addition to killing cancer cells. People undergoing cancer treatment often experience dramatic hair loss as a result of these therapies. They may wake up with clumps of hair on their pillow or they may lose large amounts of hair in the shower. Rapid hair loss in women often starts within 2 weeks of beginning treatment. It may be worst between 1 to 2 months into therapy. The scalp may be extra sensitive during this time. It may be irritating to wash, brush, and comb hair. The good news is that once cancer treatment is over, hair tends to grow back.
What Support Is Available With Hereditary Hair Loss
Hereditary hair loss is a normal part of the ageing process. However, when baldness occurs suddenly or early in life it can be distressing. Hair loss is particularly upsetting for women. Talking with others who have experienced hair loss may help. If you need to talk to someone, ask your doctor about counselling sessions available in your area or for a referral to a counsellor.
Below are also some support groups you may find helpful.
NZ Alopecia Facebook support groupNZ Alopecia website Information from fellow New Zealanders living with alopecia. Links to support groups, personal experiences through to information about wig subsidy.Wigs and hairpieces subsidy Information from the Ministry of Health regarding wigs and hairpieces subsidy for people who suffer from serious hair loss because of a medical condition or from certain cancer therapies.
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Yes Women Experience Thinning Hair Too Heres Why And Possible Treatments
At first, I blamed the hairstylists. For several years, my hair had been flat, the cowlick too pronounced, the texture different. I kept switching salons in search of the perfect cut, the miracle product or, ideally, both. Then, as I ticked off my complaints to a new stylist, he ran his fingers through my hair and shrugged. It happens, he said. We get older. The hair thins.
What?
Just a few months later, Ricki Lake, 51, revealed her own struggle with hair loss an irony for the actress who found fame as the star of Hairspray. My fixation kicked into high gear, and I started searching online for answers. I learned that its normal to shed 50 to 100 hairs a day, and that new ones should grow in their place. But a variety of factors, including genetics, illness and poor nutrition, can disrupt that growth cycle, not just in men, but also in women of all ages. The American Hair Loss Association reports that 40 percent of all hair loss sufferers are women.
Genetics is the leading cause of hair loss for both sexes, said Marc Avram, a New York dermatologist who specializes in the condition. The American Academy of Dermatology reports that 30 million women in the United States suffer from hereditary hair loss, compared with 50 million men, though Avram suspects the numbers are much higher.
What Is Androgenetic Or Androgenic Alopecia
This type of alopecia is often attributed to genetic predisposition and family history. Androgenic alopecia appears in both men and women. The hair loss in men is often faster, earlier onset, and is more extensive.
Doctors refer to common baldness as “androgenetic alopecia” or “androgenic alopecia,” which implies that a combination of hormones and heredity is necessary to develop the condition. The exact cause of this pattern is unknown.
Male-pattern baldness
Even men who never “go bald” thin out somewhat over the years. Unlike those with reversible telogen shedding, those with common male-pattern hair loss don’t notice much hair coming out they just see that it’s not there anymore. Adolescent boys notice some receding near the temples as their hairlines change from the straight-across boys’ pattern to the more “M-shaped” pattern of adult men. This normal development does not mean they are losing hair.
Some “myths” about male-pattern baldness
There are few scientifically proven and FDA-approved treatments for hair loss. There are thousands of unproven claims and products to help with hair regrowth.
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What To Know Before You Seek Out Treatment
Aside from insurance and payment issues, there are some things that may screen you out of the procedure before you ever see a needle.
Blood and tissue conditions anything from cancer to liver disease to low platelet counts might disqualify you from using this treatment, as might the use of certain prescription or illicit drug. Consult your healthcare provider ahead of time to clear up whether any lifestyle conditions smoking, poor diet or diabetes might also disqualify you.
Luckily, side effects from the admittedly small volume of studies on PRP therapy for hair loss were very limited, mostly showing the potential for irritation and inflammation at the injection site.
The Cost Of Prp Treatments
So what does it cost? Well, thats going to depend on a lot of factors, including the severity of the hair loss , your location and the healthcare professional administering the treatment. But there are some guideline prices.
A systematic review last year found that PRP for osteoarthritis in the knee, for instance, cost around $1,200 over 12 months, which accounts for the procedure, the injection and clinical visits.
Knees and osteoarthritis are, of course, different from heads and hair loss. But an Internet search reveals the prices are similar enough with three-treatment cycles costing over a thousand dollars, on average.
But it can be more expensive, with single sessions ranging up to $1,000, according to the Harvard Medical School blog.
Perhaps those numbers arent going to incinerate your wallet, but it should be noted that insurers tend to see this as a cosmetic procedure, and they tend to decline to pay for cosmetic treatments, or hair loss treatments in general unless theres an underlying health condition causing it. So youll want to check with your insurance provider before making any assumptions.
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Wigs Hair Pieces Or Hair Transplantation
Cosmetics such as hair sprays or hair colouring products, wigs and hair pieces can be effective to hide area with hair thinning. Hair transplantation has become more popular but not everyone is suitable for this procedure and it is expensive. Talk to your doctor to find out whether these treatments are suitable for you.
The Ministry of Health also provides a wig and hairpieces subsidy. Read more about the wigs and hair pieces subsidy to find out if you are eligible.
Coping With Hair Loss
The emotional impact of hair loss will vary greatly from person to person.
Some people may wish to seek counseling services as part of their treatment. Others may choose a hairstyle that embraces hair loss, such as a shaved head.
Hair loss may affect a persons self-esteem and lead to depression and reduced quality of life.
If a person notices a decline in their quality of life after the onset of hair loss, they should seek support from a medical professional.
People should contact a doctor if they experience any of the following:
- sudden hair loss
- hair falling out in clumps
- itching or burning scalp
People should also contact a healthcare professional if they are worried about their hair loss.
A healthcare professional may ask questions or perform tests to investigate whether the hair loss is a result of:
- an illness
The following are some frequently asked questions about hair loss:
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