Why Am I Having So Much Hair Loss

How Is Hair Loss Diagnosed

If you suspect that you may have excessive hair loss, talk to your doctor. He or she will probably ask you some questions about your diet, any medicines youre taking, and whether youve had a recent illness, and how you take care of your hair. If youre a woman, your doctor may ask questions about your menstrual cycle, pregnancies, and menopause. Your doctor may want to do a physical exam to look for other causes of hair loss. Finally, your doctor may order blood tests or a biopsy .

Answer: Hair Growth And Phases

No one belittles the loss of hair and how it can affect anyone, especially at a younger age. Our hair changes at some points in our life due to hormonal changes in our body,. This is a natural occurrence and settle down over a period of time. There are many causes that can increase hair shedding if that is the case. A change in the natural growth cycle causing the hair to shed the follicle prematurely, creating the imbalance in the growth to dormant phase. We normally have around 90% of our hair visibly growing. Before any signs of actual thinning it can take a high % for this to become noticeable. It would be prudent to visit a specialist if you are this concerned and maybe have a diagnostics check.

Are There Complications/side Effects Of Treatment

Minoxidil may irritate your scalp and cause dryness, scaling, itching and/or redness. See your dermatologist if this happens.

With Minoxidil you might also see hair growing in other places other than your scalp . Wash your face after you apply Minoxidil and make sure you avoid other areas when you apply it.

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You’re Getting Too Much Vitamin A

Overdoing vitamin A-containing supplements or medications can trigger hair loss, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Just FYI: The Daily Value for vitamin A is 5,000 International Units per day for adults and kids over age 4 supplements can contain 2,500 to 10,000 IU. So any more than that and you could risk some strands falling out.

The good news: This is also a reversible cause of hair loss, and once the excess vitamin A is halted, hair should start growing normally again.

Is My Hair Loss Normal

Whether it’s from combing or shampooing , every woman loses a bit of hair on a daily basis. “On average, women lose 100 hairs per day some people lose more and other less,” Shah said.

If a bit more hair is coming out for a few months after a stressful event for instance, a death in the family or major surgery it’s totally normal and usually corrects itself, according to Parks. Also normal? Increased hair loss in the winter or hair loss due to scratching and an inflamed scalp. This type of issue can easily be treated with products like Ducray Kertyol PSO Shampoo. Thinning hair as you get older is also normal.

So, at what point does normal hair loss turn into a cause for concern? If you’re losing more than 100 hairs per day or finding bald patches on your scalp, you should probably consult your dermatologist.

“As a rule, you should always notify a doctor if you believe something is wrong with your body or your health in general. If you notice bald patches the size of small coins, you should notify your doctor or dermatologist,” Sherwood said.

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Prevention And Reversing Premature White Hair

If genetics or aging is the cause, nothing can prevent or reverse the process. However, treating graying hair could allow color pigmentation to return if the loss is due to a medical condition.

When diet and vitamin deficiencies are the cause of prematurely white hair, correcting these may reverse the problem or stop it from worsening.

What Are The Myths About Hair Loss

Myths about hair loss are widespread. Nothing in the following list is true:

• Youre losing hair because you shampoo it too much, or because youve colored it or gotten a perm.
• Dandruff causes permanent hair loss in women.
• Stress causes permanent hair loss in women.
• If you shave your head, your hair will grow back twice as thick.
• If you stand on your head youll increase circulation, stimulating hair growth.
• If you brush your hair 100 strokes a day that will make your hair healthier.
• Hats and wigs cause hair loss in women.
• Hair loss only affects intellectual women.

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You Lost A Lot Of Weight Very Quickly

Sudden weight loss is a form of physical trauma that can result in thinning hair. This could happen even if the weight loss is ultimately good for you. It’s possible that the weight loss itself put unnecessary stress your body, or that not eating right can resulted in vitamin or mineral deficiencies. Loss of hair along with noticeable weight loss may also be a sign of an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia.

This type of hair loss, too, will correct itself once after a while. “Sudden weight loss seems to shock the system and you’ll have a six-month period of hair loss and then it corrects itself,” says Dr. Hammonds.

How Is Abnormal 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 and your skin. Investigations such as blood tests or skin testing may be done to find out the cause of your hair loss.

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Can I Dye My Hair After Dry Shampoo

While dry shampoo doesnt directly interfere with hair dye once your hair has been colored, it may alter the effectiveness of the dying process by preventing your dye from appropriately bonding or taking to your hair. Especially if your dry shampoo includes wax, you should avoid using it before coloring your hair.

How To Treat Hair Loss From Hair Care Products And Devices

Although hair dyes, shampoos and other products can cause you to lose hair temporarily, they arent linked to male pattern baldness.

This means that your hair should grow back on its own after you stop using the product thats damaging or irritating your hair.

To stimulate hair growth, you can use a non-prescription medication like minoxidil. It may also help to switch from a harsh shampoo to one thats formulated for hair loss prevention, such as our saw palmetto-based hair thickening shampoo.

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If You Have Hair Loss Start Here

Treating your hair loss starts with addressing the underlying cause. So if you have signs of hair loss, see a board-certified dermatologist as soon as possible. They can help you pinpoint the problem and address the issue. No matter what the reason, the sooner you get treatment for hair loss, the better the result will be.

Since the hair is an extension of your body, living a healthy lifestyle can also help. Some measures you can take are:

• Eating a balanced diet

• Avoiding traumatic hair care

• Seeing your primary care provider regularly for preventative medical care

Topical solution or foam is the first-choice medication for most types of hair loss. For hereditary hair loss, your dermatologist may recommend pills like or . Other treatment options include cosmetic and surgical procedures at a dermatologists office. Some of these treatments are still experimental, but they show promise. Alternatively, many women cover thin areas with topical products, scalp tattooing, or wigs.

No matter what your age, the good news is that most causes of hair loss are treatable. Addressing the root cause early is key to stopping the process and regrowing hair.

Dandruff Or Scalp Psoriasis

When the skin on the scalp is inflamed and itchy, its obviously tempting to scratch it. But that may cause your hair to shed more than usual.

Dandruff is the most easily treated cause of hair loss, Dr. Fusco says, because you can treat it with over-the-counter products, like a shampoo containing zinc pyrithione or exfoliating ingredients such as the classic Head & Shoulders Classic or Oribe Serene Scalp Anti-Dandruff Shampoo . “Consistency is the trick,” Dr. Fusco says, so it’s important to find a shampoo and conditioner you like enough to use regularly.

But other conditions can also cause itchiness and scalp flaking, including seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis . Treating these issues may take more time and effort than dandruff, so its important to check in with a dermatologist if you think you may be dealing with one of these conditions.

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Hair Loss From Thyroid Problems

Either an underactive thyroid, a medical condition called hypothyroidism, or an overactive thyroid, or hyperthyroidism, can result in hair loss because each condition causes a hormonal imbalance. Hormones help to regulate nearly every function in the body, including hair growth. Getting the right treatment to control either of these thyroid conditions will get hormones under control, stop hair loss, and allow your hair to starting grow back.

Treatments For Hair Loss

When it comes to treating hair loss, theres really no “one size fits all treatment, but you do have some options.

Treatments vary depending on cause but can include OTC Rogaine, intralesional steroid injections for certain types of inflammatory or autoimmune conditions, oral medications and treating underlying diseases, Parks said.

For androgenetic alopecia, in particular, treatments include minoxidil, platelet-rich plasma and low-level laser therapy. Telogen effluvium, Shah said, has a whole different set of treatments.

In the majority of cases, telogen effluvium resolves spontaneously, so treatment may not be necessary unless a treatable underlying cause is identified, such as thyroid disease or nutritional deficiency, then that would of course be treated, she said. Autoimmune or immune-mediated alopecias usually require treatments that can mediate the immune response.

It’s not always easy to find a legitimate solution for hair loss, but you can definitely arm yourself against false claims.

“It’s first important to identify the type of hair loss and then choose treatments that are FDA-approved, FDA-cleared or have supporting data behind them,” Shah said. “As we are still discovering new things about hair loss, there are some lesser-studied therapeutic options that may help some people. Generally, if a treatment promises overnight results or seems too good to be true, it’s probably not legit.”

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Physical Trauma: A Shock To Hair Follicles

When your body is under serious physical stress, the natural cycle of hair growth and resting can be disrupted, resulting in hair loss, often in the form of thinning hair strands may come out in clumps. Any shock to the system, such as being in a severe accident, undergoing surgery, experiencing burns, or becoming very ill, can also shock the hair follicles, resulting in up to 75 percent of your hair falling out, sometimes months after the fact.

What Specific Treatments Are There For Hair Loss In Women

Female hair loss treatments include

• minoxidil ,
• hair extensions, and
• weaves.
• Minoxidil is available over the counter and available in 2%, 4%, and 5% concentrations. It may be something of a nuisance to apply twice daily, but it has been shown to help conserve hair and may even grow some.
• Minoxidil tends to grow very fine small hairs wherever it is applied. It is important to avoid running the liquid onto the face or neck where it can also grow hair.
• It is marketed for women at the 2% concentration but may be used in higher strengths as directed by a doctor.

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Male Pattern Hair Loss

In men, hair loss can begin any time after puberty and progress over the course of years or decades. It starts above the temples and continues around the perimeter and the top of the head, often leaving a ring of hair along the bottom of the scalp. Many men with male pattern hair loss eventually become bald.

How Common Is Hair Loss In Women

Many people think that hair loss only affects men. However, it is estimated that more than 50% of women will experience noticeable hair loss. The most significant cause of hair loss in women is female-pattern hair loss , which affects about one-third of susceptible women, which equals out to some 30 million women in the United States.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Abnormal Hair Loss

Hair loss may affect just your scalp, hair on another part of your body or all hair on your body. You may notice increased hair shedding that occurs suddenly, short or broken hair, or patchy hair loss, depending on the cause.

Round ring-like patches either on your scalp or elsewhere may indicate ringworm as the cause. You would be wise to check your cat or dog for the source your vet can easily diagnose the fungus causing ringworm.

If your hair loss is caused by a medical condition affecting other parts of your body, you may also notice other symptoms. These are listed below.

Whats Hair Loss In Women

Hair loss in women is just that when a woman experiences unexpected, heavy loss of hair. Generally, humans shed between 50 and 100 single hairs per day. Hair shedding is part of a natural balance some hairs fall out while others grow in. When the balance is interrupted when hair falls out and less hair grows in hair loss happens. Hair loss is different than hair shedding. The medical term for hair loss is alopecia.

Hair grows on almost all of your skin surfaces not the palms of your hands, soles of your feet, lips or eyelids. Light, fine, short hair is called vellus hair. Terminal/androgenic hair is thicker, darker and longer.

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