A Simple Guide to Hair Loss and Treatment Choices

Hair loss (alopecia) can affect a person’s entire body or just their scalp, and it can be permanent or temporary.

While genetics plays a role in some cases, other factors can also cause it. For instance:

• It can be a natural occurrence due to ageing
• Some medical conditions can cause alopecia
• Hormonal changes like menopause can cause it

Hair loss can affect anyone, but it most commonly occurs in men. Genetic hair loss is the most common cause of baldness in most people.

This is when people lose excessive hair from their scalp. The way people deal with hair loss depends on what they’re comfortable with.

Some people let the condition run its course, meaning it remains hidden and untreated. In other cases, people cover it up with scarves or hats, while simultaneously opting for treatments that can limit or restore further hair loss. 

That said, before you decide to pursue a hair loss treatment, visit your doctor so they can tell you what’s causing hair loss in your case. 

Jump to:

• Common Types of Hair Loss and Treatments
• Knowing the Complications of Hair Loss
• Preventing Hair Loss

Common Types of Hair Loss and Treatments

These are the most common kinds of hair loss:

• Anagen effluvium: This is a type of hair loss caused by medical treatments such as chemotherapy.
• Androgenic alopecia: This is a genetic condition that can happen to anyone. It’s also referred to as male pattern baldness.
• Telogen effluvium: This is a kind of hair loss that happens rapidly in a short amount of time. It usually happens after your body has gone through something emotionally or physically taxing. Sudden hormonal changes can cause this, too. 
• Alopecia areata: This is an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss from all over a person’s body. 

When your hair loss results from hormonal issues like menopause or medication, a healthcare provider will address the cause.

Often, that’s all that’s needed. Treatments can include: 

• Medicine: Minoxidil is a pill you can take daily that is a treatment for hair thinning and loss. It’s one of the most effective approaches to treating hair loss. 
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP): This is when your blood is drawn and plasma is separated from it. Then this plasma (that is platelet rich) is inserted into your scalp since it helps treat hair loss and it also encourages hair growth.
• Hair transplant: In this procedure, hair is removed from parts of your scalp that have the thickest patch of hair growth. These strands are then transplanted into parts of your scalp that have thin hair strands. 

Knowing the Complications of Hair Loss

It can be hard to predict when hair loss happens to a person, or if it ever will. Estimates, however, suggest that 37% of women and 53% men experience baldness by age 65.

When it does, several reasons can cause it. Depending on the underlying issue, hair loss can happen due to a lot of factors.

Even if it comes on gradually, it can affect your entire body. Some common symptoms and signs can be: 

• Scaly patches on the scalp: This happens due to ringworm. This can be followed by oozing, broken hair, swelling, and redness.
• Gradual hair thinning on the head: This is the most common kind of hair loss and it starts impacting people as they age. Men start getting a receding hairline with age and women usually have a broadening hairline. One very common hair loss pattern in women is frontal fibrosing alopecia.

It can be emotionally difficult to deal with these signs. Whether hair loss is permanent or temporary it’s essential that you take steps to protect your scalp.

Consider wearing a hat to protect your scalp from sun exposure and wear sunscreen daily. Excessive exposure to sunlight can cause skin cancer. 

Preventing Hair Loss

It’s important to understand that while many kinds of hair loss can be prevented, female-pattern baldness and male-pattern baldness can’t be prevented. The following tips can help save you from hair loss that is preventable:

• If you’re being treated for chemotherapy you can ask your doctor for a cooling cap. It can reduce the risk of losing your hair because of chemo sessions.
• It’s important that you’re gentle with your hair. Consider using a detangler so you can avoid tugging and pulling on it when your hair is wet after a shower. A wide-toothed comb can also prevent hair breakage. You should also limit the use of hot oil conditioning, rollers, curling and flat irons since they put stress on your hair. You should also limit the usage of braids and rubber bands. 
• Quit smoking. Studies have shown that there’s a correlation between baldness and smoking.

Hair loss is an emotionally challenging experience. If you’ve tried to solve the problem but have seen no results, it’s time you talked to your healthcare provider. In several cases, there are ways to slow it down and help regrow hair.