Health and Medicine Blog

Hair loss has been a common problem for many around the world. There are various reasons for hair loss which can be both psychological and physical. The effects of hair loss vary from one to another. Today, hair experts have developed multitude of solutions for various hair loss problems. Some hair loss treatments involve invasive surgery while most others require medicinal treatments. Some hair loss causes are gender specific. Male testosterone, thyroid problems, stress and diet are few of the main reasons of hair loss.

Causes of Hair Loss

Hair loss causes are a quite contentious issue as there is no universal agreement about what are the main factors that cause loss of hair.

As a matter of fact, unlike clinics have their own opinion on this problem and develop their own ways of treatment as a result.

Signs and symptoms

Male-pattern baldness (androgenetic specialize). For men, pattern baldness can begin very early, even in the teens or early 20s. It’s typically characterized by a receding hairline at the temples and balding at the top of the head. The end result may be partial or complete baldness.

A woman may notice a decrease in the size of her ponytail.
Aside from the thinning hair itself, most people do not have other problems associated with hair loss.

Treatment of Hair Loss

Natural Treatments for Hair Loss is diet. A diet that contains whole foods, particularly the outer skin of plants such as potatoes, cucumbers, green and red peppers, and sprouts can give strength to hair because they are rich in the mineral silica. Foods that are high in iron, such as lean meats, are important for people with a known iron deficiency.

Some forms of hair loss can be prevented by practicing good nutrition, minimizing stress, and sensible hairdressing techniques. Hair loss from fungal infections can be prevented by never sharing combs, hats, or brushes with other people and by keeping hair clean and the topical treatments may help slow or prevent the development of common male pattern baldness.

Home Remedies for Hair Loss

Home remedies for Hair Loss with Mustard Oil and Henna Leaves

Mustard oil, boiled with henna leaves, is helpful for healthy growth of hair. About 250 ml of mustard oil must be boiled in a tin basin and about sixty grams of henna leaves should be slowly put in this oil till they are burnt in the oil. The oil must then be filtered using a cloth and stored. Normal massage of the head with the oil will create abundant hair.

Treatment for Hair Loss with Coconut Milk

The application of coconut milk all over the scalp and rubbing it into the hair roots is also useful in the treatment of hair loss. It feeds the hair and endorses hair growth. Coconut milk is made by crushing the coconut shavings and squeezing them well.

Hair Loss treatment with Lime-Pepper Seeds

Certain home remedies have also been found helpful in the treatment of patchy hairlessness. The most valuable of these remedies
is the seeds of lime and black pepper, ground jointly to get a well paste. This paste applied on the patches, has a gently irritant action. This increases blood circulation to the affected area and rouse hair growth. This paste must be applied two times in a day, for a few weeks.

Hair Loss treatment with Liquorice

The paste of liquorice, made by crushing the pieces in milk with a pinch of saffron, is another precious remedy for patchy baldness. This paste must be applied over the bald patches at night before going to bed.

Hair Loss treatment with help Onion

Onion is also useful in patchy baldness. The affected area should be massaged with onions morning and evening till it is red. It must be rubbed with honey after that.

Hair Loss treatment via Pigeon Pea

A fine paste made from pigeon pea or red gram can also be applied often on bald patches for better results.

Hair Loss treatment with Other Remedies

Daily application of refined coconut oil, mixed with lime water and lime juice on the hair, avoids hair loss and lengthens it. Application of the juice of green coriander leaves on the head is also regarded helpful. Daily use of castor oil as hair oil assists the luxuriant growth of the hair.

It is not often that we associate baldness or hair loss with the fair sex; however, it is a stark reality that a major section of the world female population suffers from this problem. It is needless to mention that hair is considered to be a pivotal element of a woman’s attractive personality and female hair loss can really affect a woman’s self confidence and social life. The most important thing with respect to hair loss in women is that the affected women should take this problem head on instead of brushing it under the carpet by using wigs and using other cosmetic remedies. Furthermore, it is equally important to dig deep and search for the exact medical causes of hair loss women so desperately want to treat medically.

It is important to understand that in many cases women tend to press the panic button when in fact they are only experiencing a temporary female hair loss phase. For instance, pregnant women tend to undergo a phase of 2 to 3 months in which they experience considerable hair thinning once they deliver the baby. However, there are other scientific reasons that explain the occurrence of permanent hair loss in women. To tell the truth, there are various categories of causes of hair loss women suffer from. These include, stress, diet imbalance, hormonal problems, hair loss related to pregnancy, hair loss resulting from a treatment or surgery, genetic causes and hair loss resulting from deficiency of certain vitamins.

Studies suggest that undoubtedly the most common cause of baldness in men and hair loss in women is due to a medical condition called Androgenetic Alopecia. As the name suggests, this condition mainly relates to genetics and researches point to the notion that androgens play a crucial role in causing female hair loss since these hormones are directly related to hair growth and creating sex drive. This also explains hair loss in women once they reach the ‘menopause’ stage.

Hormonal imbalance is another prominent cause of abnormal hair loss women have to confront later on in their lives. There are certain drugs that have such side effects that can result in such a hazardous hormonal imbalance. At the same time, studies prove that a vast majority of women who have used contraceptive or birth control pills at any point in their lives also experience hair thinning in the later stages of their lives because such pills also disturb the balance of hormones in the body affecting hair growth.

Female hair loss can be prevented in many cases only if certain precautionary measures are adopted. While it is very important to make sure that women only use those medication which do not have any side effects that might affect their hair growth, the problem lies in the fact that usually such details are not known unless a dermatologist is consulted. At the same time, women should avoid tying their hair very forcefully or pulling at their hair as it can weaken the hair follicles. Hair loss in women can also be triggered by using certain cosmetics and shampoos so all cosmetic products should be thoroughly scrutinized before using them.

Dietary hair loss preventive measures can also be very effective in avoiding any unpleasant scenario where women might risk losing their hair. In this regard, doctors advise maintaining high levels of calcium, Vitamins B and C, magnesium and silica in the body. At the same time folic acid is considered to be a key ingredient that can actually go on to instigate hair growth and prevent hair loss in the years to come. Use of Vitamin A is also an important hair loss prevention vitamin, along with having several other health benefits such as improvement in vision.

The hair growth cycle usually lasts for 2 to 3 years. Growing rate of hair is about 1 cm each month during this phase. Ninety percent of total hair on your scalp grows at one time. It is normal to shed some hair each day as a part of this hair cycle. However, many people may face the problem of excessive hair loss. This type of hair loss can affect the men, women and children for some special cases.

Causes of Hair Loss

I will list the possible causes of hair loss below.

You may lose a large amount of hair after suffering 3 or 4 months illness and also after a major surgery.

You may lose hair as a result of hormonal problems. Hair may be lost for the cause of over or under activity of thyroid gland.

During pregnancy, many women notice a bit of hair loss. This is due to the imbalance of some hormone levels during pregnancy.

Some of the medicines cause hair loss as well. This can be prevented by not using those medicines if they are not necessary. The medicines which are used for blood thinner, gout, high blood pressure, heart disease, birth control and antidepressants can cause hair loss.

Hair might be lost by certain infections such as fungal infection of the scalp. This can be easily treated by using antifungal medicines.

Hair may also be lost by the cause of an underlying disease, like lupus or diabetes. And hair loss can be the early sign of a disease. So, it is important to find out the cause of hair loss and proper treatment should be taken.

Hair Loss Treatments

A lot of treatments are available depending on the type of hair loss. Hair loss can be prevented by correcting hormone imbalance. There are natural solutions as well as special medicine that can be used for hair loss.

If proper treatment is not available for your kind of hair loss, you can consider different hair styles, hair weaves or even artificial hair replacement.

Hair loss is a problem for a huge percentage of the population. By the time they have reached
retirement age, up to 85 percent of men and 35 percent of women will experience it to some extent.Let’s look at some of the main reasons and risk factors in hair loss.

Genetics

Genetics plays by far the largest part when it comes to causes for hair loss. Up to 95 percent of hairloss in men is due to an inherited tendency, most commonly from the mother’s side. Genes affect howhair grows, by creating sensitivity to hormones which impact hair growth. Hair loss is caused by theshrinkage of the follicles from which hair grows. It is natural to lose a certain amount of hair every day,but when the follicles shrink, the lost hair is not replaced, eventually leading to baldness.

In men, the genetic predisposition towards hair loss usually shows itself as male pattern baldness. Thetendency towards hair loss is usually seen by middle age in males when hair is lost on the forehead andcrown. Hair growing on the sides is often not affected.

In women, the most common type of hair loss often starts either at puberty or menopause. Hair tends to thin out all over the scalp, while the hair in front often remains intact.

Stress

Because hair loss from stress is often delayed, it is often not associated with a stressful event. When the body undergoes major stress, hair follicles enter a resting state. When those hairs are shed two or three months later, they do not grow back right away, leading to at least temporary hair loss.

Medication Side Effects

Hair loss is a common side effect of many different medications. Some common anti-depressants, heart medications and drugs that provide arthritis relief can also cause hair loss for as long as they are being used.

Dietary Deficiencies

A diet lacking in protein or iron can also result in hair loss. This is especially common among crash dieters. When the body recognizes a sudden deficiency, it shuts down some follicle production to save energy, resulting in eventual hair loss.

Infection

Infections that affect the scalp directly can cause hair loss. A common one is ringworm. Once the
infection is cured, hair usually grows back normally.

Hair Care Habits

There are a number of hair care habits that contribute to hair loss. Hair that is constantly pulled back or worn in tight braids could fall out at the roots. Constant use of blow driers and curling irons can also cause hair to break off or fall out.There are many other factors that can contribute to hair loss, many of them having to do with illnesses, but the chief reason is still genetic predisposition.