Even if you feel that there is little resemblance between you and your parents, as you grow older, your hairline will very likely dispute that. The portraits of several generations, especially of men, usually reveal remarkable similarities in the pattern of hair loss and baldness. Androgenetic alopecia (its scientific name), the most common cause of hair loss, affects about 50% of all men and is characterized by a receding hairline and/or a bald spot on the top of the head.
Women are also subject to androgenetic alopecia although they rarely become bald. Even so, the thinning of the hair, especially toward the center of the scalp, is a frustration and embarrassment to many women, who tend to run to their hair stylists for whatever help they can offer.
Diseases
When small round patches of baldness begin to appear, it’s time to ask your doctor whether you might be suffering from alopecia areata. This autoimmune disease frequently affects children but is can happen at any age. It can result in total baldness although the hair usually grows back.
Ringworm of the scalp is a fungus that leads to baldness that can be successfully treated once diagnosed. Diagnosis requires medical examination and possible microscopic testing of skin scrapings. Although the term ringworm came from the sometimes circular manifestation of this dermatophyte, it does not always have this round appearance, making it more difficult to identify. Ringworm often occurs in children and is sometimes spread in schools.
Hyperthyroidism (overproduction of hormones by the thyroid) and hypothyroidism (underproduction) often result in hair loss; however, this is reversible once the condition is brought under control with supplements.
Lupus is also an autoimmune disease that often results in hair loss although this symptom is only a minor one when compared to the severe joint pain and fever that typically accompany this disease.
Medications and Medical Treatments
When we see a person who has lost all of his or her hair, we often think first of chemotherapy, treatment for cancer. Most people who undergo this form of treatment do, in fact, become bald. The hair will grow back once the treatments end. Anticoagulants are another medication that may cause loss of hair.
Stress
Believe it or not, mental or physical stress (from such things as major surgery or high fever) can cause your hair to fall out!
Damage
Many products are available to make your hair look better or more like you want it to; such as: curling irons, hair dye, straightening lotions, permanent lotions, etc., sometimes damage the scalp in such a way that the hair will fall out. Also, when you pull your hair back and fasten it too tightly, as with a pony tail, you can damage the hair around the hairline. In these cases, it will usually grow back if you give it a chance to heal.
If you are suffering hair loss, it’s best to find out why. In some cases, you can do something about it!
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