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Hair has been referred to as our
"crowning glory."
Society has placed a great deal of social
and cultural importance on hair and hair styles. If hairlines start to
recede or hair thins, both men and women may become very concerned about
the loss. Without understanding why their hair is falling out, they may
resort to so called "magic potions," megavitamins, scalp massage and
electric treatments to encourage new hair grow. Hair loss is common
nearly two out of every three men develop some form of balding. An
even higher percentage of men and women have some form of hair loss during
their lives. With correct diagnosis, many people suffering from hair
loss can be helped.
Normal Hair Growth
About 90 percent of a person's scalp hair is
continually growing, a phase that lasts between two and six years.
Ten percent of the scalp hair is in a resting phase that lasts between two
and three months. At the end of its resting stage, the hair is shed.
Shedding 50 to 100 hairs a day is considered normal. When a hair is
shed, it replaced by a new hair from the same follicle located just below
the skin surface.
Scalp hair grows about one-half inch a
month. Natural blondes typically have more hair (140,000 hairs) than
brunettes (105,000hairs)or redheads (90,000 hairs). as people age,
their rate of growth slows down.
Hair is mostly made up of a form of
protein, (keratin) the same material found in fingernails and toenails.
Everyone, regardless of age, should eat an adequate amount of protein to
maintain normal hair production. Protein is found in meat, chicken,
fish, eggs, some cheese, dried beans, tofu, grains and nuts.
Causes of Abnormal Hair Loss
Abnormal hair loss can be due to many different
causes. people who notice their hair shedding in large amounts after
combing or hair brushing, or whose hair becomes thinner or falls out,
should consult a dermatologist. It's important to find the cause and
whether or not the problem will respond to medical treatment.
Dermatologists, physicians who specialize
in treating diseases of the hair and skin, will evaluate a patient's hair
problem by asking questions about diet, medications taken within the last
six months, family history of hair loss, any recent illness and hair care
habits. The dermatologist may ask a female patient about her
menstrual cycles, pregnancies and menopause. After examining a
patient's scalp and hair, he may check a few hairs under the microscope.
Laboratory tests may be required which sometimes include examining a small
sample of scalp under a microscope.
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Childbirth.
When a woman is pregnant, she does not lose as much hair as usual.
However, after a women delivers her baby, many hairs enter the resting
phase of the hair cycle. Within two to three months after
delivery, some women may see large amounts of hair coming out in their
brushes and combs. This can last between one to six months.
The condition reverses completely in most cases.
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High fever, severe infection, severe
flu. From four weeks to three months after
a person has high fever or severe infection or flu, he or she may be
shocked to see a lot of hair falling out. this condition usually
corrects itself, but some may require treatment.
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Inadequate protein in diet.
Some vegetarians, people who go on crash diets that exclude protein.
and those with severely abnormal eating habits, may develop protein
malnutrition. When this happens, a person's body will help to
save protein by shifting growing hairs into the resting phase.
Massive hair shedding can occur two to three months later. hair
can then be pulled out by roots fairly easily. This condition
can be reversed and prevented by eating the proper amount of protein
and, when dieting, maintaining adequate protein intake.
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Medications.
Prescription drugs causes temporary hair shedding in small percentage
of people. Examples of such drugs are some blood thinners, some
drugs used to treat gout and arthritis, some medications to treat
depression, some medications for heart problems and high blood
pressure problems, and high doses of vitamin A.
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Birth control pills.
Women who lose hair while taking birth control pills usually have an
inherited tendency toward hair thinning. If hair thinning
occurs, a woman can consult her gynecologist about switching to
another control pill. When woman stops using oral
contraceptives, she may notice that her hair begins shedding two or
three months later. This may continue for six months when
it usually stops. This is similar to hair loss after the birth
of a child.
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Alopecia areata.
In this type of hair loss, hair usually falls out, resulting in
totally smooth, round patches about the size of a coin or larger.
it can, in rare cases, result in complete scalp hair loss and loss of
body hair. This disease may affect children, women or men of any
age. The cause of alopecia areata is unknown. Apart from
the hair loss, affected persons are generally in excellent physical
health. Dermatologists are able to treat some people with this
condition. In some cases, the hair regrows by itself.
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Hereditary thinning or balding.
Hereditary balding or thinning is the most common cause of thinning
hair. The tendency can be inherited from either the mother's or
father's side of the family. Women with this inherited trait
develop thinning hair , but do not become bald. The condition is
called
androgenetic alopecia and it can start in the teens, twenties or
thirties. There is no cure.........
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Improper hair cosmetic use / improper
hair care. Many men and women use chemical
treatment on their hair, like dyes, tints, bleaches, straighteners and
permanent waves. these treatments rarely damage hair if they are
done correctly.
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However, the hair
can become weak and break if any of these chemicals are used to often.
Hair can also break if the solutions is left on
to long, if two procedures are done on the same day, or if bleach is
applied to previously bleached hair. If hair becomes too brittle
from chemical treatments, it's best to stop until the hair has grown
out. Shampooing, combing and brushing too often can also damage hair,
causing it to break. A cream rinse or conditioner may be used
after shampooing to make it easier to comb and to make it more
manageable. When hair is to wet, it is more fragile, so vigorous
rubbing with a towel, and rough combing and brushing should be
avoided. Don't follow the old rule of 100 brush strokes a day,
this damages hair. Instead, use wide toothed combs and brushes
with smooth tips.
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Hairstyles that pull on the hair, like
ponytails and braids, should not be pulled tightly and should be
alternated with looser hairstyles. The constant pull causes some
hair loss, especially along the sides of the scalp.
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Most hair shedding is due to normal
hair cycle, and losing 50 to 100 hairs per day is no cause for alarm.
However, if you are concerned about excessive hair loss or dramatic
thinning, consult your dermatologist.
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Some forms of hair loss will regrow.
Other forms can be treated successfully by a dermatologist. For
the several forms of hair loss for which there is no cure at present,
there is research in progress that looks promising for the future.

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