Hair loss is most common and inevitable problem around the world. It is also called by other names such as baldness or alopecia. Along with scalp losing hair include, eyebrows, beard, chest, and even on pubic region. This not only includes men, but also includes women too.

Whatever may be the cause of hair loss such as hereditary, or diseases, or medications, or stress, or other hair torture things like tight braiding, turbans, etc, there is a possibility for slowing down the process of hair loss.

Types of Hair Loss

Hair loss can be broadly classified into two types, which include permanent and temporary loss of hair.

Permanent Hair Loss Types:

• Male-Pattern Baldness: This is also known as androgenetic alopecia. In general, this occurs in men during their teen ages, or during early twenties. In this, hair loss can be seen on the top of the head and thinning of hair at the temples.
• Cicatricial (scarring) alopecia: This is a rare case of permanent hair loss, which is caused due to inflammation scars. It is generally associated with itching, and sometimes even pain.

Temporary Hair Loss Types:

• Alopecia areata: In this, the loss of hair take place in the small round patches. In general, these patches occur in scalp area. But, sometimes these can even occur on eyebrows, eye lashes and beard. The lost hair will grow back in due course.
• Telogen effluvium: This is kind of temporary hair loss, which is generally caused due medical condition or due to stress resulting in the interruption of natural hair growth cycle. Handful of hair is lost during combing or washing hair.
• Anagen effluvium: This is temporary hairloss caused due to radiation therapy and chemotherapy drugs used for treating cancer.

Causes of Hair Loss

There are many factors that will cause hairloss. One of the vital causes of hair loss is genetics. If a person’s mother or father is having is having baldness, then there are maximum chances for that person to have hair loss. Male pattern disorder is hereditary.

Certain diseases like diabetes, lupus, thyroid disease, anemia and hormonal changes can also result into baldness. Infections like ringworm and fungal infection can also make the hair shed. Medical treatments like chemotherapy and radio therapy will also result in hairloss.

Another important condition that can result in loss of hair is poor nutrition. Inadequate proteins and iron in diet will result in shedding of hair.

Regular hair dying, bleaching, and hair straightening will also result to this condition. The chemical used in these hair styling methods damages the hair.

Stress, which is commonly faced by almost everyone, is also one of the vital causes of hair loss.

Diagnosis

When a person approaches a dermatologist for hair loss, firstly he or she will have complete physical examination, and also know about the person’s medical and family history. After that he may go for test for diagnosing hair loss. These tests include:

• Pull Test: In this test, a group of 40 to 60 hairs are gently pulled and number of hairs that came out is counted under microscope. This pulling is done in three different areas of the scalp.
• Pluck Test: In this, hair is pulled out from roots. And this root is been examined under microscope to check whether any infection is the cause of hairloss.
• Scalp Biopsy: In this test, hair samples from the border area of bald patches are taken and examined. This test is generally used in the case of alopecia.

Medications for Hair Loss Treatments

There are both prescription and non prescription medications available in market that can be used for hair loss treatment.

• Minoxidil (Rogaine): This is an approved over the counter non-prescription medication. This medicine is used for treating androgenetic alopecia and alopecia areata. This comes in the form of a liquid, which is to be rubbed on the scalp daily twice for hair growth and for reducing hair loss.
• Finasteride (Propecia): This is a prescription medication that is used for treating male-pattern baldness. This comes in the form of a pill, which is to be taken daily once. It helps in slowing down the procedure and in growing of new hair.
• Corticosteroids: This is another hair loss treatment method, which is used for treating alopecia areata. This comes in the form of injection, which is given into the scalp once in a month.
• Anthralin (Dritho-Scalp): This comes in the form of an ointment, which is to be applied on the scalp, and washed off on daily basis. This is actually used for treating psoriasis, but can also help in growing new hair for alopecia areata cases.

Surgical Treatment

There are two hair loss surgical treatments available. But, you need to remember that these methods are painful and costly procedures.

• Hair Transplantation Surgery: It is mainly helps treating male-pattern baldness by growing new hair. This surgery generally involves in moving of hair follicles from the one area, which is generally from back and sides of scalp and implanted in bald area. This procedure takes several sittings.
• Scalp Reduction Surgery: This surgery involves reducing of bald area on scalp. As the age increases, the skin on the scalp becomes stretchable and flexible. The bald area on the scalp is surgically removed and in this area is closed with scalp containing hair. In general, this surgery is done along with hair transplantation surgery.

Wigs

When no other treatment technique is helping a person from hair loss, wigs can be best alternative. Actually, wigs do not involve in reducing or treating hair loss procedure, but this will help in covering the hair loss.

Natural Hair Loss Solutions

The following steps will help in reducing the hair loss procedure:

• Taking a balanced diet will be of great help in reducing hair loss
• Get good night sleep in order to have proper rest required for the body and also for overcoming stress.
• Follow relaxation techniques.
• Regularly have scalp massage, as this will increase blood circulation, which in turn helps in hair growth. Using essential oils like lavender oil for this scalp massage can be even better for hair growth
• Apart from these natural techniques like homeopathy, herbs, etc can be used for hair loss.

We all know that prevention is always better than cure. So, handle your hair gently and take proper care for your hair to prevent hair fall.