Why You Are Noticing A Breeze On Top Of Your Head

Have you been feeling the wind on your scalp more than usual? You may be experiencing the beginning of what approximately 35 million men and 21 million women around the world suffer from- excessive hair loss, also known as alopecia.

It is very demoralizing to have your thick crop of hair slowly thin out before your very eyes. It affects social interactions, lowers self-esteem and has a profoundly negative impact on the overall appearance of a person.

Hair loss, to some extent, is very normal. People often lose about 50-100 hairs a day without it ringing any alarm bells. It is also normal for the amount of hair on your head to gradually decrease with age. However, it is also normal for hair to grow back to replace this loss of hair.

When one is losing more than the normal amount of hair in a day, or when the hair isn’t growing back, this is a cause for concern and needs to be investigated.

Is Hair Loss Permanent?

Hair loss can be temporary or permanent. This condition affects so many people- men, women and even some children- in very different ways. Additionally, there are different triggers for the various kinds of hair loss out there.

Permanent patterns of hair loss (male and female pattern baldness) usually runs in the family and is passed through generations.

On the other hand, temporary hair loss can occur due to internal or external causes. Some factors contributing to temporary hair loss are:

• Illnesses such as thyroid disease
• Stress
• Treatments for cancer
• Sudden and severe weight loss
• Deficiencies in iron, protein and other vital vitamins.

What Are The Different Types Of Hair Loss?

Some common types of hair loss include:

• Involutional alopecia: This is the very normal and natural hair loss that occurs with the slow, inevitable thinning of hair as one ages.
• Telogen effluvium: The life cycle of hair comprises of three phases- the anagen or growth phase, the catagen or transitional phase, and the telogen or the resting phase. Due to changes in the growth cycle of hair, a large number of hairs may simultaneously go into resting phase, which results in hair shedding and, consequently, temporary hair thinning.
• Androgenic alopecia: This is another name for the permanent genetic hair loss mentioned above. This kind of hair loss affects both men and women. In men, this usually affects people as early as in their teens. This is also called male pattern baldness due to the pattern it follows: receding hairline and a slow thinning of hair from the front of the scalp as well as the crown. Female pattern baldness does not produce any significant hair loss till people reach their 40s, after which they suffer a general lessening of hair on the entire scalp, most noticeable around the crown of the head.
• Alopecia universalis: As its name suggests, this is a severe form of hair loss that results in loss of all body hair.
• Alopecia areata: This is a sudden onset type of hair loss. Children and young adults that suffer from this experience patchy hair loss, sometimes leading to complete baldness. However, in most sufferers, the hair grows back within a few years.

According to WebMD, some general factors that may influence hair loss are:

• Hormone levels
• Genes
• Drugs
• Burns and injuries
• Autoimmune diseases
• Hair treatments
• Diet
• Medical conditions, stress, shock, and childbirth.
• Mechanical factors

Hair Loss Treatments

Now if you are experiencing hair loss, the next, very obvious question will be- how do I prevent it?

The first thing that someone who is experiencing severe or sudden hair loss should do is to consult a general physician or a dermatologist. Online consultations with medical experts through registered pharmacies like Click Pharmacy offer another option for those who are too busy or live some distance away from a clinic or hospital. Whichever you choose, it is absolutely essential for you to get checked out and have tests done, if required, to identify the exact reason you are losing your precious locks.

Once you have been diagnosed, you may be prescribed medications if necessary, which you can buy at your local pharmacy or purchase online at the click of a button.

The two most common hair loss treatments for male pattern baldness are Finasteride (Propecia) and Minoxidil (Rogaine).

Minoxidil works by reviving the hair follicle and prolonging the hair’s natural growth cycle, while Finasteride targets DHT directly, which is the hormone responsible for causing hair loss and alopecia in cases of male pattern baldness.

These treatments are readily available in brick-and-mortar as well as online pharmacies. They are easily applied through topical formulations or ingested as pills, which means they are not only an effective approach to combating hair loss but also a non-invasive one. However, they require a diligent application for best results.

With regard to female pattern baldness, Minoxidil can be used, but Finasteride should be avoided.

Some other hair loss treatments available include Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy, Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) and hair transplantation.

How To Slow Down Or Prevent Hair Loss?

When it comes to hair care, stringently following some necessary measures can potentially save you from a world of grief. Some essential practices that one can employ to reduce hair fall and encourage new hair growth are:

• Eating a healthy, well-rounded, nutrient-rich diet.
• Following proper hair care protocol and avoiding shampooing every day. Instead, space out your shampoo sessions with at least a day’s gap in between, and shift to sulfate-free shampoos.
• Avoiding chemical hair treatments and procedures that tug and pull on the hair.
• Getting a blood test to check for deficiencies and taking vitamins supplements if required.
• Having a weekly gentle scalp massage to stimulate hair growth.
• Practising stress-relieving techniques like meditation and mindfulness.
• Avoiding tight hairstyles, clips and anything else that puts stress on your hair shaft and follicle.
• If you have any scalp condition, like dandruff, take the appropriate steps to resolve it before it damages your hair follicles.
• Using the appropriate oils and extracts, like coconut or jojoba oil, with added rosemary or peppermint essential oils, can rejuvenate your scalp and stimulate hair growth.

With all the prevention techniques and treatment options out there, there is no longer any need for you to continue to let your hair loss bother you. With the advice of a trained doctor and suitable therapy, you will be well on your way to a head full of luscious, lustrous locks.