Hair loss
About 1 in 4 people, (both male and female) suffer from some form of hair loss by the age of 25.
There are various factors that play a part in hair loss and they can be divided into four basic categories:
- Androgenetic alopecia
- Scarring alopecia
- Due to underlying health conditions or medication
- Non-genetic hair loss
Further details of all four types of hair loss can be found below.
Androgenetic alopecia
A hormone DHT (dihydrotestosterone) is responsible for affecting hair follicles in genetically susceptible men and women. Testosterone is converted in the body by an enzyme 5-alpha-reductase into DHT. This DHT acts on the hair follicles causing them to shrink and also resulting in diminished hair strand quality.
With genetic hair loss, hair follicles will eventually get destroyed. Delaying treatment will affect hair growth as only active hair follicles can be stimulated for re-growth.
This is the eventual result when mild androgenetic alopecia when not treated, reaches the advanced stage of hair loss. This happens when the shrinking hair follicles eventually ‘die’.
The pattern is typical of classic advance alopecia.
Scarring alopecia
This is a more damaging form of hair loss if not treated urgently. It is caused by the immune system attacking the hair follicles causing permanent hair loss and scarring of the hair follicles. First line treatment for scarring alopecia is more specialised and does not normally include Minoxidil.
Some of the types of scarring alopecia are lichen planopilaris, frontal fibrosis alopecia, central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia and discoid lupus erythematosus.
Underlying Health conditions or medication
Autoimmune diseases can cause ones own body to produce antibodies that attack the hair follicles and this results in patches of hair loss (alopecia areata) or even total hair loss.
Metabolic disorders, thyroid conditions, eating disorders, alcoholism/drug addiction amongst others can also cause hair loss.
Certain medications can also cause varying degree of hair loss as a side effect. Examples include chemotherapy medication and proton pump inhibitors.
Non-genetic hair loss
There are various lifestyle and environmental factors that can contribute to hair loss. This type of hair loss is known as telogen effluvium. Some of the common factors causing this are:
- Infections
- Diet and nutrition
- Stress
- Damage from styling products and/or treatments
- Hair extensions and type of hairstyle
- Straightening irons and blow dryers.