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May 14, 2012 Trials and Tribulations of Assisted Reproduction
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April 11, 2012
Alopecia is the medical term for baldness, but can refer to all sorts of hair loss including that from heredity, medications, or medical conditions. While we generally think hair loss affects men, it can also affect women and children. Hair loss can be very traumatizing. It can affect how you feel and interact in social situations. Normally, the hairs on your head go through cycles when they grow (anagen phase) and when they rest (telogen phase). Each hair independently goes through these stages, with about 90% of hairs in anagen stage most of the time. Anagen phase lasts about two to three years. Telogen phase lasts three to four months and ends with the hair falling out. After the hair falls out, a new young hair begins to grow in its place. Out of the 100,000 hairs on the head, it is normal to shed 50 to 100 hairs per day which should not make a visible difference. There are many types of baldness. Perhaps the most recognized is “male pattern baldness” (androgenetic alopecia) though this can affect women as well. In this type of hair loss, hair growth time becomes shorter and thinner as a result of androgens (hormones). They also become less deeply rooted and fall out more easily. Men with this type of hair loss generally begin losing their hair in their teens to twenties beginning at the temples and top of the head. In women, this type of hair loss is characterized by thinning in the front, sides and top of the head. Cicatricial alopecia is a permanent hair loss which results from scarring of the hair follicles due to inflammation from conditions like lupus or lichen planus which prevent further hair growth. Sometimes people with this type of hair loss with also have itching or scalp pain. Alopecia areata is a type of patchy hair loss due to some sort of autoimmune disease, though the exact cause is unknown. This type of hair loss usually occurs in quarter-sized round patches which can even occur in the eyebrows and facial hair. Usually, the patchy areas will grow back over time and with the help of medications but the cycle of loss may recur several times throughout your life. Alopecia areata is more likely to happen if you have other family members with this condition. Telogen effluvium is a type of hair loss where the body undergoes emotional or physical stress which causes all of your hair to enter telogen phase simultaneously, rather than in its normal pattern. Some causes of this stress include deaths in the family, extreme diets, and illnesses. Generally, this condition will revert back to normal hair growth, but this takes many months to happen. There is also a condition called anagen effluvium, where hair in the growing phase is lost usually due to chemotherapy treatment. Hair generally re-grows a little while after chemotherapy has ended but may not be as thick as previously. Traction alopecia is the type of hair loss that results from pulling the hair. Wearing the hair too tightly (as is seen with tight braids) or too much hairstyling can cause this type of hair loss. This type of hair loss most commonly occurs between the rows of braids or at the part of hair. If recognized and stopped early, you can prevent scarring to your scalp that causes permanent hair loss. Other causes of hair loss include poor diet and nutrition, medications, diseases, hormone changes, hair treatments, infections of the scalp, and obsessive pulling of the hair (trichotillomania).
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