Whether temporary or permanent, hair loss can be a distressing problem for most people. When excessive amounts of hair begin to fall out and there is no regrowth of these hair follicles, permanent hair loss can occur in some cases. Affecting men and women, permanent hair loss can be the result of different causes.
Facts
The growth rate of hair follicles is approximately one-half inch per month, according to MayoClinic.com. Although it is normal to lose up to 100 hairs a day, this should not lead to major hair thinning problems because the human scalp has approximately 100,000 hairs. However, when hair loss rate is greater than its regrowth rate, temporary or permanent hair loss can result. Different underlying causes also may be factors that can lead to hair loss.
Causes
Depending on its cause, hair loss or alopecia can be temporary or permanent. Temporary hair loss may be due to causes, such as medications, poor nutrition, harsh hair treatments, chemotherapy and certain illnesses. Usually, the most common causes of permanent hair loss are specific types of alopecia, including androgenetic and cicatricial alopecia. Permanent hair loss can affect men and women of all ages.
Types of Permanent Hair Loss
Some forms of permanent hair loss are male- and female-pattern baldness and cicatricial alopecia. Pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia can affect nearly a third of all men and women, according to MayoClinic.com. Male-pattern baldness develops over time because of shrinkage of hair follicles. Although the specific reason for this occurrence is not understood entirely, hormones and heredity may be factors, according to MedlinePlus.
When a woman's hair follicles fall out and new hair growth does not appear, female-pattern baldness can result and be permanent in certain cases. The reason for this phenomenon is unknown, but aging, hormonal changes and genetics also may be underlying factors.
Cicatricial alopecia can occur when destruction or scarring of hair follicles occurs due to inflammation. Although the cause of the inflammation is unknown, cicatricial alopecia can develop in people with severe burns, infections, skin conditions and inflammatory disorders, such as lupus erythematosus. Cicatricial alopecia can lead to permanent hair loss if the scarring is severe. The two subtypes of cicatricial alopecia are primary and secondary.
Characteristics/Identification
In men, the characteristics of pattern baldness are receding hairlines that with time become M-shaped in form. Excessive thinning or loss of hair at the temples and crown is also possible. In some cases, the hair loss can lead to total baldness. For women, permanent hair loss or pattern baldness can develop at the crown or upper portion of the scalp. Although very rare, hair loss progression also may lead to total baldness.
People with cicatricial alopecia may develop bald spots on the scalp where there are damaged hair follicles. In some cases, the condition may have symptoms that include itching and pain.
Prevention/Solutions
According to MedlinePlus, no known prevention exists for pattern baldness in men and women. However, there can be several options to deal with this condition. People may choose to wear wigs or hairpieces to cover hair loss or baldness. Minoxidil, which is a Food and Drug Administration approved non-prescription treatment for topical application, is another option used to retard hair loss and to help with hair regrowth in both men and women. For male-pattern baldness, the prescription treatment Finasteride also is available in pill form to help with hair regrowth. It is a treatment only for men. An alternative option to these treatments may be a hair transplant, a surgical procedure.
Because there are different causes and subtype of cicatricial alopecia, treatment options can be different. Therefore, a complete diagnosis of this condition is necessary before doctors can recommend a specific treatment plan.
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