Common causes of hair loss are aging, illness and genetics. Usually, a person loses 50 to 100 hairs every day. This is hardly noticeable, because when hairs fall out, new hairs start to fill the follicles. But two thirds of all men have started balding or lost most of their hair by the age of 60. Surgical procedures and some medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration are able to combat this process.
Features
Most male-pattern baldness involves a receding hairline and balding at the crown. Women with pattern balding lose hair all over their heads. A hair-loss condition called alopecia areata can cause patchy hair loss.
Forms of Hair Loss
In addition to androgenetic alopecia, in which both men and women lose their hair in a specific pattern usually related to aging, and alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder, there are other types of hair loss. Cicatricial alopecia is a group of rare disorders that destroy the hair follicles and replace them with scar tissue, causing permanent hair loss, according to the Cicatricial Alopecia Research Foundation. "In some cases, hair loss is gradual, without symptoms, and is unnoticed for long periods," the foundation says on its website. "In other cases, hair loss is associated with severe itching, burning and pain and is rapidly progressive." An emotional or physical shock can cause a form of hair loss called telogen effluvium.
Common Causes of Hair Loss
Aging, changes in hormones, illness, a family history of baldness, burns and trauma are the most common causes of hair loss, according to the Ohio State University Medical Center. The medical center says hair loss is not caused by poor circulation in the scalp, vitamin deficiencies, dandruff, excessive hat-wearing or a gene passed from a maternal grandmother.
Prevention/Solution
The most effective ways to replace hair is through surgery or Food and Drug Administration-approved medications. Surgery is the more effective and reliable way to regrow hair. The two medications approved by the FDA are finasteride and minoxidil. Finasteride is available by prescription only and cannot be taken by women or children. The four primary types of hair restoration surgery are hair transplantation, tissue expansion, flap surgery and scalp reduction.
Warning
No medication or surgical procedure for hair loss can be guaranteed. Sometimes there are complications with the surgery and a hair growth medication might not work. More than one surgical procedure may be required to completely restore hair. Surgery can also cause scarring and sometimes bleeding, which can lead to infection.
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