MayoClinic.com states that it is normal to lose between 50 and 100 hairs per day and that hair naturally begins to thin as we age. Baldness occurs as the rate of hair loss exceeds regrowth or if new hairs are thinner than the originals. Effecting both men and women, hair loss can have a massive impact on a person's self-esteem. Treatments exist which can help stop hair loss, regrow hair, or cover bald patches.
Types
The most common form of hair loss is androgenetic alopecia, or pattern baldness. This affects both men and women and is often hereditary. This heredity affects the age that hair is lost, along with rate and pattern. Alopecia areata is the loss of hair in patches. This is also thought to be largely hereditary, but stress or a disease where the body attacks its own immune system could be catalysts for it, notes RaySahelian.com
Self-Treat
MayoClinic.com recommends minoxidil as an over-the-counter treatment for hereditary hair loss like pattern baldness. This foam is applied to the scalp twice daily and after several months can stop hair loss and even achieve some regrowth. Medical News Today recommends finasteride, as a prescription pill treatment for male pattern baldness. After taking one pill a day for three to four months, the user should see positive effects, including regrowth in two-thirds of men.
Surgical
For more advanced cases of androgenetic alopecia surgery may be the only treatment to provide significant results. Surgery can take the form of hair transplants or scalp reduction, or a combination of the two. Hair transplant techniques involve cutting small sections of hair-covered scalp from around the back or sides of the head and inserting them into bald or thinning areas. Scalp reductions involve cutting out sections of scalp and stretching the hair-covered scalp over it to fill the gap.
Alopecia Areata
Although minoxidil can be used to treat alopecia areata, another treatment which can be tried is cortisone injections, or corticosteroids. These natural hormonal steroids are injected directly into the scalp where hair loss is occurring, and it is repeated every few months. The cortisone blocks the immune system from attacking the hair follicles, notes Medical News Today. The treatment may begin to stimulate regrowth after four weeks.
Considerations
Finasteride should only be used by men. Women of child-bearing age should avoid all contact with the drug as it can cause serious birth defects, notes MayoClinic.com. Medical News Today warns that one in 50 men may suffer loss of libido after taking finasteride. If you think you may be losing your hair and this is bothersome to you, consult your family doctor to determine the best course of action.
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