One of the primary cause of hair loss is a high amount of the male hormone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) within the hair follicle. DHT is produced from testosterone in the prostate, various adrenal glands, and the scalp. After a period of time, an over abundance of DHT causes the hair follicle to degrade and shortens the active phase of the hair. The most important cause of hair loss is inadequate nutrition. Even a partial lack of almost any nutrient may cause hair to fall. But hair grows normally after a liberal intake of these vitamins. A high protein and and an iron rich diet is recommended for hair loss. An adequate intake of raw vegetables, fresh fruits, salads, green leafy vegetables should be included in the diet on a regular basis. Women require 60 grams, men 80 to 90 grams, adolescent boys and girls 80 to 100 grams of protein. It is supplied by milk, buttermilk, yogurt, soyabean, eggs, cheese, meat and fish. A deficiency of some of the B vitamins, of iron, copper and iodine may cause hair disorders like falling of hair and premature greying of hair. Silicon bags are inserted beneath an area of hairy scalp and gradually inflated with saline water over a six-week period. This causes the hair-bearing skin to stretch, thus increasing the amount of hair-bearing scalp. After removing the bags, expanded hair bearing skin is lifted and moved to an adjacent bald area where a similar sized patch of scalp has been excised. The most familiar hair loss pattern is where the hair begins to recede in the hairline and the crown at roughly the same time. The hair in the mid-scalp or anterior scalp is often the last to go. But go it will, eventually leaving a man with the horseshoe of hair that is the telltale sign of typical male pattern baldness. The effectiveness of medications used to treat alopecia depends on the cause of hair loss, extent of the loss and individual response. Generally, treatment is less effective for more extensive cases of hair loss. New hair resulting from minoxidil use may be thinner and shorter than previous hair. But there can be enough regrowth for some people to hide their bald spots and have it blend with existing hair. New hair stops growing soon after you discontinue the use of minoxidil. If you experience minimal results within six months, your doctor may recommend discontinuing use. Side effects can include irritation of the scalp. Finasteride (Propecia). This prescription medication to treat male-pattern baldness is taken daily in pill form. Many people taking finasteride experience a slowing of hair loss, and some may show some new hair growth. Positive results may take several months. Finasteride works by inhibiting the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone that shrinks hair follicles and is an important factor in male hair loss. Rare side effects of finasteride include diminished sex drive and sexual function. As with minoxidil, the benefits of finasteride stop if you stop using it.
It is good to shampoo your hair--we recommend at least three times a week. This helps to remove dirt and buildup on the hair that can deteriorate the condition of your scalp. When shampooing, it is very important that you pay attention to cleansing your hair, your scalp and your hair line. Many people (wrongly) will drop a handful of shampoo on their head and then rinse it off. Shampoo must be worked through all of your hair, as well as the scalp and hairline. Frequently shampooing can dry out your hair and, therefore, must be followed by the use of a moisturizing conditioner. It is very important to work the conditioner through all of your hair and leave it in for three to five minutes. Again, many people misapply and misuse conditioner by not working it through to the ends of the hair and not leaving it on long enough.
Hair transplantation refers to the surgical movement of permanent hair with its roots to an area of bald or balding skin. Hair transplantation is an effective and permanent solution for hair loss. Most people require more than one session, each spaced at least six months apart each to complete the hair restoration in an area. The timing and number of transplants depends on the amount of hair you have when you start, how much is anticipated that you will continue to lose without transplanting and how much hair density you desire. Women with localized thinning on the top of their heads or thinning around the temples often make good candidates for hair transplantation. Prior to evaluation for hair transplantation, it is important for women to discuss your thinning hair with a dermatologist and/or endocrinologist to make sure there is no other treatable reason for the hair loss. Hair transplantation is a cost-competitive solution for hair loss. Other hair replacement alternatives require additional maintenance over the years. The cost depends on the amount of bald area that will need to be transplanted, and the desired thickness. More grafts are necessary to cover more bald or thin area and to maximize hair density. Because the procedure is individual, costs are usually determined individually. Hair loss is not "an inevitable sign of getting older". It has been reported in studies that about 80% of women experience some degree of hair loss before menopause. Much of this hair loss has a hereditary basis-female pattern hair loss. A woman who has a family history of hair loss in women may be especially aware of the possibility that she may also begin to lose hair as she matures. And, she would be correct; a family history of hair loss in women is an indication that a woman may be genetically predisposed to lose hair. Whether hair transplantation is a viable option for a woman with mild to moderate hair loss is a question to be answered by close consultation between the woman and the physician hair restoration specialist. Into that determination will go the patient's medical history, hair loss history, family medical and hair loss history, physical examination, scalp examination and laboratory tests as indicated by other examination results.
Alopecia Areata - In this type of hair loss, hair usually falls out, resulting in totally smooth, round patches about the size of a coin or larger. It can, rarely, result in complete loss of scalp and body hair. This disease may affect children or adults of any age. The cause of alopecia areata is unknown. Apart from the hair loss, affected persons are generally in excellent health. In most cases, the hair regrows by itself. Dermatologists can treat many people with this condition. Treatments include topical medications, a special kind of light treatment, or in some cases pills. Androgenic alopecia develops when the hair follicle (the place under the skin where hair grows from) experiences a reduction in size, as well as a time reduction in the active growth phase. this translates into a simple fact: more and more of the hair follicles will spend time in the resting state where hair is shed once the state is completed. Fortunately, androgenic alopecia does not develop in all hair follicles at the same time. This is why some part of the scalp seems to be losing more hair than the other. Alopecia Areata Childbirth - When a women is pregnant, more of her hairs will be growing. However, after a woman delivers her baby, many hairs enter the resting phase of the hair cycle. Within two to three months, some women will notice large amounts of hair coming out in their brushes and combs. This can last one to six months, but resolves completely in most cases. Medications - Some prescription drugs may cause temporary hair shedding. Examples include some of the medicines used for the following: gout, arthritis, depression, heart problems, high blood pressure, or blood thinner. High doses of vitamin A may also cause hair shedding. Birth Control Pills - Women who lose hair while taking birth control pills usually have an inherited tendency for hair thinning. If hair thinning occurs, a woman can consult her gynecologist about switching to another birth control pill. When a women stops using oral contraceptives, she may notice that her hair begins shedding two or three months later. This may continue for six months when it usually stops. This is similar to hair loss after the birth of a child. See products which may help hair loss. Low Serum Iron - Iron deficiency occasionally produces hair loss. Some people don't have enough iron in their diets or may not fully absorb iron. Women who have heavy menstrual periods may develop iron deficiency. Low iron can be detected by laboratory tests and can be corrected by taking iron pills.

Terms interpretingAlopecia Areata
- Alopecia areata is a hair loss condition which usually affects the scalp. It can, however, sometimes affect other areas of the body.
Hair loss
- A progressive, diffuse loss of scalp hair in men that begins in the twenties or early thirties, depends on the presence of the androgenic hormone testosterone, and is caused by a combination of genetic and hormonal factors. Also called androgenetic alopecia.
Hair transplantation
- Hair transplantation is a surgical procedure used to treat baldness or hair loss (alopecia). Typically, tiny patches of scalp are removed from the back and sides of the head and implanted in the bald spots in the front and top of the head.
Protein
- Important building blocks of the body, composed of amino acids, involved in the formation of body structures and controlling the basic functions of the human body.
- Complex organic molecules made up of amino acids. Proteins are basic components of all living cells and are therefore among the principal substances that make up the body.
Ringworm
- The term "ringworm" refers to fungal infections that are on the surface of the skin. The early belief was that the infection was due to a worm, which it is not, although the name has stuck. Some of these fungi produce round spots, but many do not.
Thyroid
- A gland in the throat that produces hormones that regulate growth and metabolism.
- A large gland in the neck that functions in the endocrine system. The thyroid secretes hormones that regulate growth and metabolism.
Alopecia
- A hair loss, baldness, and epilation.
- Alopecia, also called hair loss, baldness, and epilation, is a common side effect of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Baldness
- A progressive, diffuse loss of scalp hair in men that begins in the twenties or early thirties, depends on the presence of the androgenic hormone testosterone, and is caused by a combination of genetic and hormonal factors. Also called androgenetic alopecia.
Biotin
Follicles
- A follicle (from the Latin folliculus) is a term to describe a small spherical group of cells containing a cavity.
Grafts
- To transplant or implant surgically into a bodily part to replace a damaged part or compensate for a defect.
Hormone
- A substance, usually a peptide or steroid, produced by one tissue and conveyed by the bloodstream to another to effect physiological activity, such as growth or metabolism.
Scalp
- The skin covering the top of the human head with its attached hair.
Stress
- Importance, significance, or emphasis placed on something.
- The relative force with which a sound or syllable is spoken.
- Accent or a mark representing such emphasis or force.
- An applied force or system of forces that tends to strain or deform a body.
- A mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health, usually characterized by increased heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, muscular tension, irritability, and depression.
- A state of extreme difficulty, pressure, or strain.
- A physical and psychological response that results from being exposed to a demand or pressure.
Testosterone
- A white crystalline steroid hormone, C19H28O2, produced primarily in the testes and responsible for the development and maintenance of male secondary sex characteristics. It is also produced synthetically for use in medical treatment.
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