OTher Hair Loss Conditions
Here are some other hair loss conditions
Telogen Effluvium
If you have telogen effluvium, you may lose an average of 300 hairs a day instead of 100
What is Telogen Effluvium?
In a person with telogen effluvium, more hairs go into the telogen phase (resting phase) because of stress or shock to the body. Typically, about 30% of hairs will stop growing and rest, before they start shedding. Hence, you will notice 2 to 3 times more hairs falling out when you have Telogen Effluvium.
“Stressors” may vary from emotional or physiological stress and includes eating disorders, crash diets, pregnancy and childbirth, chronic illnesses, major surgeries, anemia as well as general highly stressful events that occur in one’s life.
“Stressors” may vary from emotional or physiological stress and includes eating disorders, crash diets, pregnancy and childbirth, chronic illnesses, major surgeries, anemia as well as general highly stressful events that occur in one’s life.
Telogen Effluvium can develop in 3 basic ways:
- The growing hair follicles go into resting for a while resulting in increased hair shedding and diffuse thinning of hair on the scalp. This usually develops rapidly and will be noticeable 1 to 2 months after the stressful event. The hair follicles usually return to their growing state and the hair cycle goes back to normal in less than 6 months so one can expect the return of density within a year. This is the most common type of occurrence.
- The hair follicles shed in normal quantity but stay in the resting phase for a prolonged period of time. This usually occurs in response to a persistent or unrecognised trigger factor and while there may not be a consistently noticeable amount of shedding, you will notice a slow decrease in the volume of hair .
- Truncated growth cycles of hair follicles where an individual experiences thin scalp hair and persistent shedding of short and thin hairs.
If any of the above describes what you may be experiencing, it is important to seek help from a trained medical professional. It is crucial to verify the diagnosis which can be done through trichoscopy and diagnostic tests where required, so that you can be objectively treated.
Post-natal Hair loss
What is Post-natal hair loss?
Post-natal hair loss is a specific type of Telogen Effluvium that occurs 2 to 4 months after birth. It is caused by the rapid decrease of estrogen levels in your body which results in a large number of hair entering telogen at one time. The hair loss may seem more to you when you have longer hair. It is temporary, lasts between 2-3 months and hair will return to its normal cycle in approximately 6 months and you should regain volume within 1 year. There are supplements and tonics that can be used to minimise the shedding and help with faster and stronger regrowth of these hairs.
At Sage, we recognise that there may be many other stressors that come alongside motherhood. Speak to us to understand ways you can prevent post-natal hair loss from worsening or if there are any other causes to your hair loss.
Some tips if you have post-natal hair loss:
1. Skip the styling
2. Eat well
3. Take your vitamins
4. Use volumising shampoo
Alopecia Areata
Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune condition that presents itself in the form of hair falling out leaving small circular shiny patch/es; the size of a coin. Some people notice 1 spot while others may have a few on different parts of the scalp. These spots may grow larger and merge with the other spots if you do not seek early medical treatment. While this is the most common occurrence of Alopecia Areata, there are other rare types that lead to more damage:
- Totalis – where it affects all of the hair on your head
- Universalis- where all hairs on your body is equally affected
- Ophiasis – which occurs in a band shape around the sides and back of your head.
Treatment:
While in many cases, the spots usually recover in approximately 2 months, it is crucial to seek help from a medical doctor/specialist who can accurately assess the condition. More often than not, a course of injections over the spot/s done to reduce the inflammation is needed to prevent the spread and encourage quicker regrowth.
Scarring Alopecia
This condition affects approximately only 3% of the population
Scarring Alopecia, also known as Cicatricial Alopecia comes in many different forms. This type of hair loss is not very common and usually causes irreversible destruction to hair follicles, which are then replaced with scar tissue.
The patches from Scarring Alopecia do not usually take on a concise shape. The damage to the follicles occurs under the skin hence, it typically requires skin biopsies to aid diagnosis.
Speak to a medical professional if you suspect that you may have scarring alopecia. There are effective treatments such as corticosteroids and if the patch has remained inactive and status quo for a few years, a surgical hair transplant can be done to restore the patch.
Traction Alopecia
Traction Alopecia is also known as Ponytail Hair loss and occurs in mainly women or men who keep a tight ponytail, bun, or braid. It is caused by the ‘traction’ when hair is pulled too tightly, causing damage to hair follicles. If it is found early, the hair loss can be reversible. In cases where the damage is too far gone, a hair transplant procedure can be done to restore the patchy areas.
Trichotillomania
Trichotillomania is a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder where one has repeated urges to pull hair out from the scalp, eyebrows and other areas of the body. The repeated damage to hair follicles will cause a slow growth for the returning hair. The first step to treating this condition involves behavioral and cognitive therapy which will help with putting the habit to a reduction and an eventual stop. It is only when the habit is resolved and no further urge is felt for a significant amount of time, can one explore the option of treating the patch with a hair transplant procedure.
