Baldness

Men are at a greater risk of baldness than women]]Baldness of the scalp, beginning with a receding hairline and thinning of the crown, is one of the worst fears of the human kind, particularly men.

Why should I be aware of this?

Hair loss or baldness can occur in two ways - Patchy or localized and overall.

There are some conditions which cause the loss of pair in small patches. Some common reasons for this are –

• Alopecia areata where the patches of baldness get hair growth again
• Traction alopecia where hair becomes weak and thin because of tight braids and pulled back hair
• Trichotillomania which is a psychological disorder in which a person has the compulsive habit of pulling or twisting hair
• Tinea capitis which is because of a fungal infection.

Where hair loss is not localized and happens everywhere, the reasons could be –

• Telogen effluvium which is when one loses hair rapidly, post child birth, high temperatures or sudden weight loss
• Androgenetic hair loss which is also known as the male pattern baldness or Female Pattern baldness

All about baldness

A fully grown adult normally loses about 10,000 scalp hairs every day, which gets replaced. Hair grows at an average rate of about 0.5 inch per month. Each hair grows for 2 to 6 years, rests for a while and then falls out. A new hair soon begins growing in its place. At any one time, about 85% of the hair is growing and 15% is resting. It is when the loss is not balanced by the growth of new hair, that baldness occurs. The most common area where it is seen is at the temples and /or on the crown or top of the head

Male pattern baldness

There are a number of reasons for hair fall but the most common cause among men is Male pattern Baldness. It happens because of the effect of male hormones on the follicles of hair. The male hormone called testosterone gets converted to dihydrotesttosterone by an enzyme, which is what affects the hair follicles. In the beginning they slow the growth of hair and reduce the quality ( the hair produced is weak and shorter) and gradually it stops the growth itself. Most men are genetically predisposed to it. And it is not caused by excessive shampooing or poor circulation

Though less common, Female pattern baldness involves a typical pattern of loss of hair in women, caused by hormonal imbalances, aging, and genetic predisposition. It also happens in some women after menopause

Other reasons

Other possible reasons are:

• Hormonal problems because of overactive or under active thyroid gland.
• Flu
• Cancer treatment processes such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy etc
• Ringworm
• Stress
• Bad eating and living habits
• Exposure to dangerous chemicals such as thallium acetate
• Hair loss, which is related to hormonal changes during pregnancy generally, occurs after delivery.

Cures and treatment

There are a number of methods to treat baldness, depending on the type of baldness. It is important to however diagnose the reason well.

The conventional medicine includes the drug called Minoxidil. This is the only drug or medication approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It can be used by men and women. It is used topically on the scalp but it does not guarantee results and has some side effects

Another surgical method is known as hair transplant which involve the removal of tiny plugs of hair from areas where the hair is growing well and placing them in areas that are balding. Aftereffects can be mild scarring in the area from where hair has been taken and it carries a modest risk for skin infection. This procedure usually requires multiple transplantation sessions and is considered expensive.

Herbal medicine

Experts say that to encourage hair follicles and promote growth, massage a few drops of rosemary into the scalp and then rinse.

• Massage the scalp with castor oil at night, then shampoo in the morning and repeat the process once or twice a week
• Add a generous splash of apple cider vinegar as a rinse and use after shampooing and conditioning.

Aromatherapy

• When hair starts to thin, take three drops of rosemary and ylang ylang oils in a teaspoon of vodka and add atsp of orange flower water. Apply a few drops of this to the scalp daily and massage firmly for two to three minutes.

Naturopathy

• Take 2 spoon of pigeon pea or red gram and grind it into a fine paste .Apply it daily on the bald patches.
• Plenty of cabbage, sunflower, spinach and eggs in the diet is important
• Having beans, lentils, brown rice, oatmeal is also good as they are rich sources of insotel
• One should avoid sugar

Juice therapy

• Juice therapy experts maintain that baldness cannot be countered by any medicine but through the right food intake. Egg should be included in the diet as it is rich in sulphur and amino acids.
• Juices of broccoli, parsley and green chilies, asparagus and carrot juice is very beneficial
• Apply ginger juice to scalp to stimulate hair growth

What can I do?

Home remedy tip

Take 1/2 cup of olive oil and add 3 drops tea tree oil, about 4 drops of rosemary essential oil and 3 drops of lavender essential oil. Gently warm the oil and massage into the scalp. Cover with a hot towel and repeat the hot towel for a couple of times. Leave it undisturbed for around half an hour and then wash it with a mild shampoo to which about 8-10 drops of tea tree oil has been added.

CopperBytes

• 80 million American men and women are suffering from hair loss.
• One hair fiber will be able to support a weight of 100 grams.
• It is found that use of drugs is one of the important causes of hair loss.
• Europeans and Africans are found to have more hair loss problems than Asians.
• Hair growth will be more between 10 AM to 11 AM and also between 4 PM to 6 PM.
• Hair is the fastest growing tissue in a human body.
• Every person will lose more than 40% of hair in a life time. That means about 100 hair per day.

References

• Hair Loss and its Causes
• Health Encyclopedia - Diseases and Conditions
• Hair Loss in Men and Women
• Hair Falling Treatment