An average individual loses around fifty to a hundred hairs per day. The amount is usually not noticeable as a new hair grows in their place. Hair loss occurs when new hair does not grow in the place of fallen hair.
Also known as alopecia, hair loss either only affects your scalp or may affect the body as a whole. Alopecia can be temporary or permanent and results from hormonal changes, heredity and some medical conditions or ageing.
Where some individuals prefer to let alopecia run its course, others may choose different sorts of treatments to prevent further loss and promote restoration. For more details on hair loss treatments, check out https://www.numan.com/erectile-dysfunction/sildenafil
Signs and Symptoms
Hair loss depends on the root cause of it and appears in various ways. It may appear suddenly or gradually and, as mentioned above, may affect the scalp only or the whole body. Some common signs and symptoms of alopecia are:
- Gradual thinning of Hair on top of the Head
Thinning of the hair is the most common reasons of hair loss and affects individuals as they age. This thinning of hair is visible differently in males and females. For males, the forehead hairline recedes, whereas, for females, the area where they part their hair starts to recede.
- Patchy Bald Spots
For some individuals, alopecia occurs by losing hair in circular patches on the scalp, beard or eyebrows. This may cause that particular area’s skin to become painful or itchy before the hair falls out.
- Loosening of the Hair
Physical or emotional shocks are also known to cause temporary hair loss. The individual may experience losing handful of hair when washing or combing their hair.
Any gentle tugging may also cause the hair to fall out. Although the condition is temporary but is said to be the primary cause of hair thinning.
- Full-Body Hair Loss
Conditions like cancer include chemotherapy in its treatment plan. Such medical treatments cause complete body hair loss.
- Scaly Patches on the Scalp
Scaly patches on the scalp are also known to be a symptom of ringworm. If the individual experiences dry patch formation accompanied by broken hair, swelling, redness, they should immediately a health professional.
Causes of Alopecia
Hair loss occurs due to many different causes. Some of them are discussed below;
- A family history of alopecia can cause hair loss in an individual, regardless of their age.
- Hair loss also occurs due to ageing since ageing comes with degenerative changes in the human body.
- A variety of hormonal conditions also cause hair loss. These include hormonal changes due to pregnancy, child-birth, menopause and thyroid issues.
- Hair loss can be a side effect of certain medications. These may include medicines aimed at treating cancer, depression, arthritis, gout, heart problems and, high blood pressure.
- Radiation therapies to the head may cause severe hair loss. The individual’s hair usually grows back.
- Excessive hairstyling can lead to a condition called traction alopecia. This occurs due to the pulling of hair in certain hairstyles. Treatments like hot-oil can also cause hair loss.
- If any scarring occurs as a result of an accident, it causes permanent hair loss.
