Hair Thinning

As we age, hair loss can begin to thin and lose volume. In certain instances, thin hair may be related to nutrition deficiencies, diet, or inherited hair loss.

Most of the time, thin hair isn’t linked to general health issues. But, it can affect the mental health of people and their self-esteem.

You can experiment with various methods and remedies at home to improve the health of hair, its thickness, and strength.

What Does it Mean?

Hair thinning can cause hair loss caused by lifestyle factors, genetics, or both. Certain medical conditions can cause thinning of hair.

The lifestyle habits of a person could include:

• Over-treated hair.This includes hair colouring, perms, and relaxers.
• Making use of harmful products for hair.This includes extreme-hold hair products like gels and sprays.
• Stress hormones can cause the death of hairs trying to grow.

Hair loss can be genetic or due to underlying medical issues. Hair loss could be caused by when you:

• Recently had an infant
• Recently, I have stopped using birth control pills.
• They are going through hormonal changes in their hormones.
• Gained a substantial number of pounds within a very short period
• Are you getting treatment for an illness known as an auto-immune
• Suffer from immune system issues
• Are you suffering from a skin condition or an infection
• Suffer from a vitamin D deficiency

Hair loss is not always the cause. It could be due to:

• Pulling your hair out of your hair
• Eating disorders
• A high fever

Causes of Hair Thinning in Men and Women

If you feel that the hairline recedes when you look at the mirror, you’re not the only one. Why? It’s generally something you can blame on the family tree of your parents, but different reasons could be the cause.

Genetics

It isn’t known how it gets passed down, but it is a common occurrence through families. Therefore, if you’ve got close bald relatives, it is more likely that you will also be affected. However, it typically begins by thinning the hairline that runs from your temples to your crown.

Medical Problems

The chance of losing your hair is greater if you have diabetes or lupus. The loss of hair could be a result of some medicines you take to treat:

• Cancer
• Arthritis
• Depression
• Gout
• Hypertension
• Heart issues

The radiation treatments and chemotherapy can result in large-scale hair loss, but typically, hair growth will come back in time once the treatment is over.

 Shock or Stress

Extreme weight loss and a severe emotional or physical shock surgery, the flu, or influenza may cause hair loss that can last for many months.

 Infections

Things such as ringworm may cause scaly skin spots on the scalp and hair loss

spots. The hair tends to grow over time after the treatment.

 Your Immune System

If you notice a sudden hair loss, leaving small bald spots that are about half the size of several areas of your head, you could be suffering from a genetic disorder known as Alopecia areata. It is more likely that you will have it if you have an affected family member.

Disorders of Impulse Control

Grooming

Braids, ponytails, or cornrows when the hair next to your scalp gets pulled in tight could cause temporary hair loss, known as traction Alopecia. Furthermore, the use of hot oil treatments and perms could damage your hair follicles.

Loss of hair is classified into three categories. The hair growth cycle consists of three stages. In the anagen phase, hair is growing rapidly. The anagen phase can be prolonged for several months.

Classifications of Hair Thinning in Men and Women

 Hair Loss Pattern In Male

Loss of hair begins at any time following puberty and increases over time or years. It begins from the upper side of  temples and extends to the edges and at the high point of your head. It is usually leaving a hair at the ring of the base of the head. Men who suffer from losing hair of the male type end up becoming lost.

Hair Loss Pattern In Female

The hair slowly diminishes throughout the scalp; however, the hairline isn’t always receding. Though, women may experience hair thinning as a sign of ageing. However, hair loss can start at any point after puberty. The loss of hair in females may cause hair to become thin significantly, and with time, it may turn into  baldness.

Telogen Effluvium

Telogen effluvium is a condition in which follicles with a lot of hair on the scalp are in the resting cycle of hair development known as telogen, but the next stage of hair growth does not begin until later.

The end result is that hair falls out over the entire scalp and no new hair grows. Telogen effluvium is rarely associated with baldness, but you can lose up to 600 hairs each day. The hair might appear thin and wispy, especially around the temples and crown.

This form of hair loss is associated with a variety of issues, including medical problems and situations like thyroid imbalance, birth, delivery, surgical operation, or fever. Telogen effluvium can also be caused by mineral or vitamin deficiencies – iron insufficiency is the most prevalent cause of hair loss among females.

It may also be caused by taking specific medications, such as isotretinoin for acne or warfarin, a blood thinner. Oral contraceptives (birth pills to regulate birth) can also induce this form of hair loss.

Alopecia Areata

It is an auto-immune condition that means that the body’s immune system is attacking healthy tissues, such as hair follicles. The result is that hair falls out and blocks the development of new hair.

This can affect children and adults, and loss of hair may be sudden without warning. The hair from the scalp generally is shed in small pieces and isn’t painful. Hair on other body areas, like eyelashes and eyebrows, can also fall out. This condition could lead to alopecia complete or total loss of hair as time passes.

Cicatricial Alopecia

This type of Alopecia, also called scarring alopecia, is a very rare kind of hair loss where due to inflammation, hair follicles get damaged, and creates scar tissue in them. When scar tissue is formed, hair does not grow back. The loss of hair may start at a pace that isn’t obvious, or it could be falling out at once. Other symptoms include intense itching, swelling, or the appearance of white or red spots on the scalp, which could appear like an itchy rash.

The Dissection of Cellulitis in the Scalp

Scalp cellulitis dissecting the scalp is a rare ailment that can lead to lumps or bumps forming around the head. The disorder may also result in scar tissue, which could damage hair follicles and lead to hair loss. Medication usage might help with symptom management.

 Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia

This type of problem is most often caused by a receding hairline, which can result in hair loss from the eyebrows and armpits. Frontal fibrosing alopecia is the most prevalent type of alopecia. Women past menopause are especially vulnerable to this disease. Symptoms can be controlled and the condition’s progression delayed with the aid of some medicines. The precise cause is unknown.

 Hair Shaft Abnormalities

Many kinds of hair shaft irregularities could cause loss of hair . These issues cause hair strands to weaken and thin and make them more susceptible to breakage. The loss of hair doesn’t happen within the follicle but rather due to a split at your hair shaft that is a clearly visible portion of the hair strand. Making minor modifications to your style and care for your hair may reverse hair shaft irregularities. Some conditions might require medical attention.  This type of hair shaft abnormalities of various kinds that consists of :

Loose Anagen Syndrome

Loose syndrome is a condition in which loose hair can be effortlessly removed from the scalp. It affects infants and typically manifests as a result of rapidly growing hair that was not adequately rooted within the follicle.

Hair sheds when it reaches a length that remains unknown. Children with anagen syndrome are frequently unable to develop hair past a certain point.

The cause of anagen syndrome is unknown, although it is thought to be caused by a malfunction in the hair growth cycle that prevents hair from remaining in the follicle.

Trichotillomania

People who suffer from trichotillomania are frequently affected by hair pulling and have a hard time determining when to stop. This results in the loss of hair on the scalp or anywhere else on the body. The hair will usually grow back after the pulling stops; however, if the tugging continues for a lengthy duration, it might be permanent.

Traction Alopecia

Certain hairstyles, such as braids and ponytails that are tight, draw hair off the head with enough force that strands of hair get badly damaged and destroyed and eventually fall off. If hairstyles aren’t altered in a way, traction alopecia could result in hair loss or spots of baldness.

Hypotrichosis

Hypotrichosis is a rare genetic abnormality that causes hair to be thin and fine, grows over the scalp and body, and is often known as “walking cactus syndrome.” Children with this condition may have typical hair growth at first but lose it within a few months, after which they develop black hair.

The majority of people facing hypotrichosis would be losing their hair by the age of 25. There aren’t many treatment alternatives for this condition, but certain medications may regrow or thicken hair.

Diagnosis of Hair Thinning in Men and Women

The cause could be genetic or medical. Doctors look at the patterns of hair loss to determine the nature of the loss and establish the cause employing advanced methods, such as an instrument for measuring the hair’s appearance, which magnifies the appearance of the scalp by as much as 100 times. These tests for diagnosing can be performed in the dermatologist’s office.

Medical Background

To find out the cause behind losing hair, your dermatologist will ask various questions regarding the time when you began losing hair and what the pattern of loss are, the kind of hairstyles you typically wear, if loss of hair is a family trait, and any other details regarding the symptoms you are experiencing. They may also inquire about any medical conditions that you may have.

Physical Exam

A dermatologist inspects your scalp for redness, inflammation, and sores. They also look for scarring or sores. The doctor examines the hair to determine how much hair is being shed, the nature of the hair loss, and any breakage of hair.

In a physical examination, your doctor could take a few simple tests to discover more about the condition and condition of your hair. They could be able to do the following.

Tug Test and Pull Test

This test is a simple way to determine the degree of hair loss. When performing a pull test, an expert in dermatology grabs tiny pieces of hair, around 40 strands from different areas of the scalp, and gently pulls. If more than six hair strands are shed, it is called active loss of hair.

It could mean that you suffer from some of the kinds of loss in hair: Telogen, where hair is shed across the scalp as a result of an inability of the body’s process of hair growth anagen effluvium or the rapid loss of hair that results from medical treatments or loose anagen syndrome that is most often seen in infants and children.

A doctor might employ the tug test if the doctor suspects an abnormality in the hair shaft, which causes hair strands to shrink in strength, weaken, and eventually break.

Test of Card

A dermatologist utilises the test of a card to assess the condition of the hair shafts and determine the number of hair strands that are growing. The process is easy. A dermatologist places a hair strand and places a small rectangular piece of felt over a small area on top of your scalp.

Fungal Culture

The fungal test is a lab test that will confirm that a fungus is present inside the scalp or hair cells. A dermatologist can suggest this test to determine if the fungal infection known as tinea capitis, also known as hair ringworm in the scalp, could be the reason for hair loss.

A dermatologist might scrape or swab your scalp or take a tiny sample of hair or skin to be tested in a laboratory.

Punch Biopsy

Most of the time, dermatologists can identify the root of the loss through a physical examination and trichometric examination. Suppose more details about the scalp hair follicles or hair follicles are required to make the diagnosis, for example, the presence of signs of scalp lesions which could be the result of multiple forms of hair loss. In that case, your dermatologist may take the scalp biopsy.

It’s referred to as”punch” biopsy because of the method used “punch” biopsy due to the method employed by dermatologists: They use devices that are the size and shape of pencils to puncture the scalp and then take a tiny tissue sample. Biopsies are often used to differentiate between kinds of cicatricial or scarring or hair loss.

Blood Tests

Suppose doctors suspect that hair loss could result from an underlying medical issue, mineral or vitamin deficiency, or hormone imbalance. In that case, they might suggest some or all of the blood tests. It could be that a woman whose hair is thin all over her scalp has an inherited hair loss condition; however, the reason may be iron deficiencies.

Iron Deficiency

Insufficient iron levels in the bloodstream can cause hair loss. Doctors conduct blood tests to determine the amount of ferritin in the blood, which is a protein that reveals the amount of iron stored within the body. Incorporating foods high in iron could help to grow hair. This includes greens with dark leaves, whole grains, red meat, and legumes. Iron supplements used to treat anaemia can also aid in stopping the loss of hair.

Thyroid Disease

The loss of hair could indicate a thyroid condition like thyroid hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. These disorders result in the thyroid gland producing excessive or insufficient hormones that regulate your body’s metabolism.

Suppose you’ve noticed an extreme increase in weight, and you haven’t changed the way you eat, or have experienced fatigue or suddenly weakening of your muscles. In that case, your doctor may suggest testing your blood for the amount of a hormone known as thyroid-stimulating hormone, also known as TSH.

TSH levels are closely linked to thyroid function. Abnormally low or high levels could indicate or even eliminate the diagnosis of thyroid disease.

Androgen Excess

Women with thin hair that isn’t bald patches might suffer from hormonal imbalances caused by excessive androgens levels. They are a group of hormones that include testosterone. A sign of excess androgens is hair loss and baldness, an increase in hair growth on the chest, face, or abdomen, and an irregular menstrual cycle. A blood test could show an elevated androgen level.

Photography

Dermatologists employ digital photography to observe the progression of the treatment. Your dermatologist may take photographs from various angles at the time of your first appointment and compare them with images taken at follow-up appointments.

Hair Follicle Miniaturisation

The miniaturisation of hair follicles can be a scientific term which is used to explain hair that is balding or thinned.

This process most typically affects males and can cause the hair follicle to contract and make it difficult for hairs to grow.

This is because the hair follicle that once produced healthy hair begins to produce thinner hairs with a fragile shaft that could easily fall out. It appears as a receding hairline, thin hair on the top or in an area of hair loss.

There are a variety of treatments and surgeries available with hair loss or even stop reduction.

Treatment for Hair Loss

Do you want to take action to fix your hair loss? The first thing to discuss is the issue with the dermatologist or trichologist. They will determine the cause of your hair loss and suggest treatments that might be appropriate for you. They might suggest solutions, such as

Minoxidil (Rogaine): A gel or liquid you apply to your scalp. You can purchase it on the internet without having a prescription. You might need to take it for a while before your hair begins to grow thicker. If you grow hair, it will fall out once more when you quit taking minoxidil.

Finasteride (Propecia): This prescription medicine is a pill you take by mouth. It is possible to take finasteride for a long time before you notice results, and you’ll lose hair if you discontinue taking the medication.

Microneedling: A device that contains hundreds of tiny needles applied to your scalp could assist in growing hair, as per the American Academy of Dermatology. According to the site, research suggests that micro needling might perform better when you use it in conjunction with another treatment for hair loss. You can purchase any device with no prescription, but you should consult an experienced dermatologist beforehand. They will tell you if it’s suitable for you and suggest the best micro needling device for you.

Hair transplant: This type of surgery could yield long-lasting results. A surgeon will remove individual hairs – or strips of skin that have hairs — from one area of your scalp. They then transfer the hairs to bald or thin areas. The procedure can take between 4 and 8 hours, as per the American Academy of Dermatology. It is recommended to consult an expert in dermatology to determine the best option for you.

Laser therapy at a low level: It is recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology says studies suggest that this procedure for the scalp could aid in the following conditions:

• Male-pattern hair loss
• Alopecia areata
• Hair loss due to chemotherapy
• Hair growth and healing after a hair transplant

It’s possible to require low-level laser therapy several times per week for a few months before you begin to see more hair.

Platelet-rich plasma: A dermatologist collects a small amount of blood from you and then puts it in a machine to separate the plasma from it. Then, they put the plasma in areas of your scalp that lose hair.

Be aware of your hair problems. It could indicate the presence of a health issue in your body that requires attention.