There can be various reasons for experiencing hair thinning and hair loss. In today’s time, the increased workload and stress levels are the number one cause behind hair loss and baldness. Thinning or loss of hair can be caused by a wide variety of factors, including both those that are controllable and those that are beyond our control. The medical term for hair loss is androgenic alopecia. Based on NHS statistics (UK), about 50% of women over the age of 65 experience hair loss or hair thinning, while two-thirds of all men are affected as well. Even though it is a common issue – and is usually not something to worry about – thinning hair can be an emotionally upsetting process that can impact our confidence and our sense of self.
Reasons behind hair thinning and hair loss
Age as well as the various stages of our life can affect the condition of our hair immensely. The health of the scalp is affected by many factors such as long-term stress, too many chemicals, pregnancy, old age, lack of nutrition, unbalanced diet, iron deficiency etc.
In pregnancy, increased numbers of hair follicles remain in the anagen phase for longer periods due to hormonal changes and return to the telogen phase within 3-6 months of delivery with a sudden drop in hormone levels. This results in excessive shedding of hair known as post-partum telogen effluvium. A sustained level of high emotional and mental stress is also a reason behind excessive hair loss and hair thinning.
One other reason for hair loss is genetics. Genes can impact the hair growth and can cause frequent hair loss. Hereditary factors play a huge role in hair loss. However, these factors can be managed and controlled with the right remedies and precautions.
Due to chronic illness, hair loss can occur terribly. It can happen anywhere on the body and not just on the scalp. Thinning hair and hair loss can occur during treatment for illness too. The main example includes cancer treatment, specifically during chemotherapy.
The hair fiber and hair follicles are also highly affected by changing hormones. Hormonal changes can cause hair thinning and loss.
Treatments for reducing the thinning and loss of hair
Many treatments can help to reduce and stop hair loss and hair thinning. If the reason for your hair loss is Chemotherapy, then wearing a cooling cap before, during, and after each chemotherapy session may help prevent hair loss. Eating a healthy and balanced diet, staying active to reduce stress and stimulate endorphins, and embracing relaxation techniques such as meditation and massage can all improve hair loss. One should also try to use as less chemicals as possible on the hair. Today many treatments such as Smoothening, Rebonding etc can be a reason behind a lot of hair loss as these chemical treatments do damage the hair immensely. If you are suffering from dietary or health deficiencies then the use of supplements can have a benefit on hair growth, but not all do so. There are many cases in which consuming too much Vitamin E or Selenium can have the effect of actually increasing hair loss. A scalp infection can lead to scaly and sometimes inflamed areas on your scalp. You may see what looks like small black dots on your scalp. This can also produce hair loss and thinning. Treatments for such infections can help and one must consult their doctor for the possible treatments and medications.
By: Gursharan Kaur Sanhotra