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Hair Loss –
affecting millions worldwide…
Millions of the people
worldwide suffer from hair loss and this is the reason why hair loss
remedies are a billion dollar industry. The answer to the million-dollar
question of how to get hair back is to know how you lost it in the first place.
You can determine the correct remedy for hair loss only after you know the exact
cause of hair loss.
Your hair
keeps regenerating, shedding and growing, unlike the eyes or nose. As you grow
older,
everyone
begins
to experience hair loss.
Hair loss
is a natural
process of aging that starts when you turn 50. However, for some people the
hair loss
process starts much earlier.
About 90
percent of the hair on your scalp is growing at any one time while the other
10
percent of the hair is in a resting phase. After 2 to 3 months, the resting hair
falls out and new hair starts to grow in its place. This growing phase lasts for
2 to 6 years. Each hair grows approximately 1 centimeter per month during this
phase.
It is normal
to shed some hair each day as part of this cycle. However, some people may
experience excessive (more than normal) hair loss. Hair loss of this
type can affect anyone, even children.
What causes excessive hair
loss?
Stress and Lifestyle
The fast and pressurized
lifestyles of today make many compromises on your diet. Poor diet can contribute
to hair loss. Emotional upheavals can cause health complications that have an
adverse impact on the quality of your hair and thus increase hair loss. Lack of
cleanliness of the scalp and excessive dandruff problems can also cause hair
loss.
Hormonal imbalances
Hair growth and health
depends on hormones such as thyroid and pituitary glands. Any disorders in these
glands can cause hair loss. The excessive presence of a component of the male
hormone - DHT can also cause hair loss. This is usually due to a genetic
predisposition for hair loss.
Genetic factors
Inherited causes of hair loss
affect the unlucky that have a family history of premature balding. In men, it
is called Male Pattern Baldness, in which the hair loss starts receding first at
the temples in a classic 'M' shape. In women, it is called Female Pattern
Baldness. This is a less common hair loss pattern. It starts at age 30 and is
characterized by overall thinning of hair.
Hair loss
Side effects from certain
medications
Certain drugs taken for other
purposes can cause hair loss as a side effect. The following is a
possible list of medicines and drugs that could cause hair loss.
Cholesterol-lowering drugs
Ulcer drugs
Anticoagulants
Agents for gout
Drugs derived from Vitamin A
Anticonvulsants taken for epilepsy
Antidepressants
Blood thinners
Anabolic steroids
Chemotherapy Drugs
However, not all prescription
drugs under these categories have hair loss as a side effect. This has to be
checked with the doctor.
Can improper care of my hair
cause hair loss?
Yes. If you wear pigtails or
cornrows or use tight hair rollers, the pull on your hair can cause a type of
hair loss called traction alopecia. If the pulling is stopped before scarring of
the scalp develops, your hair will grow back normally. However, scarring can
cause permanent hair loss. Hot oil hair treatments or chemicals used in
permanents (also called "perms") may cause inflammation (swelling) of the hair
follicle, which can result in scarring and hair loss.
Is there any treatment for
hair loss?
Depending on
your type of hair loss,
many
treatments are available. If a medicine is
causing your hair loss, your doctor may be able to prescribe a different
medicine. Recognizing and treating an infection may help stop the hair loss.
Correcting a hormone imbalance may prevent further hair loss.
Medicines
may help slow or prevent the development of common baldness. One medicine,
minoxidil (brand name: Rogaine), is available without a prescription. It is
applied to the scalp. Both men and women can use it. Another medicine,
finasteride (brand name: Propecia)
or dutasteride (brand name: Avodart)
is available with a prescription. It comes in pills and is only for men. It may
take up to 6 months before you can tell if one of these medicines is working.
Treatments for Hair Loss:
Get Your Hormones Checked
Problems with hormones such
as thyroid and pituitary can cause hair loss. Consult your doctor to conduct
relevant tests and rule out this possibility. If a hormonal imbalance were the
reason for hair loss, the doctor would recommend a course of appropriate
drugs to solve the problem.
Anti-Androgenic Therapy
Excessive amount of DHT (a
component of the male hormone) causes hair loss and baldness. If DHT were the
problem and causing hair loss, the doctor would put you on drugs that form a
part of antiandrogen therapy. In women, the treatment is called CPA (cyproterone
acetate) with ethinyl-estradiol. The therapy typically lasts for a period of one
year. 
Some Wonder Drugs
Over the years, researchers
have invented certain drugs that work very successfully for hair loss. This
includes minoxidil (Rogaine) and finasteride. However, finasteride is not for
good for hair loss among women.
Keep the Scalp Clean
Clean the scalp of dirt,
dandruff and excess oil can help prevent hair loss.
Hair Transplant
Hair transplant is a surgical
method to treat hair loss. It involves operations that extract parts of the
scalp from the sides and back of the head where the hair grows well. It is then
implanted on those regions of the head that are going bald.
Hair re-growth is possible
because the hair follicles in the side and the back of the head are immune to
the hair loss problems.
Hair Weaving
Hair weaving is not a
surgical method for hair loss. This cosmetic procedure attaches
extensions of natural or synthetic hair.
Tissue Expansion
In this procedure, silicone
bags are inserted beneath hair- bearing skin to expand the tissues. This is then
transferred to the areas with a hair loss or baldness.

Other hair loss Solutions
Some other solutions
camouflage the hair loss or baldness problem. These include using wigs or
toupees and getting a smart haircut to hide thinning hair or bald patches. For
this process, you need the services of a skilled barber.
Rogaine, hair loss
supplements
Medicines
may help slow or prevent the development of common baldness. One medicine,
minoxidil (brand name: Rogaine), is available without a prescription. It is
applied to the scalp. Both men and women are able to use it. Another medicine,
finasteride (brand name: Propecia)
or dutasteride (brand name: Avodart)
is available with a prescription. It comes in pills and is only for men. It may
take up to 6 months before you can tell if one of these medicines is working.
Please visit us at
www.prplastic.com, call us at
847.696.9900 or email us at
prplastic@yahoo.com for a
consultation and/or Hair Loss product recommendations.
ORDER NOW!
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