4 Natural Ways To Help Prevent Early Hair Loss

Hair loss occurs in a progressive nature. Most men have a specific pattern in which hair starts to fall out and then over the years increases down the same route. Women on the other hand, do not typically have the same experience. Unlike a receding hairline, or a particular bald spot forming on a man's scalp, a woman will generally experience broad hair thinning throughout the entire top of her head. In both cases, men and women, the pattern in which air falls out increases in time.

Many people assume that losing hair as we age is just a normal part of life. This same group of people also assumes that we have no responsibility when it comes to the cause of hair loss or the increased of the amount of hair that is lost in time. However, this is a wrong assumption. Below are a few examples of how people can directly cause the loss of their hair, whether they realize it or not.

1. Wearing hats most of the time: It is very fashionable these days to sport head coverings and tight caps. However, because hats can affect the blood flow to the scalp, this may cause hair loss. This is especially true if you wear tight hats. The result of hair loss due to covering your scalp with a hat does take time to make it's effects known, but once it starts, the pattern of loosing your hair speeds up faster than if you had never started the hat-wearing habit.

2. Oily scalp: Here is another example of a condition that can be directly related to the decrease amount of blood flow that is available to your hair follicles. By not washing your scalp enough a build up of natural skin oils can affect your hair. Regular washing can help reduce this problem.

3. Brushing your hair too much: This is one issue that I have personally experienced myself. I was once told by a hairstylist that if I want to grow my hair long then I should brush it with 50 strokes every time I went into the bathroom. Needless to say, after about six months, I noticed severe thinning in the areas that I was brushing. Once I stopped, the hair eventually started to come back like normal. Unfortunately, I set forth in motion a pattern that caused my hair to grow back thinner in that area for the rest of my life.

4. Brushing your hair too little: Opposite of brushing your hair too much, by not brushing your hair enough, you may not be stimulating the right amount of blood flow needed to retain growth in hair follicles. It doesn't take much, but just brushing your hair with a few strokes that hit the scalp will be enough stimulation.

Myths And Causes of Female Hair Loss

This article will look at some of the causes of female hair loss and will also list a few myths associated with female hair loss. If you are a woman and are experiencing hair loss, it can be a very trying time in your life. For centuries, hair has been thought of as a woman's "crowning glory." Some women may feel less sexy or even less of a woman without the long, luxurious hair that they are used to.

There can be quite a few reasons for female hair loss. One type of hair loss that is quite common, but not often talked about is, androgenetic alopecia. This is hereditary and affects roughly 50% of women over the age of 40. It is also called female pattern baldness. Like it's male counterpart, it is permanent.

There is another condition called telogen effluvium. This is the rapid onset of hair loss in a scattered pattern on the scalp and sometimes elsewhere on the body. It is usually a reaction to intense stress on the body's physical or hormonal system. It can occur at any age and usually gets better on its own in about six months.

Another cause of hair loss in women is called alopecia areata. This is an autoimmune disease that causes the hair follicles to be attacked by white blood cells. This will slow hair production down dramatically so there may not be new hair growth for months or even years. This is usually not a permanent condition, and the hair may start to regrow on its own.

Now let's look at some of the common myths associated with female hair loss:

1) Shaving your head will make it grow back in thicker. While it is true that the base of the hair shaft is thicker than the end, it will not grow in thicker when you shave it.

2) Hair dyes and perms can cause permanent hair loss. These chemicals can cause hair loss, but it is not permanent. The chemicals may just make your hair more brittle and easy to break off, sometimes at the scalp. But it will grow back on its own.

3) Hair loss is caused by washing your hair too much. There is absolutely no scientific proof to back this statement.

4) Hair loss is caused by too much brushing and combing. While you may see hair in your brush or comb, this is the hair that is in the resting phase of the hair cycle and was due to come out.

5) Female hair loss means that you are not a "proper" woman with two X chromosomes. Hair loss has to do with hormones not chromosomes.

Whatever the cause of your hair loss there is treatment for it. Minoxidil 2% solution is approved for use on women, but may not be effective for everyone. There are also hair transplants and scalp reduction surgeries. However, if you don't want to go those routes, consider wigs or hair weaves. The most important thing is to know the causes of female hair loss and how it relates to you.

What Is Considered Normal Hair Loss?

This article will teach you about the normal growth cycle of your hair and about what is normal hair loss. Your hair goes through a normal progression of loss and re-growth each year. This is the same principle as shedding old skin cells for new ones.

Hair has a growth cycle. Normally, a hair growth cycle will last for two to six years. This growth stage is called the anagen stage. Each hair grows at a rate of approximately one half inch per month. Ninety percent of all the hair on your head is in the anagen or growth stage at one time.

The other ten percent of your hair is in the telogen or resting phase. This phase will last for two to three months and then that hair is shed. New hair will start to grow from the same hair follicle to replace the shed hair. This cycle repeats itself over and over, year after year.

This is why you may notice hair in your hairbrush or in your sink or shower. Your body is naturally shedding the dead hair to make room for the new hair. It is normal to shed anywhere from 100 to 300 hairs per day.

But what is not normal for hair loss? When you start shedding more hair than you are reproducing, you will start to notice thinning patches or bald spots. However, for men that are genetically prone to get male pattern baldness, this may actually be normal in terms of their genetic makeup.

Temporary hair loss can be normal in certain situations. For example, it is completely normal to loose a large amount of hair after surgery or a major illness. This is a reaction to the stress that your body endured during this time.

It is normal to lose a large amount of hair about three months after childbirth. Being pregnant caused a lot of hormone imbalances in your body. After childbirth, the hormones return to normal which could result in hair loss.

You also have to remember that certain types of hairstyles and styling products may cause hair loss. If you wear a style that causes a lot of pulling traction on the root of the hair, it may result in hair loss. Some chemicals that are found in dyes and perms can make the hair brittle so that it breaks off easily. While this is not normal hair loss, it is easy to rectify.

If you have noticed an excessive amount of hair in the sink or shower lately, and it is not caused by one of the above conditions, see your doctor. Let him know about your sudden, excessive hair loss. He may want to run a series of tests to investigate the cause. It may be a problem that is temporary and easily fixed or your hair loss can be an indicator of an underlying disease or health problem.

Once you know what is normal hair loss and what isn't, you will be able to tell when something is wrong and when you need to see your doctor.

Causes Of Hair Loss: Severe Head Injuries & Child Birth

In today's article we are going to discuss two physical reasons why a person may experience hair loss. This information has been reported to be very accurate and taken from actual studies of men and women who have undergone either severe physical trauma to the scalp area, and women who have experienced hair loss soon after giving birth.

Head Injuries & Physical Trauma To The Scalp

Permanent hair loss can be a direct result of a severe physical injury to a person's scalp. Although in some cases the hair might grow back, the majority of head trauma victims will have a total loss of hair for the rest of their life. Some possible head trauma examples would be chemical burns from acid or other highly flammable substances, severe cutting and damage from a blunt object, and over-exposure to cold temperatures such as freezing from liquid nitrogen or from frostbite.

At times, physical damage that causes hair loss may not come in the form of a severe injury as described above. For example, if a person wears a tight fitting helmet or other headgear that causes continuous pressure, this can lead to permanent hair loss.

Surgical operations that went wrong can cause permanent hair loss, such as cosmetic surgeries like scalp reduction or a face lift. They may even have suffered from an incorrect hair replacement surgery as well.

Hair Loss In Women Who Have Gave Birth

Some women experience a temporary loss of hair soon after giving birth. The term for this condition is called “telogen effluvium”. What happens here is that during the 2nd and 3rd trimester, the hair follicles that a woman has stays in the “growing phase” longer than it should have. So instead of the hair going through the normal regeneration cycle and shedding like it's supposed to, the hair follicles remain active and do not fall to the wayside which results in extremely thick hair.

Many women enjoy this temporary burst of luxurious hair growth. Unfortunately, this hair growth is not permanent. Within 12 weeks after giving birth, the woman's hair follicles will go back into their normal growth cycle. This means that all of this extra thick hair that should have been shedding for the last few months, as everyone's hair sheds normally, will now begin to fall out at a rapid pace, and usually does so all at once. This condition is temporary and is merely the result of a woman's body bouncing back to its original state as it was before becoming pregnant.

Does Stress Cause Hair Loss?

Yes, stress can definitely cause a person to lose their hair! However, it is important to note that the type of stress we are referring to in this article is not the everyday stress experience that most of us go through. In terms of hair loss, the type of stress that causes this condition is the result of sudden emotional shock or a very disastrous physical accident.

This type of hair loss is known as “telogen effluvium”. When an extremely stressful incident occurs, what happens is that the hair follicles that are actively growing are suddenly shifted forward into the “regression phase”. Soon after, the follicles then begin the “resting phase” and when the growth cycle of a hair follicle reaches this resting place, it falls out rather easily.

How soon after a stressful event does person's hair begin to fall out?

When a person goes through a physiological or an emotional event, hair does not begin to fall out anywhere from a few weeks to a few months after the event. But once it has begun, hair loss continues at a fast pace.

And because it takes some time for their hair to start shedding after the stressful event, the person is usually not aware that it is related to that past experience. It never occurs to them that the hair loss they are experiencing is not because of a new “sickness” or anything of the sort, it is simply the aftermath side effect of the stress they went through a few weeks or a few months ago.

What are some examples of severe stressful situations that would cause hair loss?

As we stated earlier, “stress” in terms of hair loss does not mean the standard stress most people experience from work, financial, relationships, etc. Instead, occurrences such as going through the sudden death of a loved one would be an example of a stressful situation that could result in hair loss. Getting a divorce would be another example. Having to take care of someone close to you who has a terminal disease may also fall into this category.

And of course, physical experiences that cause a lot of damage to a person's body will also produce stress at such high levels that hair loss is an eventual side effect. For example,a heart attack or a major surgery may cause a person's hair to fall out. Sickness that keeps a person in a long period of deterioration, such as the flu or malaria, may cause hair loss. And also, accidents such as vehicle crashes or any other similar situation where the body undergoes sudden physical damage, may cause hair loss.

Micrografting Surgery - Part 3: What To Expect After The Operation

Once all the grafts have been planted and the procedure is finished, your surgeon will carefully clean your scalp so the grafts are hardly noticeable. Most patients do not need to wear bandages when they leave the doctor's office. In fact, most patients who undergo this type of surgery go back to work only a day or two after the procedure.

After the surgery is completed, you will be transferred to a recovery room where you can rest and have a light meal. After you have finished eating, your doctor will give you medication that will help lessen the pain as well as the swelling once the anesthesia wears off. More photos of your scalp will also be taken at this time.

This is also the time for you to call someone to pick you up. Most, if not all doctors, will not let their patients drive themselves home after the surgery. Therefore, it is important to plan ahead for a designated driver to pick you up.

You will be asked several questions and the doctor will give you a final check-up before leaving the hospital. Your doctor will also give you certain instructions to follow and how to take care of your grafts to ensure a quick recovery. Among them are listed below:

1. Your doctor may advice you to take prescription medication as soon as you arrive home to reduce any aches or pain in the donor area and to help you relax. Most patients only feel a slight discomfort and decide not to take any medication, while some patients may take a light dose of ibuprofen.

2. Your doctor will also advise you to avoid too much sun exposure and strenuous activity, which could do damage to your new implanted grafts.

3. During the healing process, which takes about 7 to 10 days, you will be given specific instructions on how to clean your scalp. This includes gently washing your scalp the day after surgery with a mild shampoo to keep it clean and get rid of bits of blood crusts.

You will also be instructed to apply an antibiotic ointment on your grafts everyday to prevent infections and to keep them moist. In addition to antibiotic ointment, you may also be prescribed antibiotic capsules to avoid any complications. Call your doctor's office immediately if any problem occurs, such as redness, bleeding, bumps, or swelling.

Your doctor will schedule you to come back after several days to remove the sutures from the donor site. This is a painless process and takes about 3 minutes. Your doctor will take more pictures and check your scalp to make sure that everything is going smoothly.

The grafts will start to establish connections to the blood supply right after the surgery. When the new blood supply is completely developed, new hairs will grow permanently, a process that takes about 4 months. Similar to the other hairs on your head, your new hairs will grow approximately ½ inch per month. You will notice dramatic results in the density of your hair after about 4 months.

Micrografting Surgery - Part 2: What To Expect On The Day Of Your Operation

On the day of your micrograft transplant surgery, make a plan to have someone drive you to the doctor's office. Also make a plan to have someone pick you up. To ensure your safety, doctors will not let you drive yourself home because you may still feel drowsy, a bit disoriented, and your coordination may still be off.

Arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your appointment in case you need to take care of paperwork. Before the surgery, you will be given a surgical dress to put on over your clothes. You will also be given certain medication prior to your surgery. This may include a tranquilizer and other types of medication to minimize swelling and pain. Use the bathroom even if you don't need to go. This will eliminate the inconvenience of having to stop in the middle of the surgery because you have to use the bathroom.

Your doctor will again explain the procedure to you. He will mark your scalp in the specific area to be treated and take photos. You will then be taken to the operating room where you will be lying face down on a special surgical bed that is specifically made for your comfort and to keep you in place during the surgery.

Your doctor will begin by trimming a narrow section of your hair that is covering the back of your scalp. Next, using an antiseptic solution, the doctor will clean the scalp on the back of your head. He or she will then numb the donor area by injecting it with anesthesia. The first injection will be slightly uncomfortable and you will feel a sting, which will last very briefly. The medication that you took a few minutes ago will begin to kick in, making you feel more relaxed and calm. Your scalp will also start to feel numb and will continue to feel that way until after the surgery.

The surgeon will also inject the donor area with saline solution. The saline solution will help swell up the donor area, which makes it easier to remove the section of tissue. Your doctor will then take out that section of tissue using a single blade scalpel and pass it over to a group of medical assistants. The medical assistants will then cut the tissue into follicular unit micrografts. During this time, the doctor closes the open section of your scalp with sutures and puts a bandage over the closed wound while applying a soft pressure to lessen the bleeding. At the same time, the medical assistants will cool and trim the transplant tissue and form hundreds of follicular unit micrografts, a process that will take a few hours to finish.

The section of your head where the grafts will be placed will be numbed and the doctor will make very small slits to place the follicular unit micrografts. The surgeon will plant the grafts in places that enables them to grow in a natural pattern. Once that area is filled, the doctor will begin to work on the next site. During this time, many more follicular unit micrografts are being cut by the medical assistants. The surgery will be finished when all the graphs are planted into all the designated sites.