Discover Guaranteed Secret Hair Loss Prevention Method Who Else Wants To Stop Their Hair Loss!

If you are going bald or notice that your hair is starting to thin, there are a number of excellent hair loss prevention measures you can take to stop the thinning and hair loss. Most of us have heard that too much hat-wearing or poor circulation to the scalp can cause hair loss. Ladies, over-treated hair is the leading cause of hair loss in women.

Other Causes - Anemia, anorexia, bulimia, excess vitamin A, fungal infections, and zinc or fatty acid deficiency can also be the cause of hair loss in women. Medication - Some anti-depressants, blood thinners and medications for the treatment of gout can cause hair loss, as can excess Vitamin A. Medication - Several medications can cause or contribute to female hair loss, including anti-depressants, blood thinners, birth control pills, anti-cholesterol drugs and chemotherapy drugs.

Hormones - The human body contains an assortment of hormones, both male and female, that can become imbalanced and cause hair loss. Most normal hair loss commonly referred to as "Male Pattern Baldness" is caused by your genetic make-up that you inherited from both of your parents and as the natural process of aging causing your body hormones to decrease or stop the growth cycle of hair follicles. He Shou Wu is embraced by the Chinese, this herbal remedy has been known to reduce the effects of hair loss, as it's been said to delay the process.

A natural hair loss remedy provides a non evasive treatment method, without the use of medications and other methods that may result in side effects. These hair loss laser treatment devises are hand held and prescribed for use many times in a month to attain positive benefits of preventing hair loss and infusing hair growth. Unfortunately, a typical 'stressed' hair loss sufferer will probably proceed to spending half their lives desperately searching for a miracle cure and spending half their salaries each month paying for it.

Many women past 50 find that when they raise their levels of DHEA back up to the range for a normal 30- or 40-year-old woman, it not only slows or stops hair loss, but it can actually help re-grow new hair. The causes of hair loss can range from medical conditions to damage caused by extreme hairstyles or harsh hair care. Although the causes of women's hair loss vary from person to person, by understanding the common causes of female hair loss, this can help you find the right potential treatment or solution.

Hereditary thinning, or androgenetic alopecia to give its medical name, is the most common cause of women's hair loss. Natural Hair Loss is NOT caused by combing or shampooing, though rough treatment of the hair may contribute to some hair loss, though they certainly are not the root cause for most human hair loss. Finasteride, Minoxidil, and Rogaine are the more popular hair loss drug products available today to stop or prevent hair loss.

With these possible side effects linked to hair loss drug products, more and more hair loss sufferers are turning to natural hair loss remedies to prevent or stop hair loss. There are many new hair treatments and products available, which help in hair growth and prevent hair loss. Herbal hair loss treatments have been proven effective for decades and in some cases even centuries.

We suggest you use only proven and well known hair loss treatments to stop hair loss and regrow hair. If you suffer from hair loss or thinning hair or just want to keep your hair healthy and strong, it is recommended to use herbal hair loss treatments. Since we also know that hair loss is closely related to testosterone activity, it is very often recommended that any Hair Loss Treatment Plan include a DHT blocker and Saw Palmetto as an herbal supplement.

It appears that even genetic hair loss is in some way influenced by the hormone testosterone. Male-pattern-baldness, the type we associate with familial ties, is typically blamed on the paternal lineage, but there is an increasing body of scientific evidence supporting the idea that this type of hereditary hair loss may in fact be a product of the maternal lineage. Alopecia areata is a kind of skin disease, which could lead to bald patches on the head and could progress to hair loss in the whole body.

There are lots of hair loss products available on the internet which can be purchased, but consulting a dermatologist would help a lot. When a man goes to the local pharmacy to pick up his products for the treatment of hair loss he is bringing his problem out into the public. Lastly, male hormones called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is known to be the most common reason for male pattern hair loss.

There are three types of hair loss; thyroid hair loss, autoimmune alopecia, and male pattern hair loss. A popular and very viable treatment option for hair loss, especially in men with male pattern baldness, is surgical hair replacement. The most common treatment option for hair loss in women is the use of an over-the-counter drug, Minoxilil, commonly known as Rogain.

The most common hair loss treatment for both men and women is the use of Minoxilil, better known as Rogaine. Stress is a fairly common cause of hair loss in women. Iron Deficiency: Another common, but generally unrecognized, cause of hair loss is an iron deficiency, especially in pre-menopausal women.

A deficiency of biotin may cause hair to become frail and unhealthy, and hair breakage, which may result in hair loss. People suffering from heartburn, acid reflux, or GERD and who are taking antacids may absorb biotin less and hair loss may occur as a result. Since most forms of female hair loss are temporary, over the counter treatments may be used to prevent too much hair from being lost during these periods.

These are some of the well-known hair loss treatments that are famous and widely used. One widely held belief is that the over use of chemicals on the hair can cause hair thinning and eventually hair loss. Genetic hair loss is possibly the most devastating form of hair loss because it is permanent and can cause total balding.

Hair Loss - Cause, Prevention and Treatment

The adult scalp contains about 100,000 hair follicles. Everyday the scalp loses about 100 hairs and they will grow back in 5-6 weeks. Starting at age 40, the levels of by-product prolactin of testosterone of men increases, stimulating the production of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase that causes the conversion of testosterone to gihydro-testosterones DHT causing our hair to grow back thinner or not grown back at all. This causes an androgenic alopecia hair loss problem, since DHT shrinks the follicles causing hair thins and hair receding at the forehead, crown and temple for men and thins over the entire scalp for women. What causes hair loss.

1. The Causes of Hair Loss

a) Aging
Human aging is the biological process that is unavoidable but controllable with healthy diet with complex carbohydrates, green foods, garlic, onion, water and juices that will help to decrease the aging process in some degree. It also helps to reduce the amount of DHT produced in our body, result in postponing hair loss to our scalp.

b) Mineral deficiency
Minerals such as calcium, iron, copper, chromium, iodine, zinc, and magnesium are necessary to maintain healthy hair growth. Mineral deficiency will reduce the chance to regulate the blood circulation that promotes healthy hair growth and thyroid hormones that prevent dry hair and hair loss as well as defects in hair color. Too much iron is toxic to your body. Be sure to talk to your doctor before taking any mineral supplement.

c) Oxygen deficiency
Oxygen deficiency in your blood weakens the hair follicles, leading to dryness of the scalp and hair loss. Uncontrolled diet that is high in saturated fat causes cholesterol building up in your arteries resulting in less oxygen in your blood stream. Also cigarette smoking and second hand smoke reduces the blood flow and increases the blood clotting activity of cells which would clog the blood flow and damage arteries causing oxygen deficiency and results in weaken of the hair follicles.

d) Side affects of medication taken
Some medications contains elements that might cause hair loss such as lithium, warfarin, heparin, and amphetamines. When hair loss is a side effect of a medication, hair growth usually returns to normal once the drug is stopped.

e) Genetic hair loss
Hair loss is due to heredity. It is passed down from generation to generation. Genetic hair loss appears predominately in men, but may also appear in a few select women.

2. Food to Avoid

Foods that can cause hair loss and diminish hair growth.

a) Saturated and Trans fat
Foods such as meat, poultry, and fried foods contain high saturated fat. Foods such as margarine, cheese, and butter contain high amounts of trans fat. These foods cause cholesterol to build up in your arteries and small veins in your scalp resulting in less oxygen being delivered to the cell in your body, including the cells on the follicles.

b) Foods that contain Aspartame and Monosodium Glutamate
Monosodium Glutamate contain chemicals that causes weight gain, increased appetite and also causes various kinds of health problems such as hair loss.
Aspartame contains toxic chemicals that make you gain weight, increases hunger and causes medical problems like migraines and poor blood circulation.

c) Smoking
As we mentioned in the previous article, smoking can reduce blood flow to the scalp causing hardening in the arteries, limit blood flow and make hair loss worse.

d) Artificial Color
Artifiicial color contains chemical compounds that take their toll on the body's natural balance.
Specific foods to avoid include colored drinks, color-coated candies, gummy and chewy candies, and many colored cereals.

e) Preservatives
These are potentially toxic to the liver and kidneys that cause hair loss and prevent hair growth as we mentioned in the article "Hair loss part IV--regrow hair with Chinese herbs".

f) Food Packaging
Polyvinyl chloride is a known carcinogen, and it's often used as plastic food wrap. It is toxic with high amounts causing damage to the kidney and liver resulting in hair loss.

g) Salt
Eating too much salt can lead to fluid retention and increased blood pressure that cause less oxygen to be delivered to the body's cells including cells in your scalp in result of losing hair.

3. Hair Loss Prevention and Treatment

I. Here are some important minerals that may help to prevent hair loss and promote hair re-growth:

a) Iron
Iron is involved in the oxygenation of your body's red blood cells. It is essential for normal hair growth and maintaining healthy hair. If the amount of iron can not be replaced with food intake, iron deficiency will cause hair loss because of oxygen deficiency.

b) Zinc
It helps to secrete the scalp with much needed oil and avoid dandruff that may cause hair loss.

c) Copper
Study shows that these tripeptide complexes may actually be able to regrow hair, even in patients with total hair loss due to alopecia. Healthy tissue concentrations of copper lie between 1. 7 and 3. 5 milligrams. Everything else will cause hair loss.

d) B vitamins
The deficiency of B vitamins (especially B6, B3, B5 and folic acid) in your diet may lead to hair loss.

e) Biotin
Biotin works as an anti aging agent and helps to produce keratin in preventing gray hair and hair loss.
Sources of biotin are: whole grains, egg yolks, liver, rice and milk.

f) Vitamin A
Vitamin A is important for over-all good health. It's also beneficial to hair follicles, as it keeps the hair root lubricated. Too much vitamin A might result in hair loss.

g) Vitamin E
Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant that aids effective circulation in the scalp due to increased oxygen uptake in blood, therefore it plays an important role in promoting hair growth and preventing hair loss.

h) CQ-10
Coenzyme Q10 (CQ-10) is an essential vitamin that provides our body with the nutrients needed to grow healthy hair. They also promote overall vitality, and contribute to beautiful skin and strong nails.

II. Here are some daily foods that might help to prevent hair loss and promote hair re-growth

1. Yogurt and soy
Yogurt and soy contain high amounts of protein that is needed to maintain hair growth. Study shows that soy protein reinforces hair and stimulates its growth.

2. Dark green vegetable
Dark green vegetable contains high amounts of iron that are needed to restore oxygen levels in the blood stream as well as nurturing the body's cells.

3. Whole grain products
Whole grain contains zinc which is needed to maintain healthy hair. Zinc deficiency can lead to dry hair and oily skin.

4. Essential fatty acid
Essential fatty acid can be found abundant in cold water fish. It helps to maintain healthy cholesterol and reduce triglyceride in result of increasing circulation of blood flow in our body.

6. Nut and seed
Nuts and seeds are fatty foods which are typically the best sources of vitamin E, an immune enhancing antioxidant and nerve protector. Deficiency of vitamin E can lead to skin disorders, dry hair and loss of hair.

7. Carrots
Carrots contain high amounts of vitamin A. It is an antioxidant that helps produce healthy sebum in the scalp. Having too much vitamin A can lead to hair loss.
There are many other foods that help promote hair growth and prevent hair loss, such as fruits, egg, spinach, and broccoli.

Be sure to talk to your doctor before taking large amounts of the above foods. There may be side effects, such as overdoses of vitamin A in carrot might result in hair loss.

III. Traditionally, herbs have been around for over thousands of years and offer much success to prevent or cure diseases well before the discovery of western medicine. Here are some herbs thathave been proven in treating hair loss and promoting hair growth

a) Shikakai
Acacia Concinna is a small shrub-like tree that grows in India. It's pod-like fruit is collected, dried and then grounded into a fine powder. It is used to cleanse hair, and is known to promote hair growth and get rid of dandruff. Due to these benefits, this powder was named shikakai which means "fruit for the hair".

b) Grape seed extract
Grape seed extract is a very strong antioxidant that some use as a supplement or remedy to various conditions. It contains high levels of vitamin E and essential fatty acids that are essential for maintaining hair growth and preventing hair loss.

c) Kirin Brewery new discovery
Japanese cosmetics company Shiseido working with Kirin Brewery has discovered a unique property of an extract of hops that can help to activate the melanocyte cells that generate hair pigment.

d) Saw palmetto
As we mentioned in another article, Saw palmetto is the number one choice for men. Saw palmetto helps to block the formation of 5-alpha reductase, an enzyme that causes the conversion of testosterone to DHT that causes hair loss.

e) Basil extract
Basil Extract from the natural flowers of the basil plant, works to quickly soothe and calm skin of the scalp.

f) Pumpkin Seed
Pumpkin seeds help to block DHT, which is responsible for genetic hair loss. This common seed is loaded with zinc and magnesium that have the ability to block enzymes which yield DHT causing damage to follicles and resulting in hair loss.

g) Buddleja Davidii Extract
Buddleja Davidii extract contain active ingredients protecting the skin against toxic radicals. It can also help reduce skin aging and protect the skin against the damage caused from stresses and toxins.

h) Green Tea
Green tea contains the chemical globulin that helps to reduce levels of free testosterone, so that it cannot be converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the hair follicle.
Be sure to talk to your doctor or dermatologist before taking any herb supplement.

IV. Traditionally Chinese herbs have been around for over 4000 years and have offered much success to prevent or cure diseases well before the discovery of western medicine. Hair loss is directly linked to kidney deficiency syndrome in Chinese traditional medicine. People with hair loss problems especially in their early life may have a weak Kidney. Here are some Chinese herbs that have been proven in treating hair loss and promoting hair growth

a) Dong Quai
Traditionally, Chinese woman used Dong Quai to restore blood cells and increase the circulation of oxygen in the bloodstream to cells after period. Dong Quai contains phytoestrogen that helps to block the androgen receptor site in result of blocking the conversion of testerone to DHT, therefore reducing the chance of hair loss due to aging.

b) Ginseng
Ginseng is said to have the power of rejuvenating and energizing the body. It also helps to stimulate circulation of oxygen in our bloodstream to the cells of our body as well as the cells in our scalp.

c) Shou wu (polygonum)
Shou Wu is a polygonum multiflorum plant. It is now being used in conjuncture with other herbals, as an active ingredient in shampoos and orally administered to prevent hair loss as well as aiding the restoration of roots and production of new hair.

d) Psoralea seeds
Study shows that psoralea extract and exposure to ultra violet light will help to restore hair loss and promote hair regrowth with a 33% success rate.

e) Mulberry
Chinese herbalists believe that mulberry is an excellent tonic for the kidney, liver and blood that provides more oxygen in the bloodstream as well as small blood vessels in the scalp.

f) Chinese Yam
Numerous successful studies have been performed in examining the benefits of the Chinese yam. Chinese yam can help to nourish the liver, kidney and blood in result of preventing hair loss and promoting hair growth.

g) Green tea
Green tea containing catechins inhibit the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase that converts testosterone into hair-unfriendly DHT. So drinking great tea everyday is an effective treatment for male pattern baldness.

h) Chinese foxblove root
Chinese foxblove root contains cornus, the chemical that help to nurture the kidney, liver and blood in result of promoting hair growth.

i) Wolf berry
One of the natural superfoods has been used in traditional Chinese cooking. Wolf berry helps to eliminate toxins in the body in result of better function of the kidney, liver and blood that help to promote hair growth.

Chinese medicine believes that the benefit of nourishing the kidney and blood tonic helps for healthy hair growth and preventing hair loss.

V. Here are some prescription and over the counter drugs that might help prevent further hair loss and promote hair growth.

1. Minoxidil
Minoxidil is an over the counter drug and is a spray or lotion that you put directly on your scalp twice a day. It is available without a prescription. It is believed to work by affecting potassium- regulating mechanisms in the hair follicle. Study shows that it helps to slow and stop hair loss and regrow new hair with over 60 % success rate. Be sure talk to your doctor or dermatologist before taking minoxidil. It might cause rash to some patients.

2. Finasteride
Finastteride is an oral prescription medication. Finasteride is a synthetic hormone that halts hair loss and stimulates new hair growth. It is a medication that selectively inhibits the activity of an enzyme that converts the "male hormone" testosterone into a form that is active in hair follicles.

3. Rogaine
Rogaine is a clear alcohol-based solution and should be applied to a person's thinning area with it's supplied dropper or spray twice a day. It helps about 25 percent of men and 20 percent of women to grow back moderate amounts of hair very gradually, mostly on the very top of the head. They must keep using Rogaine indefinitely to keep the new hair.

4. Retin-A
Retin-A is only available by prescription in the US. In the right doses and when combined with Minoxidil it can be a hair growth stimulator. Studies shows that Retin- A can result in moderate hair growth in some patients.

5. Proscar
Proscar contains the same active ingredient finasteride. Proscar has the effect of lowering the hormone DHT, which interacts with bald vulnerable hair follicles and causes hair loss. By reducing the DHT in the patient's body the finasteride in the Proscar proved to slow and even stop or reverse hair loss in many men.

Before taking any hair loss medication over the counter, please consult first with your doctor or dermatologist.

PCOS and Hair Loss - Natural Therapies Can Restore Scalp Hair

Excessive scalp hair loss is a severe challenge to a woman's self image and her standing in business and society. Although we usually think of balding as a man's problem, women actually make up forty percent of the people in North America experiencing the distress of excessive hair loss. Many women losing significant scalp hair have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Safe, effective, natural therapies that treat the hormone imbalances related to PCOS will also restore your hair to optimal health. I am delighted to offer you these indispensable tools to help you restore your hair and your health.

Women experiencing hair loss lose ground fast in today's world. At work and in her personal life a woman's appearance has much to do with her financial and social success. Men may also prefer not to go bald. But since balding is known to be caused by high levels of testosterone, a bald man may be credited with extra virility. There is no such happy story for balding women. The appearance of thinning scalp hair translates to a significant loss of personal power for women.

The medical community in general treats women's hair loss as a minor health issue. Most physicians have little inclination to address the emotional distress you feel. In many cases physicians treat balding as if it were "only" a vanity issue; they may not recognize hair loss as a red flag pointing to serious metabolic conditions, including PCOS.

The psychological pain of hair loss and its effect on our sense of empowerment is as devastating as any disfiguring disease. If you are a balding woman, your hair loss is a life altering condition with profound consequences for your health. Getting your hands on the wheel and driving yourself toward a solution for hair loss is the first step toward reviving your sense of personal strength and power. If hair loss is part of PCOS, the effort you make to restore your physical health will also renew scalp hair growth.

You need expert help to properly diagnose the cause of your hair loss. Hair loss that could have been merely temporary may become permanent if you have a delayed or incorrect diagnosis. Misdiagnoses is perhaps the most frustrating aspect of hair loss for women. The information I present here will help you identify the cause of your hair loss and ideally lead you and your doctors to proper treatments for your kind of hair loss, sooner rather than later.

Alopecia is the medical term for excessive or abnormal hair loss. There are different kinds of alopecia. What all hair loss has in common, whether it's in men or women, is that it is always a symptom of something else that's gone wrong. Your hair will remain on your head where it belongs if hormone imbalance, disease, or some other condition is not occurring. That condition may be as simple as having a gene that makes you susceptible to male or female pattern baldness. Or it may be as complex as a whole host of diseases. Hair loss may be a symptom of a short-term event such as stress, pregnancy, or a side effect of certain medications. In these situations, hair grows back when the event has passed. Substances including hormones and medication can cause a change in the hair growth patterns. When this happens, growth and shedding occur at the same time. Once the cause is dealt with, hairs go back to their random pattern of growth and shedding, and balding stops.

Alopecia: A Common Problem

Today more women than ever are experiencing hair loss -- and the causes are typically quite different that what causes balding in men. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, some 30 million women in the United States are experiencing some degree of distressing scalp hair loss. The most common causes of scalp hair loss in women can include:

Mineral or vitamin deficiency - zinc, manganese, iron, vitamin B6, biotin

Essential fatty acid deficiency from a low calorie diet or eating disorders

Protein deficiency, as is common with vegetarian diets

Anemia from a low iron diet, poor digestion or any excess blood loss

Eating disorders, like anorexia, bulimia, even 'yo-yo' dieting; also compulsive or excessive physical exercise

Drug toxicity, for instance anesthesia with surgery or chemotherapy for cancer

Many prescription medications have hair loss as a potential 'side' effect, including bromocriptine, beta blockers, ACE inhibitors, amphetamines, anti-cholesterol agents

Severe infections, either viral or bacterial

Severe stress, either a sudden extreme event or persistent, long term challenges

Any hypothalamic or pituitary disorder

Any liver, thyroid gland, adrenal gland or ovarian disorder, including PCOS

Any sex steroid imbalance such as low progesterone, estrogen dominance, excess testosterone or insulin

Starting or stopping any hormone therapy, including birth control pills, menopausal hormone replacement treatment or thyroid hormone replacement

Any natural event that causes big hormone changes, like child birth, breastfeeding and weaning or menopause

Perms, hair color, bleach, improper brushing/combing, pulling on the hair

Autoimmune disease such as lupus or multiple sclerosis

Allergies to foods, medicines, environmental chemicals or topical drugs

Recent hepatitis B shot. If you had a Hep B vaccine since this hair loss started, there may be a connection.  An article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (278:117-8, 1997) links the Hep B vaccine to increased incidence of alopecia in women.

How does an individual woman figure out why she is losing too much of her hair? To understand that, it's important to understand how hair grows.

Hair Grows in Cycles

Scalp hair grows about one-half inch per month. An individual strand of hair will grow for two to six years. Eventually each hair "rests" for a while, and then falls out. Soon after, that follicle will start growing a new strand. A healthy scalp will let about 100 of these cycling hairs fall out every day.

In folks with a genetic predisposition to hair loss, and for women with PCOS, hormones called androgens drive this process. Androgen hormones include testosterone, androsteinedione, and dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Men make and use relatively large amounts of androgens. Appropriate, smaller amounts of androgens are essential to women's health as well.

In those who are genetically susceptible, testosterone activates enzymes produced in the hair cell, which then cause it to be converted into the more potent androgen DHT.  DHT then binds with receptors deep within the hair follicle. Eventually, so much DHT builds up that the follicle begins shrinking. It can't produce new hair reliably. Some of the follicles permanently stop producing new hairs. The end result is significant hair loss. The medical term for this condition is androgenic alopecia. Testosterone converts to DHT with the aid of the enzyme Type II 5-alpha reductase, which is held in a hair follicle's oil glands. Actually, it's not the amount of circulating testosterone that is the problem but the amount of DHT clogging up and shrinking scalp follicles, making it impossible for healthy hair to survive.

The process of testosterone converting to DHT, which then harms hair follicles, happens in both men and women. Usually women have a tiny fraction of the amount of testosterone that men make. It seems that for women with hair loss, the actual level of testosterone is not as crucial as are changes in the amount of testosterone she has. A shift in hormone levels triggered by lifestyle or other factors, will cause DHT- triggered hair loss in women. Even when hormone blood levels remain within what doctors consider "normal", they can become high enough to cause a problem for an individual woman. The levels may not rise at all and still be a problem if you are very sensitive to even normal levels of chemicals, including hormones.

Because our hormones operate through a delicately balanced feedback system, with signals sent via the blood between the brain and body tissue, androgens do not need to be raised to trigger a problem. If the so-called female hormones, (which also are essential to men's health) are for any reason shifting in relation to androgens, the resulting imbalance can also cause problems, including hair loss.

Hormones are always changing. Testosterone levels in men drop by as much as 10 percent each decade after age thirty. Women's hormone levels shift with each menstrual cycle, or due to a lack of regular menses, in pregnancies and menopause. Eating disorders, excessive exercise, drugs and environmental toxins can also impact hormone levels.

Keys To Successful Treatment

Treatment of thinning scalp hair must be grounded in changing the habits you may have that support elevated androgens. Diet and exercise are key to maintaining optimal hormone balance. In fact, for women with PCOS, research is clear- there is no drug therapy more effective than proper diet and regular exercise. First, you get your foundational health habits in order; then, specific targeted therapies have the best chance of being effective for you.

Women with PCOS may also have excess coarse dark hair on their face and body. The only way to address the dark, coarse hair that grows out of follicles that have already been altered by excess androgens, is to destroy the follicle with laser or similar therapy. Once a follicle has changed the type of hair it produces, it will not change back. It is crucial to tame the excess androgens and prevent conversion of additional follicles, before investing in a therapy to permanently destroy facial or body hair follicles.

What Causes Women to Lose Too Much Scalp Hair?

For a long time doctors believed that androgenic alopecia was the main cause of balding in both men and women. Now we know that the process that leads to excessive hair loss in women is different. It is called female pattern hair loss.

An important difference between male and female balding is the pattern in which the hair loss occurs. Female pattern hair loss tends to happen as an overall thinning across all areas of the scalp, including the sides and back. Men lose hair from specific spots, like the temple, the crown, that bald spot in the back of the head. Male and female hormone and enzyme receptor sites are also in different areas of the scalp, causing the different gender related loss patterns of hair loss.

A second major difference is that balding in men is usually caused by a man's genetics and his age, but for women, balding can happen at any age.

Lifestyle Choices, Illness and Medical Treatments Cause Hair Loss

Most women with hair loss have multiple features of their lifestyle, diet and health-related events that contribute. Sex hormone fluctuations are responsible for most female hair loss, including those who have PCOS, a recent pregnancy, menopause, hormone replacement therapy or birth control drug side effects. Chemotherapy for cancer, anti-coagulant drugs, iron- deficiency anemia, autoimmune disease can cause hair loss. Any disease involving hormone producing glands, including the thyroid, the adrenal and pituitary glands can trigger balding in women. It is essential for all women to learn the true cause of their hair loss before engaging any particular treatment.

The complex hormonal changes that accompany polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) often result in scalp hair loss. Sometimes hair loss is the first sign that a woman is suffering the metabolic disorder that also causes problems with acne, facial and body hair growth, irregular menstrual cycles and infertility. PCOS is associated with increased risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

Thyroid disorders, anemia, chronic illness or the use of certain medications, particularly any form of hormone replacement therapy or contraceptive prescriptions- should be considered a possible cause of hair loss in women. Autoimmune disorders will result in somewhat different, often less dramatic hair loss known as alopecia areata -- an inflammatory condition in which hair comes out in clumps or patches.

Any drop in estrogen levels, as happens after pregnancy, with menopause, or when changing your hormone therapy including birth control pill use, will cause what is called estrogenic alopecia. In contrast to testosterone, estrogen helps scalp hair grow faster and stay on the head longer, resulting in thicker hair. This is the reason women's hair gets fuller during pregnancy when estrogen levels are quite high, then sheds several weeks after the baby is born.

For women who do not have fertility-related hormone changes, estrogen-deficiency scalp hair loss generally starts around menopause. This form of female hair loss can be the first sign of approaching menopause. Sometimes the alopecia won't begin until a few months or even years after menstruation has ended. Not all women get noticeable alopecia after menopause but most have a little thinning.

It's not uncommon to have multiple factors involved in female hair loss. Many women with PCOS have thyroid problems, usually hypothyroidism (low thyroid function). Not only does hypothyroidism contribute to weight problems, it can also contribute to hair thinning. Some women with PCOS have both an excessively high level of testosterone and an under active thyroid.

If your hair is thinning, you may have heavy metals like lead, mercury or cadmium in your tissues. These poisonous residues saturate our environment. If you have lived near what is, or ever was an industrial or mining site, or lived with someone who works in a polluting industry, you may be contaminated. If you have ever smoked tobacco, you have a lot of cadmium in your body.

The majority of women with androgenic alopecia have diffuse thinning on all areas of the scalp. Some women may have a combination of two pattern types. Androgenic alopecia is caused by a variety of factors tied to the actions of hormones including PCOS, using contraceptives, pregnancy, and menopause. Any blood sugar and insulin hormone imbalance will lead to excess androgens. Women with insulin resistance, from chronic over-eating of refined carbohydrate food, will see more impact from androgens. Insulin resistance is associated with PCOS as well as Type 2 diabetes. Chronic stress that depletes adrenal glands can change the levels of androgens a woman produces as well. This is often the source of problems like infertility, acne and hair thinning in lean, athletic women with PCOS. Heredity may play a role in androgenic alopecia.

Any big event like childbirth or breastfeeding, malnutrition from an alteration in your diet, a severe infection, major surgery, or any extreme stress, can suddenly shift much of the 90 percent or so of your hairs that are in the growing phase or resting phase into the shedding phase. You will see this shift in the rate of hair loss 6 weeks to three month after the stressful event. This is called telogen effluvium. It is possible to lose great bunches of hair daily with full-blown telogen effluvium. Usually this type of hair loss is reversible, if major stressors are avoided. For some women however, telogen effluvium is a mysterious chronic disorder and can persist for months or years, without ever completely identifying all of the triggering factors.

Anagen effluvium happens when the hair follicle cells are so damaged they can not recover or reproduce. This is usually due to toxicity of chemotherapy for cancer. Chemotherapy is meant to destroy rapidly dividing cancer cells. Hair follicles in the growing (anagen) phase, are therefore vulnerable. Anagen effluvium means the hair shaft narrows as a result of damage to the follicle. The shaft breaks off at the narrowing and causes the loss of hair.

Traction alopecia is damage from hairstyles that pull at hair over time (braiding, cornrows, ponytails, extensions). If the condition is detected early enough, you can change your styling practice to be gentler on the follicles, and your hair will regrow.

Hormone contraceptives are a leading cause of distressing hair loss and other symptoms in women. Since the birth control pill first began being used in 1960, oral contraceptives, injections, implants, skin patches and vaginal rings have become the most commonly prescribed forms of birth control.

Unfortunately, many young women are given contraceptive hormones even when they are not sexually active, as a 'treatment' for irregular menses or acne. This is a mistake. This is not a treatment that addresses the underlying cause of problem periods or pimples. Contraceptive hormones will severely complicate a woman's hormone balance and can lead to many health problems, including significant hair loss and worsening acne.

All contraceptive drugs use synthetic hormones to suppress ovulation. These drugs cause your ovaries to stop working; they are in a kind of 'sleep' state. Instead of having your natural cycles result from a dance of signals between your body and your brain, your tissues are subject to synthetic hormones in amounts much larger than your body normally makes.  There are many long and short -term consequences to ovarian suppression. Most women experience side effects using contraceptive drugs, including hair loss either during or several weeks or months after stopping the drug.

An article appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association (278:117-8, 1997) linking the Hepatitis B vaccine to increased incidence of balding in women.

Diagnostic Testing

In order to successfully treat hair loss, it is essential to understand why your hair follicles are not healthy. There are diagnostic tests that may help identify the underlying biochemistry that is contributing to your excess hair loss. However, many women with significant chemical imbalances related to their hair loss will find that these test results are within the "normal" range. That's because in many cases hair loss represents a stage of ill-health that is an early phase of a disease that will eventually fully develop. The lifestyle and dietary habits that eventually cause Type 2 diabetes and heart disease will also cause scalp hair thinning and facial hair coarsening in young women. It is usually many years before these same women have diagnostic tests that reveal they are diabetic or have coronary artery disease. Many of these women have undiagnosed PCOS.

Selective Sensitivity is the underlying problem

Another reason why diagnostic tests may be confusing is because of something called 'selective sensitivity' or 'selective resistance'. It turns out that some body cells are more sensitive than others to the same amounts of hormone. A major complicating factor for some women is that while her muscle and fat may be insulin resistant, other types of organ cells are not.  The pituitary, ovaries, and adrenal glands of an insulin resistant woman are stimulated by higher levels of insulin than is desirable, which causes for instance elevated testosterone. The high levels of androgens in turn increase risk for heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.

Despite these possible difficulties, it is important to do our best to determine what is and isn't the cause of a major symptom like persistent excessive hair loss. Diagnostic tests that can help identify the source of your metabolic imbalance are:

The hair pull test is a simple diagnostic test in which the physician lightly pulls a small amount of hair (approx. 100 simultaneously) in order to determine if there is excessive loss. Normal range is zero to three hairs per pull.

Hormone levels: Dehydroepiandrosterone, testosterone, androstenedione, prolactin, sex hormone binding globulin, follicular stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone. It is ideal to sample for FSH and LH on day 19 to 21 of your menstrual cycle, if those days can be identified.

Fasting blood glucose and insulin levels as well as cholesterol and triglyceride levels

A complete blood count plus serum iron, ferritin and total iron binding capacity

Thyroid stimulating hormone plus a thyroid function panel including T3, T4, and T3 % uptake

VDRL to screen for syphilis

A scalp biopsy should be done before choosing surgical transplant

Densitometry, a magnification device, used check for shrinking of the hair shaft.

Conventional Medical Treatments For Hair Loss

You may be very interested in drug therapies of surgery to address the profound distress of excessive hair loss. It is simply human nature to hope for a simple pill or procedure that will permanently free us from our problems. Unfortunately drugs never actually provide a simple solution. Once you swallow a chemical, it is delivered all over your body; it affects your whole body. We cannot control drugs so they have only the effects we want- there are always side effects that are more or less problematic. Using drug therapy means trading one problem for some others. Sometimes this is exactly the right thing to do. Other times it is a personal disaster. Most drugs will act on all your tissues there is a danger of side effects that further damage your health. Topical treatments applied directly to the scalp use the lowest doses, and are the least harmful drug choices.

You will enjoy the best results when you begin any treatment as soon as possible after hair loss begins. Stopping the adverse effects of androgens means you can prevent further hair loss. And you can support regrowth from the follicles that were dormant still healthy. Depending on how the agent you choose works, stopping treatment will result in the hair loss resuming, unless you have also made other changes in your lifestyle that keep androgens at a level that is healthy and not harmful to you.

Below you will find a list of treatments currently being used to treat hair loss in women. Some of these drugs have not been approved by the FDA for this particular application, however they have all been approved for other applications and are used "off label" to treat hair loss. Currently 2% topical Minoxidil is the only FDA approved treatment specifically for female pattern hair loss.

The effectiveness of these agents and methods will vary from woman to woman, but many women have found that using these treatments has made a positive difference in the character of their hair and their positive self-esteem. As always, treatments have the best chance of being effective if they are geared to the cause of the hair loss as well as to triggering hair growth.

Estrogen and progesterone as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), typically prescribed for women undergoing menopause for any reason, is probably the most common systemic form of treatment for androgenic alopecia in women.

Oral contraceptives will decrease the production of ovarian androgens, and thus can be used to treat women's androgenic alopecia. There are substantial reasons to avoid the use of either synthetic or bio-identical hormone treatments for your hair loss. Some birth control pills actually contribute to hair loss by triggering it or increasing it once it's been triggered by something else. Any individual woman may have a selective sensitivity to any hormone combination- what is a low androgen effect formula for one woman may be a high androgen effect for another.

I am no longer able to recommend the use of birth control pills or other hormone-based contraception to young women. Decades of evidence suggest there are plenty of known, and possibly as yet unknown health risks associated with the use of ANY from of reproductive hormones, either prescription or over-the-counter forms. It is clear that the benefits of hormonal contraceptives are accompanied by significant risks, including making it much more likely that a woman will experience hormone imbalances that lead to a long list of negative effects. Hormone replacement puts you are risk for:

Depression or other mood disorders; decreased libido

Migraines and headaches

Breast lumps, tenderness and enlargement

Vaginal bleeding between periods

High blood pressure (hypertension)

High cholesterol

Blood clot in the leg, felt as: pain in the calf; leg cramps; leg or foot swelling

Blood clot in the lung, felt as: shortness of breath; sharp chest pain; coughing up blood

Heart attack, felt as: chest pain or heaviness

Sudden loss of vision or vision changes, which can be a sign of a blood clot in the eye

Cerebral vascular accident (a stroke): impaired vision or speech; weakness or numbness in a limb; severe headache

Liver damage, seen as: yellow eyes or skin; dark urine; abdominal pain

Allergic reaction: rash; hives; itching; swelling; difficulty breathing or swallowing

Acne

Bloating, nausea and vomiting

Changes in your eyes that make it more difficult to wear contact lenses

If you chose a hormone prescription for any reason, you should be sure to use only low-androgen content methods. If you have a strong predisposition for genetic hair loss, insulin resistance, diabetes, heart disease or any female organ cancer in your family I strongly recommend the use of another non-hormonal form of birth control.

Below is a list of birth control pills ranging from lowest androgen index to highest:

Desogen, Ortho-Cept, Ortho-Cyclen, Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Micronor, Nor-Q D, Ovcon-35, Brevicon/Modicon, Ortho Norvum 7/7/7, Ortho Novum 10-11, Tri-Norinyl, Norinyl and Ortho 1/35, Demulen 1/35, Triphasil/Tri-Levien, Nordette, Lo/Ovral, Ovrette, Ovral, Loestrin1/20, Loestrin 1.5/30.

The following hormonal contraceptives have a significant potential of causing hair loss or making it worse:

Progestin implants, such as Norplant, are small rods surgically implanted under your skin. The rods release a continuous dose of progestin to prevent ovarian function.

Progestin injections, such as Depo-Provera, are given into the muscles of the upper arm or buttocks.

The skin patch (Ortho Evra) is pasted onto your shoulder, buttocks, or other location. It releases progestin and estrogen continuously to prevent your ovaries from producing normal cycles.

The vaginal ring (NuvaRing) is a flexible ring that is inserted into the vagina. This method releases the  lowest amounts of progestin and estrogen.

Minoxidil 2% Topical Treatment - Minoxidil seems to be more effective for women than men, for increasing scalp hair growth. The manufacturers of minoxidil recommend women use 2% minoxidil. There is a 5% solution available that has been tested and found safe enough for men. Because the makers of minoxidil have not invested in the expense of gaining FDA approval for promoting 5% minoxidil for use by women, it must be prescribed and used under a physician's supervision. Small clinical trials on 5% minoxidil for women show that the 5% solution is in fact more effective in both retaining and regrowing hair than the 2 % solution.

Spironolactone (Aldactone) is a potassium-sparing diuretic used to treat high blood pressure and swelling. Spironolactone slows the production of androgens in the adrenal glands and ovaries. It prevents DHT from binding to receptor sites in the hair follicles.

Cimetidine (Tagamet) is a histamine blocker, approved to treat digestive tract ulcers. It prevents the stomach from producing digestive enzymes. Cimetidine also has been shown to block DHT from binding to hair follicle receptor sites.

Cyproterone acetate is used to reduce sexual aggression in men. Cyproterone acetate blocks DHT at hair follicle receptors. It has significant toxicity and long term side effects and is not available in the US.

Ketoconazole is a prescription topical treatment. It is primarily used as an antimicrobial for treating skin fungus. It suppresses production of androgens by adrenal glands, testicles and ovaries. Nizoral shampoo contains 2% ketoconazole. There is an over-the-counter version available. It has 1% active ingredient and is not as effective as prescription strength.

Finasteride is a drug that inhibits the enzyme 5-alpha reductase, an enzyme that deactivates DHT. It is sold as Proscar to treat prostate enlargement in men. Sold as Propecia it is approved by the FDA for male balding. Women should not take it if they are pregnant or might become pregnant because of the risk of feminization effects on a male fetus.

Surgical Implants

Since hair restoration surgery is an option for the vast majority of the balding men, women may want to consider it. However, the type of hair loss most women suffer from makes hair transplants a bad idea.

Few women have the type of hair loss that make them good candidates for a surgical solution. Most men lose hair in well-defined areas, for instance the receding forehead or the classic round spot on the top of the skull. Little clumps or plugs of hair are removed from areas where healthy follicles are stable and plentiful, and these are transplanted to other areas of the head. Women more often experience an overall thinning across their whole scalp, including the sides and back. Most women have few reliably stable donor sites. Offering to transplant hair from unstable donor sites is medically unethical and women must not allow their distress about balding to get in the way of a cool- eyed look at the rationale behind treatment options offered.

Are any women good candidates for hair transplant? Yes, some.  A small percentage, 2% to 5% of women will have the type of hair loss that will benefit from this type of procedure. They are:

Women who have suffered hair loss due to non-hormonal causes, like traction alopecia.

Women who have scalp scars from some kind of wound or cosmetic surgery and want to repair hair loss around the incision or injury sites.

Women who have healthy and stable donor sites along with balding in a distinct pattern, like a receding hairline or thinning on the very top of the head.

Natural Remedies for Women's Hair Loss

Safe, effective natural therapies are available to help you restore scalp health and increase hair growth. Like all natural therapies, in order to be maximally effective, it is essential to work with you as an individual. Some remedies will be more useful to you than others, depending on your unique, personal physical, mental and emotional health status. It is always important to spend your health care dollars well. I offer a consultation service to help you choose and make best use of the available options for treatment. Please visit your local ND to find out how to benefit from a personal consultation. You will receive recommendations for specific natural therapies, designed for your unique health status, to help you restore your health, and your scalp hair to it's fullest and most enjoyable beauty.

Cause Of Hair Loss - A Comprehensive 13 Point Checklist

There may not be a single cause of hair loss in many cases but rather a number of factors may contribute to thinning or losing hair.

The following 13 point checklist will help you identify which causes of hair loss may apply in your case. But first a word about hair growth cycles.

Hair Growth Cycles

Hair is constantly going through cycles of growth, resting, shedding. When hairs that are lost are not replaced, or when more hair follicles go into the resting phase, hair loss becomes noticeable.

While there is ongoing debate regarding causes of hair loss, the list below shows many of the common contributing factors:

#1: Ageing

The period for hair loss is between the 20 and 50 years of age. Some individuals arrive at the advance stages of hair loss sooner than others although it becomes increasingly evident as people advance in age.

#2: Cosmetic Chemicals

This can be an unrecognized cause of hair loss, especially bleaching, permanents, and coloring products.

#3: Drugs/Medications/Radiation

This cause of hair loss can include anticoagulants, antidepressants, contraceptive pills, amphetamines, some arthritis medications, some antibiotics, some blood thinners, medicines for gout, drugs derived from vitamin-A, certain drugs for ulcers, beta blocker drugs for high blood pressure.

Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy halt the growth phase of hair follicles which results in a sudden hair loss as those follicles all shed their hair at about the same time.

#4: Heredity

Androgenetic alopecia is the term used to describe a genetic predisposition in men and women for pattern baldness or pattern hair loss. Although there is a dominant tendency for male pattern baldness, female members of a family can be transmitters as well.

#5: Hormonal Imbalance

If the male and female hormones, androgens and estrogens, are out of balance, hair loss may result. Also an overactive or underactive thyroid gland can contribute to hair loss.

#6: Illness and Severe Infections

These can include scalp fungal infections, Thyroid disorders, Hyperthyroidism, Hypothyroidism, Diabetes, Lupus.

#7: Immune System Disorder

Alopecia areata is an immune system disorder which causes hair follicles to stop producing hairs. Advanced forms of the disorder are identified by the terms alopecia totalis when all head hair disappears, and alopecia universalis which results in all body hair disappearing.

#8: Menopause

This can be a main cause of hair loss in women. Due to hormonal changes after menopause, some women find their hair begins to thin.

There are a variety of treatments available involving hormone replacement therapy (HRT). There may be side effects in some cases and experimentation may be necessary under the guidance of a physician.

#9: Poor Blood Circulation

Poor blood flow to the scalp, insufficient nutrients in the blood, or poor drainage of waste products through the lymphatic systems can all contribute to hair loss.

#10: Pregnancy

Three to six months after delivering a child, many women notice a degree of hair loss as the hair goes into a resting phase because of the physiological impact of the pregnancy on the body.

#11: Pulling

Traction Alopecia is the term used to describe loss of hair from constant pulling, as with tightly braided hair styles such as pony tails.

Also the improper use of curling tongs or rollers can tug the hair so it weakens.

#12: Sebum Buildup

A basic cause of hair loss is sebum buildup in the follicles which attacks the hair bulb, the rounded area at the end of a hair strand which is rooted in the follicle. Sebum causes the hair bulb to shrink so the hair is not as well rooted.

After the hair falls out the new hair strand growing in that follicle is weaker and thinner and the process is repeated until the hair follicle is so damaged it dies. (Sebum is a fatty substance secreted from the sebaceous glands most of which open into hair follicles.)

#13: Stress and Nervous Disorders

Telogen Effluvium is the term used for a slowing down of new hair growth because of sudden or severe stress. The stress triggers a large number of hair follicles to enter the resting stage, so a few months after the stressful event, those follicles shed hair at about the same time.

From the list above you may be able to identify the main cause of hair loss in your case. Don't hesitate to get professional advice from a medical practitioner if the reason is beyond your direct control. Early action can save much anxiety later!

Hair Loss Prevention- Why Do Castrated Men Never Go Bald?

Note-This content only presents overviews of hair loss
prevention research for educational purposes and does not
replace medical advice from a professional physician.

The best start to preventing hair loss is understanding the
basics of hair: what it is, how it grows, what system
malfunctions can cause it to stop growing.

Most common hair loss comes under what has been commonly
known as Male Pattern Baldness (MPB). Although referred to
as MPB, females suffer a similar syndrome, so it is more
properly called androgenetic alopecia. Although hair loss
is not life or health threatening, it can cause serious
problems with a personâEUR(TM)s psyche and self-confidence. There
has been no absolute cure found for hair loss, and many
factors of hair loss are hereditary, however there are
several preventative measures one can take to maintain
healthy hair and scalp.

Although both men and women can suffer significant hair
loss, over 50% of men will suffer with Male Pattern
Baldness (MPB), also known as androgenetic alopecia, at
some point in their lives. The reason behind hair loss is a
genetically inherited sensitivity to Dihydrotestosterone
(DHT) and 5-alpha-reductase. The enzyme 5-alpha-reductase
converts testosterone, a male hormone, to DHT, the
substance identified as the end-cause for hair loss.

Hair loss has been noticed and studied throughout the ages,
and some interesting discoveries were made in ancient
times. For one it was noticed that eunuchs: those males
without genitals-never went bald. Men who were castrated as
a result of accidents in battle also never went bald. This
was the first indication that testosterone had something to
do with hair loss. It has also been found that the more
recessive the hair gene, the more propensity toward
baldness one has.

Some common myths have arisen concerning hair loss. Because
of medical advancements many of these myths are being
addressed and corrected. For starters, although
androgenetic alopecia or pattern baldness is genetic and
therefore can be hereditary, it is not passed down through
only your motherâEUR(TM)s side of the family. Either side of the
family can pass down the genetic disposition toward
baldness. Also, contrary to old family tales, wearing hats
does not cause baldness either.

Beyond the genetic propensity of certain people toward hair
loss, there seems to be various dietary triggers that
activate the process, a notion that is promising since this
can be controlled.

The effects of high-fat diets and the increase of DHT
(Dihydrotestosterone), a chemical produced by the body
found to cause hair loss, is not conclusive at this time.
However, there does seem to be a connection; as societies
that consumed relatively low-fat diets such as pre-World
War II Japan experienced almost no pattern baldness,
whereas in post-World War II Japan there is an increase in
pattern baldness as their society consumes a higher fat
diet. In fact, Asian and African men in their native
countries traditionally suffer very little Male Pattern
Baldness (MPB). Although when the same peoples come to
North America, they begin to develop MPB.

Because people of all races and ethnicities tend to develop
MPB or androgenetic alopecia, yet do not exhibit these
tendencies before moving to America, changes in diet may be
a leading contributing factor. Diets high in fat do
increase testosterone, which is the main component in DHT.
More research needs to be done on this topic to reach
conclusive evidence, although it certainly could not hurt
to lower oneâEUR(TM)s fat intake.

There are a number of foods and substances to avoid and
limit the intake of. Substances such as alcohol, caffeine,
sugar and nicotine can deplete the body of nutrients and
raise adrenal levels, which will cause a chain reaction of
producing more androgen and causing hair loss. High levels
of saturated fat and cholesterol rich foods are also linked
to increased DHT levels and their consumption should be
limited. Additionally, common table salt has been linked to
hair loss. And the average diet provides the recommended
amount of sodium intake; therefore, salt should never be
added to food. However, when using salt for seasoning
during cooking, be sure to use salt with Iodine being that
it is a nutrient that is vital to hair growth as well,
unless you are a regular consumer of seafood, which
contains high levels of Iodine.

Although hair loss can be caused by many other variables,
lack of proper nutrition will assuredly cause hair loss in
many people. Fortunately, adopting a proper diet that
includes the proper nutrients can reverse hair loss caused
by malnutrition. One thing for certain, regardless of
whether your hair loss was caused by malnutrition or not,
adopting a healthier diet will help the function of other
areas of the body.

There are some methods that have been used that prevent
hair loss on some people, in addition to the dietary
improvements, there are some naturopathic remedy
suggestions. Massage and aromatherapy have been used with
some success. In minor cases of temporary hair loss, hair
growth can be stimulated by massage, since blood and oxygen
flow to the scalp must be healthy in order for hair to
grow. A blend of six drops each of lavender and bay
essential oils in a base of four ounces of either almond,
soybean or sesame oil massaged into the scalp and allowed
to sit for 20 minutes has been used by aroma therapists to
stimulate the scalp. Once the mixture is in the scalp for
20 minutes, wash your hair and scalp with your normal
shampoo mixed with three drops of bay essential oil.
Massaging the scalp in general for a couple of minutes a
day can stimulate blood flow to the hair follicles and in
mild cases stimulate some hair growth. Of course, one must
be careful to be gentle when massaging and not tug at the
hair or use the fingernails when massaging the scalp. If
one is concerned about fingernails getting in the way due
to extra long fingernails, there are several options. One
is a flat-handed massage, which while not as effective as
the finger massage can provide some circulatory benefits
and results.

There are several electric massagers on the market that
have an attachment for scalp massaging as well. An oriental
method called Qi Gong (pronounced Chi Kung) has been used
to increase circulation to the scalp and face also. The
fingers should be placed at the center of the skull base
and then begin to tap approximately 30 times. Work your way
outward toward the ears continuing to tap gently. After
reaching the ears go back to the center of the skull a
little higher up and work your way around to the ear
region. Keep going up about eight levels, each time
repeating the process.

There is a definite connection between the prostate and
hair loss for men, and therefore a connection between
breakthroughs in BPH treatments developed and their
effectiveness in restoring hair growth. There have been
some herbalists that have experimented with the herb Saw
Palmetto in order to block the production of DHT in
treating BPH. Although most studies of Saw Palmetto have
been for the treatment of prostatic disease, more recent
studies have been conducted on its effectiveness in
treating loss. The herb has been found to work in fighting
benign prostatic disease by lowering levels of DHT, which
is a known cause of androgenetic alopecia. Studies have
shown Saw Palmetto extract is an effective anti-androgen
and therefore there is promise for its effectiveness as an
effective treatment for hair loss prevention.

Rosemary and sage are two herbs that have shown benefit
traditionally when used externally. It is suggested that to
promote a clean scalp, stimulation of the hair root, and
thickening hair one should boil together in water rosemary,
sage, peach leaf, nettle and burdock. Then strain the loose
herbs from the liquid and use the liquid to wash the hair
daily. Also recommended is steeping one ounce of ground
rosemary, two ounces of ground sage, and a half ounce of
ground nettles in one pint of ethyl alcohol for a week,
straining the solution and adding one ounce of castor oil
and one ounce of water to the liquid. This is said to make
a great hair lotion to apply at night before bed or just
before shampooing.

Hair is a living protein, and as with any living part of
our bodies we must be sure to maintain proper health to
optimize our chances of maintaining a healthy head of hair.
Proper nutrition is vital to maintaining healthy hair,
since the hair is a living and growing part of the bodyâEUR(TM)s
system. Viewing it in this manner can help us to treat our
bodies different and raise expectations through proper
care. A healthy balanced diet, occasionally with the help
of vitamin and mineral supplements and exercise are all key
components to a healthy regimen of maintaining healthy
hair.

There is an obvious link to hair loss and prostatic health
and this only increases the pace of hair loss discoveries.
Most treatments for prostatic diseases such as benign
prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) also have the pleasant side
affect of growing hair on the heads of those taking it.
With the pace of research and discoveries today, there is a
great deal of optimism in the field of hair loss prevention
and treatment. Hair is an important part of our dress and
appearance, therefore a large part of our self-esteem. It
is likely that there are answers for your situation
presently or coming in the near future.

Remember, the restoration of hair growth is not an
overnight process. The process takes time regardless of the
method chosen. Be patient and follow as much of the advice
given by professionals as possible. Keep in mind that the
body is a system, and it is the abuse of this system by
food intake and environmental causes that lead to most
common hair loss.

Natural Hair Loss Treatment - The Lost Art of Hair Repair

While there are certainly a number of medical treatments that offer great results, experts say that natural hair loss treatment can yield some of the best benefits for anyone concerned about the health of their hair. Most people choose to treat their hair loss with medications or surgery, such as Minoxidil or hair transplantation. However many people fail to realize that medication and surgery are costly and may carry some harmful side effects and risks. The safest and most cost efficient form of hair loss therapy is natural hair loss treatment, which includes healthy dieting, herbal remedies, exercise and proper hair care techniques. Natural hair loss treatment has become the "Lost Art" of hair repair and is often neglected as a form of treatment among the very pricey alternatives.

A fundamental principal in natural hair loss treatment is that the same foods that are good for your health, are good for your hair. Although hair loss can be caused by many other variables, lack of proper nutrition will cause hair loss in most people. Foods that are high in protein, low in carbohydrates, and have reduced fat content can help in maintaining healthier hair and preventing hair loss. For example, essential fatty acids, found in spinach, walnuts, soy, tuna, sardines, sunflower seeds and canola oil, are important dietary essentials useful in keeping hair healthy. The omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids contain anti-inflammatory properties that are useful in maintaining healthy hair. Insufficient levels of these essential fatty acids could lead to quicker hair loss.

A deficiency in vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 can also lead to excessive hair loss. Foods containing B vitamins, like liver, chicken, fish and soybean are important to healthy hair growth and natural hair loss treatment. Both vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 are found in protein rich foods, which are needed to maintain natural hair growth. B vitamins are very essential to one's diet in order to prevent excessive hair loss. Certain vitamins and nutritional supplements are often necessary to restore protein levels which in turn, are useful in preventing hair loss. Increasing vitamin B intake in one's diet is a successful way to prevent or treat your hair loss naturally.

Alongside the concept of healthy eating of vitamins, minerals and nutrients are also the use of herbal remedies that are effective in preventing hair loss as a natural hair loss treatment. Among the herbs making medical headlines is Saw Palmetto. Although most studies of Saw Palmetto have been for the treatment of prostatic disease, more recent studies have been conducted on its effectiveness in treating hair loss. The herb has been found to work in fighting benign prostatic disease by lowering levels of DHT, which is a known cause of androgenic alopecia, the medical term for male or female pattern hair loss. While there are no clinical trials supporting this herb's usefulness as a natural hair loss treatment, there is some reliable research proving that it can slow down androgen activity within the hair follicle.

Nettles, usually taken in the form of Nettle Root Extract, has shown itself to be effective in preventing hair loss as well. Nettles are rich in vitamins A and C, that are beneficial in inhibiting DHT production and promoting hair growth as a natural hair loss treatment. Other traditional herbs that are useful as natural hair loss treatments are green tea, licorice extract, horsetail, ginger, psoralea seeds, apple cider vinegar, rosemary and sage tea.

Research is constantly discovering modern forms of natural hair loss treatments. The list of treatments summarized in this article are only a fraction of the available natural therapies for hair loss. Everyone has some hair loss from day to day. In fact, it is normal to lose up to 100 strands of hair a day. However, some people lose a lot more hair than expected, due to genetic reasons, disease, medications, stress, injury, or an unhealthy diet. Regardless of the cause of hair loss, natural hair loss treatment, involving changes in diet and lifestyle, is the safest form of preventive hair treatment around. Catching your hair loss in its early stages and treating it naturally is among the best lines of defense in preventing excessive hair loss and the safest method for treating it.

Hair Loss in Women - Causes, Diagnosis and Treatments

Until recently, the problem of hair loss in women was believed to be uncommon. Recent research, though, has revealed that it is far more widespread than previously thought. Some estimates say as many as 25 million American women (or more) experience noticeable hair loss and the distressing effects that often go along with it. Female hair loss causes are somewhat different than those typically found in men, and the emotional effects can be quite different as well.

Appearance of Hair Loss in Women

The appearance of hair loss in most females is usually different from its appearance in men. Women usually do not go bald or partially bald, and they generally do not have bald spots on the crown of the head. In women, hair loss typically shows up as overall thinning of the hair, both the quantity of hair on the head and the thickness of each individual hair. Some women do have a receding hairline, but rarely as pronounced and noticeable as what many men experience.

Emotional Effects of Hair Loss in Women

A woman's self esteem and sense of self are typically much more dependent on the way they look than is generally the case for men. Of course, men find it distressing to lose their hair, but for females the emotional effects can be particularly devastating.

When you think of how much money and effort goes into advertising women's hair care products, styling products, cosmetics and hair care appliances such as blow dryers and curling irons, it is easy to understand why women find it so distressing to experience hair loss. Our society places so much emphasis on looks, especially for women, that female hair loss can lead to a great deal of emotional pain, anxiety, and even trigger episodes of depression.

Medical Causes of Hair Loss in Women

The most common female hair loss causes are related to medical conditions and hormonal changes. While many are similar to those experienced by men, many more are specific to women.

Hormones - Women experience far more hormonal issues than men do, and at a much greater frequency. Pregnancy, childbirth and menopause are all conditions unique to women that can affect the amount and permanence of hair loss and cause balding.

Medication - Several medications can cause or contribute to female hair loss, including anti-depressants, blood thinners, birth control pills, anti-cholesterol drugs and chemotherapy drugs.

Illness/Surgery - Many common illnesses can cause female hair loss, such as diabetes and thyroid over- or under-activity, as can conditions that put the body under stress such as high fevers or major surgery.

Other Causes - Anemia, anorexia, bulimia, excess vitamin A, fungal infections, and zinc or fatty acid deficiency can also be the cause of hair loss in women.

Genetic Causes of Hair Loss in Women

Female pattern baldness, or androgenetic alopecia, is estimated to occur in 15% or less of American women. The chemical process in the body is similar, in that hormones and dehydrotestosterone (DHT) combine to cause hair follicles to shut down. Even though the chemical process is the same, the appearance of the hair loss in females is generally different, with women experiencing general thinning of hair rather than the bald spots or pronounced receding hairline so common in men.

Some experts theorize that differences in hair follicles between males and females may contribute to differences in the appearance of hair loss. In men, hair tends to grow straight up out of the follicle, causing oil and other secretions on the scalp to build up and block follicles. In women, however, hair tends to grow out of the follicle at an angle, allowing oil and secretions to flow more readily out of the follicle.

Everyday Causes of Hair Loss in Women

Women subject their hair to many everyday stresses that can lead to hair damage and hair loss. A few such female hair loss causes include:

o Harsh shampoos

o Hair coloring

o Hair bleaching

o Permanent waves

o Frequent use of blow dryers, curling irons and other heated appliances

o Improper or harsh brushing and/or combing

o Frequent wearing of tight ponytails, braids, and other hair restraints

While these things generally do not cause immediate or permanent hair loss in females, they do often lead to dry, damaged hair that is more likely to break off and thus appear thinner and more brittle. In women whose hair is already thin due to hormonal changes that come with aging, actions such as these can have a large impact on hair appearance.

Proper Diagnosis

Women experiencing hair loss should consult their doctor for an accurate diagnosis of what is causing them to lose hair. In the case of an undiagnosed condition such as diabetes or thyroid problems, treating the medical condition can often stop and even reverse hair loss problems. If the doctor finds that hormonal issues related to menopause and aging are the cause, then he or she is the best resource for information and advice on effective female hair loss solutions.

Topical Hair Loss Treatment

There is only one topical female hair loss treatment approved by the FDA for use by women - minoxidil. This medication is marketed under the name Rogaine and is readily available over the counter in most drug stores, grocery stores, and online.

Rogaine is effective at restoring hair growth and decreasing the appearance of thinning hair in women, but it often takes several months for results to become noticeable in most females. It is quite easy and convenient to apply in the privacy of home, but must be continued indefinitely in order to maintain hair regrowth. If Rogaine use is discontinued, any hair that has regrown will be lost once again.

Surgical Hair Restoration

Surgical hair loss treatments such as hair grafting are quite effective for male pattern baldness, but because the nature of hair loss is different in women, females are generally not good candidates for such treatment. Hair grafting is a process of harvesting hair from actively growing parts of the head and transplanting them to areas of thinning and dormant growth. Because females tend to lose their hair all over the head instead of in a concentrated location, grafting does not usually have much effect. For those women who do have definite balding spots or patches, though, surgical treatment may be an option. It is best to consult an experienced hair restoration surgeon who will diagnose the cause and suggest a suitable solution.

Male Hair Loss Causes and Treatments - Understanding Male Pattern Baldness and What You Can Do

There is a wide range of male hair loss causes, and thanks to modern medicine, many choices of hair loss treatment for you to consider. The majority of men lose their hair thanks to inherited genes and the normal aging process, but there are other causes as well. The key to selecting an effective hair loss treatment is to determine the underlying cause of hair loss and then select among the assortment of hair loss solutions to find the most appropriate treatment.

Male Pattern Baldness

Up to 90% of all male hair loss is due to male pattern baldness, also called androgenetic alopecia. In this situation, the cause of hair loss is due to genes inherited from the father, the mother, or both. The older a man gets the more likely balding is to occur, although some men begin to lose their hair as early as their late teens or early twenties.

Male pattern baldness generally appears in one of two ways - thinning hair on the crown of the head or a receding hairline. One way to predict the balding a man will experience is to look at hair loss and causes in his relatives. This is not always accurate, though, as sometimes male pattern baldness can skip a generation.

Cause of Male Pattern Baldness

Experts say that as many as 50% of all men will experience hair loss, ranging from mild to moderate, by the time they turn 50 years old, and 65% of males will have perceptible baldness by the time they are 60 years old. Whether due to aging, genetics or a combination of the two, why exactly is it that hair loss occurs?

The answer is a chemical called dehydrotestosterone, or DHT. It is a male hormone that collects and builds up around hair follicles, eventually causing the follicle and the hair growing out of it to be killed. As DHT levels rise with aging, more and more follicles are affected by it and hair loss becomes more pronounced.

Other Male Hair Loss Causes

If 90% of male pattern baldness is due to genes and aging, what about the other 10% of men who have lost or are losing their hair? For these men the causes of hair loss can range from medical conditions to damage caused by extreme hairstyles or harsh hair care. Examples can include:

Medication - Some anti-depressants, blood thinners and medications for the treatment of gout can cause hair loss, as can excess Vitamin A. Chemotherapy medications also often cause hair loss.

Severe Illness/Surgery - The body undergoes tremendous stress during a severe illness or major surgery, often causing hair loss within three to four months following the illness or surgery.

Disease - Hair loss in males can be the cause of an undiagnosed medical condition such as lupus or diabetes, or a fungal infection of the scalp.

Hormones - The human body contains an assortment of hormones, both male and female, that can become imbalanced and cause hair loss. Hormonal problems due to an overactive or underactive thyroid gland can also lead to hair loss.

Proper Diagnosis

Because there are medical as well as genetic causes of male pattern baldness, it is important to correctly diagnose the exact cause before selecting the most appropriate hair loss treatment. The best course of action is to consult with your doctor before starting any treatment.

If the cause of hair loss in males is something other than genetics and aging, the good news is that it is often reversible just by reducing or eliminating the medicine or condition that is causing it. The danger of self-diagnosis is that an underlying illness or medical condition could continue untreated, leading to more serious medical issues.

Strong feelings and emotions related to hair loss are understandable, but should not be used as an excuse to avoid consulting a doctor. A doctor can confirm that there is no medical condition requiring treatment and provide advice about potential solutions.

Understanding Hair Loss Treatments

For the 90% of men whose hair loss is due to causes such as common male pattern baldness, there are several treatment options to consider. These range from topical medications to oral medications to surgical techniques, all of which come with varying advantages, disadvantages, costs, and other considerations.

The key to selecting an appropriate treatment for a male's hair loss is considering convenience, short term and long terms impacts to daily life, cost, effectiveness and ongoing maintenance requirements. The best solution for one man may be very different from the best treatment for another man, so it is important to make a decision based on personal circumstances and desired outcome.

Topical Hair Loss Treatment

By far the most common type of hair loss treatment for males is topical application of hair loss products. These products can range from special shampoos and conditioners to scalp stimulating oils to chemical medications.

The most effective topical hair loss treatment to date is minoxidil, marketed under the brand name Rogaine. Previously available only by prescription, this treatment is now available over the counter at nearly any drugstore, grocery store or large discount retailer. To maintain hair growth, Rogaine must be used on an ongoing basis; when use is discontinued, any hair regrowth of hair that occurred will be lost again. Rogaine is the only hair loss treatment approved by the FDA for use by both males and females.

Many other topical treatments for males are available that have not been proven effective. Beware of any product that is promoted as an "instant cure" or "miraculous hair growth" remedy. While these hair loss products typically will not cause particular harm or damage to the scalp or hair, neither will they effectively promote new hair growth. They are most often a waste of money that could otherwise be spent on a medically proven treatment.

Oral Hair Loss Treatment

Another effective hair loss treatment for males is finasteride, marketed under the brand name Propecia. This medication is available by prescription only and comes in the form of a pill that is taken each day. As with Rogaine, if use of Propecia is stopped then any hair regrowth that has occurred will be lost.

Propecia is an FDA approved hair loss product for use by males only, and in fact comes with a strong warning to women because it can cause serious birth defects. Women who are pregnant or could become pregnant are strongly advised not to even handle Propecia tablets, because the medication could potentially be absorbed through the skin.

Surgical Hair Loss Treatment

A number of good surgical hair loss treatments are available. These treatments have improved dramatically over the years thanks to better techniques and better medical technology. The results typically look extremely natural in most males and do not disappear over time.

The most common surgical treatment for males is hair grafting, a process by which hair from one part of the head is transplanted to balding areas. Grafts can be as small as a single hair, making it possible for the surgeon to create a very natural-looking hairline.

Another surgical option for males is more invasive, involving the cutting away of bald areas and stretching the areas that still have hair over the excised area. Recovery time is longer for this type of treatment, and not all hair loss patients will be good candidates for the procedure.

If you are experiencing male pattern baldness, consult your doctor or dermatologist who can diagnose the underlying cause of your hair loss and suggest the best treatment for your particular situation.

Hair Loss Solutions - Bonafide Cures or Bald Face Lies?

PART 1

Very much a highlighted news topic, the stem cell research controversy continues. Reasons for the "need" of research include possible help for persons with terminal cancer, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury...and hair loss.

Hair loss is an important subject for the many men and women who experience it. The careless remarks and gratuitous jokes about baldness made by people with full heads of hair only add to their humiliation. Some people even experience anger that their hairline threatens to become as receded as the waters of the Red Sea for the Hebrews so many years ago.

Countless people wonder whether or not there really exists a cure for hair loss. Before we answer that question, we should first answer the questions, "What is hair loss?" and "What causes it?"

What is Hair Loss?

The term "Alopecia," more commonly known as "baldness," includes various disorders that involve the lack of hair where it would normally grow; especially when it involves the head. The most common form of baldness is a progressive hair-thinning condition that occurs in some adults.

Each piece of hair has a follicle located at the end of the hair shaft. Follicles act as the hair's incubator;" it is where the hair is produced. Each strand of hair has a matrix, located at the base of the follicle. Cells in this area produce keratin, a tough protein that makes up the hair shaft, and melanin. Melanin stains the keratin, giving hair its color.

The activity of each follicle is dependent on surrounding follicles. Healthy hair follicles continuously grow. About 85% of the hair follicles on a healthy scalp are actively growing at the same time, and hair loss is not a problem.

Each strand of hair continues to grow for about 4 years, before going into a dormant period of about 4 months. On an average, only about 15% of the total amount of hair follicles on a healthy scalp is dormant at any one time. It is when a higher percentage of hair follicles stop growing at one time that hair loss becomes a problem.

What Happens During Hair Loss

Follicles are nourished by a network of capillaries, bringing nutrients to the base of the follicle. The amount of blood available to the scalp and to the follicles is determined by the health of the capillaries in the scalp, as well as the arteries in the neck and temple.

Problems develop when hair follicles do not receive proper nourishment. For instance, some women experience noticeable hair thinning after menopause, after the production of estrogen slows down or stops. Hair loss in women is usually more diffuse then in men. Women seldom have bold spots; a large area of the head may show sparse hair growth instead. Only about 15% of women are afflicted by such a high degree of hair loss that it becomes obvious.

In men the hormone DHT can harm hair follicles, making them shrink, or cause them to prematurely enter into the resting stage of the hair cycle. When this happens the result is often the characteristic U-shaped pattern of hair loss at the top of the head.

What Causes Hair Loss?

Predisposition can be one factor as to why one person begins losing their hair as they age, while another person does not. Various other disorders, such as obesity, allergies, and diabetes can also be attributed to predisposition. Sometimes hair loss can be the result of side effects caused by certain prescription drugs. Of course, these factors can often be countered.

Where you may not be able to reverse predisposition, you can sometimes contain it. By changing lifestyle, maintaining a customized healthcare regimen, and eating a well-balanced diet, many such factors can be alleviated or turned around.

More about Hair Loss

When it comes counteracting or slowing down the process of hair loss, products such as Rogaine, Dutasteride, and Propecia can help. Scalp exercises and massages using special preparations can also help.

Telogen Effluvium (TE) is a type of hair loss more common in women then men. It is characterized by high numbers of hairs that enter into the resting stage of the hair cycle, all at one time. This usually causes profuse shedding, as opposed to bald patches. This can be an overwhelming experience for women, especially those who once had luxuriant hair.

TE can be brought on by prolonged emotional or physical stress, severe illness, post-pregnancy hormone changes, or crash dieting. Once the triggering factor has been removed, TE hair loss usually stops. Hair can grow back in even without treatment, usually in 6 months to a year.

With proper treatment, hair growth can be accelerated. Some professionals recommend bringing the level of iron stored in the body up to 70 or 80 ng/ml (nanograms per milliliter). The range of iron normally stored in a woman's body might be between 12 - 50; the lower end not high enough to speed hair growth.

Rogaine can also be used for a few months to start the TE recovery process; once hair does begin to grow back in, Rogaine use can stop.

As mentioned earlier, crash dieting can trigger TE in both men and women. As a matter of fact, diets of less than 1,200 calories a day can trigger sudden hair loss. This is especially true of diets low in protein. When the body lacks proper protein it "borrows" by shifting healthy hairs into dormancy to conserve protein.

Although hair loss resulting from inadequate diets is most often temporary, it can result in permanent loss of hair in persons genetically predetermined towards hair loss. Also, extreme weight loss in men can increase the production of androgens - male sex hormones that kill hair follicles. Once hair follicles are destroyed, there can be no re-growth of hair.

In part-2 we of this article we discuss effective treatments for hair loss and where to go for help. Visit Writers Write Now for part 2, "What can be done about Hair Loss."

What Causes Hair Loss?

It is normal to lose between 50-100 hairs a day, this is part of the hair renewal process. However most people suffer from excessive hair loss at one time in their life. There are many reasons for this including medication, radiation, chemotherapy, exposure to chemicals, hormonal and nutritional factors, thyroid disease, generalized or local skin disease, and stress.

Many of these causes are temporary and a few are permanent. These are some of the more common reason for hair loss.

HORMONAL BEHAVIOUR

Since hormones both stimulate hair growth and cause hair loss, hormonal changes by far have the biggest impact on hair loss. These can affect both men and women in the following ways:

This is the most common cause of thinning and affects both men and women. Men generally have hair loss concentrated in a specific pattern from the front through to the crown. Women tend to have thinning throughout their head without being in any specific pattern. This type of hair loss is caused by the androgen DHT, or Dihydrotestosterone. Since everyone has DHT that is produced by their bodies and only some people suffer from hair loss there has to be another factor involved. This other factor is having follicles that have a greater number of Androgen receptors for the DHT to attach to. This is the component that is inherited through the genes. To date the most effective preventative treatments are anti androgens, drugs that prevent the creation of DHT. In the future gene therapy will one day be able to alter the genes to prevent the follicles from being affected by DHT.

Childbirth

After pregnancy many women experience a loss of hair, this is caused many hair simultaneously entering the resting (telogen) phase. Within two to three months after giving birth, some women will notice large amounts of hair coming out in their brushes and combs. This can last one to six months, but resolves completely in most cases. This condition is caused by the hormonal changes that take place after a woman's body recovers from her pregnancy.

Birth control pills

Women who have a genetic predisposition to suffer from Androgenic Alopecia can have it occur at a much younger age by taking birth control pills. The hormonal changes that occur trigger the onset of the Androgenic Alopecia. If a woman has a history of female pattern loss in her family she should advise her doctor before going on the pill. After the discontinuation of the pill the woman may notice that her hair begins shedding two or three months later. This may continue for six months when it usually stops. In some cases the process cannot be reversed and the woman may not regrow some of the hair that was lost.

DISEASE OR ILLNESS INFLUENCES

Since the follicle is a very sensitive it does respond to imbalances in the body. Most hair loss causes by disease or illness is temporary and resolves itself after the body has returned to a healthy condition.

High fever, severe infection, severe flu

Sometimes one to three months after a high fever, severe infection or flu, a person may experience hair loss, this is usually temporary and corrects itself.

Thyroid disease

Both an overactive thyroid and an underactive thyroid can cause hair loss. Thyroid disease can be diagnosed by your physician with laboratory tests. Hair loss associated with thyroid disease can be reversed with proper treatment.

Deficient diet

Some people who go on low protein diets, or have severely abnormal eating habits, may develop protein malnutrition. To help save protein the body shifts growing hair into the resting phase. If this happens massive amounts of hair shedding can occur two to three months later. A sign of this is if the hair can be pulled out by the roots fairly easily. This condition can be reversed and prevented by eating the proper amount of protein. Its very important when dieting to maintain an adequate protein intake.

Medications

Some prescription drugs may cause temporary hair shedding in a small percentage of people. Examples of such drugs include some of the medicines used for the following: gout, arthritis, depression, heart problems, high blood pressure, or blood thinner. High doses of vitamin A may also cause hair shedding.

Cancer treatments

Chemotherapy and radiation treatment will cause hair loss because it stops hair cells from dividing. Hairs become thin and break off as they exit the scalp. This occurs one to three weeks after the treatment. Patients can lose up to 90 percent of their scalp hair. The hair will regrow after treatment ends and patients may want to get wigs before treatment. There are some drugs in development to help prevent this hair loss from occurring.

Low serum iron

Iron deficiency occasionally produces hair loss. Some people don't have enough iron in their diets or may not fully absorb iron in their diets. Women who have heavy menstrual periods may develop iron deficiency. Low iron can be detected by laboratory tests and can be corrected by taking iron pills.

Major surgery/chronic illness

Anyone who has a major operation - a tremendous shock to the system - may notice increased hair shedding within one to three months afterwards. The condition reverses itself within a few months but people who have a severe chronic illness may shed hair indefinitely. A relatively unknown fact is that hair transplantation surgery can actually cause additional hair loss or "shock fallout". Hairs lost from shock fallout usually don't regrow.

Alopecia Areata

This type of hair loss is believed to be caused by the immune system reacting to hair follicles as if they were antibodies and shutting them down. The hair loss is usually limited to a coin sized area and all the hair in the area is lost leaving a totally smooth round patch. In a more severe rarer condition called Alopecia Totalis, all hair on the entire body is lost, including the eyelashes. Treatments include topical medications, a special kind of light treatment, or in some cases drugs.

Fungus Infection (Ringworm) of the scalp

Caused by a fungus infection, ringworm (which has nothing to do with worms) begins with small patches of scaling that can spread and result in broken hair, redness, swelling, and even oozing. This contagious disease is most common in children and oral medication will cure it.

Stress
n cause hair loss is some people. Usually it occurs 3 months after the stressful event has occurred and it may take 3 months after the stress period has ended for the hair growth to resume. In most cases it is temporary if the person is not predisposed to genetic or Androgenic Alopecia, if they are stress may trigger the onset of genetic hair loss or may worsen existing Androgenic hair loss.

MECHANICAL DAMAGE CAUSES HAIR LOSS

Damage to the hair can be self inflicted either by intentional or unintentional means. Some people going through stress continuously pull at their hair until it comes out. Styling hair by bleaching, braiding and straightening can also cause damage and results in hair being lost.

Trichotillomania or Hair Pulling

Some children and less often adults play with their hair by pulling on it or twisting it. This can be part of a behavioral problem or a bad habit that is often done unconsciously. If the behavior is not stopped permanent hair loss can result from the constant stress on the hair. Its best to seek the help of a mental health professional to solve this problem.

Hair Styling Treatments

Many people change the appearance of their hair by using chemical treatments like dyes, tints, bleaches, straighteners, relaxers and permanent waves. If correctly done and done using reputable products, its rare to have any damage. However, hair can become weak and break if any of these chemicals are used too often. Hair can also break if the solution is left on too long, if two procedures are done on the same day, or if bleach is applied to previously bleached hair. Some chemical relaxers do contain powerful chemicals and there have been instances of people get chemical burns from these products resulting in permanent hair loss. Only go to qualified hair stylists and if doing it yourself make sure you only use reputable products and follow the product directions.