Our hair, even all the cells of our skin, are shedding at reasonable frequencies. While the cells of our skin shed every 28-45 days on average, the cycle of our hair is 4-6 years. But every day we witness that the hair is falling out quickly. Because there are definitely 50-100 hairs entering the shedding phase. This means that the daily rate of hair loss can be considered normal for 50-100 strands of hair. The shed hair is replaced by a new strand of hair produced by the hair follicle.
How many strands of hair will fall out each day depends on factors such as the total number of terminal hairs, the average duration of the life cycle of the hair, our genetic characteristics, metabolic characteristics, as well as the physical effects (shampooing, brushing) that the hair is exposed to. Broken and broken hair strands should also be taken into account, as they apparently increase the number of hair shedding. In fact, the hair that is thought to be shed may be hair strands that have been broken for more than one reason.
Sometimes, especially the body’s reactions when under tension, a lot of hair loss is described. This situation can be seen more frequently in women than in men, or it can stand out more because of women’s interest in their hair.
Hair loss in women can be seen in the days before menstruation, during menopause, 4-6 months after the end of pregnancy, depending on the monthly periods. This type of hormonal spillage is also within physiological limits. Hair loss can also be seen in seasonal cycles, during febrile illnesses, in states of mental tension, thyroid (goiter) diseases, anemia due to the use of various drugs, iron deficiency or vitamin or folic acid deficiency.
Male pattern hair loss, which is a special type of hair loss, can also be seen in women. It is the thinning of the hair that is seen only at the peak without any shedding in the hair. In this case, screening is done in terms of female diseases. Sometimes, it can be observed together with the cystic ovary problem called “polycystic ovary”. Sometimes it is associated with prolactin (milk hormone). As a result, if there is a hormonal disease, this type of hair loss is the word.
Mankind has researched the causes of hair loss throughout history. Hair loss can be seen in both men and women; however, the high rate of male pattern hair loss in men is more striking in terms of hair loss problem. 25% of 25-year-old men have started to lose their hair, albeit a little. This proportion rises to 50% in the middle of 50-year-old men.
Physiological hair loss
This type of hair loss is mostly reversible. Sudden hair loss in the first few days of newborn babies or common hair loss in a pregnant woman in the 4th months after birth are physiological. The disappearance of the correct straight front hairline in adulthood is also considered as physiological hair loss, but this hair loss is not reversible.
Androgenetic hair loss (Male pattern hair loss)
Androgenetic hair loss is the most common type of hair loss in men and women all over the world. It is also called androgenic hair loss or baldness, or male pattern hair loss.
As can be understood from very old historical documents, androgenetic hair loss has been a problem for human beings throughout history. Moreover, evolutionary evidence reveals that androgenetic hair loss is an old problem in the history of the human race.
For many years, androgenetic hair loss was thought to be a hereditary systemic disease associated with sexual development. Finally, today, thanks to the developments in genetics and the increase in knowledge about the chemistry of male hormones, it is clearly known that the effects of male hormones on genetically sensitive individuals are at the root of androgenetic hair loss.
Although it is called “male pattern hair loss”, androgenetic hair loss can also affect women and this is the most common type of hair loss in women. Although its causes and systems are the same, androgenetic hair loss in women is different from androgenetic hair loss in men in some ways.
Hair loss in women begins later than in men. While the incidence of androgenetic hair loss increases with age in men, such an increase is not observed in women.
Hair loss in women affects large areas and the hair density in almost all of the scalp quickly decreases. In men, the hair on the back and sides is mostly preserved, while the front and apex areas are opened.
In women, the anterior hairline is mostly preserved. In males, with the onset of puberty, the regression of the anterior hairline is characteristic. This can be explained by the fact that women have half as many 5-alpha reductase enzymes as men. At the same time, the enzyme called aromatase is found at a higher level in the anterior hairline region of women. Aromatase converts dihydrotestosterone to estrogen, the most important female hormone, thus reducing the strong dihydrotestosterone hormone in that area. On the other hand, estrogens can compete with androgens and reduce their effects on hair follicles.
Treatment of hair removal in women
Men who have a “patterned” type of form (hair loss where the back and sides remain) are more commonly seen in women, as opposed to more common thinning (less hair in general). The picture is very different from that of men, and what needs to be done for women experiencing hair loss requires valuable expertise in both diagnosis and treatment.
While women’s front hairline often remains intact, men characteristically lose a significant amount of hair from the beginning of the front of their scalp. Hair loss in women is usually quite slow and increases during pregnancy and menopause.
It is periodic with greater frequency than in men, shows reversible seasonal changes, and is more easily affected by hormonal changes, medical conditions, and external factors. For this reason, this situation should be examined with thyroid function tests and hormone tests.
If the hair and scalp characteristics of the patient are suitable for transplantation, hair transplantation is often the treatment of choice for androgenetic hair loss in women, and can occasionally be combined with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved minoxidil for the non-surgical treatment of androgenetic hair loss.
Medical treatments for hair loss are largely geared towards male androgenetic hair loss.
What is Alopecia Areata?
Alopecia areata, also known as ringworm, is most common in young and middle-aged adults of both sexes. More than one event becomes beautiful ex officio; that is, it is temporary and does not require any special treatment. Although the cause of this disease is not known exactly, an autoimmune process that only affects the hair is held responsible for this hair loss. Tension also played an important role in this process. Hair loss is seen in one or more circular areas, usually the size of a coin, that is, 2.5 centimeters in diameter. Cortisone therapy is recommended for progressive or long-term cases. This treatment can be in the form of local injection of diluted cortisone on the balding area, procaine injections with mesotherapy technique, or injections from the hip.
Personal hair loss
Conscious or unconscious damage to one’s own hair can sometimes cause hair loss.
This hair loss can occur in two forms:
Trichotillomania: This type of hair loss is mostly seen in childhood. It is more common in girls than boys. Trichotillomania is always seen in individuals who play with or pull their hair. This suggests that this disorder has a spiritual basis.
Traction baldness: This type of hair loss is always caused by the pulling and stretching forces applied to the hair strands by some hairstyles or hair systems fixed to the hair.