Hair loss can be temporary or long term. Temporary hair loss can easily be eliminated if the cause is identified and addressed, or difficult if the cause is not known immediately. Temporary hair loss can get prolonged due to a misdiagnosis. Hair loss, also known as alopecia, is a disorder caused by disruption of the body’s hair production cycle. Hair loss can occur anywhere in the body, but it most commonly affects the scalp. On average, the scalp contains 100,000 hairs that cycle through phases of growth, rest, hair loss, and regeneration.

The hair growth cycle consists of three phases. During the anagen phase, hair grows actively. This phase can take years. During the catagen phase, hair stops growing and separates from its follicles, which are the structures under the skin that hold the hair in place. The catagen phase lasts about ten days. During the telogen phase, the follicles rest for two or three months and then the hair falls out. The next anagen phase begins when new hair grows in the same follicle. Most people lose 50 to 100 hairs a day as part of this natural cycle. If this cycle is interrupted or the hair follicles are damaged, hair can fall out faster than it can regenerate, leading to symptoms such as receding hairline, or complete thinning.

At Hairsure Clinic Hyderabad, doctors are specialized in hair and scalp conditions and can identify the types of hair loss and their causes. If you notice that your hair is falling out more than usual, looks thinner, or appears to be growing more slowly, here this article gives information about some of the most common causes, and types of hair loss. 

Types of Hair loss:

There are many types of hair loss medically known as alopecia. Except for androgenic alopecia, most hair loss conditions affect a small percentage of people. There are different types of alopecia. The common denominator of all hair loss, whether in men or women, is that it is always a symptom of something wrong in your body. Your hair will stay in place unless there is a hormonal imbalance, disease, or other condition. 

• Involutional Alopecia: The rate of hair growth slows down with age, causing a decrease in thickness and volume. In this type of hair loss, known as accidental alopecia, the hair follicle gradually (at rest) enters the telogen phase. The rest of the hair is getting shorter and smaller, sometimes even brittle.
• Telogen effluvium: Temporary hair loss can occur weeks to months after a stressful episode such as childbirth, fever, serious illness, stress, or sudden weight loss that gradually decreases over several months. This occurs due to changes in the hair growth cycle when a large amount of hair enters the resting (telogen) phase at the same time.
• Anagen Effluvium: Hair loss and thinning that usually occurs as a result of exposure to chemicals or toxins (such as cancer treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation) during anagen, the growth phase of the hair life cycle.
• Baldness in Men and Women: If you are a man with receding hairline and a gradual loss of hair from the crown, you may have androgenic alopecia also called male pattern baldness. In this condition, you can experience hair loss in your teens or early 20s. Men with androgenic alopecia may notice hair loss on the upper scalp and receding hairline, especially at the temples. A typical pattern starts with a hairline, which then gradually moves back to an M shape. Eventually, the hair becomes thinner, shorter and thinner, creating a U-shaped hair pattern around the sides of the head. Miniaturization of hair which is a progressive reduction in the diameter and length of the hair shaft in response to hormones is a characteristic of androgenic alopecia. The hair follicles that produce healthy hair begin to produce thinner, shorter, and brittle hair with weaker bonds. This is a genetic predisposition that can affect both men and women.

 If you are a woman with generalized hair loss all over the scalp, lots of hair loss on the crown and intact hairline at the front, you may be suffering from female pattern baldness. Your hair can get thicker over time. With the onset of thinning hair, the scalp becomes more visible. The hair loss rarely causes total or almost complete baldness. You may notice hair thinning in your 20s, but it is very unlikely that you will notice noticeable thinning into your 40s or later due to the gradual rate of hair loss.

• Alopecia areata: If you have a child or young adult with one or two very fine, round sections of hair loss, especially on the scalp, you may have alopecia areata. Hair loss can also be seen on the eyebrows, arms, legs, or facial hair. This often occurs suddenly, and hair usually grows back after six months to a year. However, if the hair grows back in one area, it can fall out in another. In some people, hair can become thinner without bald spots. In other cases, it can grow up like short stubs which look like an exclamation mark. Alopecia areata is generally considered an autoimmune disease in which the body attacks its hair follicles. In total alopecia, which is widespread, the entire scalp is bald.
• Scarring Alopecia: Causes permanent hair loss. Inflammatory skin conditions (cellulitis, folliculitis, acne) and other skin conditions (such as some forms of lupus and lichen) often cause scars that impair the hair’s ability to regenerate. Hot combs and hair that is too tight and pulled can also cause permanent hair loss.

• Lichen planopilaris: A type of hair loss scar that results from a skin condition known as mountain lichen that affects areas of the skin with hair. This can cause redness, irritation, and in some cases, permanent hair loss.
• Tinea capitis: Tinea capitis (ringworm of the scalp) is a fungal infection of the scalp that usually affects school-age children and goes away at puberty. It is rare in healthy adults: covers part or all of the scalp. Hair breaks off in the infected area, causing a bald scalp with tiny blackheads. The skin has inflamed (red swollen), round, scaly patches with pus-filled sores called kerion. The child may experience a low temperature or swollen lymph nodes in the neck. The disease is contagious and can be spread by sharing combs and hats. After the infection clears, the hair will grow back.
• Traction alopecia: Hair loss can also occur due to pressure on the hair from certain hairstyles, resulting in hair loss in small, localized areas. 
• Trichotillomania: Some people have the habit of voluntarily twisting or pulling their hair out of the scalp and lashes. This is called trichotillomania, or hair-pulling disorder. This is a mental disorder that most commonly occurs in children. Hair plaster in this condition indicates torn hair. Once you have identified the type of hair loss you are suffering from, it is much easier to seek treatment from a professional.
• Trichorrhexis Nodosa: Defects in hair fibres characterized by abrasion and swelling of the knots, causing hair to break easily.

What causes hair loss?

• Hereditary hair loss
• Age
• Alopecia areata
• Cancer treatment
• Childbirth, illness, or other stressors
• Haircare like colouring
• Hairstyle pulls on your scalp.
• Hormonal imbalance
• Scalp infection
• Medication
• Scalp psoriasis
• Pulling your hair
• Scarring alopecia
• Sexually transmitted infection
• Autoimmune disorders
• Thyroid disease
• Too little biotin, iron, protein, or zinc
• Friction
• Poison

Conclusion:

It is normal for a certain amount of hair to fall out every day. People usually lose up to 100 hairs a day. If someone notices that they are losing more hair than usual, they may have an underlying condition. If so, they should see a doctor and get advice on the best treatment options. In many cases, a person’s hair returns to its normal state after doctors treat the underlying condition.

Although many causes of hair loss are successfully treated, the key to effective treatment is to find out what causes hair loss. Without an accurate diagnosis, treatment is often ineffective. Meet Doctors at Hairesure Clinic Hyderabad where You can learn how dermatologists diagnose and treat hair loss. Book your appointment now by calling us at 094940 20202.