Common Conditions
Common Conditions
Female & Male Pattern Hair Loss
This is the most common cause of hair loss. The development of genetic hair loss is associated with the shortening of the anagen (growing) phase of the hair cycle and consequently with an increase in the proportion of telogen (resting) hairs.
Female genetic hair loss affects over 30% of women. The hair loss is typically diffuse (evenly spread over the scalp) and affects the frontal and vertex (crown) areas with similar severity. Often a band of slightly denser hair is retained along the frontal hairline. Also, women can exhibit a normal amount of hair in the front area of their scalp, which gradually thins out as you look farther back near their crown.
The onset of male genetic hair loss is linearly related to age; that is, 20% of men experience some hair loss by age twenty; 30% of men experience some hair loss by age thirty, and so on. The hair begins to recede at the temples and thin in the vertex (crown) area. Eventually, the entire fronto-vertex (between the hairline and crown) area of the scalp can be involved.
Alopecia Areata
Sudden hair loss that starts with one or more circular bald patches that may overlap. Alopecia Areata is characterized by patchy scalp hair loss which occasionally affects every hair follicle on the scalp (alopecia totalis), or body (alopecia universalis). Alopecia areata occurs when the immune system attacks hair follicles, and may be brought on by severe stress
Traction Alopecia (Loss Edges)
A form of alopecia, or gradual hair loss, caused primarily by pulling force being applied to the hair. This commonly results from the sufferer frequently wearing their hair in a particularly tight ponytail, pigtails, or braids.
Trichotillomania
Trichotillomania is the loss or damage of scalp hair through repeated pulling or twisting due to irresistible compulsive impulses. Trichotillomania is more common among children than adults and occurs more than twice as frequently in women than in men. It often occurs with bulimia nervosa in teenage girls.
Telogen Effluvium
This hair loss condition, which occurs mainly in women, is usually caused by a temporary disturbance to the hair cycle causing the growing (anagen) hairs to prematurely enter the resting (telogen) phase of the hair cycle. Stress, illness, medication, anemia, and weight loss are the most common causes, however, many other factors can also influence this condition.
Cicatricial Alopecia
Cicatricial alopecia is hair loss which occurs with the destruction of the hair follicles.
It can be caused by a disease affecting the follicles, or by some process external to them. The follicles may be absent as a result of trauma such as a burn, blow or cut to the head. Chemical services such as relaxers or perms have also been known to cause a form of Cicatricial.
The hair loss can be patchy or diffuse (evenly spaced). A biopsy is usually performed to identify the exact cause of this type of alopecia.