Hair Fall/Hair Loss/Hair Thinning/Alopecia/Baldness
What is hair fall or alopecia?
Hair fall or alopecia is a common complaint that baffles dermatologist because it’s cause is often difficult to pinpoint. It’s poor response to treatment and the anxious state of the patient’s mind. Hair fall also called alopecia or hair thinning or hair loss or baldness.
What are the types of hair fall?
There are two types of hair loss – Scarring alopecia and Nonscarring alopecia
Scarring hair fall – In this type of hair fall permanent damage has occurred to the hair follicles. Therefore patches of scarring alopecia cannot regrow.
Nonsarring hair fall – In this type of hair fall damage is not permanent to the hair follicles. Therefore patches of scarring alopecia can regrow. It has two types – Diffuse alopecia and Patchy alopecia.
Diffuse hair fall– It has following types –
Androgenetic Alopecia (Common baldness) – The most common cause of hair fall in men is androgenic alopecia. It is refer to loss of hair increase with increasing age.
Telogen effluvium – Telogen Effluvium can occur after stressful events including severe illness, childbirth or high fever. Certain medications or deficiency of iron, particularly in females also causes telogen effluvium.
Anagen effluvium – It happens due to some drugs like – cytotoxic drugs, anticoagulant, chemicals and environmental chemicals.
Post partum alopecia – Loss of hairs occurs after delivery is most common.
Neonatal alopecia – The hair present at birth falls within a few weeks. This is also probably due to sudden fall of circulating estrogens leading to hair fall.
PATCHY HAIR FALL – it has following types –
Alopecia areata – Alopecia areata is a common, usually reversible. It presents as focal discoid patches of hair loss.
Tractional alopecia.
Tick bite alopecia.
Trichotillomania.
Alopecia because of infection like – fungal, bacterial, viral – Thyroid dysfunction, both when increased and decreased, can lead to specific patterns of hair loss
However, hair loss can have an emotional impact, so it is best to seek treatment if you are uncomfortable with your appearance.
What are the causes of hair fall?
Unhealthy life style and food habits.
Diseases – Like Anemia, tuberculosis.
Serious injuries.
Difficult labour.
Emotional stress.
Starvation, crash diets.
Antithyroid drugs.
Cytotoxic drugs.
Heredity.
Autoimmunity.
What is the treatment of hair fall?
Following medicines that may be effective in treating hair loss:
GENERAL TREATMENT
With the medication we can slow or reverse hair loss in the early stages, while more advanced cases derma roller or prp therapy helps and in severe cases hair transplantation is the option.
Antioxidant & Multivitamins –
Are widely used in diet supplements and have been investigated for prevention of diseases such as Hair Fall & Loss.
Finasteride (only for males) –
Finasteride allows the hair follicles to regain their normal size. Studies have suggested finasteride can increase the number of hairs people have (hair count) and can also improve how people think their hair looks.
Minoxidil –
Minoxidil lotion helps in hair regrowth, and it may slow or stop hair loss in women. In general, women respond better to minoxidil than men.
Treat the underlying problem.
PROCEDURES
Dermaroller
The actual derma roller is made up of a small, solid wheel attached to a little stick that propels it backwards and forwards across your face in small sections. The derma roller is covered with hundreds of minuscule ‘micro-medical’ needles that penetrate the skin, creating lots of tiny micro injuries. Read more
Intra lesional injection
Intralesional injection, the direct delivery of medication into skin lesions. Intralesional injections are effective for a wide range of indications, are easily performed and are relatively safe. Read more
PRP (Platelet rich plasma) Therapy
In PRP (Platelet rich plasma) therapy we inject this concentrated plasma in the tissue where healing or effect is desired. Dermatologist inject your own Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) is injected into the face or scalp or desired area with a thin needle or derma roller. Then the growth factors in your blood cells do their job and in hair, hair growth is naturally stimulated and on face skin rejuvenation happens. Read more
SURGICAL TREATMENT
Hair Transplantation
Hair transplant is a permanent method for the cure of baldness. Normally, the hairs in the back of your head are not under the influence of male hormone these are permanent. When these hairs are transplanted on to the bald area they retain their permanency. Read more