Hair Loss
, affecting a person’s
emotional well-being ,a medically harmless condition. Hair Loss can occur in any age , from Children to young men to post-menopausal women may experience thinning of hair and various hair
loss conditions.
What is Hair
Hair , an outgrowth of filamentous cells. The human body is covers by follicles that produce hair , leaving palms of the
hands and soles of the feet. From the deep skin layers , grows the hair from the hair follicles .The main component of hair fibre is keratin.
Stages of Hair
Growth
There
are different types of hair at different stages in life, and in different parts
of the body.
1st Stage : The very first hair are the lanugos,
the hairs that begin growing in the third or fourth month
of foetal life and are entirely shed either before or shortly after birth.
2nd Stage : In early months an infant shows the appearance fine, short, unpigmented hairs called down hair, or vellus. Vellus covers every part of the body except the
palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, under surfaces of the fingers and
toes, and a few other places.
3rd Stage : Then during puberty ,
the sex hormones influence the growth and distribution of hair on the body . During this time Vellus hair get supplemented by longer, pigmented hair,
called Terminal
hair that develops in the armpits, genital regions, and, in males on the
face and sometimes on parts of the trunk and limbs.
On the scalp,
hair is densest and longest. By increasing age and size of the body the hair follicles density reduces .Human hair grows at a rate of 10-13 mm/month.
What is hair made of
Well,
hair is primarily composed of a protein: keratin. This
keratin is resistant to wear and tear. Keratin makes up the main part of the
epidermis (skin), teeth enamel, nails, hair. Hair also comprises of : Approx 50 % Carbon , Approx 20 % Oxygen , Some nitrogen, hydrogen, sulphur .Also contains some fats, vitamins, and even a bit of water.
Functions Of Hair
- The most important function of hair is of insulating against cold by conserving body heat.
- The differing colours and colour patterns in hair coats also serve purposes of camouflage and of sexual recognition .
- Specialised hairs called vibrissae, or whiskers, serve as sensory organs for certain nocturnal animals.
- It helps transmit sensory information and creates gender identity.
- Each hair follicle has tiny sensory nerve fibres at the base. Hair is also a touch receptor that is very sensitive.
- Hair is important to the appearance of men and women. It is also the only body structure that is completely renewable without scarring.
What is hair loss
Hair loss is decrease in the density of hair or thinning of
hair on the scalp. Alopecia is the medical description
of loss of hair from head or body, sometimes to the extent of baldness. Alopecia tends to be
involuntary and unwelcome. It may result
from illness, functional disorder, or hereditary disposition.
Some common causes of excessive
hair loss :
- Surgery
- Hormonal problems
- Pregnancy
- Medication
- Infections
- Diseases
- Local exposure to toxins like Over use of chemical based shampoos, soaps, lotions.
- Scalp carelessness: Unhygienic measures in scalp care may lead to hair falling.
- Certain Hairstyles or Treatments : Dietary cause of hair fall or poor nutrition causing hair fall.
- Disruption of the hair growth cycle.
- Psychological factors like Emotional Stress ,Sadness or Depression.
Alopecia – Medical Term for Hair Loss
Alopecia,
is a set of
disorders which involves the state of hair reduction where it would normally
grow, especially on the head , leading to baldness. The most common form of baldness is a progressive
hair-thinning condition that occurs in adult humans
Facts about Alopecia
»
Alopecia can affect people of any age.
»
It can affect any part of the body.
»
This condition can progress very rapidly
leading to complete loss of scalp hair in a very short .
»
It has phases of remissions and relapses
.
Alopecia
Areata
When hair loss occurs in only one
section , then it is known as Alopecia Areata. Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune
skin disease resulting in the loss of
hair from the scalp and elsewhere on the body. The person’s own immune
system attacks the hair follicles , resulting in round, smooth bald patches on
the scalp.
Some of
the features related to alopecia areata:
»
Hair falls out in small patches leaving
bald spots about the size of a small coin
»
There may be single or multiple such
patches.
»
The bald spots may remain static or may
spread to involve larger areas of the scalp.
Depending upon the progress of Alopecia Areata , it can further be classified into ::::
» Alopecia Areata
Monolocularis: A single bald
spot on the scalp makes it up. It may progress to multiple spots.
» Alopecia Areata Multilocularis: The patient
presents with multiple bald spots .
» Alopecia Areata Totalis: It is one of the severe
forms .There is total loss of hair on the
head.
» Alopecia Areata Universalis: HairLoss from all over the body .
» Alopecia Areata Barbae: The bald spots
are limited only to the beard region in this type.
Depending upon the presence of infection on the scalp ,
Alopecia Areata can further be classified into ::::
»
Non-scarred alopecia
areata: Here there is no infection of the scalp and so easy recovery.
» Scarred alopecia areata/Cicatrical Alopecia : A lichen
infection of the scalp which may cause irreversible damage to the follicles and the
skin of the scalp looks like a scar .Scarring
Alopecia is also known as Cicatrical Alopecia
Diagnosis of Alopecia Areata
Diagnosing
alopecia areata is easier to detect because the look of the patches itself is so peculiar. A smooth Bald Patch clearly visible on close
examination of the lesion. By simply pulling the hair , if the hair is pulled out from the bald patch easily , means the lesion is active and more hair fall is expected . This is ‘Hair
pull test’ .To determine the
inflammation of the hair follicles , dermatologists take a small skin biopsy for microscopic examination.
