Causes of hair loss in women and men

From this article you will learn:

The main stages of baldness and causes of hair loss
Common types of baldness
How to determine the causes of hair loss and get rid of the problem
Preventive measures to help avoid hair loss

The causes of hair loss (alopecia) concern many men and women today, although we all know that we lose hundreds of hairs every day, and this is considered normal. Usually people do not notice this process, because new ones appear to replace the dropped specimens. But what if your hair begins to fall out too much and its growth slows down? For what reason does this happen?

If, when you wake up in the morning, you see a lot of lost hair on your pillow, then you should consult a doctor to determine the causes of this phenomenon and select the correct treatment regimen.

The main stages of baldness and causes of hair loss

Depending on the location of hair loss and the nature of the development of the process, the following stages of baldness are distinguished:

The progressive stage is characterized by the formation of hyperemic areas with bald patches. The patient experiences severe itching, tingling in the affected area, and a burning sensation. Lost hair can be found everywhere. The area of the outbreak is small - up to 1 cm. The hair becomes brittle and is easily removed when pulled out. The bulbs have a dystrophic shape, indicating pathological changes. They are perceived by the cells of the body as strangers, so they are forced out of the skin.
The subacute stage is characterized by the presence of inflammation at the site of the lesion, the skin turns pale.
The regression stage is marked by the gradual restoration of hair growth. First, a light fluff appears, then thickening and pigmentation of the curls occurs, they acquire a strong and healthy appearance.

Nail damage due to alopecia areata is quite common: in 10% of adults and 25% of children. It has been established that the more severe the form of baldness, the more often the nails are involved in the process. This is considered an important prognostic sign. Thus, nail damage with alopecia universalis is much more common than with focal alopecia.

The nested and universal forms are characterized by the appearance of longitudinal striations and pinpoint depressions on the plates. Also, a wavy pattern is formed along the edge of the nail.

If hair falls out intensively and for a long time (more than six months), then we can talk about a chronic form of baldness.

Insufficient knowledge of this pathology today does not allow us to accurately name the causes of hair loss on the head.

At the moment, it is only possible to identify certain risk factors that, with a reasonable degree of probability, can lead to the onset of the pathological process:

Heredity. Genetic predisposition plays a large role in the occurrence of alopecia. Those people whose parents also suffered from baldness are highly likely to develop this disease.
Autoimmune processes. For reasons that are still unclear, hair follicles are perceived by the body as foreign objects (viruses).
Infectious diseases. Loss begins after an infection, especially after a skin infection. Researchers attribute this to the body's immune response to a foreign antigen.
Stress causes the capillary network to contract. When capillaries spasm, oxygen starvation occurs in the hair follicles, and after two to three months you can expect intense baldness.
Injuries and cuts. Occurs after mechanical damage to the skin.

Diagnostics

When contacting a trichologist regarding the treatment of bald spots in women, the following series of diagnostic procedures are prescribed, some of which are carried out during the initial examination:

Densitometry . Through a hardware test, the trichologist determines the degree of baldness.
Follicle strength test – the doctor checks the degree of hair loss.
Hormonal tests that determine testosterone, androsterone, prolactin, thyroid hormones and others.
Hardware checks of the thyroid gland for the presence of any pathological disorders.
Tests to determine the amount of vitamins and minerals, in particular iron in the blood.
Biopsy of the scalp for pathological changes.
A general blood test and a number of specific tests aimed at identifying diseases, including sexually transmitted diseases.

Upon completion of all diagnostic procedures, a trichology specialist is able to make a diagnosis and recommend what to do if a woman has bald patches on her head.

Common types of baldness

There are several forms of the disease, differing in the degree of its manifestation:

Local. Characterized by focal loss. A round or oval fragment that tends to increase the size of the lesion.
Band-shaped alopecia areata gets its name from the shape of the bald areas - the appearance resembles a ribbon that extends from the back of the head to the temples. At the same time, the remaining areas of the head (vertex, frontal) are not subject to pathology.
Subtotal. Initially it has small lesions. Further, the disease develops, several small areas merge into one large one.
Total – hair is completely absent not only on the head, but also on the eyebrows and eyelashes.
Universal. The disease lasts for years, periodically exacerbating. Characterized by the absence of hair on the entire body. Occurs in a small number of victims - no more than 7%.
Alopecia areata. It is considered the most severe form of the disease, practically untreatable. Localized hair loss is accompanied by nail damage.

The first signs of alopecia in women

What is alopecia?

Alopecia in women is a disease that causes total, diffuse or focal baldness. Pathology is possible in women of all ages.

The first signs that you have alopecia

The main symptom that you are faced with a disease, and not just a temporary phenomenon, is thinning and uncontrolled hair loss. The process is slow and progressive: it lasts months and even years. It is characterized by the loss of thin hair that has just begun to grow and the transformation of the hair into vellus. The hairline noticeably thins on the forehead, crown, and central parting - skin gaps appear.

How to determine the causes of hair loss and get rid of the problem

Only a doctor can determine the causes of severe hair loss, as well as determine the type of baldness. Most often, a single visual inspection of the lesion site is sufficient. To clarify the diagnosis, the doctor may use a dermatoscope. In addition, a scraping is performed from the scalp, which allows you to confirm or exclude the presence of fungus. Another additional research method is blood sampling. The specialist individually determines what indicators will need to be assessed. For example, testing for lupus or syphilis may be done.

After a detailed examination, collection of complaints and routine tests (general blood count, urine test, blood sugar test), the doctor may prescribe an examination to identify a more accurate cause of prolapse from specialists such as:

Neurologist.
Endocrinologist.
Pediatrician.
Gastroenterologist.

Alopecia areata cannot be completely cured on your own at home. Therapy can only be prescribed by a trichologist after determining the cause of baldness. To fix the problem, a comprehensive approach is required, including:

correction of immunity;
the use of local irritants (among them, for example, hydroxyanthrones, tincture of red pepper and other herbal remedies);
the use of physiotherapy (darsonvalization, sunbathing after photosensitizing agents, massage, etc.);
antiviral drugs.

In cases where the causes of hair loss in women 30 years of age and older are known, treatment is carried out comprehensively, all recommendations and advice from the doctor are taken into account. Recovery is usually guaranteed. But it is worth remembering that this will require a course of treatment of at least two months.

Recommended articles on the topic:

Diffuse alopecia in women
Plasma therapy for the scalp
Useful vitamins for hair: against hair loss and for growth

In order to correct the psychoneurological status, the prescription of sedatives, tranquilizers, psychostimulants and B vitamins is indicated.

Drug therapy for baldness includes taking medications such as:

immunomodulators;
medications that improve blood supply to tissues;
vitamin and mineral complexes.

Immunomodulatory drugs are prescribed without fail, regardless of the cause of the disease. In the presence of fungal and infectious skin pathologies, against which alopecia has developed, special medications are prescribed.

If you want to strengthen your hair, then the first thing you need to do is improve blood circulation and tone your scalp. Tinctures of red capsicum, mustard, cinnamon, cognac, ginger, and nicotinic acid will help with this. They need to be rubbed into the scalp.

The most popular medications used to treat hair loss are:

Tablets "Pantovigar", "Minoxidil", "Nutricap".
Vitamins “Vitrum Beauty”, “Merz”.
Foltena Pharma products.

If your hair begins to fall out, you cannot do without vitamin complexes . They will help replenish the lack of nutrients, which will immediately have a positive effect on the condition of your hair. The dosage is selected by the doctor individually depending on the factor provoking the disease.

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Physiotherapy helps to effectively eliminate the causes of hair loss in women after 50 years, as well as areas of baldness.

Such methods help:

improving blood circulation;
increasing local immunity;
stimulating cell proliferation.

The course of treatment includes 10–15 procedures, which are carried out at intervals determined by a specialist.

To treat hair loss, trichologists most often recommend to their patients methods such as:

cryotherapy;
electrophoresis;
darsonvalization;
iontophoresis;
galvanization;
massage.

Determining the exact cause of hair loss in women after 30 years will help you choose the necessary method of physical treatment.

In cryotherapy, balding areas are affected locally using low-temperature liquid nitrogen until slight redness is achieved on the scalp. As a result, increased blood circulation and improved tissue nutrition are observed.

In case of baldness, apply the cryoapplicator to problem areas of the skin intermittently.

As a result of this hair treatment, you will be able to eliminate the problem of hair loss in a short time. But it is worth remembering that nitrogen has a drying effect, so the course of procedures should be accompanied by additional measures to nourish the curls.

Electrophoresis and iontophoresis are two similar methods of physiotherapeutic treatment, which involve the introduction of medicinal components into the skin through a direct electric current. The drug delivered to the dermis in this way is more effective, even in small doses, and its effect lasts longer than usual. With this method, simultaneous administration of several compounds is possible and there are no side complications.

Galvanization also involves current exposure. During passage through the skin, heat synthesis occurs, new enzymes and other biologically active elements are formed that regulate metabolism, new cell division occurs, skin microcirculation improves, blood flow and the functioning of the endocrine system increase.

The most widely used method of treating alopecia is darsonvalization. The advantage of this method is that it can be used not only in a beauty salon, but also at home. For darsonvalization of hair, a device with a comb-shaped attachment is used, which can be purchased at any pharmacy. The technique of performing the procedure is an imitation of combing, during which the electrode is moved along the scalp from the forehead to the back of the head for 10 minutes.

Thanks to darsonvalization, the nutrition of hair follicles improves, microcirculation improves in areas of thinning, vascular permeability increases, and muscles relax. The course of treatment is 10–15 procedures with a break of a month.

Head massage has an excellent effect on hair loss . Its main task is to stimulate the hair follicles, which leads to hair growth. The procedure is performed only in a specialist’s office and takes from 20 to 30 minutes.

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Like any other treatment, physiotherapy for alopecia has its contraindications: benign and malignant tumors, pregnancy and lactation, epilepsy.

Often the causes of hair loss in men and women lead to the need for hair transplantation. This is a last resort treatment option when nothing else helps. Operations are performed only in special medical centers.

Patient reviews

On the Internet, users discuss the most effective means to solve the problem of alopecia.

The author points out a good effect on bald spots with regular intake of sprouted wheat grains.

The user writes about pathologies that led to hair loss. Drug therapy, as well as taking vitamin B3, helped solve the problem.

But there are also negative reviews about the use of well-known remedies for alopecia. The author points out that after 3 courses of Alerana it was not possible to remove bald patches, as well as side effects in the form of increased blood pressure when using similar products.

Preventive measures to help avoid hair loss

If your curls begin to fall out a lot, you need to consult a trichologist to determine an accurate diagnosis and prescribe treatment. Finding out the cause of your itchy scalp and hair loss is the first step towards restoring healthy hair. For the beauty and thickness of your strands, it is much better to take care of preventing hair loss than to treat a problem that has already begun.

Choose the right shampoo. This is very important for hair health. Chemicals found in low-quality cosmetics damage hair and scalp. The best prevention of the causes of alopecia is the use of infusions and/or decoctions that strengthen the hair and improve its condition, as well as weekly rubbing of castor or burdock oil into the dermis.

The causes of hair loss in girls are the frequent use of hair dryers, curling irons, hot tongs and curlers. Such manipulations lead to damage to the scalp and follicles, after which they will be unable to support hair growth. If you notice that your hair is falling out more than usual, stop styling with these tools. Never go outside without a hat. Even slight hypothermia of the scalp can lead to the loss of a huge amount of hair. It is recommended to eat a large amount of natural foods rich in vitamins.

Taking vitamin complexes is another important step in preventing hair loss.

Scalp massage is the simplest and at the same time very effective procedure for enhancing blood microcirculation. The causes of hair loss in women after 40 years also lie in stress, so it is necessary to avoid situations that cause them. It is recommended to engage in active sports; aromatherapy is also an effective preventive and calming remedy.

Prevention of baldness is especially important for women during pregnancy and those who have just given birth, in adolescence during the period of hormonal changes, as well as for workers employed in hazardous industries, where there is a possibility of damage to the scalp with the formation of scar tissue.

The causes of hair loss in women and its treatment consist mainly of strengthening the follicles capable of producing healthy strands, as well as eliminating external trauma to the dermis. Diet plays an important role in the health of hair and in accelerating its growth. A proper balanced diet is an essential part of preventing baldness.

Don't wear hats that fit too tightly around your head.

Most often, hair condition worsens due to low temperatures outside, dry air and lack of vitamins and microelements. To maintain the good quality of your strands in spring and make them shiny and strong, you need special care. This issue must be approached comprehensively, because curls are a reflection of our health as a whole.

Only a trichologist determines treatment methods, course duration and subsequent preventive measures.

Nowadays, you no longer have to spend a lot of time performing complex and unpleasant procedures at home. It is much easier to seek help from real professionals - the Veronika Herba beauty and health center, equipped with effective and modern equipment.

Why clients choose Veronika Herba beauty and health center:

Why clients choose Veronika Herba beauty and health center:
This is a beauty center where you can undergo treatment for hair loss at a reasonable cost, and you will be treated not by an ordinary cosmetologist, but by one of the best specialists in Moscow. This is a completely different, higher level of service!
You can receive qualified help at any time convenient for you. The beauty center is open from 9:00 to 21:00, seven days a week. The main thing is to agree with your doctor in advance on the date and time of your appointment.

Why do bald spots occur?

Before selecting a method to combat such a problem as bald spots in girls and women, it is necessary to determine the root cause of the disorder that has developed. This is due to the fact that each individual cause of bald spots in women requires an individual approach to treatment tactics. The most common causes of female pattern baldness are:

Abuse of hair cosmetics and frequent use of thermal equipment when styling.
The use of certain pharmacological agents, in particular, system-wide contraceptives.
Failure to comply with nutritional standards - consumption of large amounts of sweets, regular diets, lack or excess of vitamins.
Hormonal and autoimmune disorders, both natural changes (menopause, pregnancy) and diseases with possible surgical intervention.
Frequent stressful conditions that can provoke various types of disorders of the body's functioning.

To determine the type of baldness and the cause of the appearance of bald patches in a girl or woman, it is necessary to undergo a diagnosis from a specialized specialist - a trichologist.