Hair Fall: Symptoms, Causes And Tips To Reduce It

Hair Fall or hair loss is a very common condition today. Anyone, including adults and children, can experience this condition.

It is very common to lose 50-100 hair per day. On average, there are 10,000 hairs on the human head. So the small loss is not usually noticeable and it is easily replaced by new hair.

When this doesn’t happen it is termed hair loss. Hair fall can develop gradually over the course of time. Depending on the causes of your hair fall it can be temporary or permanent.

Symptoms of hair fall

The main symptoms of hair fall also known as Alopecia is losing more hair than usual. But this can be harder to diagnose.

The following symptoms may give you some idea about hair fall:

Widening Part

You may notice that the partition of your hair is widening day by day. This may also indicate thinning of hair.

Receding Hairline

If you see that your hairline is appearing longer than usual, then it may also indicate loss of hair.

Hair Damage

Check your brush or comb after you use it to style your hair. Are there more hairs present in the comb than usual than it can be a probable sign of hair fall.

Bald Patches

You may notice some areas without hair on your head. These are known as bald patches and develop over time.

Itching and Pain

If you are suffering from any underlying skin disease then there are high chances that you may feel pain and itching on your scalp.

What Causes Hair Loss?

Hair fall is not the same for everyone. There are plenty of various kinds of hair loss. Depending on the type of hair loss the causes can be defined which may include hair loss due to genetic factors, internal or external causes.

Let’s take a look at different types of hair fall:

1. Androgenic Alopecia

 It refers to hair loss related to heredity and genetics. It shows

male or female patterns of baldness and is also known as pattern alopecia. IT is the most common cause of hair loss affecting almost 50% of the people.

2. Alopecia Aerate

This the condition of the immune system. It is also referred to as an autoimmune condition where the immune system attacks the hair follicles. It results in bald patches.

3.Anagen Effluvium

This condition involves rapid hair loss. In most of the cases this happens due to the radiation treatment of chemotherapy. Hair usually regrows after the treatment stops.

4. Telogen Effluvium

In this case there is a sudden hair loss due to emotional or physical shock, like a traumatic event, period of extreme stress or serious illness. It can also happen due to hormonal fluctuations and can take place in conditions such as:

• Childbirth
• Postpartum
• Menopause
• PCOS

Diagnosis of Hair Fall

Hair fall is not caused due to a single reason. So, in order to know the underlying cause of your hair damage it is very important to schedule an appointment with a healthcare professional if you notice any of the symptoms of the condition.

They will first diagnose your condition and later will try to gather all your health history including like any recent surgeries or illness or anything that is causing you stress. They may also ask for any traumatic experience you have gone through. In addition to that your physician may also order for a physical exam to rule out causes of any other underlying diseases.

If any autoimmune or skin condition is suspected they may take up a biopsy of your skin or your scalp.

What are the treatment options for hair loss?

Many times hair loss is treated with topical or oral medications. It is considered to be the first course of treatment.  

Over the counter medications may include hair creams, oil and any other hair products which you can directly use on your scalp.

Tips to prevent hair fall

1. High Protein Diet

 As we all know that hair is mostly made of the protein called keratin it is important to maintain the right amount of protein to keep your hair healthy. You may include the following items in your diet:

• Eggs
• Nuts 
• Beans and Peas 
• Low-fat dairy products

2. Loose hairstyles

Tie your hair loosely. If you’re a hair stylist and love to experiment with new styles like braids, buns and ponytails then keep this in mind to tie your hair loosely to decrease the pressure.

3.Avoid touching your hair

Try not to pull, twist or rub your hair again and again to prevent unnecessary hair loss.

 Hair styling tools and products can also be counted as the greatest culprit in hair fall. Some of the products that can cause hair loss are:

• Blow Dryers
• Heat Combs
• Hair Straighteners
• Bleaching Agents

Conclusion

There are many causes of hair fall. Whatever you think is causing your hair fall you might discuss with your doctor. You can consult your primary health care physician or dermatologist. The chances of preventing hair loss is more if you start the treatment early.

Treatments may include lifestyle changes, better diet plans, medical treatments, etc.