Hair Fall Alopecia Types Causes Tests And Treatment
HealthcareOnTime Team
2022-03-09
2023-08-15
3 Min Read
Stress and Tension - Literally makes us pull out our hair! But hold on to this thought, as the symbol of
enchanting beauty highly advertised even in fairy tales; our hair, also naturally fall off! How many times
have we noticed receding hair lines and falling hair with worry lines on our face? Daily you can hear somebody
complaining about their hairfall, and it has become a very common problem, affecting people of all ages. Likewise,
nowadays the market is also flooded with hair care products ranging from anti-hairfall shampoos to hair tonics,
oils, serum, gel, etc. all for treating hairfall.
What needs to be understood here, is hairfall is a very natural phenomenon with a count between 75 -
100 hairs being lost each day being considered normal. However, excess or abnormal loss of hair from
the scalp is clinically termed as ALOPECIA. This condition is triggered by a genetic element which
makes you vulnerable to either a male or female pattern baldness or to any other forms of alopecia.
Also, it can be a symptom of many other short-term events like stress, pregnancy, medication, which
can alter hair growth and the shedding phase. Let us understand this condition, its types and causes
behind it.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF ALOPECIA
There are several kinds of alopecia based on the pattern of hair
loss.
Androgenetic Alopecia: It is a common form of alopecia occurring in both men and women. This condition
develops due to combination of hormones and heredity conditions.
Alopecia Areata: Alopecia areata is a condition caused due to an autoimmune condition. It usually presents
as a sudden hair loss in oval or circular patches on some or all areas of the body
Alopecia Totalis: Complete loss of hair from head due to stress.
Alopecia Universalis: Complete loss of hair from the whole body including eyebrows.
Alopecia Areata Barbae: Loss of hair (in men) from beard area.
Traction Alopecia: It is a form of hair loss caused due to excessive pulling or
treating of hair, especially during certain hair styles.
Telogen Effluvium: This develops when your body experiences certain traumatic conditions like surgery,
severe infection, childbirth, malnutrition or extreme stress.
Anagen Effluvium:
This condition is commonly associated with chemotherapy and some medications.
CAUSES BEHIND HAIRFALL
Alopecia can arise due to various conditions which may include hormonal changes, medical conditions,
medications, heredity, hair care habits and ageing.
Hormonal changes (menopause, childbirth, thyroid disorder, pregnancy)
Medical conditions (anemia, syphilis, anorexia, trichotillomania, autoimmune disease, ringworm,
infections or illnesses)
Medications (anabolic steroids, antidepressants, blood pressure or heart medications, blood thinners,
excess of vitamin A, birth control pills)
Hair care habits (brushing, chemical treatments, excessive shampooing, use of hair accessories, blow-dryers, hair
colouring, tight ponytails)
Nutritional and emotional stress can also contribute to hair loss.
HOW TO DETECT THE CONDITION?
Hairfall is a symptom of many health problems, and hence to detect the exact reason for the same is an essential
part of treatment. On visit to a trichologist for treatment, the initial
consultation round would include history about medications, diet, any allergies, health issues, etc. Few
physical and blood tests are also recommended for differential diagnosis. They are as follows:
Hair Pull Test In this test, a doctor lightly pulls a small amount of hair
i.e. approximately 40 to 60 scalp hair between the thumb, index and middle finger. If more than 3
hairs break or detach from the scalp, the patient is diagnosed to be suffering from excessive hair loss.
Pluck Test Hair is plucked and the roots are examined for phases of growth
(anagen or telogen) under microscope.
Scalp Biopsy
A small section of scalp is taken from the area of hair loss and examined under the microscope to
determine the cause of hair loss.
Daily Hair Counts
Patients are asked to collect the hair fallen off the scalp in a plastic bag for 14 days. Daily hair
count is maintained. If the count is more than 100 hair/day, it is considered as an abnormal condition.
However, hairfall during shampooing is exempted.
Trichoscopy It is a non-invasive method used for
evaluation of hair or scalp disease, especially analysing the lesions associated with them. This method is
based on videodermoscopy and dermoscopy that allows quick examination of the hair & scalp using high
resolution images of several magnifications for diagnosis of hair loss.
Laboratory Tests As physical examination may or may not be able to identify the exact
trigger for alopecia, routine laboratory tests are also recommended based on the results of physical
examination and medical history. Tests include estimation of hormone levels like dehydroepiandrosterone
(DHEA), testosterone, androstenedione, follicular stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin and
Surgical Treatments
Hair transplants, scalp reduction and laser treatment are used, especially in cases wherein the medications
have been deemed to be ineffective.
Hair Transplant
In this technique, a small section of skin bearing hair from the posterior part or sides of the head are
excised and divided into single hair follicles. These divided single follicular units are then implanted
in the bald region of the scalp. The grafts will heal overnight and the new hair will grow after six months
of transplantation.
Scalp Reduction In this process, the excess scalp without hair is removed and is overlapped with hair-covered scalp.
Other miscellaneous techniques include use of wigs, hairpieces (permanent or temporary), head massages with oils,
incorporating functional foods or low level laser therapy. Hair has always been considered a symbol of beauty from
age old times, with descriptions and records of its care being documented even in the ancient literature. Such a
significant part of our overall personality, can be easily damaged partially because of genetics and the rest by
lifestyle habits.
Hair health is also considered as an indicator of overall biological performance. Though genetic
factors cannot be controlled, associated contributing elements like stress, food habits, lifestyle, etc. can be
dealt with. These measures can help decrease the effects of alopecia and retain the beauty of hair.
