It is quite normal to lose hair. But if you lose more hair than grows back, that is cause for concern. Fortunately, there are hair loss treatments that address the causes of hair loss and treat the problem from the core. But first, it is useful to know what hair growth is and what causes your hair loss in order to arrive at the right treatment.
How does hair growth work?
Hair grows from a hair follicle located in the skin. Also called a hair follicle. This hair follicle produces hair in different phases. These are; the growth phase (anagen phase), transition phase (catagen phase) and resting phase (telogen phase). This is a cycle, as the follicle keeps producing new hairs for years. The cycle begins with the growth phase. The hair follicle creates a hair. Or several. Because several hairs can grow from one hair follicle. The growth phase lasts between two and seven years. The average is three years. This is followed by the transitional phase. The hair follicle begins to detach from the hair root, so that the hair is no longer nourished. The hair root shrinks and adheres less and less well to the scalp. After this, the hair is no longer actively growing and is in the resting phase. After which the hair detaches and eventually falls out. This phase lasts three to five months with a healthy scalp. From this point on, the cycle starts again.
Read more about hair growth here.
Why am I losing hair?
For men, the most common reason for hair loss is their own genes. It is largely hereditary whether you start losing hair early. This is easily determined by looking at your father and your maternal grandfather. The main gene responsible for baldness is in the X chromosome, which is more likely to have been passed on from your maternal side via your grandfather. So if your father and grandfather went bald early, there is a good chance you will too. The percentage of men who go bald runs roughly in line with their age. 20% of all men are balding by the age of 20, 30% of those in their thirties and so on up to 70% of all those in their seventies who suffer from hair loss.
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Other causes of hair loss
There are also other causes of hair loss. For instance, illness and your own health can have an effect on hair growth. Stress, diet and certain medication use can also cause hair loss. Around 50 hair diseases, for instance, have been identified.
Illness, health and hair loss
Some health problems can have an effect on hair growth. The thyroid gland is very important here. This is because it regulates metabolism. If the thyroid functions too slowly or too quickly, it can cause hair loss. There are also conditions that can cause hair loss. Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease that causes the hair root follicles to be attacked by one's own immune system. As a result, hairs fall out. Completely bald round or oval patches appear on the head. These spots are generally the size of a coin, but can also grow larger. Or even be the beginning of complete hair loss. This is called Alopecia totalis. Generally, alopecia areata is temporary and the hair grows back.
Vitamin deficiencies can also affect hair growth. Deficiency of important vitamins such as B8 (biotin) and B6 (niacin) is bad for skin and hair health.
Hair loss due to chronic stress
In some cases, chronic stress can lead to hair loss. It can be a trigger to hair loss for people who are genetically predisposed to it. It can also lead to acute hair loss, also called Telogen Effluvium. When the body experiences stress due to a traumatic experience, illness or nutrient deficiency, for example, the amount of hair loss can increase.
Did you know that blondes have more hair on average and redheads have the least?
Hair loss in women
Hereditary hair loss also occurs in women. It occurs to a lesser extent than in men though; about 40 per cent of all women experience hereditary baldness at some point. 15 per cent of women suffer from this even before menopause. This type of hair loss in women manifests itself differently from men. Whereas men have the recognisable pattern of thinner coves and a bald crown, in women it happens more distributed over the scalp or at the parting. This is also known as diffuse hair loss.
Other causes of hair loss in women
Hair loss can have causes other than hereditary disposition. For instance, stress, diet, illness and scalp disorders are also possible causes of it. In women, hormonal fluctuations can additionally be the culprit of much hair loss. It most often occurs during two influential life events. After pregnancy and during menopause. In both cases, hormone levels change, allowing the hair to react to this. This manifests itself mainly in telogen effluvium. The hair becomes thinner all over the scalp as many hairs go into the resting phase at the same time, thus falling out. This reaction by the body is often only temporary. The hair grows back again.
Treatments against hair loss
The Hair Growth Specialist has over a decade of experience in offering hair growth treatments. We have formulated several treatments that are tailored to different scenarios. We'll highlight 3 of them here: hereditary hair loss in men, hereditary hair loss in women and hair loss due to stress.
What to expect: it is important to have the right expectations. A realistic timeframe to evaluate the initial effect of a hair loss treatment is 3 to 6 months.
Sudden severe hair loss
Are you suddenly experiencing severe hair loss? If so, this could be a symptom of other physical problems. Our advice is therefore to consult your doctor or a dermatologist about your hair loss when in doubt or uncertain.
You can supplement the lack of nutrients for the hair follicles with Revita.SOD tablets. This supplement contains all vitamins, minerals and amino acids essential for hair growth. It also contains extra superoxide dismutase. This is an antioxidant proven to help against stress.
Neofollics shampoo stimulates the regrowth of your hair. They also bring your scalp and hair into optimal condition with maximum care.
In addition, Spectral.F7 lotion is specially formulated to solve hair loss caused by health problems and medications. It improves overall hair health, stimulates hair growth and promotes hair thickness.
