Posts Tagged “hair-loss”

Alopecia areata (AA) is a non-scarring, inflammatory, hair loss disease that is seen in men, women and children. It is an unpredictable autoimmune skin disease that affects approximately 1.7% of the US population, according to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation. It often appears first in childhood and its most benign form presents as non-inflamed bald spots on the scalp. Alopecia areata can progress to total hair loss on the scalp (alopecia totalis) or complete hair loss all over the body (alopecia universalis).

Although great progress has been made in the research of hair diseases, the exact etiology of alopecia areata is still to be established. However, there is a lot of evidence to support the fact that alopecia areata is a multi-entity disorder with causes that are multifactorial, including evident autoimmune and genetic components. The disease presents with the loss of scalp and body hair by interruption of their synthesis. There is no destruction or atrophy of the follicles, and therefore the hair loss can be reversible.

Normally, hair growth in each hair follicle occurs in a cycle. There are three main phases of the hair growth cycle anagen (active growth phase), catagen (period of controlled regression) and telogen (resting state in the hair follicle cycle). Alopecia areata primarily affects the hair follicle as it enters the anagen phase, and studies further indicate that the initial event in the development of alopecia areata is the premature precipitation of anagen follicles into the telogen state or resting state of the hair follicle cycle.

The underlying cause of alopecia areata, alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis is unknown. Studies suggest that the body’s inflammatory response somehow begins to attack hair follicles, an event that precipitates hair loss. The process continues unless the immune response is somehow halted, either spontaneously or with drug therapy. Approximately 20% of affected individuals have a family history of the condition. Moreover, the occurrence of alopecia areata is often linked with other autoimmune conditions, such as atopy (allergy) or lupus erythematosus.

No cure exists for alopecia areata. The most effective treatment often includes a combination of different therapies, depending on the extent of hair loss. In mild cases, steroid injections are given and hair regrowth usually occurs within a few weeks. Minoxidil, which is indicated for treating androgenetic alopecia, has also been prescribed to treat alopecia areata. Oral cortisone is often given to people with more significant hair loss, but is associated with side effects over longer-term use. Topical treatments include corticosteroids, cyclosporine (an immunosuppressive agent) and anthralin, a synthetic substance primarily used to treat psoriasis.

When you suffer from alopecia areata, it is unfortunate that no one is able to answer the question, “Will my hair grow back?” We just don’t know. In some cases, where there are small patches, and they’ve appeared quite suddenly and remained small, regrowth is quite often spontaneous. If they begin to spread, the greater the area that is covered, the less chance of recovery, is the general rule, but not always. There are cases where people have lost their hair for over 20 years with alopecia areata who, for some reason which nobody understands – science certainly doesn’t – suddenly the hair regrows.

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Hair is fairly strong and can generally withstand normal grooming techniques. However, there can be thinning or breakage of hair due to poor grooming habits, and following several tips can prevent these bouts of thinning and breakage.

  1. Avoid combing hair with fine-toothed combs when wet, as this is a common cause of breakage. Although this is a tempting practice because hair straightens and detangles much better if combed when wet, the stress on the hair shaft is immense when the hair is wet because it is weakened.
  2. Avoid brushing the hair when wet also. Brushing the hair in general can be stimulating to the scalp, encouraging blood flow to the hair follicles and maintaining their health. Brushing the hair before washing it can loosen up flakes of sebum and dead skin buildup and make it easier to thoroughly clean the scalp during shampooing.
  3. Avoid excessive shampooing when washing your hair. Although clean hair is desirable and even necessary for the maintenance of healthy hair, excessive shampooing can strip vital minerals like calcium, phosphorus, nitrogen and iron from the hair. This is particularly true when using commercial shampoos. Most commercial shampoos contain formaldehyde as a preservative. This substance can be carcinogenic (cancer-causing) and poisonous to the entire system.
  4. Use natural shampoos to wash your hair. Natural shampoos normally found in health food stores are a much better choice. Even with natural shampoos, be careful of the ingredient Sodium Lauryl Sulfate can strip away too much oil from the hair, causing shampoo residue to be left behind. Ingredients that have proven useful in shampoos are cocamides, Panthenol Pro-B, vitamins, aloe vera, sage, nettle, burdock, chamomile, chaparral, horsetail and rosemary. Also look for shampoos that contain keratin, the protein substance that hair is made of, or amino acids. This will help seal breakages in the cuticle.
  5. Choose a shampoo with a proper pH balance; a level of 5.5 is ideal.
  6. Avoid using shampoos with conditioners included. Shampooing and conditioning serve two different functions and the effectiveness of both are diminished by combining the process.
  7. When shampooing, pour the shampoo into the hands and rub the shampoo in with your hands rather than pouring it on your head. By pouring shampoo directly into the hair you may promote buildup in one particular spot.
  8. When shampooing, massage gently with your fingertips to loosen flakes and buildup and to stimulate circulation, but avoid using the fingernails as this may scratch the scalp and cause scarring over time.
  9. When shampooing, shampoo with warm water to open the pores and rinse with cool water to promote shrinking the pores back to their normal size. After washing hair, dry it by blotting the hair with a towel. Avoid rubbing, especially with terrycloth towels, as this will pull hair when it is in a weakened state due to the wetness.
  10. When styling your hair, be cautious do not overuse of hairstyles that pull the hair too tight, such as ponytails and braids, which will cause hair loss especially along the sides of the scalp. This syndrome is called traction alopecia. Keep in mind when styling hair that hair is living and growing, and is susceptible to the stress of constant pulling continuous abuse causes scarring, which will lead to permanent hair loss in the areas affected.
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What are the causes of dandruff? Dandruff is now believed to be primarily caused by a fungal infection. A fungus called Pityrosporum ovale lives on the scalp and feeds off the excess sebum produced by the glands in the skin, which explains why teenagers and those with oily skin tend to suffer more often.

In addition, there are other factors can also lead to dandruff. Hear are the factors:

  1. Hormonal imbalance.
  2. Poor Health.
  3. Poor hygiene.
  4. Emotional Stress and anxiety.
  5. Excessive consumption of sugar.
  6. Fat.
  7. Improper nutrition.
  8. Heredity predisposition.
  9. Faulty diet.
  10. Improper use of hair dyes.
  11. Excessive use of hot rollers, curling irons or hair strengtheners.
  12. Excessive use of harsh hair products like sprays and gels.
  13. Cold weather.
  14. Dry indoor heating.
  15. Infrequent shampooing or inadequate rinsing of your scalp and hair.

You can buy good dandruff shampoos and conditioner from brands such as Head and Shoulders and Pantene. If you find washing your hair gives you frizzy or dry ends, the little secret to handle that is to take some conditioner and add it to the ends of your hair before washing it normally.

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Taking folic acid vitamins for hair loss prevention can not only greatly decrease your chances of experiencing hair loss to begin with, as well as help to prevent future hair loss. Folic acid can be found in many foods, including nuts and soybeans; or can be bought in over the counter supplements. Folic Acid is the number one most essential vitamin for hair loss prevention. It has long been hailed as a fundamental part of women’s health, especially for pregnant women, but few people realize that it can also play a big role in keeping your hair on top of your head where it belongs.

Folic acid plays an important role in hair loss prevention. Another important nutrient that causes hair loss prevention is Biotin. Vitamins B-6 and B-12, biotin, and folic acid all help maintain hemoglobin levels in the blood; hemoglobin is the molecule in red blood cells that contains iron. The main function of hemoglobin is to transport oxygen between the lungs and the body’s tissues, so both hair and skin can suffer if these vitamins are lacking in our body.

Folic acid is a vitamin in the B group. It is necessary to have folic acid (also called folate or folacin) to promote the formation of normal red blood cells as well as the synthesis of DNA. Folic acid is a conjugated molecule consisting of a pteridine ring structure linked to para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) that forms pteroic acid. Folic acid itself is then generated through the conjugation of glutamic acid residues to pteroic acid. Folic acid is also used for other conditions commonly associated with folate deficiency, including ulcerative colitis; liver disease; alcoholism; renal dialysis; and drug-induced deficiency related to phenytoin, primidone, barbiturates, oral contraceptives, and nitrofurantoin.

Folic acid is in many foods, but it can be hard to get the amount you need from diet alone. To be sure you get what you need, take a multi-vitamin every day with at least 400 micrograms of folic acid. Folic acid is required for the formation of DNA, which is necessary for rapid cell growth needed to make fetal organs early in pregnancy. Folic acid is the man-made form of an important vitamin called folate.

Folic acid is found in various foods, including vegetables, especially green vegetables such as kale, spinach, beet greens, and chard; potatoes; cereal and cereal products; fruits; and organ meats (for example, liver or kidney). It is best to eat fresh fruits and vegetables whenever possible since they contain the most vitamins.

Fast foods restaurants may also serve foods that are good sources of folic acid. Several good sources of folic acid include orange juice, spinach, strawberries, lentils, and peanuts. In addition, many grain products, such as breads and cereals, are fortified with folic acid. Other cereals are good sources of folic acid. Good sources of folic acid provide at least half of the folic acid you need everyday.

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Maintaining a healthy scalp is very important for optimal hair growth. For those who are suffering from hair loss, you shall put more attention to maintain your scalp in order to prevent your hair from keep on losing.

What is a healthy scalp? Healthy scalps are those where the skin is toned, pliable and stimulated. A toned and flexible scalp indicates a healthy network of connective tissue and nourishing blood vessels and a pliable scalp skin allows for better circulation to the hair follicles. A healthy scalp is also a clean and stimulated scalp.

How should we take care of our scalp? Here are the tips:

1. Ensure your scalp is clean. If your scalp is suffering from psoriasis or dandruff, chances are this is a large part of your hair loss problem. An oily scalp can often lead to increased dandruff and psoriasis. In this case, you should wash your hair and scalp daily with anti-dandruff shampoos.

2. Massage your scalp. A healthy scalp needs a constant supply of blood circulation. Hair follicles with a constant supply of blood will remain healthy and active. Scalp massages help bring these much needed nutrients from the blood to the scalp.

3. Avoid exposing the scalp to temperature extremes. Be careful when you use blow dryer to dry your hair. Make sure you direct the blow dryer heat down to the hair shaft and not directly toward the scalp. This is because the heated air from blow dryer will cause the scalp condition becomes too dry and lack of moisture.

4. Balancing your diet. Vitamins and minerals are essential for hair growth and your overall health in general. Nutritional imbalances may result in inadequate nourishment to our scalps which may hinder hair growth and scalp health. Avoid from crash and fad dieting.

5. Avoid smoking. Smoking constricts the arteries and the small blood capillaries, while slowing down blood circulation.

It is advisable to practice these tips in order to ensure that your scalp remains a healthy environment for your hair.

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