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The healthy condition of the hair depends, to a very large extent, on the intake of sufficient amounts of essential nutrients in the daily diet. Hair is made of keratin, a protein, which also makes up the nails and the outer layer of our skin. The most important cause of hair loss is inadequate nutrition. Even a partial lack of almost any nutrient may cause hair to fall. But hair grows normally after a liberal intake of these vitamins. A high protein and and an iron rich diet is recommended for hair loss. An adequate intake of raw vegetables, fresh fruits, salads, green leafy vegetables should be included in the diet on a regular basis. Women require 60 grams, men 80 to 90 grams, adolescent boys and girls 80 to 100 grams of protein. It is supplied by milk, buttermilk, yogurt, soyabean, eggs, cheese, meat and fish. A deficiency of some of the B vitamins, of iron, copper and iodine may cause hair disorders like falling of hair and premature greying of hair. Male pattern baldness that is the condition responsible for over 98% of all hair loss in men. It gets its name from the pattern of hair loss, which ultimately results in a horseshoe of hair that resides on the sides and back of the head, while the top of the head is completely bald. Some men begin MPB by losing the hair in their hairline. Others start in the crown. The most familiar hair loss pattern is where the hair begins to recede in the hairline and the crown at roughly the same time. The hair in the mid-scalp or anterior scalp is often the last to go. But go it will, eventually leaving a man with the horseshoe of hair that is the telltale sign of typical male pattern baldness. The chief difference in womens androgenic hair loss from mens (both are hormone related) is that women tend to experience thinning that occurs in no particular pattern or part of the scalp. Unlike men, the scalp may not actually be totally denuded of hair, just thin to the point where the scalp is visible. Like men, however, the resulting hair loss is generally irreversible. New hair resulting from minoxidil use may be thinner and shorter than previous hair. But there can be enough regrowth for some people to hide their bald spots and have it blend with existing hair. New hair stops growing soon after you discontinue the use of minoxidil. If you experience minimal results within six months, your doctor may recommend discontinuing use. Side effects can include irritation of the scalp. Finasteride is not approved for use by women. In fact, it poses significant danger to women of childbearing age. If you're a pregnant woman, don't even handle crushed or broken finasteride tablets because absorption of the drug may cause serious birth defects in male fetuses. Anthralin (Drithocreme). Available as either a cream or an ointment, anthralin is a synthetic, tarry substance that you apply to your scalp and wash off daily. It's typically used to treat psoriasis, but doctors can prescribe it to treat other skin conditions. Anthralin may stimulate new hair growth for cases of alopecia areata.
It is good to shampoo your hair--we recommend at least three times a week. This helps to remove dirt and buildup on the hair that can deteriorate the condition of your scalp. When shampooing, it is very important that you pay attention to cleansing your hair, your scalp and your hair line. Many people (wrongly) will drop a handful of shampoo on their head and then rinse it off. Shampoo must be worked through all of your hair, as well as the scalp and hairline. Did you notice that when you shampoo your hair the amount of lather often varies? Usually, the more lather you have, the less buildup you have on your hair. It's also important to fully rinse out the shampoo to eliminate any residual detergents--they can damage the hair shaft and scalp.
Hair is composed of Keratin, a special protein that also produces our fingernails and toenails the nails and forms the protective outer layer of our skin. Each strand of hair consists of three concentric layers, the cuticle, the cortex and the medulla. The physical thickness and length of hair depends on what type of hair it is. Vellus hair is the fine fuzz type of hair that's often called peach fuzz. Its very fine and colorless and often almost invisible to the naked eye. Hair that is dark and very visible is known as Terminal hair. Terminal hair is the hair that we refer to when talk about hair. Whether a hair is a fine vellus hair or a thick dark hair depends entirely on the follicle that is producing the hair. In balding men thick terminal hair is often replaced by fine vellus hair. This is a result of the hair producing equipment, the follicle, suffering physical damage and being unable to produce terminal hair. About 90 percent of the hair on a person's scalp is growing at any one time. The growth phase lasts between two and six years. Ten percent of the hair is in a resting phase that lasts two to three months. At the end of its resting stage, the hair is shed. When a hair is shed, a new hair from the same follicle replaces it and the grow-ing cycle starts again.
Definitions used on this pageAlopecia Areata
- Alopecia areata is a hair loss condition which usually affects the scalp. It can, however, sometimes affect other areas of the body.
Hair loss
- A progressive, diffuse loss of scalp hair in men that begins in the twenties or early thirties, depends on the presence of the androgenic hormone testosterone, and is caused by a combination of genetic and hormonal factors. Also called androgenetic alopecia.
Hair transplantation
- Hair transplantation is a surgical procedure used to treat baldness or hair loss (alopecia). Typically, tiny patches of scalp are removed from the back and sides of the head and implanted in the bald spots in the front and top of the head.
Protein
- Important building blocks of the body, composed of amino acids, involved in the formation of body structures and controlling the basic functions of the human body.
- Complex organic molecules made up of amino acids. Proteins are basic components of all living cells and are therefore among the principal substances that make up the body.
Ringworm
- The term "ringworm" refers to fungal infections that are on the surface of the skin. The early belief was that the infection was due to a worm, which it is not, although the name has stuck. Some of these fungi produce round spots, but many do not.
Thyroid
- A gland in the throat that produces hormones that regulate growth and metabolism.
- A large gland in the neck that functions in the endocrine system. The thyroid secretes hormones that regulate growth and metabolism.
Alopecia
- A hair loss, baldness, and epilation.
- Alopecia, also called hair loss, baldness, and epilation, is a common side effect of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Baldness
- A progressive, diffuse loss of scalp hair in men that begins in the twenties or early thirties, depends on the presence of the androgenic hormone testosterone, and is caused by a combination of genetic and hormonal factors. Also called androgenetic alopecia.
Biotin
Follicles
- A follicle (from the Latin folliculus) is a term to describe a small spherical group of cells containing a cavity.
Grafts
- To transplant or implant surgically into a bodily part to replace a damaged part or compensate for a defect.
Hormone
- A substance, usually a peptide or steroid, produced by one tissue and conveyed by the bloodstream to another to effect physiological activity, such as growth or metabolism.
Scalp
- The skin covering the top of the human head with its attached hair.
Stress
- Importance, significance, or emphasis placed on something.
- The relative force with which a sound or syllable is spoken.
- Accent or a mark representing such emphasis or force.
- An applied force or system of forces that tends to strain or deform a body.
- A mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health, usually characterized by increased heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, muscular tension, irritability, and depression.
- A state of extreme difficulty, pressure, or strain.
- A physical and psychological response that results from being exposed to a demand or pressure.
Testosterone
- A white crystalline steroid hormone, C19H28O2, produced primarily in the testes and responsible for the development and maintenance of male secondary sex characteristics. It is also produced synthetically for use in medical treatment.
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