The Main Types Of Hair Loss And Hair Loss Solutions

Some hair loss is normal, but when hair loss becomes troublesome then it can really affect your self-esteem. There are many reasons for hair loss, let's have a look at some of these and what you can do about this condition. This is an ad.

What's normal?

hair on brush

Every day they say we lose between 50 and 100 hairs on average. The condition of your hair can affect hair loss and if it is dry and over-processed it may break easier. However, if you think that hair loss is becoming a real problem then there are some things you can do.

Causes of hair loss

According to the NHS website article on hair loss, there are a number of causes to this common condition. These can include illness, stress, cancer treatment, weight loss and Vitamin D deficiency and iron deficiency. If your hair loss is bothering you, your first port of call should be to see your GP. They can examine you and check your health, with a combination of blood tests, and a physical examination.  If you are embarrassed about your baldness you can get an online appointment with a doctor through an online pharmacy. This is straightforward to do and can save you time getting a GP appointment locally.

What can a blood test show?

A blood test can show the level of vitamins and minerals in your blood. This is important as it can show your overall health level, as well as deficiencies. Vitamin D and iron have both been linked to hair loss for example. It can also show your hormone levels. Hormone levels and hair loss are linked to male pattern baldness, baldness in women and baldness related to menopause, where the pattern is thinness across the scalp, not a receding hairline as in men.

Do you need treatment?

Some hair loss doesn't need treatment and hair will grow back without intervention. Some hair loss will be a natural process of getting older as well.  If you do need treatment there are several treatments available appropriate to your condition. No treatment, however, is 100 per cent effective. 

Types of treatments available for hair loss

hair loss

Hair loss solutions are available and are varied but typically include medication and steroid creams and injections. Other solutions include hair transplants and wigs as well as relaxation techniques and psychotherapy to deal with stress.

Medication can address vitamin and hormone deficiencies which can get to the root of the problem (no pun intended!). If you want to look at alternatives to regular medications, you may want to check out hormone balance supplements or other supplements within a similar line, but it does depend on your needs and how your body responds. Medication includes Regaine, Finasteride and Dutasteride which are designed for male pattern baldness. These medications only work for the length of time you take the medication but can be successful although they don't work for everyone and of course can have side effects. 

Steroid creams and injections can be used to treat baldness in alopecia for example with various levels of success.  This is not suitable for baldness due to ageing and again can have side effects. 

Hair transplants can be a solution but it is a major intervention. When someone has a hair transplant, they have existing hair cells moved to the thinning patches on their head. It's important to find a surgeon who is qualified and experienced in carrying out this type of surgery as it can be a big operation and expensive too. If you are going to have a hair transplant be sure to understand any possible complications of the procedure in full.

wigs

There are many synthetic and real hair wigs and hairpieces available today that are more natural-looking than in the past and that can cover hair loss. This is a real instant but temporary alternative to hair loss but does have cost implications, with real hair wigs being much more expensive than synthetic wigs. 

Some hair loss can be caused by stress. Alopecia can be triggered by stress so looking at your health and well-being and trying to reduce stress can help with hair loss. Ways to reduce stress include changing your life so the stressful thing that caused it is reduced, exercising to relieve stress and meditation, and counselling and psychotherapy. Support groups for hair loss can help your emotional well-being as well.

Conclusion

There are many reasons for hair loss but there are solutions out there that can help. Hair loss can really affect your self-esteem so be sure to seek out help if this is the case.

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3 comments

  1. I have been getting some hair loss as I get older

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  2. Very interesting article. A friend of mine started losing her hair. She had a blood test which showed she was low on ferritins. She was put on an iron supplement and the problem was resolved. It's definitely a good idea to request a blood test if you suffer hair loss.

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  3. It's astounding what an impact stress can have, my cousing developed alpecia and lost all his hair and then thankfully some lifestyle changes later, he has a new head of hair and a different hair colour! lol Mich x

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