Baldness is also known as alopecia. Baldness refers to complete or partial loss of hair mainly from the scalp.
CAUSES OF BALDNESS
Baldness can occur in spots or over the entire head. Baldness may be due to many causes. The primary ones are hereditary factors, ailments affecting the whole body, aging, scalp dysfunctions, drug reaction, radiation or ionizing.
HERIDITARY BALDNESS
When a person suffers baldness due to hereditary causes, the scalp oil glands and hair follicles deteriorate. As a result, the hair becomes thinner. What ultimately remain are a few downy fine strands.
MALE PATTERN BALDNESS
Male pattern baldness spreads evenly. It starts with partial hair loss from the head crown as well as the upper temples. As the name suggests, this type of baldness affects men above the age of 30. In certain cases, male pattern baldness may commence prematurely. There are cases of youth in their mid-teens suffering from such a dysfunction. The cause of male pattern baldness is hormonal change consequent upon advancement of age.
DON?T WOMEN SUFFER FROM PATTERN BALDNESS?
Of course, females turn bald less often males. Nonetheless, women do pass on the genes that determine pattern baldness to their offspring. Mentionably, women in their menopausal stage may suffer from inherited female pattern baldness. Such cases are reported among many women in their 50s. Definitely, the cause for such hereditary pattern baldness is also hormonal change. BALDNESS CAUSING AILMENTS
Many ailments characterized by long bouts of fever have been proven causes of baldness. Mention may be made of scarlet fever or typhoid fever. These two ailments can cause sudden loss of hair form the entire body including the head.
Besides, medication poisoning or reaction, dysfunction of the endocrine system, malnutrition, and other ailments can lead to slow loss of hair.
ALOPECIA UNIVERSALIS
Alopecia universalis leads to total and permanent hair loss from all over the body. There can also be loss of eyelashes and eyebrows. Research is still on to pinpoint the cause of alopecia universalis.
FUNGAL INFECTIONS & OTHER CAUSES
Hair loss can take place in certain parts of the body affected by fungus. Such fungal infections may be severe bacterial attacks, or ringworm. Burns and tuberculosis ulcers are other causes of such hair losses in the affected portions.
Cancer chemotherapy destroys all cells that develop rapidly. It also affects the hair follicles that contain active cells. The result is temporary total baldness. Prolonged exposure to ionizing radiation from X-ray machines and similar other equipment generally used to treat cancer also leads to temporary baldness. Such effects can also happen from explosion of nuclear weapons.
PREVENTION OF HAIR LOSS
Hair loss can be checked if the cause of the hair loss is diagnosed at the initial stage. Many infections are thus effectively treated. For instance, seborrheic dermatitis leads to chronic skin inflammation and also causes dandruff. This skin disorder can lead to severe hair loss. But early treatment can prevent scalp hair loss.
HAIR TRANSPLANT
Hair transplantation was developed as a technique to grow hair in the late 1950s. It became popular as a means to compensate male pattern baldness. Hair transplantation is a distinct cosmetic transformation.
Hair is transplanted by first removing about 300 small hair tufts possessing active follicles mainly from the back of the head. Then these tufts are transplanted in the bald areas. The grafting sessions take place once or twice in seven days.
Notably, hair transplantation cannot render the head the look of natural hair. But, many men opt for hair transplantation rather than go for wigs.
CAN DRUGS REGROW HAIR?
One can find in the market many drugs that promise luxuriant regrowth of hair. One of the most sought after creams contain the drug Minoxidil (brand name Rogaine). It was originally meant to check hypertension. Many have reported positive results after daily applying this cream for several months. There are also reports that this cream checks further loss of hair. But then, there have also been not very encouraging feedbacks from others.
The Finasteride drug marketed under the brand name ?Propecia? was approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) in 1997 for treating baldness. Small daily doses of Propecia prevent hair loss particularly in male pattern baldness. However, the FDA has recommended that child-bearing women or women of child-bearing age must avoid contact with Propecia as this drug has been found to have links with birth defects. Moreover, Propecia can?t stop baldness in women.
