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Tips on Discovering the Cause of and Stopping Hair Loss- Thursday, February 19, 2009

Question:

I'm 22 years old and my hair is thinning. Could you give me some tips on stopping hair loss?

Answer:

The first step in considering treatments for hair loss is determining what's causing it.

Genetics is still the most common cause of balding in the world and is referred to as androgenic alopecia (genetic female and male pattern baldness). Genetic hair loss typically follows a particular pattern such as the norwood or ludwig scale. Non-surgical treatments like Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil) are FDA approved and proven to slow down or stop hair loss, especially when combined. Just like every other medication however, these drugs come with risks of side effects. To learn more about these medications, their benefits, risks, and potential unwanted side effects, speak with a physician and take your time to research them.

There are other non-genetic causes of or contributors to hair loss. Anything extreme that can become a significant "stressor" to the body may cause a type of temporary thinning known as telogen effluvium. When a stressor arrives, this "shock" can cause a temporary shed causing the appearance of thinning hair. Once the stressor is removed, it can take up to 3 months for hair regrowth to begin and even longer for your hair to grow to its normal length.

Other causes of hair loss include but aren't limited to certain medications, hormonal changes, an iron deficiency, a thyroid condition, other medical conditions like Lupus, self-inflicted causes such as trichotillomania (purposeful hair pulling) and traction alopecia (usually accidental hair pulling), etc.

Speak to a dermatologist about your hair loss concerns and if there's any question that your condition is genetic, he/she can perform a full medical analysis on you to narrow down its cause.

Bill (Falceros)
Associate Publisher/Editor