Hair loss
Hair loss is a common condition with varied causes and treatments.
Hair loss, called alopecia or baldness, is the loss of hair from the scalp or body, usually involving at least the head. It can range from a small patch to complete body hair loss, and typically does not involve inflammation or scarring. For some, it causes psychological distress. Common forms are male- or female-pattern hair loss, alopecia areata, and telogen effluvium, a general thinning. Male-pattern hair loss results from genetics and male hormones; the cause of female-pattern hair loss is not clear. Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition, while telogen effluvium often follows a physically or psychologically stressful event, such as pregnancy.
Less common causes without inflammation or scarring include hair pulling, certain medications (like chemotherapy), HIV/AIDS, hypothyroidism, and malnutrition—specifically vitamin B12 or iron deficiencies. Hair loss with scarring or inflammation can stem from fungal infections, lupus erythematosus, radiation therapy, or sarcoidosis. Diagnosis is partly based on which areas are affected.
For pattern hair loss, treatment may simply involve accepting the condition, including shaving the head. Options include the medications minoxidil or finasteride, and hair transplant surgery. Alopecia areata can be treated with steroid injections in the affected area, though these need frequent repetition. Hair loss is common: by age 50, about half of men and a quarter of women experience pattern hair loss, and about 2% of people develop alopecia areata at some point.
Baldness refers to partial or complete lack of hair growth, part of the broader topic of hair thinning. Its most common cause is androgenic hair loss, also called alopecia androgenetica or alopecia seborrheica (the latter term used mainly in Europe). Hypotrichosis is a condition of abnormal hair patterns, often involving loss or reduction, where vellus hair grows in areas normally covered by terminal hair. Hair growth is typically normal at birth but soon sheds and is replaced by sparse, fine, short, brittle hair that may lack pigment. Baldness may appear by age 25.
Signs and symptoms include patchy hair loss in circular patterns, dandruff, skin lesions, and scarring. Alopecia areata often appears in unusual spots like the eyebrows, back of the head, or above the ears—areas male pattern baldness usually spares.
Quick Facts
- Pronounce
- Alopecia: ˌ · æ · l · ə · ' · p · iː · ʃ · ( · i · ) · ə · ,_ · - · s · i · . · ə
- Field
- Dermatology
- Symptoms
- Loss of hair from part of the head or body.
- Complications
- Psychological distress
- Types
- Male-pattern hair loss, female-pattern hair loss, alopecia areata, telogen effluvium
- Treatment
- Accepting the condition, medications, shaving of balding areas, surgery
- Medication
- Pattern hair loss: minoxidil, finasteride / Alopecia areata: steroid injections
- Frequency
- 50% of males, 25% of females (pattern hair loss by age 50)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Hair loss can result from genetic and hormonal factors, as in male-pattern hair loss, or from autoimmune causes, as in alopecia areata. Telogen effluvium often follows a physically or psychologically stressful event, such as pregnancy. Less common causes include certain medications, chemotherapy, HIV/AIDS, hypothyroidism, and malnutrition. Hair loss with scarring or inflammation may be due to fungal infection, lupus erythematosus, radiation therapy, or sarcoidosis.
Reader's Guide
Hair loss is a widespread experience, with pattern hair loss affecting about half of men and a quarter of women by age 50. Its psychological impact can be significant, particularly for women, who often associate hair with femininity, and for men, who may link a full head of hair with youth. Treatment options range from acceptance and shaving to medications like minoxidil or finasteride and hair transplant surgery. Alopecia areata may be treated with steroid injections, though these require frequent repetition. The condition's causes are diverse, and diagnosis is partly based on the areas affected.
Did You Know?
- Telogen effluvium is very common following pregnancy.
- Male-pattern hair loss is caused by a combination of genetics and male hormones.
- Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder that can result in hair loss ranging from one location to the entire body.
- People have between 100,000 and 150,000 hairs on their head, and the average number lost per day is 100.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Hair loss?
Hair loss, also known as alopecia or baldness, is the condition in which a person loses hair from the scalp or other areas of the body, ranging from a small patch to complete body-wide loss. It typically occurs without accompanying inflammation or scarring.
What are Hair loss's powers/role?
Hair loss manifests through several common forms: male- and female-pattern baldness, alopecia areata (an autoimmune reaction), and telogen effluvium (a general thinning often triggered by physical stress). A healthy scalp holds roughly 100,000 to 150,000 hairs, and a person naturally sheds about 100 strands each day.
Why is Hair loss important?
By age 50, approximately half of men and a quarter of women will experience some degree of hair loss, and about 2% of people develop alopecia areata at some point in their lives. For many affected individuals, the condition carries significant psychological distress in addition to the visible physical change.
What are Hair loss's origins/cause?
Male-pattern hair loss is driven by a combination of genetics and male hormones, while the precise trigger behind female-pattern hair loss remains unclear. Alopecia areata results from an autoimmune response, and telogen effluvium is frequently set off by a physical or emotional stressor.
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