In today’s increasingly stressful world, the number of women suffering from hair loss is increasing. We all want to look our best and damage to a woman’s ‘crowning glory’ can be a uniquely upsetting affliction.

Hair loss in woman can generally be seen evenly across the scalp, without definite bald patches. If this is happening to you, the following conditions may be affecting you:

Diffuse hair loss is a gradual thinning of the hair as opposed to a straightforward bald patch and is the most common type of hair loss in women. The replacement of old hairs by new hairs is slowed down so that the hair becomes sparse and the scalp can be seen clearly through the hair. The causes can be numerous and include stress, restriction of the blood supply, a poor nervous system and hormonal influences.

Androgenetic alopecia (female pattern baldness) in women is often linked to hormonal changes with the hair loss following events such as the menopause, childbirth or as a result of stopping or starting oral contraceptive pills. The hair loss is generally more uniform over the scalp than in the male counterpart, but also results from a complex chemical reaction when the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase converts the testosterone in the system into DHT or dihydrotestosterone. The hair follicles are genetically predisposed to be over sensitive to the DHT and become smaller and smaller with time, leading to the eventual hair loss.

Telogen Effluvium occurs when the growing phase of the hair is interrupted prematurely causing the hair follicles to enter the telogen (resting) phase of the hair cycle earlier than normal. Two to four months later, following the normal cyclic pattern, diffuse shedding of the hair begins. When this happens there are not enough hairs left in the anagen phase, or growing phase, and the result is diffuse thinning of the hair.

Pregnancy will also affect hair production. Hormone levels increase as the pregnancy begins and slow down the hair growth cycle. Hairs that should stop growing continue to grow beyond their usual life cycle. Often this means that the hair appears to grow thicker as more hairs are present than normal. Following the birth, hormone levels change very quickly and hairs that were growing beyond their normal lifespan enter the telogen phase at this time and begin to fall out. This can sometimes appear to happen all at once and can be very worrying to the new mother.

Late onset thinning can be seen in diffuse hair loss across the scalp as density is reduced gradually. This is due to age-related hormonal changes as the natural reduction of oestrogen/progesterone production results in the hair follicles becoming smaller and smaller. These produce finer and finer hair until there is a general reduction in overall density.

If your hair loss is patchy you may be suffering from a form of alopecia:

Alopecia Areata is an extremely common condition and will affect 1% to 2% of the population at some point in their lives. Most sufferers are children and young adults (below 40 years old), though it can affect people of all ages. The hair loss is sudden and manifests itself in small, smooth-skinned patches that are likely to gradually widen with time. It can also affect the sufferer’s nails, giving them a pitted, ridged or brittle appearance. The exact cause is still unknown, although current theories include an auto-immune disease, stress or suggest a genetic basis. If the hair loss progresses until all the scalp hair is lost this is known as alopecia totalis or as alopecia universalis if all the body hair is lost as well.

Pseudopelade is characterised by the development of small, smooth patches without any clinical changes other than transient erythema (redness). The initial patch is usually on the crown of the head, but can occur anywhere on the scalp. It is generally regarded as a clinical syndrome, which may be the end result of any one of a number of different pathological processes due to a weakened immune system.

Hair loss can also have traumatic origins:

Chemical trauma can be caused to the hair by bleaching, relaxing, perming or even dying the hair. The chemicals involved in these processes can damage the hair’s protein structure, making the hair dehydrated and brittle and often causing hair loss. As well as damaging the hair’s protein structure, these chemicals are also not good for the scalp and can irritate it.

Traction alopecia is hair loss caused by constant tension on the hair, such as that created by an over-tight ponytail, plaiting or through using too tight rollers to style the hair. The action of pulling on the hair over a long period of time results in the gradual shrinking of the hair follicle and so the hairs produced become finer and finer.

Injury to the body or surgery and its associated anaesthetics and medications can also cause an interruption of the normal growth cycle. A relatively minor injury can result in disproportionably severe hair loss.

These are just a few of the reasons for hair loss. It order to treat hair loss effectively we would recommend that you have a diagnosis made as soon as possible by one of our experienced trichologists. Stress can be an aggravator in almost all cases of hair loss and an accurate diagnosis will always, at the very least, take some of the stress away from you.

www.thewestminsterpractice.com

Gary Heron
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/female-hair-loss-productstreatments-118346.html

In today’s increasingly stressful world, the number of women suffering from hair loss is increasing.We all want to look our best and damage to a woman’s ‘crowning glory’ can be a uniquely upsetting affliction. Hair loss in woman can generally be seen evenly across the scalp, without definite bald patches. If this is happening to you, the following conditions may be affecting you: Diffuse hair loss is a gradual thinning of the hair as opposed to a straightforward bald patch and is the most common type of hair loss in women. The replacement of old hairs by new hairs is slowed down so that the hair becomes sparse and the scalp can be seen clearly through the hair. The causes can be numerous and include stress, restriction of the blood supply, a poor nervous system and hormonal influences. Androgenetic alopecia (female pattern baldness) in women is often linked to hormonal changes with the hair loss following events such as the menopause, childbirth or as a result of stopping or starting oral contraceptive pills. The hair loss is generally more uniform over the scalp than in the male counterpart, but also results from a complex chemical reaction when the

enzyme 5-alpha-reductase converts the testosterone in the system into DHT or dihydro-testosterone. The hair follicles are genetically predisposed to be over sensitive to the DHT and become smaller and smaller with time, leading to the eventual hair loss.Telogen effluvium occurs when the growing phase of the hair is interrupted prematurely causing the hair follicles to enter the telogen (resting) phase of the hair cycle earlier than normal. Two to four months later,

following the normal cyclic pattern, diffuse shedding of the hair begins. When this happens there are not enough hairs left in the anagen phase, or growing phase, and the result is diffuse thinning of the hair. Pregnancy will also affect hair production. Hormone levels increase as the pregnancy begins and slow down the hair growth cycle. Hairs that should stop growing continue to grow beyond their usual life cycle. Often this means that the hair appears to grow thicker as more hairs are present than normal. Following the birth, hormone levels change very quickly and hairs that were growing beyond their normal lifespan enter the telogen phase at this time and begin to fall out. This can sometimes appear to happen all at once and can be very worrying to the new mother. Late onset thinning can be seen in diffuse hair loss across the scalp as density is reduced gradually. This is due to age-related hormonal changes as the natural reduction of oestrogen/progesterone production results in the hair follicles becoming smaller and smaller. These produce finer and finer hair until there is a general reduction in overall density. If your hair loss is patchy you may be suffering from a form of alopecia: alopecia areata is an extremely common condition and will affect 1% to 2% of the population at some point in their lives. Most sufferers are children and young adults (below 40 years old), though it can affect people of all ages. The hair loss is sudden and manifests itself in small, smooth-skinned patches that are likely to gradually widen with time. It can also affect the sufferer’s nails, giving them a pitted, ridged or brittle appearance. The exact cause is still unknown, although current theories include an A relatively minor auto-immune disease, stress or suggest a genetic basis. If the hair loss injury can result in progresses until all the scalp hair is lost disproportionably this is known as alopecia totalis or as alopecia universalis if all the body severe hair loss. Hair is lost as well. Pseudopelade is characterised by the development of small, smooth patches without any clinical changes other than transient erythema (redness). The initial patch is usually on the crown of the head, but can occur anywhere on the scalp. It is generally regarded as a clinical syndrome, which may be the end result of any one of a number of different pathological processes due to a weakened immune system. Hair loss can also have traumatic origins: Chemical trauma can be caused to the hair by bleaching, relaxing, perming or even dying the hair. The chemicals involved in these processes can damage the hair’s protein structure, making the hair dehydrated and brittle and often causing hair loss. As well as damaging the hair’s protein structure, these chemicals are also not good for the scalp and can irritate it. Traction alopecia is hair loss caused by constant tension on the hair, such as that created by an over-tight ponytail, plaiting or through using too tight rollers to style the hair. The action of pulling on the hair over a long period of time results in the gradual shrinking of the hair follicle and so the hairs produced become finer and finer. Injury to the body or surgery and its associated anaesthetics and medications can also cause an interruption of the normal growth cycle. A relatively minor injury can result in disproportionably severe hair loss. These are just a few of the reasons for hair loss. It order to treat hair loss effectively we would recommend that you have a diagnosis made as soon as possible by one of our experienced trichologists. Stress can be an aggravator in almost all cases of hair loss and an accurate diagnosis will always, at the very least, take some of the stress away from you.

www.thewestminsterpractice.com

Gary Heron
http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/hair-loss-and-scalp-treatment-118391.html

In measuring densities in over 5,000 patients, we have observed the average donor area to have approximately 1 follicular unit/mm2. Although the donor densities of our balding patients may not be representative of the general population, this number is extremely helpful in making clinical judgments with regard to our surgery. It is interesting that similar density measurements were obtained histologically by Headington. In addition, we find that each follicular unit contains, on the average, 2 hairs, yielding a density of 2 hairs/mm2.

These numbers, however, actually refers to the average Caucasian patient. We find that follicular characteristics, in fact, vary significantly between the different races. The following table compares some easily measurable aspects of the follicular unit in three different races.

The genetic differences in the follicular unit may have adaptive value. It is possible that in Africans, the low density in high follicular groups with darkly pigmented hair enhances photoprotection and minimizes heating of the skin. The curly hair, in tight groups of three, may act like scaffolding that holds the hair off the surface of the scalp (to cool it) and in a tight meshwork (that blocks the sun).

We transplant Asian hair in much the same manner as Caucasian hair, except that in Asians with coarse, straight hair and light skin, it is critical to use a larger percentage of single hair follicular units in the transition zone. Because of the heavy weight of each individual hair, more "bulk" may be achieved in the front part of the scalp, but placing too many units in the anterior portion may limit coverage in other areas, due to the inherently low donor density.

With African hair, modifications must be made in the dissection of the implants in order not to damage the follicular units, which tend to be larger and curved. Slightly larger recipient sites must be created to accommodate the larger implants, and they must be spaced further apart. The very low follicular density would appear to severely limit the success of the transplant, but in fact, the three haired units produce "kinky" hair that more than compensates for the low numbers of groups, and enables patients with this hair type to achieve among the best cosmetic results.

Skin and hair color contrast among the different races also greatly impacts the surgery. For persons of Scandinavian descent, with blonde hair and light skin color, the illusion of more fullness may be achieved even though the hair might be very fine in diameter. The fine diameter hair also permits larger follicular units to be placed further forward in the transition zone. An "Afro" hair style on a black haired person with very dark skin will give the appearance of greater fullness, as the dark skin color fills in any gaps between the hair. This is in contrast to an Asian?s black, straight hair which often overlies light skin and appears less dense due to the light color showing through.

Hairline design should also be tailored to the specific racial backgrounds of the patient. In certain families of southern Asia and those of Middle Eastern descent, the hairline tends to be flatter than the hairline of Northern European individuals. These patients often bald in a diffuse pattern, with a juvenile hairline that persists well into middle age. This poses significant problems in selecting a restoration plan which meets both the short and long-term goals of the patient. There are so many other racial and ethnic elements that affect the aesthetics of coverage, the surgeon should have great familiarity with the normal hair patterns and characteristics specific to each group before attempting the transplant.

In hair restoration surgery the physician?s goal should always be directed toward finding ways to most accurately mimic nature. The more one?s own interpretation deviates from the template set by nature, the less natural the results will be. It is hoped by these authors that as a result of this writing, many of the "aesthetic judgments" described above will be viewed as logical solutions to the supply/demand dilemma that all of us face when trying to restore a person?s hair.

Robert M. Bernstein, MD, F.A.A.D.
http://www.articlesbase.com/hair-loss-articles/racial-and-ethnic-differences-in-hair-follicles-and-how-they-affect-hair-transplants-725186.html

For the past few years we’ve seen more and more guys shaving their heads.  For some this is truly a fashion choice but for more than not this is to counter the negative effects of premature hair loss.  Some feel it’s better to try to fit into a trend than be balding or wear a hair replacement.

<p>

The reality is that when guys shave their heads because their going bald and everybody knows that’s why they shaved and they haven’t fooled anyone so why not give a <a href="http://www.hair-necessities.com/">hair replacement</a> a try?  Over the years hair trends come and go—head shaving will definitely go, just like spikes, rat tails and mullets so it’s best to be prepared.

<p>

With all the hair available on the internet these days would be crazy for a guy not to give it a try.  Hair replacements these days are more natural looking than in the past and with the right materials and density wearing hair isn’t too much more difficult than putting a ball cap on the head.

<p>

The latest trend for men is having multiple <a href="http://www.hair-necessities.com/">hair replacements</a> to assure they always look their best.  The ease of styling is a great feature.  A hair wearer can style the hair off the head and get it exactly the way they want it then simply apply to the head, tap in place and go eliminating the frustration of getting your hair just right front and back.  Some hair wearers have a wardrobe of hair styles ready to go at a moment’s notice.  One for work, one for working out and sports activities and one for going out or special occasions, each a different style to suite the day’s events.

Hassan_Ahmed
http://www.articlesbase.com/hair-loss-articles/why-wear-hair-are-hair-pieces-and-hair-replacement-systems-right-for-you-694879.html

For the past few years we’ve seen more and more guys shaving their heads.  For some this is truly a fashion choice but for more than not this is to counter the negative effects of premature hair loss.  Some feel it’s better to try to fit into a trend than be balding or wear a hair replacement.

<p>

The reality is that when guys shave their heads because their going bald and everybody knows that’s why they shaved and they haven’t fooled anyone so why not give a <a href="http://www.hair-necessities.com/">hair replacement</a> a try?  Over the years hair trends come and go—head shaving will definitely go, just like spikes, rat tails and mullets so it’s best to be prepared.

<p>

With all the hair available on the internet these days would be crazy for a guy not to give it a try.  Hair replacements these days are more natural looking than in the past and with the right materials and density wearing hair isn’t too much more difficult than putting a ball cap on the head.

<p>

The latest trend for men is having multiple <a href="http://www.hair-necessities.com/">hair replacements</a> to assure they always look their best.  The ease of styling is a great feature.  A hair wearer can style the hair off the head and get it exactly the way they want it then simply apply to the head, tap in place and go eliminating the frustration of getting your hair just right front and back.  Some hair wearers have a wardrobe of hair styles ready to go at a moment’s notice.  One for work, one for working out and sports activities and one for going out or special occasions, each a different style to suite the day’s events.

Hassan_Ahmed
http://www.articlesbase.com/hair-loss-articles/why-wear-hair-are-hair-pieces-and-hair-replacement-systems-right-for-you-694879.html