Hair Loss, Hair Breakage :
Hair loss is a complicated subject. There are many reasons why you might be
experiencing hair loss (hair coming out at the roots or not growing from the root)
or hair breakage (hair breaking). We will first discuss the normal hair growth
process, then we’ll talk about some reasons why your hair might not be growing
as much as you’d like and what you can do about it.
Hair Structure
Hair is made of a form of protein. Hair grows from the roots. So, the oldest part of
your hair will be the part at the ends- furthest away from your scalp. Hair is
essentially dead. Once it has come out of your head, there is nothing you can
do to improve the structure of the hair itself. However, there is a lot you can do
to damage the hair. Once the damage has been done, repairs are limited. If
the structure of the hair itself has been damaged, the repair to that p a rticular
part of the hair is irreversible. You have to wait until the hair grows out more and
cut off the damaged part or until the hair is replaced by a new hair (you will see
soon this is a very long proposition)
Hair Life Cycle
On a normal head of hair there are roughly 100,000 strands of hair, each going
through its own cycle. Different hair strands will be at different phases at any
given time. First, hair grows. This is called the anagen phase. This lasts from 4-6
years. Hair then rests. This is called the catagen phase. The hair follicle (the
pocket in the scalp that holds the hair) actually regresses during this time. Then,
hair sheds. This is called the telogen phase. Normally, about 90% of hairs are in
the anagen phase at any point in time. The average person sheds about 50-60
hairs per day (the last phase of the hair cycle. These phases can be disrupted by
stress, medicines, genetics (male pattern baldness) and other reasons.
Hair Growth
On average, hair grows at a rate of about 1/2 inch per month. But, this varies by
person based on genetics. Each person will have a maximum growth rate that
she can attain. Nutrition, stress levels and the health of the scalp also affect the
hair growth rate. Many people confuse hair growth with hair length. If your hair
is growing at its maximum rate yet is breaking off, it will appear that you hair is
not growing. Most people do not have hair that is not growing. Getting the
proper rest, drinking enough water, treating your scalp well and the getting the
proper nutrition, including supplements (hair vitamins) can help you reach your
maximum potential hair growth.
Hair Loss
Baldness or hair loss in both men and women is sometimes due to disease.
Examples follow. Hair loss can be triggered by excessive weight gain or loss in a
short period of time. High fever can cause hair loss. Chemotherapy drugs can
cause hair loss. Lack of iron can cause anemia, leading to hair loss. An over
productive or under productive thyroid can lead to hair loss.
Other reasons for hair loss include:
Genetics- some people have a built in trigger that causes the follicles to grow
smaller and even shut down with age. This is known as male pattern baldness or
female pattern baldness.
Malnutrition- the lack of nutrients in the diet can cause hair loss.
Traumatic stress- Can lead to hormone imbalances and cause hair loss.
Autoimmune disorders (alopecia areata)- exact causes have not been
determined. Can cause hair loss from either just patches here and there to
complete baldness on the whole body.
Post pregnancy changes- hormone imbalances triggered during pregnancy can
cause hair loss.
Mechanical- excessive pulling or twisting of the hair (trichotillomania) can cause
hair loss that can become permanent. Some people actually pull the hair or
twist hair as a nervous habit. But, wearing the hair in styles like braids or pulled
back, if done too often and too tight can lead to hair loss, which may even
become permanent.
Local Scalp Conditions- Modern dermatology has concluded by hair loss is
triggered by several factors. These factors include poor circulation to the scalp
and sebum (natural waxy substance produced by the scalp) clogging pores.
Treating these conditions, improving circulation and unclogging pores will help
with this type of hair loss.
Male-Pattern Baldness-Male-pattern baldness, also known as androgenic alopecia, is the most common type of baldness in men. A single, dominant
gene controls this. The baldness usually starts at the temples and the hairline
recedes. Often, the crown of the head will become thin or bald also. Some
men only get balding in one or the other area. The hair in the balding areas starts
out as long and thick and changes into fine, sprouts that grow at a slower rate. If
a man begins to lose his hair during his teen years, there is a good chance he will
become completely bald on the top of his head.
Female-Pattern Baldness- The cause of the failure to grow new hair in female
pattern baldness is not well understood. Generally it genetically predisposed
(passed down), occurs with aging and is associated with levels of hormonesespecially
adrogens, the male sex hormones. Changes in the levels of
androgens can affect hair production. For example, after menopause, many
women find that the hair on the head is thinner, while their facial hair is
coarser. Although new hair is not produced, follicles remain alive, suggesting
the possibility of new hair growth.
The typical pattern of female pattern baldness is different from that of male
pattern baldness. The hair thins all over the head, but the frontal hairline does not
recede. There may be a moderate loss of hair on the crown (back top of the
head), but this rarely progresses to total or near baldness as it often does in men.
This type of balding usually begins around the age of 30 and becomes more
noticeable at age 40; it can be more evident after menopause. This type of hair
loss is permanent. Female pattern baldness is much more easily treated than
male pattern baldness.
Hair Loss Treatments
As we discussed, there are several reasons why you may be losing your hair
(which we define as the hair missing from the roots). The normal aging process
produces thinner and thinner hair for many people and slows down or even stops
the growth phase in many of the hair follicles. Medicines, stress and improper
nutrition or improper treatment of the scalp can lead to hair loss. The general
term for hair loss is alopecia. There are many types of alopecia ranging from
temporary alopecia to permanent alopecia. Some forms are treatable. Some
are not as treatable. If you have “male pattern baldness”, two treatments have
been FDA approved to be effective at stopping and possibly reversing of the
hair loss. Those treatments are Propecia (a tablet taken once a day). The other
treatment is Minoxidil (sold under the brand name Rogaine). Propecia is for men
only, leaving Minoxidil for women. Even Minoxidil and Propecia have limited
ability to r e gro w hair. Their primary benefit is in stopping further hair loss. Once
the treatments are started, they must be continued or the hair loss will begin to
progress again. For this reason, they are called treatments, not cures. There are
herbs (saw palmetto, nettle and pygeum africanum that may have similar
benefits to these two drugs.
Much hair loss is attributed to hormonal imbalances, particularly an
overabundance of male hormone. DHT (dihydrotestosterone) has been labeled
a culprit. Many over-the-counter hair loss products target reducing the amount
of DHT or decreasing its ability to become active. DHT shrinks hair follicles
making it impossible for healthy hair to survive. When DHT becomes more active,
it reacts with sebum and cholesterol found on and within the scalp. This
DHT/sebum/cholesterol mix is shed into hair follicles, where it slowly narrows the tiny opening, causing the follicle itself to become shorter.
If your hair loss is from less than optimal nutrition or an unhealthy scalp, there are
over-the-counter products that can help. Treasured Locks offers two types. We
offer hair growth supplements (vitamins, amino acids and herbs) that can help if
there are deficiencies in your diet. We also offer Treasured Locks H2G Hair
Growth Serum, a topical oil blend of all natural ingredients scientifically proven
to promote longer, healthier hair. Made from the highest quality Emu oil (AEA
food grade certified), naturally extracted carrier oils and a proprietary blend of
the finest quality, steam-distilled essential oils, our serum is unlike any other on the
market. Emu oil and essential oils have been independently tested and shown to
reduce inflammation, increase circulation and improve the growth phase of the
hair life cycle.
Hair Breakage and Hair Breakage Prevention
The second variable that will affect how long your hair can be is hair breakage.
Hair will break if not treated properly. You should treat your hair like fine fibers.
We have tips in other documents on proper hair care. This is vitally important for
kinky African hair, which tends to be both dry and fragile. Many African
American women complain that they cannot “grow” hair. When, in reality, their
real difficulty is keeping the hair they have grown due to breakage. Perms
(relaxers), coloring, excessive styling with heat and other things can weaken
otherwise healthy hair. It is important to keep this in mind if you are doing these
things to your hair.
Following a good hair care regimen can help slow hair breakage. The right
shampoo, conditioner and moisturizers are essential to hair growth. We have
written papers on hair care for natural hair, permed hair and children’s hair.
These are available in the Reading Room at http://www.treasuredlocks.com
Summary
This short paper is intended as a quick primer on the topics of hair loss, hair
breakage and growing longer hair. It is important to know the basics so that you
can diagnose why your hair is not growing at the rate you would like or does not
have the length you would like. If you have serious hair loss, we encourage you
to see a dermatologist. A few minutes and a few dollars spent with a
dermatologist might save you a lot of time and money spent trying to treat
serious alopecia with over-the-counter remedies.
While nothing can give you instantly longer hair, there are ways to maximize the
amount of hair you have. By keeping your scalp healthy, maintaining the proper
moisture and oil balance on your hair and getting the proper nutrition, you can
make sure your hair grows at its maximum rate and does not break off. This is the
secret to long and strong hair.
experiencing hair loss (hair coming out at the roots or not growing from the root)
or hair breakage (hair breaking). We will first discuss the normal hair growth
process, then we’ll talk about some reasons why your hair might not be growing
as much as you’d like and what you can do about it.
Hair Structure
Hair is made of a form of protein. Hair grows from the roots. So, the oldest part of
your hair will be the part at the ends- furthest away from your scalp. Hair is
essentially dead. Once it has come out of your head, there is nothing you can
do to improve the structure of the hair itself. However, there is a lot you can do
to damage the hair. Once the damage has been done, repairs are limited. If
the structure of the hair itself has been damaged, the repair to that p a rticular
part of the hair is irreversible. You have to wait until the hair grows out more and
cut off the damaged part or until the hair is replaced by a new hair (you will see
soon this is a very long proposition)
Hair Life Cycle
On a normal head of hair there are roughly 100,000 strands of hair, each going
through its own cycle. Different hair strands will be at different phases at any
given time. First, hair grows. This is called the anagen phase. This lasts from 4-6
years. Hair then rests. This is called the catagen phase. The hair follicle (the
pocket in the scalp that holds the hair) actually regresses during this time. Then,
hair sheds. This is called the telogen phase. Normally, about 90% of hairs are in
the anagen phase at any point in time. The average person sheds about 50-60
hairs per day (the last phase of the hair cycle. These phases can be disrupted by
stress, medicines, genetics (male pattern baldness) and other reasons.
Hair Growth
On average, hair grows at a rate of about 1/2 inch per month. But, this varies by
person based on genetics. Each person will have a maximum growth rate that
she can attain. Nutrition, stress levels and the health of the scalp also affect the
hair growth rate. Many people confuse hair growth with hair length. If your hair
is growing at its maximum rate yet is breaking off, it will appear that you hair is
not growing. Most people do not have hair that is not growing. Getting the
proper rest, drinking enough water, treating your scalp well and the getting the
proper nutrition, including supplements (hair vitamins) can help you reach your
maximum potential hair growth.
Hair Loss
Baldness or hair loss in both men and women is sometimes due to disease.
Examples follow. Hair loss can be triggered by excessive weight gain or loss in a
short period of time. High fever can cause hair loss. Chemotherapy drugs can
cause hair loss. Lack of iron can cause anemia, leading to hair loss. An over
productive or under productive thyroid can lead to hair loss.
Other reasons for hair loss include:
Genetics- some people have a built in trigger that causes the follicles to grow
smaller and even shut down with age. This is known as male pattern baldness or
female pattern baldness.
Malnutrition- the lack of nutrients in the diet can cause hair loss.
Traumatic stress- Can lead to hormone imbalances and cause hair loss.
Autoimmune disorders (alopecia areata)- exact causes have not been
determined. Can cause hair loss from either just patches here and there to
complete baldness on the whole body.
Post pregnancy changes- hormone imbalances triggered during pregnancy can
cause hair loss.
Mechanical- excessive pulling or twisting of the hair (trichotillomania) can cause
hair loss that can become permanent. Some people actually pull the hair or
twist hair as a nervous habit. But, wearing the hair in styles like braids or pulled
back, if done too often and too tight can lead to hair loss, which may even
become permanent.
Local Scalp Conditions- Modern dermatology has concluded by hair loss is
triggered by several factors. These factors include poor circulation to the scalp
and sebum (natural waxy substance produced by the scalp) clogging pores.
Treating these conditions, improving circulation and unclogging pores will help
with this type of hair loss.
Male-Pattern Baldness-Male-pattern baldness, also known as androgenic alopecia, is the most common type of baldness in men. A single, dominant
gene controls this. The baldness usually starts at the temples and the hairline
recedes. Often, the crown of the head will become thin or bald also. Some
men only get balding in one or the other area. The hair in the balding areas starts
out as long and thick and changes into fine, sprouts that grow at a slower rate. If
a man begins to lose his hair during his teen years, there is a good chance he will
become completely bald on the top of his head.
Female-Pattern Baldness- The cause of the failure to grow new hair in female
pattern baldness is not well understood. Generally it genetically predisposed
(passed down), occurs with aging and is associated with levels of hormonesespecially
adrogens, the male sex hormones. Changes in the levels of
androgens can affect hair production. For example, after menopause, many
women find that the hair on the head is thinner, while their facial hair is
coarser. Although new hair is not produced, follicles remain alive, suggesting
the possibility of new hair growth.
The typical pattern of female pattern baldness is different from that of male
pattern baldness. The hair thins all over the head, but the frontal hairline does not
recede. There may be a moderate loss of hair on the crown (back top of the
head), but this rarely progresses to total or near baldness as it often does in men.
This type of balding usually begins around the age of 30 and becomes more
noticeable at age 40; it can be more evident after menopause. This type of hair
loss is permanent. Female pattern baldness is much more easily treated than
male pattern baldness.
Hair Loss Treatments
As we discussed, there are several reasons why you may be losing your hair
(which we define as the hair missing from the roots). The normal aging process
produces thinner and thinner hair for many people and slows down or even stops
the growth phase in many of the hair follicles. Medicines, stress and improper
nutrition or improper treatment of the scalp can lead to hair loss. The general
term for hair loss is alopecia. There are many types of alopecia ranging from
temporary alopecia to permanent alopecia. Some forms are treatable. Some
are not as treatable. If you have “male pattern baldness”, two treatments have
been FDA approved to be effective at stopping and possibly reversing of the
hair loss. Those treatments are Propecia (a tablet taken once a day). The other
treatment is Minoxidil (sold under the brand name Rogaine). Propecia is for men
only, leaving Minoxidil for women. Even Minoxidil and Propecia have limited
ability to r e gro w hair. Their primary benefit is in stopping further hair loss. Once
the treatments are started, they must be continued or the hair loss will begin to
progress again. For this reason, they are called treatments, not cures. There are
herbs (saw palmetto, nettle and pygeum africanum that may have similar
benefits to these two drugs.
Much hair loss is attributed to hormonal imbalances, particularly an
overabundance of male hormone. DHT (dihydrotestosterone) has been labeled
a culprit. Many over-the-counter hair loss products target reducing the amount
of DHT or decreasing its ability to become active. DHT shrinks hair follicles
making it impossible for healthy hair to survive. When DHT becomes more active,
it reacts with sebum and cholesterol found on and within the scalp. This
DHT/sebum/cholesterol mix is shed into hair follicles, where it slowly narrows the tiny opening, causing the follicle itself to become shorter.
If your hair loss is from less than optimal nutrition or an unhealthy scalp, there are
over-the-counter products that can help. Treasured Locks offers two types. We
offer hair growth supplements (vitamins, amino acids and herbs) that can help if
there are deficiencies in your diet. We also offer Treasured Locks H2G Hair
Growth Serum, a topical oil blend of all natural ingredients scientifically proven
to promote longer, healthier hair. Made from the highest quality Emu oil (AEA
food grade certified), naturally extracted carrier oils and a proprietary blend of
the finest quality, steam-distilled essential oils, our serum is unlike any other on the
market. Emu oil and essential oils have been independently tested and shown to
reduce inflammation, increase circulation and improve the growth phase of the
hair life cycle.
Hair Breakage and Hair Breakage Prevention
The second variable that will affect how long your hair can be is hair breakage.
Hair will break if not treated properly. You should treat your hair like fine fibers.
We have tips in other documents on proper hair care. This is vitally important for
kinky African hair, which tends to be both dry and fragile. Many African
American women complain that they cannot “grow” hair. When, in reality, their
real difficulty is keeping the hair they have grown due to breakage. Perms
(relaxers), coloring, excessive styling with heat and other things can weaken
otherwise healthy hair. It is important to keep this in mind if you are doing these
things to your hair.
Following a good hair care regimen can help slow hair breakage. The right
shampoo, conditioner and moisturizers are essential to hair growth. We have
written papers on hair care for natural hair, permed hair and children’s hair.
These are available in the Reading Room at http://www.treasuredlocks.com
Summary
This short paper is intended as a quick primer on the topics of hair loss, hair
breakage and growing longer hair. It is important to know the basics so that you
can diagnose why your hair is not growing at the rate you would like or does not
have the length you would like. If you have serious hair loss, we encourage you
to see a dermatologist. A few minutes and a few dollars spent with a
dermatologist might save you a lot of time and money spent trying to treat
serious alopecia with over-the-counter remedies.
While nothing can give you instantly longer hair, there are ways to maximize the
amount of hair you have. By keeping your scalp healthy, maintaining the proper
moisture and oil balance on your hair and getting the proper nutrition, you can
make sure your hair grows at its maximum rate and does not break off. This is the
secret to long and strong hair.
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