What is the normal cycle of hair growth and loss?
The normal cycle of hair growth lasts for 2 to 3 years. Each hair grows approximately one (1) centimetre per month during the phase. At any one time, about 90% of the hair on your scalp is growing. During that time, the remaining 10% is in a resting phase. After 3 to 4 months, the resting hair falls out and new hair starts to grow in its place.
It is normal to shed 50-100 hairs each day as part of this cycle. However, some people may experience excessive (and therefore more than normal) hair loss. Hair loss of this type can affect men, women and children.
What causes excessive hair loss?
A number of things can cause excessive hair loss, for example:
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About 3 or 4 months after an illness or major surgery there may be a sudden loss of a large amount of hair. This hair loss is related to the stress of the illness and is temporary.
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Hormonal problems may cause hair loss. Hair may fall out if there is overactivity or underactivity of the thyroid gland. This hair loss usually can be helped by treatment of the thyroid disease.
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If male or female hormones, known as androgens and oestrogens, are out of balance hair loss can occur. Correcting the hormone imbalance may stop the hair loss.
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Many women notice hair loss about 3 months after delivering a baby. This loss is also related to hormones. During pregnancy, high levels of certain hormones cause the body to keep hair that would normally fall out. When the hormones return to pre-pregnancy levels, that hair falls out and the normal cycle of growth and loss starts again.
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Some medications can cause hair loss. This type of loss improves when the medication is stopped. Medicines that can cause hair loss include blood thinners (also called anticoagulants), medication for gout, high blood pressure or heart problems, vitamin A (if too much is taken), birth control pills and antidepressants.
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Hair loss can occur as part of an underlying disease such as lupus or diabetes. As hair loss may be an early sign of a disease, it is important to find the cause so that it can be appropriately treated.
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“Ccompounding@visionarychemist.com.auon baldness”, also known as “male pattern baldness” is the most ccompounding@visionarychemist.com.auon cause of hair loss in men. Treatment externally with topical external anti-androgenic scalp lotions should be accompanied by internal supplements.
