Alopecia: What causes the hair loss condition? – foxwilmington.com
By daniellenierenberg
Everyone sheds about 100 hairs each day as part of the normal hair growth cycle, but excess loss is usually a distressing development.(iStock)
Hair loss is typically considered the domain of aging men, but this equal-opportunity condition which has many causes can affect virtually anyone.
Alopecia is the medical term for hair loss, and it doesnt only happen on the scalp. Some illnesses and medications can trigger balding over the entire body, though genetics account for most cases on the head, according to theCleveland Clinic.
PARTY DRUG MDMA A STEP CLOSER TO LEGALIZATION FOR PTSD THERAPY
Everyone sheds about 100 hairs each day as part of the normal hair growth cycle, but excess loss is usually a distressing development. Americans spend more than $3.5 billion each year trying to treat it, according to theAmerican Hair Loss Association.
Most peoples hair grows about a half-inch per month, and about 90 percentof your hair is actively growing at any given time, with the other 10 percentin dormant phase. After two or three months, this dormant hair falls out and its follicles begin growing new hair as other follicles begin a dormant phase.
Shedding hair is different from hair loss, when a hair falls out and doesnt grow back. People often shed hair during stressful events, such aschildbirth, a breakup or divorce or during times of grief.
It still doesnt feel good, and it takes the hair [awhile] to reach a certain length where you perceive its presence, said Doris Day, a board-certified dermatologist New York City and an attending physician at Lenox Hill Hospital, also in New York. So it feels like a hair loss, but its not a hair loss.
Aside from heredity, noticeable hair loss can be caused by wide variety of factors, including:
Harsh hairstyles or treatments: Hairstyles that consistently use rubber bands, rollers or barrettes, or pull hair into tight styles such as cornrows, can inflame and scar hair follicles. So can incorrectly used chemical products such as dyes, bleaches, straighteners or permanent wave solutions. Depending on the degree of damage, resulting hair loss can be permanent.
Hormone imbalances: In women, hormonal shifts from birth control pills,pregnancy, childbirth, menopause or hysterectomy can induce more hair follicles than normal to enter the dormant phase.
Illness or surgery: The stress from sickness or surgery may prompt the body to temporarily cease nonessential tasks such as hair production. Specific conditions can also trigger it, including thyroid disorders,syphilis, iron deficiency,lupusor severe infection. An autoimmune condition called alopecia areata, which has no cure, causes rapid body-wide hair loss.
Medications and vitamins: Cancer chemotherapy, which attacks hair follicles in its attempt to kill all fast-growing cells around the body, is a well-known reason for hair loss. Other medications side effects include hair shedding as well, such as some that treat high blood pressure andgout(a painful joint condition caused by a buildup of uric acid). Excessive levels of vitamin A also contribute.
Nutritional deficits: Heavy dieting or eating disorders such asbulimiaandanorexiacan temporarily stun hair follicles to cease growth. This can also occur from insufficient protein, vitamin or mineral intake.
Aging: A natural effect of growing older is slowed hair growth.
Women usually dont go completely bald, but lose hair on the top of the head or the temples. Men tend to lose hair on their temples, and are more likely than women to go completely bald, Day said.
Dermatologists will examine the persons scalp and take a history of medical or stressful events to see whats been going on in their life and their world, Day said.
HELICOPTER-SHARING APP BLADE PAIRS WITH NYU LANGONE TO SPEED TRANSPLANT ORGANS
The dermatologist may take a biopsy a small patch of skin that includes the hair follicle and send it to a pathologist to determine if an autoimmune disease, such as lupus, is the cause of the hair loss.
Examining the hair and follicle can also determine whether someone has a bacterial or fungal infection, Day said.
Hair loss remedies range from the mild to the extreme and the inexpensive to the costly. Much depends on how much hair is gone and how high a priority it is to mask its absence or replace it.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, treatments include:
Hair weaves or wigs: Typically expensive, wigs and hair weaves either completely cover the head or add to existing hair, restoring the appearance of a full head of hair. They are especially practical for cancer patients and those whose hair loss is temporary.
Topical creams and lotions: Over-the-counter minoxidil (also known as the brand name Rogaine) can restore some hair growth, especially in those with hereditary hair loss. It is applied directly to the scalp. Prescription-strength finasteride (Propecia) comes in pill form and is only for men. According to theAmerican Academy of Family Physicians(AFP), it may take up to six months to tell if these medications are working.
Anti-inflammatory medications: Prescription steroid-based creams or injections can calm follicles damaged or inflamed by harsh chemicals or excessive pulling.
Surgery: Men tend to be better candidates for surgical hair-replacement techniques because their hair loss is often limited to one or two areas of the scalp. Procedures include grafting, which transplants from one to 15 hairs per disc-shaped graft to other locations. Scalp reduction removes bald skin from the scalp so hair-covered scalp can be stretched to fill in the bald areas. Side effects include swelling, bruising and headaches.
Hair-growth laser treatment can also help stimulate hair follicles and improve growth, Day said. People often see results when they combine laser treatment with another intervention, she said. Treatments range in price from $30 and up for Rogaine to about $3,000 for laser treatment, she added.
According to theNational Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases(NIAMSD), alternative therapies may not help hair regrow and many are not supported by medical research. However, other treatments that reportedly improve alopecia areata include Chinese herbs, acupuncture, zinc and vitamin supplements, evening primrose oil and aroma therapy.
Viviscal, a natural supplement, has also shownmore hair growthin men compared to those who took fish extract in clinical trials, Day said.
The NIAMSD recommends discussing any alternative treatments with physicians before use.
The drug Tofacitinib is approved to treat adults witharthritis, but a growing number of cases suggest that it can also treat alopecia universalis, a condition in which people lose all of the hair on their body because theirimmune systemattacks hair follicles,Live Science previously reported.
The finding occurred after doctors prescribed a 25-year-old man with alopecia universalis the drug because they had heard it had treated a similar condition in mice,according to a statement from Yale University. After three months of treatment, the man had completely regrown the hair on his scalp, and he had visible eyebrows, eyelashes, facial hair, as well as hair elsewhere on his body.
Its exciting, said Day, who did not treat this particular patient. There seems to be a real effect here.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Its unclear how Tofacitinib (brand name Xeljanz) works, but researchers hope to determine its mechanism soon. This data may help them learn which biological pathways lead to hair loss.
There are now clinical trials taking place around the country to test the safety and efficacy of the drug for hair loss conditions. One such study lasting 3 months gave Tofacitinib to 66 people with alopecia areata (an immune system condition that causes hair to fall out in patches). Half of the people regrew some hair, and one-third had more than 50 percentof the hair on their scalp grow back, according to the 2016 study, published in the journalJCI Insight.
However, researchers are still working to determine the best dose needed, whether the results are lasting, and whether they can develop a topical form of the drug, Day said. She added that patients should be aware that Tofacitinib has side effects. Its already associated with an increased risk of serious infections, as well as stomach and intestinal tears, according to Pfizer, the manufacturer.
Besides investigating Tofacitinib, researchers are also looking at ways to clone hair or use stem cell therapy to treat alopecia, Day said.
This article first appeared on LiveScience.
View original post here:
Alopecia: What causes the hair loss condition? - foxwilmington.com
- New skin research could help slow signs of ageing - BBC.com - October 21st, 2024
- Human skin map gives 'recipe' to build skin and could help prevent scarring - Medical Xpress - October 21st, 2024
- A new cell therapy company takes its vision from four founders, and its skin from George Church - STAT - September 23rd, 2024
- Women 60+ love this hydrating stem cell-infused moisturizer that's $15 right now - Yahoo Life - September 23rd, 2024
- NKGen Biotech Publishes Phase 1 Interim Analysis Results of SNK02 Allogeneic NK Cell Therapy in Advanced Solid Tumors at the 2024 American Society of... - May 25th, 2024
- FibroGen Announces Presentation of Positive Interim Data from the Phase 1b Study of FG-3246 (FOR46) in Combination with Enzalutamide in Patients with... - May 25th, 2024
- Cogent Biosciences Appoints Cole Pinnow as Chief Commercial Officer - May 25th, 2024
- G1 Therapeutics Announces Upcoming Presentation at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Meeting - May 25th, 2024
- Updated Phase 1 Clinical Data for SYS-6002 (CRB-701) to be presented at 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting - May 25th, 2024
- Affimed Announces Positive Early Efficacy and Progression Free Survival Results of AFM24-102 Study in EGFR Wild-Type Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer at the... - May 25th, 2024
- SpringWorks Therapeutics Announces Data to be Presented at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting - May 25th, 2024
- Sensei Biotherapeutics Presents Promising Clinical Data from Phase 1 Dose Escalation Study of SNS-101 - May 25th, 2024
- Elicio Therapeutics Announces Preliminary Data from the Ongoing AMPLIFY-7P Phase 1a Study of ELI-002 7P in Patients with mKRAS-driven Solid Tumors at... - May 25th, 2024
- Kronos Bio to Present Clinical Update on Phase 1/2 Trial of KB-0742 at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting - May 25th, 2024
- Coherus Presents Preliminary Results from Phase I Dose Escalation Study of its Anti-chemokine receptor 8 (CCR8) Antibody, CHS-114, at the 2024... - May 25th, 2024
- 3Daughters to Participate in Women’s Health Panel During the 2024 BIO International Convention in San Diego, CA, June 3-6 - May 25th, 2024
- HUTCHMED Highlights Presentations at the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting - May 25th, 2024
- Myriad Genetics Showcases New Research and Product Innovations Advancing Cancer Care at 2024 ASCO® Annual Meeting - May 25th, 2024
- Lift BioSciences Announces Abstract Publications at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting - May 25th, 2024
- Nicox: 2024 Ordinary Shareholder Meeting to be held on June 28th, 2024 - May 25th, 2024
- Adlai Nortye Ltd. to Present Encouraging Data of the Combination of AN0025 and Definitive Chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) at ASCO 2024 - May 25th, 2024
- Vitamin A could have a key role in both stem cell biology and wound healing: Study - Medical Dialogues - March 10th, 2024
- Cyclerion Strengthens Board of Directors with Experienced Company Builder and Cutting-edge Innovator - December 4th, 2023
- Aptose Appoints Fletcher Payne Chief Business Officer, Expanding his Executive Role - December 4th, 2023
- Opthea to Present at the FLORetina 2023 Congress - December 4th, 2023
- HUTCHMED Highlights Clinical Data to be Presented at 2023 ESMO Asia and ESMO Immuno-Oncology Congresses - December 4th, 2023
- AC Immune Strengthens Management, Appoints Madiha Derouazi as CSO and Christopher Roberts as CFO - December 4th, 2023
- Publication of a transparency notification received from Tolefi SA (Article 14 §1 of the Law of 2 May 2007) - December 4th, 2023
- Annovis Bio Appoints Andrew Walsh as Vice President Finance - December 4th, 2023
- Foghorn Therapeutics Announces Clinical Data from Phase 1 Study of FHD-286, a Novel BRG1/BRM Inhibitor, in Patients with Advanced Hematologic... - December 4th, 2023
- Akari Therapeutics Appoints Experienced Life Sciences Entrepreneur Samir R. Patel, M.D. to Board of Directors - December 4th, 2023
- Ovid Therapeutics to Present Five Abstracts Supporting its Epilepsy Programs at the 77th American Epilepsy Society Annual Meeting (2023) - December 4th, 2023
- Spectral Medical Announces CFO Departure - December 4th, 2023
- Are STEM CELL EXOSOMES the secret to a 'snatched' jawline? Discover the products that influencers are claiming - Daily Mail - November 18th, 2023
- Defence Mechanisms: Four ways your body is protecting you every time you fall sick - indulgexpress - May 16th, 2023
- Treat Yourself to a Spa Day With a $100 Deal on $600 Worth of Products From Elemis, 111SKIN, Nest & More - E! NEWS - May 16th, 2023
- INTERNATIONAL STEM CELL CORP MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS (form 10-K) - Marketscreener.com - April 5th, 2023
- Skin Regeneration: The Science and How to Boost It - Healthline - March 9th, 2023
- Treat Yourself to a Spa Day With a $100 Deal on $600 Worth of Products From Elemis, U Beauty, Nest & More - E! NEWS - March 1st, 2023
- 7-year-old vows to find a cure for brother in need of bone marrow transplant - WJLA - February 21st, 2023
- World's most radioactive man 'cried blood' as his skin melted in 83-day nightmare - Times Now - February 4th, 2023
- How old are you, really? The answer is written on your face. - National Geographic UK - February 4th, 2023
- Skin: Layers, Structure and Function - Cleveland Clinic - January 27th, 2023
- Human skin | Definition, Layers, Types, & Facts | Britannica - January 27th, 2023
- Skin Disorders: Pictures, Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment - Healthline - January 27th, 2023
- Skin care: 5 tips for healthy skin - Mayo Clinic - January 27th, 2023
- Skin Care and Aging | National Institute on Aging - January 27th, 2023
- Wrinkles - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic - January 27th, 2023
- Dry skin - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic - January 27th, 2023
- Stem cells: a brief history and outlook - Science in the News - January 3rd, 2023
- Still Drinking Green Tea? Doctor Reveals A Healthier Drink With Proven Benefits For Diabetes, Aging, Oxidative Stress, And Cancer - Revyuh - January 3rd, 2023
- RUDN Physician And Russian Scientists Investigate Long-term Effects Of Treating Diabetic Ulcers With Stem Cells - India Education Diary - December 25th, 2022
- The Use of Stem Cells in Burn Wound Healing: A Review - Hindawi - December 1st, 2022
- FACTORFIVE Skincare The Power of Stem Cells for Skin - December 1st, 2022
- Embryonic Stem Cells - The Definitive Guide | Biology Dictionary - December 1st, 2022
- From pro soccer hopeful to hip hop artist with illness and addiction along the way, Tymaz Bagbani releases debut album - Toronto Star - December 1st, 2022
- Stem Cells | The ALS Association - November 22nd, 2022
- What is a stem cell? YourGenome - October 29th, 2022
- Skin Cell - The Definitive Guide | Biology Dictionary - October 29th, 2022
- Explora Journeys Plans Extensive Fitness And Well-Being Initiatives At Sea, Right On Trend - Forbes - October 29th, 2022
- Ahead of the holiday shopping season, Amazon kicks off second annual Holiday Beauty Haul on Oct. 24 - KXAN.com - October 21st, 2022
- Human skin color - Wikipedia - October 13th, 2022
- Mesenchymal Stem Cells | Properties, Process, Functions, & Therapies - October 13th, 2022
- Skin Grafting, Cryopreservation, and Diseases: A Review Article - Cureus - October 13th, 2022
- Anti-ageing cosmetics: Can they turn back the hands of the clock? - The Sunday Guardian Live - The Sunday Guardian - October 13th, 2022
- Brennand named Elizabeth Mears and House Jameson Professor of Psychiatry - Yale News - October 13th, 2022
- The Switch to Regenerative Medicine - Dermatology Times - October 13th, 2022
- Last Chance to Get The Collagen-Infused Massage Oil That Moisturizes Skin & Diminishes Cellulite For Less Than $20 - msnNOW - October 13th, 2022
- Addison's Disease Explained: Causes, Symptoms, And Treatments - Health Digest - October 13th, 2022
- Stem Cells Therapy for Autism: Does it Work? - October 5th, 2022
- Stem-like CD8 T cells mediate response of adoptive cell ... - PubMed - October 5th, 2022
- 6 Under Eye Products You Need To Have STAT - Grazia India - October 5th, 2022
- CellResearch Corporation (CRC) to present promising new stem cell products for the treatment of chronic diabetic foot ulcers at the world's premier... - September 27th, 2022
- Reprogramming pig cells leads way for new regenerative therapies - National Hog Farmer - September 27th, 2022
- A glimpse into Indian consumers expectations for cosmetic treatments and consumption insights - The Financial Express - September 27th, 2022
- Tajmeel redefines beauty to give its patients the best results - Gulf News - September 27th, 2022
- Here Is Why You Heal Slower As You Age - Health Digest - September 27th, 2022
- Creating stem cells from minipigs offers promise for improved treatments - University of Wisconsin-Madison - September 19th, 2022
- Israeli Biotech Firm Plans to Create Human Embryos to Harvest Organs, Field Experts Say There are Ethical Concerns - CBN.com - September 19th, 2022
- CellResearch Corporation (CRC) announces positive results of Phase I study for CorLiCyte - PR Newswire - September 19th, 2022