National Hair Loss Awareness Month: Recognizing a Common Issue

Hair loss is a frustrating condition that affects both men and women. Even though it’s a common ailment, most people find it difficult to discuss with others because of the stigma attached. As a result, a lot of information related to hair loss is not well known. But with August being National Hair Loss Awareness Month, there’s a great opportunity to learn more about this issue, including the following:

• Root causes of hair loss
• Available treatments
• Ways to discuss it with others

Whether you’re experiencing hair loss or know someone else who is, there’s no better time to educate yourself about this condition than National Hair Loss Awareness Month. 

Here’s what to know…

How Common Is Hair Loss?

Hair loss is more common than most people think, which National Hair Loss Awareness Month aims to recognize. Although it frequently occurs in older adults, anyone can get it; children are not excluded. According to a study, hair loss affects up to 50% of males and females. 

Alopecia is usually characterized by the gradual loss of the scalp’s terminal hair at any point after puberty in both men and women. Men typically lose hair in the frontotemporal and vertex areas, unlike women.

As for daily statistics, women lose more hair strands per day than men. However, because frequent hair coloring and everyday heat style play a role, assessing the difference can be challenging. How women style their hair causes more than 40% of them to lose additional hair daily. In addition, due to circumstances such as menopause and pregnancy, women are more likely than males to undergo periods of excessive hair shedding.

How Much Hair Loss Is Normal?

According to the American Academy of Dermatologists, it’s normal to lose between 50 and 100 strands of hair per day. Losing longer hair strands, though, could be evident if you have long hair. Since each person’s scalp contains 100,000 hair follicles or more, losing 100 hair strands per day cannot significantly alter one’s appearance. Nevertheless, it may be wise to seek medical treatment if you notice that you are losing more than that quantity without receiving any new replacement.

Over time, hair loss can appear suddenly or gradually. The condition, however, may be either permanent or temporary based on the primary cause.

People who have suffered some of the stressors listed below frequently experience excessive hair shedding:

• Quit using contraceptive pills
• Given birth
• Lost at least 20 pounds
• Undergone a surgery
• Had an extremely high fever
• Enduring a high level of stress, such as getting a divorce, experiencing financial difficulties, or having to care for a sick relative
• Trying to recover from a sickness, particularly one that involved a high fever

What Causes Hair Loss?

Unlike hair shedding, hair loss occurs when something stops your hair from growing. Hair loss conditions may be due to excessive stress or a health condition. Other potential causes may include the following:

• Harsh hair care solutions
• Genetics
• Some medications and treatments
• Excessive immune response
• Lupus
• Female pattern hair loss
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Thyroid conditions

Types of Hair Loss Conditions

In observance of National Hair Loss Awareness Month, here are the types of hair loss you should know and the underlying causes. 

• Alopecia areata– This autoimmune disorder results in small to large bald patches by causing your immune system to target hair follicles. Additionally, you might start losing hair on your scalp, other regions of your body, or even your eyebrows.
• Tinea capitis– This is also referred to as scalp ringworm. It is a fungal infection that affects the scalp and hair shaft. It causes tiny, scaly, irritating bald spots. These patches enlarge over time.
• Androgenic alopecia– This is a type of hair loss commonly resulting from genetic issues that affects more than 50% of men and women. Androgenic alopecia occurs gradually. Most people start to suffer from this illness around puberty. 
• Telogen effluvium– You are more likely to develop telogen effluvium if you are under a lot of stress or have a severe sickness. Women develop this condition when they experience hormonal adjustments during pregnancy, menopause, or childbirth. This type of hair loss may also be due to malnutrition or a recent stop to contraceptive use. Other drugs like oral retinoids, anticoagulants, and thyroid medications may also lead to telogen effluvium.
• Traction alopecia– Too much strain and friction on the hair due to frequently wearing tight hairstyles like braids or buns can lead to traction alopecia.

What Treatments Are Used to Regrow Hair?

A big part of National Hair Loss Awareness Month involves educating people about how to combat hair loss and regrow hair. There are various treatment options available, including the following:

• Low-level laser therapy– This method is effective for hair loss due to alopecia areata, hair loss from chemotherapy, and male pattern baldness. If you prefer this option, you may need to get the treatment done several times a week for a month to yield a positive outcome.
• Red light therapy– Although this is a specific type of low-level laser therapy, it’s still worth mentioning. Research has shown that 650-nm red light can be effective for the treatment of androgenic alopecia.
• Hair transplant– You can go for a long-lasting outcome by getting a hair transplant. In this option, a surgeon generally replaces the affected area with a strip of skin to facilitate new hair growth.
• Microneedling– This treatment involves using hundreds of tiny needles on your scalp to help grow hair. However, this treatment option is only effective with another hair loss treatment.
• KeraLase treatment– This treatment can also help address both male and female pattern baldness by regrouping hair follicles. It involves creating microchannels in the scalp via laser before massaging the scalp with KeraFactor Peptide Complex (KFP™).
• At-home hair products– There are also some at-home products that may be able to help with thinning hair due to aging or traction alopecia. For example, Aveda Invati Advanced, available at our Clayton salon, is a 3-step system that has been shown to reduce hair loss by 53%.

Observe National Hair Loss Awareness Month This August

Hair loss is more common than you may think. And it’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Whether you’re losing hair yourself or know someone who is, National Hair Loss Awareness Month is the perfect time to address it. Contact Ethos MedSpa today to inquire about our hair loss treatments. Our highly trained medical team can help you select the right procedure for your needs.