Hair Loss Diagnosis
Diagnosing your Hair Loss
For most people, diagnosing your hair loss is simple. Male pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia) is by far the most common form of baldness, and follows a very natural pattern, usually beginning with a receding hair line at the temples. Hair then thins on the top of the scalp and around the crown, gradually creating a bald spot. The remaining hair on top of the scalp then slowly falls out until hair is only present on the back and sides of the head.
However, there are many other different types of baldness. For some it can be quite sudden; you could notice a lot of hair falling out when you bath or shower, excessive hair left on your hair brush, or falling out on your clothes, or the appearance of bald patches. Diagnosing your hair loss is usually determined by looking at the pattern of hair loss on the head. Some forms of hair loss could be systematic of a more serious disorder, which why you might be advised to seek the advice of a medical professional to get a full hair loss diagnosis, either in person, or by contacting our doctor online.
Types of Alopecia
Alopecia is the medical name given to hair loss from any part of the body. It does not refer to one kind of hair loss, but rather several different types, caused by different factors. Anybody can suffer from alopecia, at any age, male or female.
Some of the different types of alopecia are:
- Diffuse Alopecia - This kind of hair loss involves the thinning of scalp hair and is more popular in more senior, ageing women and men. It is more common with women and can be caused from a number of factors, ranging from poor diet and nutrition to hormonal effects, medications and psychological issues.
- Androgenic Alopecia - This is male pattern hair loss and is generally a predisposed genetic condition that involves patterned hair loss due to a hormone imbalance. Genetically passed on through generations, the hormone DHT prevents hair from growing out of follicles.
- Alopecia Areata - This form of hair loss is also often genetic and more common in children or people with immune system problems. It results in temporary bald patches and occurs when in rare cases, people fall ill with autoimmune diseases that cause the body’s immune system to attacks its own tissues.
- Scarring Alopecia - Scarring, in this sense is actually scarring caused by bacterial or fungal infections. Bacterial infections damage the follicles and cause scarring. The areas that are affected by the scarring do not regrow hair and are remain bald.
- Alopecia Totalis - As the name suggests, alopecia totalis is the name given to someone who experiences a complete loss of hair. This form of baldness only occurs on the head. The cause is unclear, but it is believed that either stress or some form of autoimmune disorder could be the reason for this complete hair loss.
- Alopecia Mucinosa - Not too much is known about this particular type of hair loss, but it occurs either on the scalp or face, and appears to leave small flat patches without hair. These patches appear to be covered in scaly patchy skin. The cause is unknown but it may be accompanied by a systemic disease. You should seek a formal hair loss diagnosis from a doctor if you experience this.
- Alopecia Effluviem - This is only a form of temporary hair loss, and is actually caused by stress or psychological factors. It either involves the hair falling out, or the hair thinning. Stress factors cause the hair follicles to go into a resting phase, so they do not grow new hair.
- Traction Alopecia - This is a fairly common form of hair loss, mainly because of the causes - pulling, styling or too much heat (hair drying/flat ironing). The pulling and strain causes the hair follicles to stop developing new hair cells. You should change your styling habits and use good treatment products, at the least, to stop this kind of hair loss.
- Alopecia Barbae - Found on men only, alopecia barbae is a branch of alopecia areata and is a temporary but sudden loss of hair to a particular area. In this case, the hair loss occurs on the beard area of a man’s face. The causes are unknown, but it is thought that stress and potentially immune deficiency disorders can play a part in causing it. A formal hair loss diagnosis would be recommended if you experience this.
Male Pattern Baldness
Baldness can also be caused by a number of other factors, such as allergies, burns, injuries, certain medications radiation and chemotherapy, anaemia, malfunctioning of the thyroid, toxins and kidney failure.
If you are between the ages of 25 and 45, however and experiencing, hair loss on your head, it is likely that you are suffering from androgenic alopecia - also known as male pattern baldness. Both men and women suffer from male pattern baldness, although it is much more common in men. If it does occur in women, it usually occurs after menopause.
Androgenic Alopecia, or male pattern baldness is caused due to a hormonal process and is in the majority of cases passed down through genetics. Both men and women have got the hormone testosterone in them. The testosterone in people suffering from male pattern baldness, is being converted into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by an enzyme 5-alpha reductase. DHT miniaturises the hair follicles and inhibits hair from growing. If hair does manage to grow, it is weak and thin. It also slows down hair production.
This genetic condition is generally passed down from your parents, from either your mother of father, starts usually by the mid-twenties, but sometimes men can be affected from their teenage years. There are treatments available however, that can help promote hair growth, as well as methods of preventing it from getting any worse.
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