Holistic Health and Natural Healing Articles ~
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Holistic Health and Natural Healing Articles ~ |
Suggested Reading: Anti Hair Loss Shampoo Hair Loss Causes Hair loss can be a traumatic experience for many people. A healthy head of hair is often an important factor in how you feel about yourself and in feeling good about your appearance. When hair begins to fall out, appears thin and lifeless or comes out in patches, this can cause a great deal of distress and insecurity. Baldness, also known as alopecia, is excessive loss of hair on the scalp or other parts of the body. Hair loss is natural. People normally lose approximately 100 hairs each day, but hair loss can become worrisome when it seems to occur suddenly and with increasing frequency. Hair performs no vital function relative to the medical well being of humans, but many people consider hair one of the true signs of beauty, youth and vitality. Thus, the psychological implications of hair loss cannot be underestimated. The health of your hair is a good indicator of the health of your body. When hair loss becomes excessive, it is important to find out what is causing it so that you can also treat the underlying problem. There are many causes of hair loss, including: ~ Aging (e.g. male pattern baldness) ~ Harsh chemicals (e.g. hair coloring, incorrect brushing and tight hair bands or rollers) ~ Smoking ~ Stress ~ Hormonal changes ~ Thyroid problems ~ After effects of pregnancy ~ Dietary deficiencies ~ Fungal infections of the scalp ~ Side Effects of medication (e.g. anticoagulants, gout medication, antidepressives, contraceptives and excess Vitamin A) ~ Reaction to illness of major surgery (hair may fall out up to three months afterwards) Reaction to chemotherapy Rarely, hair loss may be an early symptom of disease like diabetes or lupus. Other more serious hair loss conditions: Alopecia areta, an auto immune disease that causes round bald patches on the head and other areas of the body. Trichotillomania, an impulse control disorder that results in a compulsive drive to pull out one's hair, eyebrows, eyelashes or hair on other parts of the body. Those who develop trichotillomania may have a more manageable case of it while, for others, the compulsion is overwhelming and results in biting, or chewing on hair. Those with severe cases may also pick their skin. Symptoms of and Treatments for Trichotillomania. Traction alopecia, hair loss around the hair line due to tight pony tails or braids. Telogen effluvium, which involves widespread hair loss throughout the body. Hair loss is often thought of as primarily a male problem because it is usually more evident in men, but females can also experience significant thinning and baldness; however hair loss in women is much more gradual and doesn?t usually occur until after menopause. |