Hair Loss - Symptom, Treatment And Causes

What is Alopecia Areata?
Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune condition that results in shedding of hair in small and random patches. Alopecia in general affects the scalp, but then again it can also occur in other parts of the body.
The exact reason for alopecia still remains undefined. Nevertheless, it has found that most people who have a family history of autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, and type 1 diabetes are the most vulnerable to this condition. The good news for you is that although this illness has no cure, there are treatments which can help your hair regrow quickly and may also, in many cases, prevent future hair loss.

How is Alopecia diagnosed?
While the doctor may be able to diagnose this disease by simply looking at the extent of hair loss, he can also examine a few strands of the hair samples under a microscope. If needed, your doctor can also perform a scalp biopsy to rule out other conditions that may have caused the hair loss, such as fungal infections like tinea capitis. While performing a biopsy, the doctor will remove a small piece of skin (no more than the nail on your little finger) on your scalp for analysis. If other autoimmune conditions are suspected, blood tests may also be done. The specific blood test that needs to be performed depends completely on the particular disorder that your doctor suspects.

How is Alopecia treated?

1. Medical Treatment: Minoxidil helps in stimulating hair growth and also prevents further hair loss. Other commonly used therapies include corticosteroid creams and steroid injections and ointment. In certain cases, photo-chemotherapy can be used as a part of the treatment plan to promote hair growth. Photo-chemotherapy is a type of radiation therapy that combines ultraviolet radiation along with oral medications as a follow-up.
2. Alternate Therapy
   • If you wish, you can also choose alternate therapies to treat this condition. These therapies include:
   • Acupuncture (on the scalp)
   • Aromatherapy
   • Herbal supplements
   • Vitamin supplements (like vitamin E)

 In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Apart from the cosmetic worries, baldness can cause major esteem issues. Hereditary or genetics do contribute to about 95 percent of the cases pertaining to baldness (alopecia) while the remaining 5 percent might be due to the side effects of certain medications, illness, stress or diet. Here is where cosmetic procedures come to your rescue in treating this condition.

1. Sprinkling colored, powdery fiber sprinkles on one’s scalp helps in covering up the thin hairy regions, hence rendering them a fuller appearance.
2. Hair pieces or wigs produced from human or synthetic hair actually veils the baldness, furthermore boosting one’s style statement.
3. Hair transplants are used in filling in one’s bald areas, thereby making it the sole permanent solution to baldness. Tiny strands of hair are eliminated from the areas with thicker growth and substituted in the bald regions.
4. Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy (PRP) is a therapy wherein concentrated blood plasma comprising of growth proteins is injected into the scalp through a thin needle to stimulate healing of the wound.
5. Scalp reduction involves cutting off the bald regions to stitch the rest of the scalp together.
6. Often, tissue expanders are used to stretch the hair bearing scalp to the adjacent bald area with the help of the tissue expansion technique.
7. When stress becomes the root cause of hair fall, Astressin-B, a stress-hormone blocker, works to inhibit the stress stimulating hormone.
8. A natural biological substance known as Extracellular Matrix (ECM) is implanted on the part containing the damaged tissues to speed up healing.
9. Bontress Lotion, made of red clover extracts, prevents reduction of hair.
10. Hair multiplication or cloning method requires the extraction of donor hair cells from existing hair follicles, after which the cells are multiplied in a lab for injecting into the bald portions.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Almost every woman suffers from a gynecological problem at some point or the other. In most cases these disorders are mild and easily treatable, but some gynecological problems can have serious implications and affect their fertility and quality of life.

Here are the five most common gynecological problems faced by women.

1. Dysmenorrhea: Abdominal cramps and back aches are common side effects of menstruation but some women can suffer from excruciating pain during their menstrual cycles. This is known as dysmenorrheal. This is caused by a decreased supply of oxygen to the uterus due to strong contractions in the uterus. These cramps become less painful as a woman ages and in most cases is resolved by childbirth. Symptoms of this disorder include excruciating abdominal pain, pain in the lower back, inner thighs and hips, nausea and loose stools.
2. Ovarian Cysts: Ovarian cysts can be big or small and many women live with cysts without being aware of it. These cysts can be described as fluid filled sac like structures that develop around and on the ovary which vary in terms of size and type. Ovarian cysts may or may not be tumors. Cysts can be a result of the growth of a follicle or the breaking down of tissue within the ovaries. In most cases, these cysts dissolve on their own but they should be monitored carefully.
3. Endometriosis: This is a condition where the uterine tissue grows outside the walls of the uterus. This occurs commonly on the ovaries and fallopian tubes but can also develop on the cervix, bladder, bowel or rectum. The exact cause of endometriosis is unknown. Some theories suggest that it is triggered by retrograde menstruation or the backward flow of menstrual blood into the fallopian tubes. The symptoms of this condition include abdominal cramps, pain during intercourse and bowel movements, bleeding between periods and digestive problems.
4. Poly Cyst Ovarian Disease (PCOD): PCOD is a condition where the ovaries produce follicles that develop into cysts instead of eggs. This leads to a lack of viable eggs and thus affects a woman’s fertility. This can also cause mood swings and depression. PCOD is triggered by hormone changes and exhibits symptoms such as irregular periods, acne, hair loss and breathing problems while sleeping.
5. Urinary Tract Infection (UTI): UTIs are usually caused by bacterial infections and can be triggered by pregnancy, frequent intercourse, diabetes and as a side effect of certain types of medication. The symptoms of this condition include stinging and burning sensations while urinating, abdominal cramps, painful intercourse and an increased urge to urinate frequently.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Hair-fall is a normal process, if we consider the hair-growth cycle that lasts for two to six weeks. The usual rate of growth is about one centimeter a month. After two to three months, hair which were in their ‘resting phase’ shed to allow new hair to grow back. Deviation from this normal cycle leads to abnormal hair-fall which can then become a matter of concern.

Tips to handle abnormal hair loss

1. Testing hair thinning: Take 20 to 30 hair strands and hold them between your thumb and index finger. Pull firmly and slowly. If more than six hair strands happen to come out at a time, then you might be suffering from abnormal hair loss.
2. Limited use of hair dryers: Consistent heating weakens the hair proteins and leads to brittleness and fragility of hair follicles. Hence, limit the uses of hair dryers, curlers, hair straightness or hot brushes.
3. Avoid Perms: Avoid chemical straightening or curling which breaks the inner bonding of your hair and makes the hair brittle.
4. Avoid bleaching: Bleaching removes the natural pigment and weakens the hair follicles.
5. Avoid pulling the hair strands tightly: Certain hairstyling involves tightly pulling the hair and using clips or elastics, tight braids, plaits, cornrows, tight ponytail. Avoid using heated rollers. ‘Traction alopecia’ is the term coined for tightly pulling of your hair.
6. Use a mild shampoo: Regularly washing your hair cleanses your hair as well as your scalp which prevents any chance of infection and the subsequent hair loss. Instead of shampooing daily, do it on alternate days. Mild shampoo includes sultaines, sulfosuccinates, silicones, and amphoacetate.
7. Right Choice of Shampoo: Use different shampoos for different purposes; dandruff, greasy or normal hair and for dry hair. If the shampoo is rich in protein, it may boost the volume and make it thicker and smoother for a temporary period, but does not repair the damaged hair
8. Use a good hairbrush: Use a soft brush, made of natural fibers. Instead of a brush, use a comb for wet hair.
9. Scalp Massage: Massage your hair with nourishing oils such as rosemary, coconut, almond or lavender oil. It warms your skin and boosts blood circulation and provides nutrients to the follicles.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Are you conditioning your hair the right way? When this question pops up most people wonder about the implications of conditioning the hair and what is the right way of doing the same. In order to address that issue here are a few frequently asked questions that most people would like to know. 

1. Conditioning the hair before shampooing can nourish fine, damaged, colored or greasy hair. 

Conditioning your hair before you shampoo can up the nutritive value of fine hair without pulling it down. While smoothening out the hair cuticle, conditioning can help to repair hair fibers if you do it before applying shampoo to your hair. Only if the hairs are not clean due to dust or pollution, then do a quick mild shampoo first then condition the hairs, shampoo again to rinse off the heavy conditioner for bouncy hairs.

2. A conditioner is more effective if you leave it on longer
It's not how long you keep the conditioner on your hair that is important, but how well you coat each strand of your hair is what matters. That's why you need to spend a few minutes of your time working the product evenly through your hair.

Finger comb the product thoroughly through your hair for complete penetration and utilizing a shower comb to spread the conditioner through your hair is the ideal way to ensure that the hair conditioner should coat your hair completely. 

5. What's the ideal deep-conditioning treatment time?

Once you've applied the conditioner all over your hair, wrap a towel that's been heated in a microwave around your head for 20 minutes. Doing this will help the conditioner to infiltrate deeper into your hair shaft.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!