Without knowing it, your hair reflects a lot about your state of health. We often consider the question of when the phenomenon of loss becomes more significant.

Definition of alopecia or hair loss

Alopecia is a generic term for hair loss, whatever the cause. Hair loss can have many causes and manifest itself in various ways and this loss of hair can be very difficult for some people.

If androgenetic alopecia is the most common hair loss in men, it is also often linked to genetic heritage and the effects of male hormones which accelerate the life cycle of hair. Other forms of hair loss exist, temporary or lasting, widespread or localized. In women, hair loss has many causes, hormonal in particular. This could be, for example, stress, thyroid problems, diabetes, etc. Certain medications can even cause hair loss.

It is important to understand the cause, in all cases, to implement appropriate treatment, which will help with regrowth.

What are the causes of hair loss?

Hair loss is indeed one of the main concerns of men and women. While it is generally natural and due to hair renewal, it can also hide other health problems. Indeed, certain illnesses can cause hair loss.

In the event of abnormal hair loss, different factors can be involved. Sometimes, certain illnesses can explain significant hair loss. In any case, it is essential to make an appointment with a doctor to understand the cause.

How does hair loss occur?

On average, a head of hair contains between 100 and 150,000 hairs and as many hair follicles because each follicle produces a single hair. Each hair follicle lasts between 20 and 25 cycles before becoming exhausted. But sometimes this no longer works, for one reason or another, and abnormally significant hair loss occurs. Usually, pathological hair loss is considered by a number: it is when the number of hairs lost each day is greater than 100, or when one area of ​​the scalp loses more hair than the rest of the skull.

How does hair growth work?

Every day, we lose between 50 and 100 hairs, which immediately begin to grow back. Which means our hair grows in cycles.

For an average duration of two to five years in men, and three to seven years in women, it is the anagen phase: the follicle produces hair at a rate of approximately 2 millimeters per week, sometimes more in summer than Winter.

Then it ends, we then speak of the catagen phase, for one to two weeks. Finally, the “dead” hair remains attached to the skull for approximately three months before falling out: this is the “telogen phase”. As soon as it falls, the follicle resumes a growth phase, whether it is a hair or a hair.

The progress of this growth – telogen phase – fall cycle is under the influence of diet, hormones, particularly thyroid and sexual, heredity, certain growth factors, chemical mediators of the nervous system, etc. In all, In this case, hair loss can be localized or diffuse, temporary or lasting.

Hair loss after childbirth, general anesthesia, or psychological shock, called telogen effluvium, is a temporary diffuse form, with complete regrowth in 3 to 4 months. Some localized hair loss can be infectious, such as ringworm, or autoimmune, such as alopecia areata.

What are the treatments for hair loss?

Treatment for hair loss will depend on its cause. For falls linked to pregnancy or psychological shock, regrowth will be spontaneous. In the case of ringworm, drug treatment will be necessary.

For bald spots, it is possible to resort to a hair transplant, with a lasting effect over time. Here in a slideshow are ten diseases that can cause hair loss.