Androgenetic Alopecia

The majority of women with androgenetic – also called androgenic – alopecia have diffuse thinning on all areas of the scalp. (Men rarely have diffuse thinning but instead have more distinct patterns of baldness.) Some women have a combination of two pattern types.

Androgenic alopecia in women is due to the action of androgens, male hormones that are typically present in only small amounts. Androgenic alopecia can be caused by a variety of factors tied to the actions of hormones, including some ovarian cysts, taking high androgen index birth control pills, pregnancy, and menopause.

Just as in men, the hormone DHT appears to be at least partially to blame for the miniaturisation of hair follicles in women suffering with female pattern baldness. Heredity plays a major factor in the disease.

Telogen Effluvium

When your body goes through something traumatic like child birth, malnutrition, a severe infection, major surgery, or extreme stress, it can impact your hair. Many of the 90% or so of hairs in the growing (anagen) or transitional (catagen) phases can actually shift all at once into the resting (telogen) phase.

About six weeks to three months after the stressful event, the shedding phenomenon called telogen effluvium may begin. It is possible to lose handfuls of hair at a time when in full-blown telogen effluvium.For most who suffer with this, complete remission is probable as long as severely stressful events can be avoided. For some women, however, telogen effluvium is a mysterious chronic disorder and can persist for months or even years without any true understanding of the triggering factors or stressors.

Alopecia Areata

An inappropriate inflammatory reaction is behind alopecia areata. A person’s own immune system attacks the roots of hair follicles. Symptoms include patchy shedding of hair, which sometimes develops quite suddenly. About 70% of patients recover their hair within two years, whether or not they receive treatment.

Traction Alopecia

This condition is caused by localized trauma to the hair follicles from tight hairstyles that pull at the hair over time. If the condition is detected early enough, the hair will regrow. Braiding, cornrows, tight ponytails, and extensions are the most common styling causes of traction alopecia.

Anagen Effluvium

Anagen effluvium occurs after any insult to the hair follicle that impairs its cellular-level mitotic or metabolic activity. This hair loss is commonly associated with chemotherapy. Since chemotherapy targets rapidly dividing cancer cells, your body’s other rapidly dividing cells — such as hair follicles in the growing (anagen) phase — are also greatly affected. Soon after chemotherapy begins, approximately 90% or more of hairs in the anagen phase can fall out.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy can cause hair loss (the medical word for this is alopecia). But the hair is only lost in the area being treated. For instance, if you get treatment to your hip, you will not lose the hair on your head. But radiation to your head may cause you to lose some or all of the hair on your head, even eyebrows and lashes. Generally, you will start to see the effects of the radiation within two weeks of your first treatment and can expect the loss to get progressively quicker over time.

Not all chemo drugs will make you lose your hair. Some people have mild thinning that only they notice. Your doctor will be able to tell you if your chemo is likely to make you lose your hair. You can lose hair on all parts of your body, not just your scalp. Eyelashes and eyebrows, arm and leg hair, underarm hair, and pubic hair all may be affected. It usually doesn’t happen right away. More often, hair loss begins after a few treatments. At that point, your hair may fall out slowly or in clumps. Any hair that remains may become dull and dry.

Once you start losing your hair, we suggest that you cut it very short or even shave it off completely. Mentally, this allows you to take control of the situation and makes the hair loss process much easier. Since you should already have your wig by this time, you will have something to put on as soon as you trim your hair off. You should continue to care for your scalp with a mild shampoo and conditioner to help circulation and prevent the skin from drying. If your scalp is sensitive, you can apply a facial moisturiser to ease the irritation, however, regular body lotion is too oily for use on the scalp.

Most patients find that their hair grows back after the treatments are finished, although it may be thicker, thinner, a different texture or even a different colour than it was before. Most doctors recommend that patients don’t use hair dyes until their hair returns to normal; this may be as long as 6 months after treatment. Many women choose to continue wearing their wigs while their hair is coming back in and even once their hair has grown back because of the simplicity and freedom it allowed them!