Preventing and reversing hair loss

A theory emerged with its claims that people who lack hair in front of their heads are rich but those who lack at the back of their heads are poor. This is because most of the time the successful men scratch their heads in front while celebrating success while the poor lie awake all night thinking about their troubles and because the back of their head is always in contact with the thin mattress, hair disappears because of the unfavorable growth conditions. This could be true and explains why hair is important in our bodies and a need to reclaim the lost hair which is possible. Baldness is the state of having no hair or lacking hair where it often grows, especially on the head. The most common form of baldness is a progressive hair thinning condition called androgenic alopecia or “male pattern baldness” that occurs in adult male humans and other species. The amount and patterns of baldness can vary greatly; it ranges from male and female pattern alopecia (androgenic alopecia, also called androgenetic alopecia or alopecia androgenetica), alopecia areata, which involves the loss of some of the hair from the head, and alopecia totalis, which involves the loss of all head hair, to the most extreme form, alopecia universalis, which involves the loss of all hair from the head and the body. It was previously believed that baldness was inherited from the maternal grandfather. While there is some basis for this belief, both parents contribute to their offspring’s likelihood of hair loss. Hair is a conspicuous element in many cultural definitions of fashion, youth and sexuality. So, it is not surprising that many cringe at the first sign of thinning hair. Most people lose between 50 and 100 strands of hair daily, with little impact. As hairs fall out naturally, new hairs grow in. So there is no need to despair if you spot a hair or two in your sink. However, with age this natural regrowth process may slow or stop, and thinning and baldness may occur. If you are concerned about it, see your doctor for an evaluation to find out if your hair loss is due to an underlying medical disorder. Like your skin and nails, your hair goes through a finely tuned cycle of growth and rest. Excessive hair loss can occur at any time this delicate cycle is upset. Factors such as diet, medications, natural hormones, pregnancy, improper hair care and certain diseases can cause temporary hair loss. Once the underlying cause is pinpointed and eliminated, the hair may grow back. There is no cure for common baldness, but surgical hair replacement can give you back a head of your own hair. Available since the 1950s, surgical hair replacement is a low-risk procedure. Surgeons remove tiny plugs (grafts) of your hair-bearing skin and transplant them into tiny holes made in your scalp. They take these plugs from the band of hair extending from above your ears around the back of your scalp. During one session, your surgeon may transplant between 60 and 100 hair plugs, each about the diameter of a pencil eraser. Local anesthesia and mild sedation minimize discomfort during surgery. Hospitalization usually is unnecessary. Within a few days after the operation, tiny scabs form around each hair graft. When the scabs disappear, the donor hairs usually fall out. New hairs generally start to grow within a few months. If the baldness and thinning is extensive, one should not expect to walk out of the first surgery with a full, natural-looking head of hair. Even after the transplanted hairs begin growing; these widely scattered clumps may look conspicuous. Additional surgeries may be needed to fill the void. It may take a year or two before you will be pleased with your new appearance. The quest for a new look may be costly but if in need of beauty and good hair one has to sacrifice their money for something really precious- hair. iruikmo@yahoo.com

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Preventing and reversing hair loss