Alopecia
My hair seems to be falling out at a much greater rate than ever before. Now every time I wash or brush it, handfuls are coming away - at this rate I'll be bald by Christmas. What's happening to me?
Okay, the first thing to do is not to panic. Easy for me to say but much harder to do if you're the one losing your hair, but you are not alone. Hair loss, also known as alopecia, comes in several different forms. Where the condition occurs in the form of overall thinning of the hair, it is called alopecia androgenica. In women it can be a reaction to the hormone testosterone which is higher after the menopause in comparison to oestrogen. Hair loss in men is more likely to cause thinning at the crown and temples.
This sounds like what I've got, but I know someone who has alopecia and their hair fell out.
Alopecia areata is the other form of the condition that causes hair to fall out in patches. These patches tend to recover on their own, but may take three months or more to do so. It occurs in men and women of all ages and for most, hair will regrow.
However, a small minority will go on to develop other patches or complete hair loss. Rarely all body hair can be lost and this is known as alopecia universalis. There are many factors which can cause hair loss. These include stress, hypothyroidism (under-active thyroid), infection of the scalp, problems with the immune system, hormonal changes at the time of menopause or after pregnancy and treatment with certain drugs.
Is there anything I can do to help my hair regrow?
Fellow sufferers of alopecia include Princess Caroline of Monaco and UK TV presenter Gail Porter who bravely coped with her recent hair loss by styling what was left into a Mohican. For the majority of sufferers, hair regrows over time. In the meantime treat your hair gently and avoid chemicals such as colourants and perms.
Avoid heating devices and don't tie your hair up as this can cause breakage. Make sure you are getting enough vitamins and minerals.