Without doubt one of the most unusual and mysterious causes of baldness is Alopecia areata. Although there is little that is entirely typical about this very rare disorder, it is likely to develop at an early age (around 20) and it affects men and women equally. Most regularly, it takes the form of one or more round shaped bald patches appearing on the scalp, which is often remarkably fast developing. One saving grace is that it is not uncommon for these patches regrow after a few months, but in a minority of cases there is complete loss of scalp hair (Alopecia totalis). There is also an even rarer variant, known as Alopecia universalis, which results in total hair loss (including scalp, eyelashes, eyebrows, facial hair and body hair).

What causes this rare and bizarre condition?

It is believed that Alopecia areata, and its variants, are caused by a disorder of the auto-immune system- white blood cells mistake hair follicles for foreign agents or infections and attack them. It is not known why it usually only affects certain areas of the scalp, let alone why the auto-immune system malfunctions in this way in the first place. Some causes are thought to be: infections, viruses, medications or (mostly likely) genetics.

Are there any treatments?

• One treatment may be steroid treatment or topical application to the affected area. Steroids helps suppress the dysfunctional immune system in the relevant areas, which can allow to hair follicles to recover normal growth. However, injections need to be applied by a specialist, whereas the topical application takes longer to work. Most importantly, they do not work for everyone!
• Another possible treatment is minoxidil. Anybody who is familiar with the medication- or anyone who has read other articles that I have written- will know that the drawbacks of the treatment are difficult to ignore. Although around 10-15% of users experience regrowth, the medication has absolutely no effect for at least 1 in 3. The treatment also takes a long time to take effect- about 4 months- and requires indefinite use or the hair will begin to fall again. This combined with its significant and on going financial cost is enough to put off most potential users.

In my opinion, as a fellow sufferer of pre-mature baldness, an advanced non-surgical hair system, or wig- though, connecting the hair system with the wig, does not do it justice- is the best option. It provides practical, versatile, financially viable, and realistic hair cover for those of us who experience the loss of our hair.

Hair growth occurs in cycles and varies by individual. Most people lose 50-100 hair per day, and the hair that is lost is replaced by new hair growth. Typically, hair grows approximately ½ inch per month and the average individual has approximately 100,000 hairs in their scalp.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, “The most common cause of hair loss is a medical condition called hereditary hair loss. About 80 million men and women in the United States have this type of hair loss. Other names for this type of hair loss are: male-pattern baldness, female-pattern baldness, or androgenetic alopecia.”

What is androgenetic alopecia and what can I do about it?

More commonly called referred to as “balding,” in men, men may experience this phenomenon as early as late teenage years or in their early 20s. Women may typically notice thinning of their hair due to hormonal changes in pregnancy and later on during menopause.

Both conditions are genetic and if there is a family history on either side of the family, your risk for this condition increases.

If you are concerned about your hair loss, see a dermatologist or specialist to rule out any underlying medical condition. If the hair loss is not due to a medical condition, you may seek cosmetic surgery or cosmetic enhancements to mitigate the appearance of balding or thinning.

Other causes of hair loss:

Cicatricial (scarring) alopecia

Cicatricial alopecia is caused by inflammation and damage to the hair follicle which prevents new hairs from growing. The cause of the inflammation is not known but this condition is inherent in a number of skin conditions, including lupus erythematosus or lichen planus.

Alopecia areata

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease of unknown origins. Since a family history of this condition increases your chances of developing it, doctors suspect that it may be hereditary and some people may be predisposed to develop it.

Luckily, your hair usually grows back, but you may lose and regrow it a number of times.

Telogen effluvium

Stories you hear about people losing their hair suddenly due to shock, grief or illness may be true. Telogen effluvium hair loss occurs after a severe physical or emotional trauma and causes the roots of the hair to go into a resting phase, while the affected hairs fall out. This is a temporary condition and new hair follicles will begin to grow within a month or two.

Causes of Telogen effluvium include: emotional distress, death of a loved one, physiological stress, such as a high fever, sudden or excessive weight loss, extreme diets, nutritional deficiencies, surgery, or metabolic disturbances.

Traction alopecia

Too many cornrows or tight braids that pull the hair too tightly may cause traction alopecia. If the hairstyle is relaxed before scarring or permanent damage to the root occurs, the hair will usually grow back.

Nizoral is a shampoo prescribed for seborrhoic dermatitis, dandruff and tinea versicolor (rash caused by fungus) but has been shown to have very positive effects on hair loss. Both men and women suffer from traction alopecia, and the use of Nizoral anti-dandruff shampoo shows promise in helping to treat both the symptoms and aid in the regrowth of lost hair.

Nizoral shampoo has ketoconazole, a synthetic antifungal preparation, which is used to treat dry scalp and dandruff. Preliminary studies suggest that the use of Nizoral shampoo, containing ketoconazole, beneficial in helping to increase the regrowth of lost hair.

It is thought to work by cleansing the scalp, removing pore blocking material and increasing circulation to the scalp. It reduces the effect of inflammation- caused by pulling the hair, and allows the hair follicle to receive essential nutrients that are needed for hair growth. Inflammation is also responsible for deactivating the hair follicle, which is why hair follicles afffected by traction alopecia remain in the dormant (telogen) phase.

Ketoconazole which is the active ingredient in Nizoral shampoo helps to reduce the levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) at the skin level. DHT when not removed from the scalp combines with other chemicals causing hair follicles to become permanently dormant.

Properly used a minimum of twice per week, Nizoral will keep the scalp clean and hair follicles active. While helping to increase the production of hair, the shampoo will also eliminate dandruff and relieve dry, irritated scalps. The shampoo also has a thickening effect on the hair. This is partly due to its effect on inflammation which ultimately results in the retention of more hair.

Nizoral Shampoo and its active ingredient, ketoconazole, make no open claims to regrow hair. Only that it has shown itself to be an effective addition to other treatments for traction alopecia hair loss and thinning hair.

Ketoconazole has few side effects other than occasional skin irritations to those with sensitive skin and those who attempt to overuse the product. It is always best to check with your doctor before starting any treatment and to test a small area of your scalp for a reaction prior to shampooing the first time. Nizoral can have a bit of a drying effect on hair and should be followed with a moisturing conditioner if you have dry hair. It is one of a few hair loss shampoos that can compliment other topical treatments for traction alopecia. If you have sensitive skin, a gentle stimulating herbal shampoo would probably be better suited to your scalp.

Hair growth occurs at the rate of approximately half an inch per month and so many people who begin treatment with Nizoral see a significant difference in as little as 30 to 60 days of use.

I often hear from people who are having trouble determining the cause of their hair loss. They often can’t see where anything is wrong on the outside. I hear comments like: “my hair is shiny and healthy. My scalp seems fine. I don’t have any genetic or family history of thinning or baldness. And yet I am shedding hair more and more all of the time. Could there be some wrong internally that is causing my shedding?”

Before I answer, I have to tell you that I’m not a doctor. I highly encourage you to see one. I can tell you some internal issues that can cause hair loss, but should you suspect any of these issues, please see your doctor.

Yeast Issues: I have had many people with shedding tell me that they discovered that they had yeast overgrowth and once they got control over the situation, their hair loss improved. Also, sometimes the yeast will also be present on the scalp which can cause further problems. That’s why, anti dandruff shampoos can actually help to improve this situation for some.

Stress: Many specialists deny that stress can cause hair loss, but I have to admit that I have some doubt about this. I know too many people who can pinpoint nothing other than stress as the trigger for their hair fall. This is only my unscientific theory, but I’ve always wondered if the elevated cortisol associated with stress can aggravate or be a trigger for shedding. Regardless of my theories, it’s relatively easy to try to cut down on your stress. It’s noninvasive and it doesn’t cost anything, so it’s definitely worth a try.

Diet Or Supplements: Many times, if you drastically change your diet (like removing a lot of carbohydrates, turning vegetarian, or loading up on protein) you might bring on a form of hair loss known as telogen effluvium as the result. So, take a look at your lifestyle to see if you’ve made any changes to your diet that might be a culprit. I’ve also had people tell me that they believe dietary supplements or vitamins have caused hair loss for them, particularly women who take supplements which can affect or alter their hormones. Any change or addition to medications can cause shedding and many people don’t realize that supplements can bring out similar changes, especially when you start or stop them.

Medical Issues That Can Often Be Detected With Blood Work: There are many health issues that can cause hair loss. Low iron, vitamin deficiencies, thyroid issues, endocrine disorders, and autoimmune driven illnesses can cause changes in your hair. Your doctor can order blood work to see if any of these issues are likely based on your results. If so, you can then go to a specialist for treatment. But very often, blood work is the first step.

I hear from a lot of people who are discouraged that their doctor can not find the cause of their hair loss. I do understand this because you figure if you could determine the cause, you could then also determine the appropriate treatment and end this nightmare once and for all. However, it’s important to keep this in perspective. If your blood work shows no medical issues, then you can then move on and start looking at other triggers.