Your hair is an important indicator of both external and internal health issues. Whether external skin issues or internal hormonal imbalances, hair thinning or hair loss is a direct sign that something is going on.
You should pay attention to how your hair feels, look and how easy it is to style. Often when hair symptoms point to larger and more prominent problems you shouldn’t avoid or ignore the possibility.
There is good news, these symptoms often can provide you with an easy view into what’s happening within your body early on which gives you the chance to take action before it gets worse.
One of the signs that something could be wrong is a change in the amount of hair you have. While thinning hair is not uncommon as most people lose from 50 to 100 strands each day, if you should notice your hair is thinning, it may be a good time to examine what may be causing it.
Hair restoration specialists know that one common reason for thinning hair as a symptom may be the presence of a hormone imbalance or autoimmune conditions. When the hormones in your body are not regulated it can affect the growth of your hair and how much hair you shed. Autoimmune diseases occur when your body’s own immune system begins to fight off its own cells. If your hair is thinning or shedding rapidly, it may be due to these key areas of concern.
Your hairs strength is also a good indicator of your health. If your hair is breaking or thinning or perhaps just not growing health strands then that is an indicator that there is an underlying problem. Breakage and thinning occurs when the hair follicles are not getting the nutrients they need to grow properly. The hair you get is less strong and prone to breakage. Why is this happening? There can be several reasons for it. The most common is the nutritional deficiency. What you eat really does have an impact on the way your hair looks and feels. Certain types of nutrients help your hair grow strong and healthy. Vitamins like D and B are necessarily for healthy hair and not getting enough of them can cause your hair to thin.
Finally, there are times that your hair may be communicating to you that there are very serious health problems going on. Hair loss that is significant can be an indication of high levels of stress, especially if you are losing hair in patches around your scalp. Hair thinning can be an indication of psychological stressors as well. Hair falling out in patches on the scalp may be an indicator for alopecia areata. Take a close look at any changes that occurred over the last couple of weeks or months and see if there is any correlation with things you have changed about your lifestyle, diet or living habits. If so, seeking out advice from a hair loss professional on treatments and therapies for hair loss prevention should be a top priority.
Dr. Amir Yazdan, MD, is an internationally renowned hair transplant surgeon, expert guest on Dr. Phil and The Doctors, creator of the GroMD hair restoration product line, ISHRS member, accredited member of the IAHRS and a visceral advocate for patient care. Learn more about Dr. Yazdan or read rave reviews from his patients.
While styling can help cover some of the surface area on the temple, the appearance of a large forehead can be a source of anxiety for many people. Having a hairline proportional to one’s facial features creates the most aesthetically pleasing and symmetrical appearance. Conversely, having an excessively broad forehead or a disproportionately high hairline can take a toll on one’s self-esteem.
Male-pattern baldness – ie. genetics – may be the most talked about and dreaded of hair loss types, but there are many other causes that lead to hair loss.
What does it mean to transition? It is a journey that often seems to have a hazy “starting point” and an end point that can feel like a moving target. Familiarizing yourself with your options is a good way to make the process feel less daunting.
Last week a young man with a thick head of hair, aged 23, came into our hair restoration clinic in Orange County desperately seeking clinical help. The problem? Although he had a beautifully full head of hair, it was riddled with white flakes. He said he didn’t know where else to turn. That he is in extremely good physical and mental shape, minds his fruits and vegetables, and always practices good hygiene. His personal and professional life cause him no undue stress and he rarely, if ever, doesn’t get a full nights rest. At first he thought he suffered from a temporary bout of dandruff, but as the weeks turned into months turned into years, the presence of white flakes only grew larger and more numerous. Giving up on styling his hair because it would result in chunks of white flakes clumping up on the top and sides of his head, he turned to wearing baseball caps and beanies almost everyday.
You’ve plunged into online research about hair transplantation and have come to understand that transplanted follicles are taken from what is known as the safe donor area (SDA). But is my donor hair any different from regular hair? If I’m losing my regular hair – on the top and crown areas – won’t my donor hair also shrink and fall out? Well, by a miracle of nature, the hair that grows on the sides of head and by the nape of the neck are practically permanent follicular units, immune to the miniaturizing effects of DHT.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic reached the shores of the United States, more and more Americans are claiming to experience, where they have never before, a rapid increase in hair loss. The question has been raised in medical offices and institutions around the states, whether this could be a symptom of the virus or whether it is peripheral and unrelated? More likely than not, a spike in individuals experiencing hair loss is due to the stresses and strains of living through a pandemic, and NOT as a direct result or symptom of the virus.
Your hair is falling out and you want to stop it. What should you do? Many men in this position turn to drugs like Rogaine for hair restoration. However, does Rogaine actually work? What is to be gained from Rogaine?
Hair loss is preventable. While male pattern baldness is genetically predetermined traction alopecia is not. But what is traction alopecia? Quite simply, traction alopecia is hair loss caused by excessive pulling or traction on the hair follicle and, if caught early, is fully reversible. Aggravated traction alopecia, however, can lead to irreversibly damaged hair follicles and permanent balding.
The looming threat of hair loss is a concerning prospect. Aging and genetics can both cause hair loss and the underlying cause of hair loss affects what treatments will be most effective. The good news is, however, that not only is hair loss easily reversible through transplant therapy by a skilled physician, but there are also many easily amenable lifestyle choices that can help you maintain a thick and healthy head of hair.
You’ve made the decision to get a hair transplant, congratulations! In no time at all your dreams of having immaculately restored youthful locks will become reality. But wait… you need to pick a hair clinic first…
