Hair Loss

1
Hair Loss

• Natural shedding of hair accounts for normal
  daily hair loss. Recent measurements indicate
  that the average rate of hair loss is closer to
  35 to 40 hairs per day

2
Alopecia

• Abnormal hair loss
• Most common types
• Androgenic alopecia
• Alopecia areata
• Postpartum alopecia
• Over 63 million people in our country suffer from
  abnormal hair loss

3
Emotional impact

• How perceived by others
• Recent study showed that compared to men who had
  hair, bald men were PERCEIVED as having a number
  of characteristics
• Less physically attractive by both sexes
• Less assertive
• Less successful
• Less personably likable
• Older
• By about 5 years

4
Emotional impact

• Men with severe hair loss
• Negative social and emotional effects
• More preoccupation with baldness
• Make effort to conceal or compensate for hair
  loss
• Women with hair loss
• Devastating- women try to hide it from everyone
  including their doctor
• Causes anxiety women feel helpless and less
  attractive

5
Androgenetic Alopecia

• CAUSE a combination of heredity, hormones and
  age causes progressive shrinking or
  miniaturization of terminal hair, converting it
  to vellus hair
• Known as male pattern baldness in men
• Affects 40 million men in U.S.
• Affects 20 million women in U.S.

6
Androgenetic Alopecia

• Can begin as early as teens
• Frequently seen by age 40
• By age 35, almost 40 of men women show some
  degree of loss
• Gene can be inherited from either side of family

7
Alopecia Areata

• Sudden loss of hair in round or irregular
  patches may occur on scalp or anywhere else on
  body. Its highly unpredictable affects almost 5
  million people in the U.S.
• Immune system attacks hair follicles
• Begins with one or more small, bald patches
• Can progress to the total scalp hair loss
  (alopecia totalis) or complete body hair loss
  (alopecia universalis)

8
Alopecia Areata

• Occurs in males and females of all ages and races
• Can begin in childhood
• Scalp shows no sign of inflammation
• No obvious signs of skin disorder or disease

9
Postpartum Alopecia

• Temporary hair loss at conclusion of pregnancy
• Growth cycle generally returns to normal within
  one year after the baby is delivered

10
Hair Loss Treatments

• Minoxidil
• Topical medication applied to scalp twice daily
  proven to stimulate hair growth
• Sold over the counter in 2 strengths 2 regular
  5 extra strength no known negative side
  effects
• Finasteride
• Oral prescription for men only
• Side effects include weight gain loss of sexual
  function

11
Summary

• Genetics, age hormonal changes, and the immune
  system are factor of abnormal hair loss
• There are only 2 approved hair loss treatments
• Next lesson disorders of the hair