At some point in our lives, we have heard about hair loss. You are familiar with the moment when men and women start seeing strands of hair fall out and possibly not grow back. We heard horror stories about patches of baldness and receding hairlines.
With all this information in mind, we think that, if we were having this issue we would know, right? Well, hair loss happens in different ways to everyone, and as we age, we become more prone to experience some kind of hair loss.
Before talking about hair loss, you should first understand what the cycle of hair is and why it happens. As you might know, humans are entirely covered with hair follicles, except in specific areas. In most parts of the body, hair follicles are tiny, and the hairs they produce don't grow long enough to poke out from the pore.
The areas where hairs are visible above the skin include the armpits, face, around the genitals, the front of the chest, the back, and most importantly, on the scalp of the head. In fact, the scalp typically contains about 100,000 hair follicles.
For hair to exist, it has to go through a constant cycle of growth, rest, and renewal. During our lifetime, hairs from our bodies grow and then are shed, but because they grow at different rates they don't all shed at once.
Hair loss occurs when something is affecting this cycle. Generally, what happens is that, with time, the growth phase becomes shorter, and the resting period becomes longer. This causes the hairs that are growing to become so short that they are barely visible at all.
For men, this process begins at the sides of their heads and at the top of the scalp. This is known as male "pattern baldness," or androgenetic alopecia. It's the most common type of baldness, affecting about half of all men by the age of 50 and more than 80 percent by the age of 70.
What about women? Well, the ladies get patterned hair loss too, but it's less common than in men. However, the pattern of hair loss is different. It tends to thin over the top of the scalp rather than result in a patch of baldness. Females will have around 50 % of their hair affected, this means many women will not go truly bald.
As we said before, hair loss happens in different ways, and it can affect just your scalp or your whole body. If you are wondering if you are suffering from hair loss, these are some signs to look for:
Gradual thinning on top of the head: In men, hair often begins to recede from the forehead. Women typically retain the hairline on the forehead but they start to gradually lose volume at the top of their heads.
Circular or patchy bald spots: This type of hair loss usually affects just the scalp, but it can also occur in beards or eyebrows. In some cases, you can experience itchy or painful skin before the hair falls out.
Sudden loosening of hair: A physical or emotional shock can cause hair to loosen. You can start to notice handfuls of hair coming out when combing or washing your hair.
Full-body hair loss: Conditions and medical treatments, like chemotherapy for cancer, can cause damage to hair all over your body. In this case, the hair usually grows back.
-This may be hard to read- No, there isn’t. But this doesn't mean that people suffering from this condition are helpless. As we explained, there are various options that you can explore.
For most people, the main alternatives are using hair systems or undergoing hair transplant surgery.
Hair systems are hairpieces that you attach to your scalp using either tape or glue. These products come in different lengths, sizes and can even be customized for your head.
On the other hand, hair transplant surgeries involve a surgeon taking strips or plugs of hair from the back or sides of your head, and surgically placing them in areas where there is no hair, or between strands in thinning areas. The procedure may take several hours, and you may need several treatment sessions to get satisfactory results.
Each solution has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, hair systems are painless and quick solutions with guaranteed results. While with surgery, it takes time for results to show up, and in the end, it may not even be what you were hoping for.
When it comes down to it, you are basically choosing between a surgical and nonsurgical way of fixing the problem.
In Advent Hair we offer you different kinds of hair systems solutions, we have custom-made and stock hairpieces waiting for you! Enter now on our online shop and learn more about our products!