Every time I run my hands through my hair I get a palm full of hair! Although I know I'm ageing, I still felt a bit panicky inside the first few times it happened. It was only when my nails started splitting and tearing that I felt relieved. Yes, you read that right - relieved. I was relieved because I linked the splitting nails with the hair loss and realised it's been nearly three months since I had my Dengue fever. That means the hair loss is nothing more than the legacy of my fever and is therefore transitory.
Hair loss is surprisingly common and I see quite a few clients either with transitory hair loss or with chronic alopecia. It's a really horrible experience to go through, not only because it plays into our sense of self, but also because there are so many questions that cannot be answered - the biggest question being how long will this go on for?
So today's blog is a bit of an exploration - a look at how our hair grows and why it sometimes falls out. In my next blog we'll explore what you can do when you're losing your hair.
How does hair grow?
Hair and hair growth is actually really interesting. Hair is one of the fastest growing tissues in your body yet the strands of hair that you see are already dead. They're simply columns of dead cells rooted into the skin. The root of the hair is surrounded by a follicle at the base of which is a bulb housing a ring of living cells called the matrix. These living cells divide into more cells and as this happens, the older cells above them are pushed upward. As they move upward, these older cells fill with a protein called keratin and die, forming the strands of hair that we see.
All this occurs repeatedly in a cycle which we call the life cycle of a hair. Anagen is the growth stage in which a follicle reforms, the matrix divides, new hair is created and older cells are pushed upward. After division, the matrix breaks down and the strand of hair separates from the base of the follicle. This transitional stage is known as catagen and is followed by telogen, the resting stage of a hair's life cycle. In telogen the strand of hair moves up the follicle and falls out (exogen), making space for anagen to begin again.
What causes hair loss or alopecia?
Alopecia is the technical term for hair loss and unfortunately it's a common problem. It occurs when the life-cycle of the hair is disturbed. For example anagen, which is usually the longest phase of the cycle, becomes shortened for some reason. Or growth phases of adjacent hairs become synchronised and so telogen occurs at the same time for all the hairs in one area and the loss of hairs becomes obvious and worrying.
It's normal to lose about 100 hairs per day but if you're waking up with a lot of hair on your pillow, noticing that your hair is thinning on your scalp or you're developing bald spots, then it's important to try to find the cause. I always think that if you can find the cause you'll be able to find the most appropriate treatment.
There are many causes but here are the most common that I see in my clients:
Shock or stress - Usually growth phases of adjacent hairs occur at different times so that we don't notice much hair loss. However, sometimes growth phases can be synchronised by a shock or stress to the body. For example, an illness (me and my Dengue), childbirth, surgery, an accident or emotional/mental stress. This type of hair loss most often shows up a few months after the illness, shock or stress and is usually transient. Often the nails are also affected so weak, splitting, brittle nails will occur at the same time as the hair loss.
Thyroid disorders - Diffuse hair loss involving the entire scalp is common in thyroid disorders. If you notice your hair is thinning significantly, you're struggling with your energy and weight, and are also experiencing anxiety or depression then chat to your doctor about having your thyroid tested.
Autoimmune disease - Sometimes a person's immune system will attack their own hair follicles and cause the hair to fall out. When this occurs in small patches it's called alopecia areata. When it occurs over the whole body it is called alopecia universalis. If you notice your hair is falling out in small distinct patches, usually round or oval, then talk to your doctor who will run some blood tests for you. Please don't waste your money on "caffeine" hair products etcetera!
Poor diet or abrupt changes to diet - To grow healthy hair you need to eat a varied diet that is rich in protein as well as vitamins and minerals. You also need to be wary of crash diets, not eating enough calories and making sudden, abrupt changes to what you're eating. Strange as this may sound, the most common cause of hair loss that I have seen amongst my female clients is intermittent fasting. Yes - intermittent fasting! Although intermittent fasting is healthy for some people it can be quite a stressor on the body and should be introduced slowly through gradual changes.
Medications - Hair loss is associated with quite a few medications. Medication-induced hair loss is usually reversible, is diffuse and occurs quite quickly after starting a new medication.
Hormonal changes - Hair loss often occurs during times of hormonal change, for example pregnancy and menopause. It can also be caused by hormone-related conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome or by hormone therapy such as the oral contraceptive pill. Again, this type of hair loss will be more diffuse.
Fungal infections - Fungal infections such as ringworm will cause small patches of hair loss. This is usually easily treatable and the hair will regrow.
Ageing - Sadly our genes play a significant role in our hair and if your parents developed thinning hair as they aged then there is a good chance you will too.
As you can see, there are many different causes associated with hair loss. This means that treatment approaches will differ according to the cause. I'll talk about different treatments in my next blog so if you haven't already subscribed, subscribe now!