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SO WHAT CAUSES HAIR LOSS AND WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT?

Alopecia (al-o-pe'sh-ah) is the technical term for any abnormal form of loss of hair. The natural falling out of the hair should not be confused with alopecia. When hair has grown to its full length, it comes out by itself and is replaced by a new hair. The natural shedding of hair occurs most frequently in spring and fall. On the other hand, hair lost in alopecia does not come back unless special treatments are given to encourage hair growth. Certain hairstyles such as ponytail and tight braids may be contributing factors in constant hair loss or baldness. Alopecia senilis (se-nil'is) is the form of baldness occurring in old age. This loss of hair is permanent. Alopecia prematura (pre-mah-tu'-rah) is the form of baldness beginning any time before middle-age with a slow thinning process. This condition is caused by the first hairs falling out and being replaced by weaker ones. Alopecia areata (ar-e-a'tah) is the sudden falling out of hair in round patches or baldness in spots, sometimes caused by anemia, scarlet fever, typhoid fever or syphilis. Affected areas are slightly depressed, smooth and very pale, due to a decreased blood supply. Patches may be round or irregular in shape and they may vary in size from one-half inch to 2-3 inches in diameter. In most conditions of alopecia areata, the nervous system has been subjected to some injury. Since the flow of blood is influenced by the nervous system, the affected area is also poorly nourished.

HAIR LOSS (ALOPECIA ANDROGENETICA) IS HEREDITARY

Levels of testosterone in the body and sensitivity to its side effects are determined by hereditary factors and are related to male hair loss and to some extent also female hair loss. Tightness of scalp is also hereditary.

TIGHTNESS OF SCALP AND POOR CIRCULATION CAUSE HAIR LOSS

Tight scalp is the main cause of impaired blood flow, particularly on the top of the head. Microcirculation in the scalp can be almost completely hindered. Contracted blood vessels are prevented from transporting necessary nutrients and trace elements to the hair follicles. Lack of oxygen prevents effective keratinisation. The hair growth cycle is disturbed, in that once hair attains the resting phase it remains there unable to recommence growth. The hair follicle grows into gradual decline and ultimately vanishes, merging with skin tissue. Unless adequate blood flow can be restored, tight sections of the scalp will become bald. Help may be possible through laser treatment, which stimulates the circulation in the scalp, allowing oxygen and necessary nutrients to be transported to the hair follicle. The efficacies of medicinal preparations that prevent hair loss are based on their circulation stimulation properties. Each individual is subject to many factors that can cause hair loss. The effects of each can however vary with age.

Various light sources, including lasers, have been used in attempts to grow hair and stop hair loss since the 1950’s. The laser was placed 30 centimetres from the alopecia area with dosages ranging from 3-4 joule per sq.cm. No fibres or lenses were used. In the study, microscopic evaluation of the hair shaft structure on the Alopecia Areata irradiated areas showed a clear medulla rich in keratin after treatment. At the 4th Annual Meeting of the Japan Laser Therapy Association in 1992, success was reported with an increase in both hair growth and density of the hair follicles in the laser treated areas of both male and female stress Alopecia and Alopecia Areata. Only one failure out of 40 cases was reported in two papers.

A double-blind comparative study of laser treatment with placebo laser (LED). The duration of hair loss and baldness, according to Hamilton classification, were recorded. A skin biopsy for histological examination was taken before and after treatment. In addition, a photograph was taken of the patients at the same time. Hair shaft thickness was measured with hair stretching equipment where the hairs can be stretched on a graded scale from 0-10. Normal value of hair shaft stretching is set at 5. All patients with the exception of one, in the laser treated group showed a complete stop of hair loss. All patients, except 3 showed a clear regrowth of hair with a reduction of at least one category in the Hamilton classification. The results were confirmed by histological examination. Pre-treatment typically showed the dermas with large, relatively normal amounts of follicles. Most of them were in the telogenphase and did not show any real hair. Some of the follicles were widened with keratin taps and follicle opening, post treatment showed the dermis with almost the same amount of hair follicles as pre-treatment, although a number of new follicles could be seen with clearly noticeable hair growth. 50% of the follicles are now in the anagenphase. A clearly visible regrowth of hairs were found in most treatment sample comparisons. When comparing the histological findings, transformation into more agnogenic hair follicles could be observed in 83% of the patients on laser treatment but in none of the placebo patients. Out of the 19 patients, 14 showed an increase in hair thickness, and all 18 showed improvement in general hair shaft quality measured with the hair stretcher. The results showed no improvement in the placebo group or any adverse effects of the treatment. The present double-blind study definitely showed that regrowth of new hairs can be achieved in most middle-aged and younger males with typical male baldness when the scalp is irradiated with Laser for 5 weeks, with follow up maintenance treatments. Material for the growth of the hair comes from the papilla. As long as the papilla is not destroyed, the hair will grow. If the hair is pulled out from the roots, it will nevertheless grow again. Should the papilla be destroyed, it will never grow again.

1. The bulb loosens and separates from the papilla.
2. The bulb moves upward in the hair follicle.
3. The hair moves slowly to the surface where it is shed.
4. The new hair is formed by cell division that takes place at the point of the root of the hair and around the papilla.

The exact life span of hair has not been agreed upon. The average life of hair will range from two to four years. Other factors, such as sex, age, type of hair, heredity and health, have a bearing on the duration of hair life. (While the life span of hair may differ with each individual, the figures two to four years indicate a fair estimated period, considering age, health, climate and other personal factors. Some authorities estimate the life span of hair to range up to 7 years. Eyebrow hairs and eyelashes are replaced every four to five months. There is an average of 1000 hairs to a square inch. The number of hairs on the head varies with the colour of hair:

Blonde - 140,000
Black - 108,000
Brown - 110,000
Red - 90,000

First, there is the growth or anagen phase usually lasting 2 to 3 years. This is followed by the resting or catagen phase, spanning 2 to 3 months, where the hair stops growing but doesn’t fall out. Finally, there is a short phase of hair loss, the telogen phase, lasting several days. Laser therapy increased scalp blood flow 54%.

DEMODEX PARASITE

SLS is absorbed systemically through the skin, it can penetrate and be retained in the eye, brain, heart, liver and other organs. SLS also showed long-term retention in tissues, up to five days after a single drop. It has been reported that SLS extends the healing time of corneal tissue by a factor of five, from the normal 2 days to 10 days or more. It has been shown to damage protein formation in eye tissue in young animals, raising serious concerns about the possibility of ocular tissue malformation and blindness in infants and young children. SLES clinical studies show that it could cause hair loss when applied to the scalp and has irritant properties. Because SLS is such a caustic cleaner, it actually corrodes the hair follicle and impairs its ability to grow hair. SLES causes a dramatic decline in the hair growth cycle, it prolongs the hair loss phase (normally 3 months) by a factor of eight. SLS can also be implicated in scalp irritation, eczema, dandruff and other scalp conditions.

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