Permanent or temporary hair loss can develop on any part of your body due to different causes, including hormonal changes and heredity. It is referred to as baldness when it occurs on your scalp. Although anyone can develop baldness, it is more common in men and becomes more apparent with age. Some people flaunt their bald head by letting the hair loss run its course; others wear hats or resort to make-up and hairstyles to cover the affected area. Booking a session with Dr. Martin Maag in Lakewood Ranch is the best option to restore hair growth and prevent further loss.
Symptoms of hair loss
The symptoms vary for most people depending on the cause of hair loss. You can experience hair loss on a specific part of your body, such as the scalp or your whole body. It can develop gradually or suddenly due to medical conditions such as alopecia areata. Depending on the cause of your hair loss, the signs and symptoms may include:
- Hair thinning on the crown. Most people experience hair thinning as they grow older, and in men, their hair recedes. Frontal fibrosing alopecia is common in women and is characterized by a receding hairline.
- Bald patch spots. Hair loss can be in the form of round patches on different areas of your body, including your scalp, eyebrows, and beard.
- Whole-body hair loss. Medical conditions such as cancer and treatments like chemotherapy can cause sudden hair loss in your body. Most people experience hair growth after recovery.
- Dried or scaling patches all over the scalp. It is usually accompanied by other symptoms such as swelling, redness, and oozing of pus and is associated with ringworms.
What causes baldness?
Baldness occurs when hair falls out of your scalp, and new hair fails to grow and replace the fallen ones. The following are the different factors that may cause baldness for most people.
Medical conditions
- Alopecia areata. It is an autoimmune condition that causes a sudden loss of hair in small patches and can affect any body part. Although sometimes the hair grows back, regrowth may not happen if you experience sudden hair loss in all your body. The cause of this condition is yet to be established.
- Trichotillomania. It is a hair-pulling disorder characterized by frequent and irresistible urges to pluck hair in places like the head, lashes, and eyebrows. The tension builds over time, and patients find relief after pulling out the hair. Most people with this disorder pluck out hair in response to a stressful event or anxiety. However, some are not aware that they are pulling out their hair.
Heredity
Androgenic alopecia is a hereditary condition and the most common cause of baldness in men. It becomes noticeable as one grows older, but it may start at any age. It develops gradually, and you may begin experiencing hair loss at the sides, front, or crown of your head. Although less common, women also develop baldness, characterized mainly by a broadening part in the hair.
If your hair is thinning at the crown or you have a receding hairline, consult with your doctor at Honest Hair Restoration to learn about the different treatment options.
