When The Hair Falls Off By Dr Ade Oderinde

The scene

Baba OGN just finished gulping another round of ‘’kainkain’’ aka ‘’ogogoro’’. He’s been on this routine for more than 2 decades! He looked frail, unkempt and shrunken with thin, sparse, fluffy hair. Gossip has it that he actually does his morning mouth cleaning with the erosive liquid! His hair tells the detailed story as it has been deprived of protein over the years…

The Hair Cycle

Hair starts its lifespan in small, sack-like structures in the skin known as follicles. Each follicle produces a single hair shaft composed of a hard protein called keratin, which is arranged in long, tightly bound strands. New growth begins in the follicle and pushes outward so that the oldest part of the hair is furthest from the scalp. Each hair has a distinct growth cycle — active growth, maturation, and rest. During the resting phase, the follicle relaxes its hold on the shaft, so hair can easily fall or be pulled out. Every hair on your head goes through the growth cycle, but not at the same time.

At any given moment, about 15 percent of all the hairs on your head are resting, and therefore capable of shedding . . . in your hairbrush, in the shower, on the bathroom floor. This is totally normal, and is not a harbinger of baldness. Conditions that affect hair health It is estimated that we each lose about 100 hairs a day. The actual number you’ll lose on any given day depends on how abundant and healthy your follicles are, what medications you’re taking, and many other factors, some of which are beyond your control.

1. Hormonal Shifts

Both male and female hormones affect hair growth. Male hormones known as androgens — a category that includes testosterone — stimulate hair growth on the face and body, and create fuller, thicker hair on the head. In women, ovaries and adrenal glands naturally produce androgens, but only very small amounts. If a woman suddenly starts growing facial hair, she should see her doctor — it could be a sign of a hormone-related health problem. For some men with a genetic susceptibility to baldness (like yours sincerely) normal testosterone is converted to a more potent form of testosterone (dihydrotestosterone, or DHT), which binds to cells in the follicle. DHT alters the growth/shed cycle and eventually kills the follicle. These men find themselves becoming bald in their 20s, a few years after their testosterone levels peak.

In both men and women, levels of androgens decrease after about age 40, which leads to thinner, slower-growing, less luxurious hair as we get older. In contrast to androgens, the female hormone estrogen slows hair growth and creates a finer, thinner shaft of hair, which is why women are, on average, naturally less hairy than men. After meno- pause, levels of estrogen fall off dramatically, causing some genetically susceptible women to lose significant amounts of hair. But male and female hair loss aren’t identical. While men tend to bald in a distinct pattern that includes a receding hairline and hair loss at X the crown, women tend to lose hair evenly, leaving them with a sparse head of hair in- stead of a totally bald scalp.

2. Stress

Stress is one of the most common causes of unusual hair loss. Accidents, major illnesses, severe psychological stress, or other traumatic events can send hair follicles into the resting phase prematurely. Around three months later, when those resting fol- licles release the hair shaft, large amounts of hair can seem to fall out simultaneously, and for no discernable reason since several months will have passed since the event that triggered this whole episode. Again, getting through this is simply a matter of waiting it out. Your hair should begin to regrow almost immediately.

3. Lack of Protein

Hair is made of protein. All basic nutrients contribute to keeping us whole and healthy, but protein provides the building blocks that allow us to repair, replace, or grow bones, skin, muscles, and hair. Peo- ple who don’t get enough protein in their diets, such as those with anorexia nervosa or who follow any extreme weight-loss diet, will slow the rate of new hair growth. As hair is naturally shed, it won’t grow back as quickly. With enough hair loss, the scalp will start to show through. Starvation and alcoholism also depletes the body of other nutrients important for hair growth and quality. And over the long term, starvation and extreme weight loss will lead to a re- duction in hormone production, which can also lead to thinning hair.

4. Medications and Supplements

Most people understand that chemo- therapy treatments for cancer can cause widespread balding, but many other com- monly prescribed medications may lead to less extensive hair loss. These include anticoagulants (such as warfarin), antide- pressants, oral contraceptives, and medica- tions for blood pressure, gout, or arthritis. In addition, very high doses of vitamin A and selenium are toxic and can cause hair loss. Once you stop taking the medication or supplements, hair will usually begin to grow back within a few months.

5. Thyroid Gland Malfunction and Other Disorders

Thyroid hormones affect the metabolism of all cells, including cells in hair follicles. Too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroid) or too little thyroid hormone (hypothyroid) can result in thin, brittle hair or hair loss. With uncontrolled diabetes, body cells (in- cluding cells in hair follicles) starve because glucose can’t get in; and in systemic lupus erythematosus, the body attacks its own col- lagen, including the collagen in hair follicles. These disorders and many others — includ- ing celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, ul- cerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease — may cause hair loss or damage by altering cell metabolism or structure. Once the under- lying disease is treated, hair growth should return to normal.

Advice

Please visit the doctor for proper investigation of all cases of hair loss.