Hair Fall Treatment Consultation

Hair Fall

Hair loss is defined as the thinning of hair on the scalp and the medical term attributed to it is alopecia.

The types of hair fall are listed in the below table.

Types of Hair Fall	Symptoms	Causes
Involutional alopecia	Thinning of hair	Aging
Androgenetic alopecia	Thins at the top just behind the hairline	Genetics Hormonal imbalance
Alopecia areata	Patches of hair loss	Autoimmune disease
Alopecia Universalis	All hair fallout from the body	Genetic, autoimmune, environmental
Telogen effluvium	Accelerated shedding	Stress, fever, After surgery
Anagen effluvium	Rapid hair loss	Chemotherapy medication
Scarring Alopecia (Cicatricial alopecia)	Permanent loss of hair	Scarring due to inflammation(acne, cellulitis)
Trichotillomania	Irresistible urge to pull out own hair from the body	Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Traction alopecia	Thinning of hair	Force pull hair away
Loose Anagen Syndrome	Short sparse hair	Disorder in the hair growth cycle

The hair growth cycle consists of three distinct stages – Anagen, Catagen and Telogen phases.

Phases	Characteristic Events	Duration
1. Anagen	Active hair growth	2 to 8 years
2. Catagen	Transitional hair growth	2 to 3 weeks
3. Telogen	Resting phase	2 to 3 month
The cycle repeats once the hair is shed and replaced after resting phase

The lifecycle of hair growth(source)

Each of these follicles goes through the growth cycle at different times.

You only shed a certain number of hairs in a day – up to 80 hairs on a healthy head of hair.

The most common type of hair fall causes

Wash your hair regularly with a gentle shampoo. Prevent and treat dandruff
Regular exercise, work-life balance, no smoking and getting adequate sleep
Avoid too many treatments such as coloring, perming, etc
Avoid hairstyles that pull hair very tight
Have a proper diet rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and proteins as shown in below table

Essential Nutrients for hair growth

Essential Nutrients	Sources
Vitamin A	Carrots, pumpkins, spinach
Vitamin B (Biotin)	Whole grains, fish, dark, leafy greens
Vitamin C	Citrus fruits, guava, lemon
Vitamin D	Fatty fish, cod liver oil
Vitamin E	Spinach, almonds
Iron	Spinach, lentils, eggs
Zinc	spinach, pumpkin seeds, lentils