Article: hair loss
hair loss
Hair loss is still a taboo subject among women in Germany.
In men, it is assumed that hair loss is largely socially accepted.
On this page, La Peruca would like to briefly inform you about the topic.
differentiation of hair loss
On average, people lose between 60 and 120 hairs per day; the term hair loss is somewhat misleading here, because the hairs that fall out are usually replaced permanently. There are no strict boundaries between non-hair-reducing hair loss and severe hair-reducing hair loss. It depends on how easily and in which areas how many hairs fall out. It is often said that up to 100 hairs per day are normal. This may be true (if you have an average number of hairs on your head), but it only applies if the hair loss is distributed relatively evenly across the entire head.
If the loss is concentrated on individual hair areas (alopecia areata) or only on the top of the head (androgenetic alopecia), this is more worrying.
Androgenetic alopecia
The cause of hair loss, often referred to as "hereditary" (alopecia androgenetica or androgenetic alopecia, hair loss caused by androgens), is the steroid hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Hair loss caused by this is genetic.
If there is a lot of DHT in the scalp and there is an inherited hypersensitivity to it, the hair growth phase is shortened. A bald man does not have fewer hair follicles than a man with full hair growth, but the hair growth phase is so shortened that it is barely visible - comparable to the hairs on the forehead, for example. The hair follicles gradually atrophy, which is due to the hypersensitivity to DHT. The hair on the back of the head and neck is insensitive to DHT.
In connection with androgenetic hair loss in male adolescents, in whom this occurs more frequently in families and usually begins at the front of the head and at the temples (“receding hairline”, “bald forehead”), one also speaks of “alopecia praematura” or “simplex”.
By treating hormone-dependent tumors such as breast cancer with aromatase inhibitors, women with a corresponding genetic predisposition can also develop androgenetic hair loss.
alopecia areata
Alopecia areata (circular hair loss) is a round, locally limited pathological hair loss (in more than 80% of affected people starting from the head; in men also in the beard area or, in exceptional cases, in the area of body hair).
Alopecia areata is the most common inflammatory hair loss disease (approx. 1.4 million people in Germany) and can occur at any age, although the second and third decades of life are the most common. Typically, there are one or more circular bald patches on the hairy head. This is why it is also referred to as circular hair loss. In the peripheral area, so-called "exclamation mark hairs" are often found. These are short, broken hairs that become thinner at the end. The bald patches are smooth, sunken, non-flaking, and the hair follicles remain intact. There are also often changes to the fingernails with pits, grooves, or sandpaper-like roughening.
The exact causes of this disease are still unknown. It is assumed that immune cells, which are actually supposed to fight off viruses, bacteria and fungi, direct their activity against the cells in the hair roots of the body ( immune system disorder/autoimmune reaction ). The hair is therefore recognized by the immune system as "foreign" and is therefore rejected. This happens by initially causing an inflammatory reaction which disrupts hair growth and ultimately leads to hair loss. In many people these bald patches grow back without treatment and are therefore only temporary. However, hair loss can also progress further and lead to the loss of all head hair (alopecia totalis) or even the loss of all body hair (alopecia universalis).
A special form of alopecia areata is alopecia areata atropicans, which is also called pseudopelade Brocq. It occurs particularly in women between the ages of 30 and 55 and begins gradually with small hairless patches and red, shiny skin. In contrast to the frequent regrowth of hair in normal alopecia areata, hair loss is slow and progressive and is not reversible, as it results in focal destruction of the hair follicles.
Diffuse hair loss
Diffuse hair loss (diffuse alopecia) occurs when hair falls out from the entire head. This type of hair loss occurs more in women than in men. Causes can include hormonal fluctuations, thyroid disorders, iron deficiency, stress, infections or a lack of fat. Some medications can also lead to hair loss. Infections (A. symptomatica) can also lead to temporary hair loss. There is no standard diagnostic method here because many factors come into play.
cytostatic therapy (chemotherapy)/radiotherapies
The administration of certain chemotherapy drugs temporarily disrupts the production of hair in the hair root. The hair then continues to grow normally from the hair root. However, when the defective area reaches the surface of the skin, which takes about 2-3 weeks depending on the rate of growth, it breaks off. The hair "falls out" in clumps, although in reality it is just a massive breakage. The hair almost always grows back, as there is never any massive damage to all the hair roots.
Radiotherapy (irradiation) can lead to local hair loss (only in the irradiated field). Intense radiation can destroy the hair roots, making hair loss irreversible.
Other causes
In addition to the causes of hair loss already mentioned, it can occur as a result of starvation diets, metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, Crohn's disease, bulimia, anorexia, lupus erythematosus, in the case of an underactive thyroid, rarely also in the case of an overactive thyroid, in the case of anemia (a reduction or malformation of red blood cells or their reduced hemoglobin content).
Certain medications such as high doses of anticoagulants, beta-blockers, vitamin A derivatives used for skin diseases, thyroid medications, contraceptives, cholesterol-lowering drugs, pesticides and ionizing radiation can also lead to hair loss.
In contrast to androgenetic (hereditary) hair loss, however, hair loss due to these causes is usually diffuse/whole-body.
Treatment
There are different ways to deal with hair loss: you can try to treat it with medication or conceal it with cosmetic products. If hair loss is severe, a visit to a dermatologist is recommended.
hair replacement/wigs/hair extensions
An alternative to medical aids is professional hair replacement. Nowadays, there are hair replacements for men and women that are visually indistinguishable from your own hair.
At La Peruca you will find a large selection of branded wigs with many color variations that are indistinguishable from your own hair. At the same time, you can be sure that you will only be sold the highest quality wigs from top manufacturers in Germany and around the world.