What is Hair loss?

Partial or complete loss of hair is called alopecia.
Hair loss usually develops gradually and may be patchy or diffuse (all over). Roughly 100 hairs are lost from your head every day. The average scalp contains about 100,000 hairs.

Dermatologists comment that scalp hair loss seems to provoke more distress than many severe skin conditions. Unfortunately, hair loss may not be easy to remedy.

Some people prefer to let their baldness run its course untreated and unhidden. Others may cover it up with hairstyles, makeup, hats or scarves. And still others choose one of the medications and surgical procedures that are available to treat hair loss. Before pursuing any of these treatment options, talk with your doctor about the cause of and best possible treatments for your hair loss.

Causes of Hair Loss
Hair loss can occur as thinning, in which you may not notice hair falling out, or as shedding, in which clumps of hair fall out.

The types of situations that can cause hair loss include hormonal changes, poor diet and nutritional deficiencies, a variety of medications, surgery, and many medical conditions, but noticeably, thyroid disease.

Other causes of hair loss may also show distinct patterns. For example, conditions such as trichotillomania (compulsively pulling at the hair) or alopecia areata (in which the immune system attacks hair follicles) result in obvious patches of hair loss, while stress and some medications result in clumps of hair falling out.

Signs and symptoms
Male-pattern baldness (androgenetic specialize). For men, pattern baldness can begin very early, even in the teens or early 20s. It's typically characterized by a receding hairline at the temples and balding at the top of the head. The end result may be partial or complete baldness.

A woman may notice a decrease in the size of her ponytail.
Aside from the thinning hair itself, most people do not have other problems associated with hair loss.

Treatment of Hair Loss
Natural Treatments for Hair Loss is diet. A diet that contains whole foods, particularly the outer skin of plants such as potatoes, cucumbers, green and red peppers, and sprouts can give strength to hair because they are rich in the mineral silica. Foods that are high in iron, such as lean meats, are important for people with a known iron deficiency.

Some forms of hair loss can be prevented by practicing good nutrition, minimizing stress, and sensible hairdressing techniques. Hair loss from fungal infections can be prevented by never sharing combs, hats, or brushes with other people and by keeping hair clean and the topical treatments may help slow or prevent the development of common male pattern baldness.

The American Hair Loss Association recognizes that hair loss is an extremely emotionally distressing disease that can make those afflicted particularly vulnerable. For this reason, The AHLA recommends against purchasing any hair loss product that is not approved by the FDA or recommended by The American Hair Loss Association.

Treatment for hair loss may boost self-esteem and overall well-being, although the trade-off might be that it affects your health. Some medications may have harmful side effects, and surgery may carry certain risks.