What Is Hair Loss?

On average, the adult human head has between 100,000 and 150,000 hairs, and it is normal to lose as many as 100 or so of them daily. So if you’re brushing and you see some strands coming out, it’s usually nothing to be worried about, nor is it necessarily cause to pursue hair regrowth. Hair is made of keratin, a protein that the hair follicles in the skin’s outer layer produce. Old keratin cells are pushed out through the skin’s surface as follicles produce new hair cells. This amounts to hair growth, which typically occurs at a rate of around six inches annually. The visible hair on your head is really made up of those old keratin cells—strings of dead protein.

At any given time, around 90 percent of those strands on your head are growing. However, since they are each on their own timeline, you don’t notice hairs falling out, at least not typically. Every follicle’s unique life cycle can be affected by disease, age, genes, and a broad range of other factors. This hair life cycle is divided into three parts, each phase with different characteristics and timing:

• Anagen phase: Active growth from two to six years;
• Catagen phase: Transitional hair growth from two to three weeks;
• Telogen phase: Resting period from two to three months, followed by shedding and replacement by new hair.

Aging causes hair growth to slow down. Hair loss, also called alopecia, comes in many varieties, but the two main kinds that cosmetic hair regrowth patients cope with are involutional alopecia, which is when hair thins with age, and androgenic alopecia, genetic pattern baldness which can affect both men and women.

What Are Some Common Causes of Hair Loss?

Scientists don’t yet know everything there is to know about the causes of hair loss, nor about hair regrowth. We don’t know why certain hair follicles are genetically coded to have a shorter growth period, or why some people suffer from hair loss and have more trouble with hair regrowth than others. However, we do know that several factors do influence hair loss:

• Hormones. Abnormal levels of androgens, which are the male hormones that both men’s and women’s bodies produce naturally, can cause hair loss, and inhibit hair regrowth.
• Genes. Your genes from both your mother’s and father’s sides can affect your predisposition to pattern baldness, male or female.
• Stress. High levels of stress can cause hair loss.
• Illness. Illnesses and infections such as ringworm can cause hair loss.
• Childbirth. Giving birth can cause temporary hair loss, partly because high levels of pregnancy hormones can cause lusher hair growth, which is also temporary.
• Drugs and medications. Various drugs and medications, most notably chemotherapy drugs for treating cancer, but also beta-adrenergic blockers and blood thinners for controlling blood pressure, and birth control pills, can all cause temporary hair loss.
• Burns, x-rays, and injuries. These disruptions to the skin’s surface can all cause temporary hair loss. In most cases, healing the injury restores normal hair growth, but when a scar forms or, for example, burn damage, is deep enough, hair will never regrow.
• Autoimmune disease. Autoimmune disease may cause alopecia areata, an abnormal immune system response that affects the hair follicles. Hair regrowth usually occurs, although it might be finer and/or lighter in color temporarily.
• Overly harsh cosmetic procedures. Cosmetic treatments that are too hard on the scalp, such as bleaching, very tight braiding, repeated perms, and exposure to chemicals, physical harm, or both, can damage and break hair. Usually, this kind of hair loss is temporary.
• Medical conditions. Various medical conditions, including anemia, diabetes, eating disorders, iron deficiency, lupus, and thyroid disease, can cause hair loss. Most loss is temporary, although some conditions that cause scarring can cause permanent loss.
• Diet. A very poor diet that is low in protein or severely calorie-restricted can cause temporary hair loss.

Is There a Permanent Treatment for Hair Loss?

In a word, yes! In past decades, genes and lifestyle had the final say in whether or not a person had to accept living with hair loss or not, but thanks to advancing science and technology, things have changed radically. We have the tools now to promote hair regrowth safely so you can get your look back to the way you want it.

What System Is Used to Treat Hair Loss and Is It Safe?

There are two permanent hair regrowth options, and both are completely safe. The Capillus272 is the world’s first, clinically-proven, FDA-cleared laser cap to treat hair loss. This revolutionary technology can be used in a variety of ways to reverse the signs of thinning, shedding, and balding. The Capillus272 is the most advanced low level laser light therapy treatment for thinning hair, which helps to boost cell metabolism for thicker, more healthful hair.

The second possibility is the Artas Robotic Hair Transplant System. This option isn’t so much about slow, eventual regrowth through the same follicles, but about moving healthy follicles where you need them to be. The Artas Robotic Hair Transplant System yields fantastic looking hair regrowth, with results that will last a lifetime. You are going to love your natural-looking results, experience a quick recovery via this virtually pain-free treatment. The minimally invasive Artas Robotic Hair Transplant eliminates the older, painful techniques and less subtle looks of the old-school transplant systems, leaving you with fuller hair, period. No obvious scarring, no stitches, and almost no downtime, our Artas Robotic Hair Transplant System clients are usually back to work, school, and life within a few days, and thrilled with their results.

Contact Dr. Cuber, your local hair loss doctor, today by scheduling a free consultation for more details regarding hair regrowth.