By Melanie K. Nelson
To most women, August means the end of summer, getting the kids ready to go back to school, and fall fashion. What you might not know is that August is also national Hair Loss Awareness Month. Although hair loss is commonly associated with aging and thought to mostly effect men, there are millions of women of all ages affected by hair loss every day. Especially for women, hair is closely tied with self-image and when hair begins to thin, women can lose confidence and feel less attractive. While I am a strong believer that women are beautiful regardless of whether they are as bald as a baby’s bottom or have the hair of a Victoria’s Secret model, there is no denying the link between a women’s self confidence and her own opinion of her hair.
GROWTH
Before we begin discussing hair loss it is helpful to understand how it grows. The first stage is the anagen or growth stage. Hair is in the anagen stage for anywhere from two to eight years. The amount of time that your hair is in this stage determines the length of hair you will be able to grow. After the anagen stage, the hair follicle moves into the catagen phase. This brief transitional stage only lasts for two to four weeks. At this point the hair is no longer growing but it remains attached. Finally, the hair moves into the resting phase know as the telogen phase. This phase lasts between two and four months and accounts for between ten to fifteen percent of all of your hair. Once the telogen phase is done, the cycle starts over and the old hair is pushed out of the cuticle by the new growth. Typically, anywhere from fifty to one hundred hairs are lost everyday. Healthy hair follicles replace the old hair with new growth. Hair loss and thinning occurs when follicles behave irregularly.
TYPES OF HAIR LOSS
One of the most common types of hair loss is called Telogen Effluvium, or TE. TE if often characterized by the thinning of hair on the scalp due to hair remaining in the telogen phase too long. In the resting phase there is no new growth and so there is nothing to replace the hairs that are lost. TE occurs when there is a shock to the body that causes the follicles to stray from their normal cycle. The trigger that is most often seen is pregnancy, but can also include things like surgery and losing large amounts of weight. With these sudden triggers, women might notice a large amount of shedding up to two months after the trigger has occurred. In most cases the hair follicles will return to their normal growth pattern quickly and hair will return to its normal appearance in less than a year. If the trigger is persistent, like a change in medication, a more gradual hair loss will occur and can be reversed by eliminating the trigger.
Androgenic Alopecia, also known as female pattern baldness, is another common type of hair loss. Women with this condition experience an even loss of hair across the scalp. Although hair may be very noticeably thinner, they will rarely lose all of their hair. Androgenetic alopecia is one symptom of a hormonal imbalance, others symptoms include acne and unexplained weight gain. The most common type of treatments for androgenetic alopecia is hormone therapy, which can be very effective in some cases.
One type of hair loss that is slightly less common is Alopecia Areata. Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune disease in which occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the hair follicle. Small, round areas of complete hair loss is characteristic of this disease. Hair will sometimes grow back on its own but, depending on the severity of the condition, the hair that grows back might fall out again. Women with other autoimmune diseases, or a family history of this type of disease, have a greater risk of developing Alopecia Areata.
The final type of hair loss that we will talk about is Traction Alopecia. This is a unique condition for a few reasons. Firstly, it effects predominantly teens and young adults and secondly, it is almost completely preventable! Traction alopecia is a condition in which the hair follicles are damaged from excessive tension or the use of hash chemicals. The most common cases result from years of wearing tight hairstyles like braids. Traction alopecia can be reversible if caught early enough, so it is vital to see a dermatologist at the first sign of hair loss.
SOLUTIONS
There are literally hundreds of hair growth treatments currently on the market and they can get pretty over whelming! Below are ten of the most popular treatment options, but you should consult a dermatologist to determine which treatment is best for you.
The first treatment that I will mention is cortisone injections at the site of the hair loss. This is frequently used with alopecia areata and some cases of traction alopecia. Cortisone is an anti-inflammatory that can stop hair loss and even help hair grow back. There are usually no lasting side effects and your dermatologist can administer the injections.
Another treatment option is a laser treatment called Illumiwave. Using a unique “bio-stimulation” technology, Illumiwave promotes healthy cell growth in the scalp and an increase in follicle’s protein production. This helps support a healthy scalp and stimulates hair growth.
Although the next treatment follows the same idea of using lasers to stimulate hair growth, it offers a slightly different delivery than most of it’s competitors. The Laser Cap is a system of low-intensity lasers that fits inside of a hat. The idea is to wear it for 30 minutes every other day and it treats the entire scalp at once. The Laser Cap is the epitome of user-friendly and can even be worn while running! Currently it is only available by prescription by your doctor but can be used to treat many different types of hair loss.
Hairmax is another leader in the field of at-home laser treatments. Their innovative Laser Comb which is FDA approved to treat female hair loss works to stimulate hair follicles that are in the catagen or telogen growth phases. This stimulation encourages the follicle to produce healthy new hairs. The treatment process consists of the use of the comb for 8-15 minutes, 3 times per week. Although their main product is the laser comb, Hairmax does offer shampoos, conditioners and vitamins that all contribute to a healthy, full head of hair. The combination of supplements and products treat hair loss on many different levels to provide more complete care than most other systems.
If you have thinning hair and are looking for the instant fix, Spencer Forrest might have your solution! Although they have a variety of products, the one that is most unique is their Toppik line. The Toppik Hair Building Formula is a powdered Keratin that you sprinkle over the thinning areas. This powder matches the color of existing hairs and clings, making hair appear naturally full. Although I don’t fully understand the science behind this product, it is a very interesting concept and it is hard not to be amazed by the videos on their website! I should mention that while this product does not reverse the hair loss, it does help make it unnoticeable. The Toppik line also includes shampoo, conditioner and several tools to make the powder even more effective.
The next treatment not only improves the quantity of hairs on your head, but also the quality. Tricomin Solution Follicle Therapy Spray is a unique formula that is centered on the positive attributes that copper has on your skin and hair. Copper is essential for things like Melanin production, the joining of collagen and elastin, and the inhibition of enzymes that produce DHT – its active metabolite responsible for androgenetic alopecia. Copper is present in relatively large amounts in your hair compared to the rest of your body, but as you age, the amount of copper decreases. Along with copper, Tricomin also contains a blend of amino acids that give hair body and shine.
When most people think of hair loss, there is usually one brand that comes to mind. Rogaine has been the leader is hair loss treatments for a many years but most people think of it as a men’s brand. Rogaine for Women is the first FDA approved hair loss treatment for women. Hereditary hair loss is much different in women than it is in men, and the makers of Rogaine for Women understand that. They have tailored their topical treatment to specifically target women’s hair follicles. Used twice a day, women report seeing a difference in 4 months.
The next treatment is again a widely known brand name, but this product is new to the world of hair loss. Latisse was originally developed to treat glaucoma and is well know for its success thickening and darkening eyelashes. Within the last year, extensive testing has been done to show that Latisse may also be effective for thickening hair on your head as well. Amazingly, even though it is known to darken eyelashes, it does not do the same to hair! One downside is that it has not been proven to help grow back hair that has been lost; it simply thickens hair that is still on your head. Even still, the pictures are quite impressive!
The Revivogen system is a three-part system consisting of a scalp treatment, a shampoo and a conditioner. Each component works together to minimize the appearance of hair loss and even reverse it by encouraging new growth. The scalp treatment and the shampoo both work to block the formation of DHT, which is the compound that causes hair loss. The conditioner works to strengthen and thicken existing hair. The best part? Revivogen contains natural ingredients that work with your body, rather than harsh chemicals that fight against it!
The final hair loss product on our list combats the problem from the inside out. Viviscal Extra Strength is a multi-vitamin specially formulated with all natural ingredients to reverse hair loss and promote growth. If you are someone that thinks that the topical treatments seem messy or time intensive, Viviscal could be your solution! This 100% drug free system has been extensively tested and proven effective. Simply take two pills a day and the blend of vitamins and proteins goes to work providing your hair follicles with the necessary nutrients to produce the strong, healthy hair that you once had. It is recommended that it be taken for at least three months in order to see results.
BONUS
So once you have had success with one of the treatments listed above, you will want to take care of this new hair! Julien Farel has a complete line of hair products that each specializes in a different aspect of hair care. Vitamin, Hydrate, Zero Frizz, Fusilli, and Volume are the 5 different sets of products each targeting a niche hair type ranging from color-treated, to lifeless. One size never fits all in clothing and the same goes for hair products!
