Q: I have a problem and would be interested in your comments. I have a happy home life, work lots because I’m a single parent, eat well, and take vitamins, but my hair seems to be falling out more than it should be. I know everyone loses hair naturally every day but I’m way beyond the occasional strand. I shower and wash my hair each morning and have to clean my drain so the water can go down. I always use good shampoos and conditioners and have switched to very good brands to combat the problem, all to no avail.
Also, I have long hair that I trim the split ends from and here goes my second problem. My hair grows just so long and doesn’t progress beyond that. So, what’s the deal here. Except for trimming, I have not had a real hair cut in about seven years. My hair should be way down my back but it isn’t. Can you help?
A: There are a number of reasons for hair to fall out. Let’s begin by understanding that women are nearly as likely to lose hair as are men. In fact, the American Hair Loss Association indicates that women make up 40% of American hair loss sufferers. We look at a man who is balding or completely bald and don’t think much of it – even if it occurs at a reasonably young age but it’s a different story for women who feel their hair is their “crowning glory”. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, most individuals lose from 50 to 100 strands of hair every day and each time you wash your hair, that count can rise to up to 250 strands! This doesn’t imply you shouldn’t wash your hair; those strands will ultimately fall out anyway. I don’t know how long your hair is but the loss will not appear as evident if your hair is very short. With long hair, the visual may appear dramatic. Further, men’s hair recedes from the forehead or crown, while women will thin from the top third or half of the scalp.
Are your sisters, mother, grandmother or aunts experiencing the same problem? Heredity plays a significant role here. Each time a hair follicle is shed, it is replaced by hair that is equal in size so there may be a medical condition to consider, including anemia or a thyroid disorder that can be diagnosed or ruled out through laboratory testing. Psoriasis, infections such as ringworm, or seborrheic dermatitis can be diagnosed by a primary care physician or dermatologist. If you have experienced recent but pronounced weight loss or an illness, this might be the cause, as can be infection, medication, or chemicals. You indicate you are on a vitamin regimen. Are you or have you taken an excess of vitamin A? Hair loss can result almost immediately following the increased dosing, or occur as long as six months thereafter. Some NSAIDs, beta blockers and antidepressants may be contributory.
This is not the thing to ask a single parent but are you under stress? There are three types of hair loss attributed to stress alone. When your hair falls out, is there a club-shaped bulb on the hair roots? If so, this may imply your hair has completed its growth cycle that may have been sped up simply because of stress. Alopecia areata results from white blood cells that attack hair follicles that in turn stop hair growth and cause it to fall out. A condition known as telogen effluvium advances hair to enter a resting phase that progresses to the hair falling out a few months later just because of washing or combing it. Then there is a condition we all may wish to take on at some point in our lifetime known as trichotillomania – an irresistible urge to pull our hair out. Stress and frustration are powerful things.
Do you color your hair? While fashionable, dyes and bleaches contain harsh chemicals that can cause damage. It is believed that coloring done in a salon is less abrasive and damaging to hair than over-the-counter choices but even those received through a reputable firm are foreign to fragile hair follicles. Then keep in mind you pull a brush or comb through your hair several times a day, swim in a pool treated with chlorine, expose your hair to the sun, braid it tightly or make cornrows, blow it dry, flatten it, curl it, cover it with a towel following shampooing and dry it in a brisk manner. We’re victims of craving public acceptance and our hair and bodies respond accordingly. Is there anyone who doesn’t wonder why our hair falls out? We’re abusive in the name of vanity.
Lastly, there are three recognized growth cycles of hair. Anagen is the growth phase, catagen is a resting period, and telogen is a shedding phase. The last phase can last up to six years and will determine the maximum length of hair we can hope to achieve. And, in a nutshell, this is why your hair is the length it is.
