What Causes Hair Loss and How Can I Stop It?

Aging can mean many things when it comes to our appearance like wrinkles and sagging skin. It can also bring hair loss.

 At Cascade Medspa & Laser Centre in Baxter, Minnesota, our highly skilled aesthetic team can help refresh appearances including patients' skin, hair, and bodies. With our FDA-approved devices and products, we can smooth skin, reduce body fat, treat hair loss, and more, all in a friendly, comfortable environment.

Hair loss

Most people have about 100,000 hairs on their head and lose anywhere from 50 to 100 a day. This is not usually noticeable because new hair grows in at the same time. However, if this replacement hair doesn't come in, then hair loss occurs.

Causes

Hair loss can come in a variety of forms including thinning, coming out gradually, or falling out abruptly. With some types, hair regrows on its own while others need treatment to regenerate. 

Some causes include:

Hereditary hair loss

Also known as androgenic alopecia, hereditary hair loss affects both men and women. In men it manifests as a bald spot on top or a receding hairline. Women usually experience overall thinning or the part widening.

It is caused by genes that make the hair follicles shrink and, over time, stop growing hair. This can begin in the teenage years but is more common as we age.

Age

Hair growth slows as we get older and at some point the hair follicles quit growing hair altogether, which results in thinning. Hair can also lose its color.

Alopecia areata

This medical condition occurs when the body's immune system attacks hair follicles. This results in hair loss that can occur anywhere on the body including the eyebrows and eyelashes.

Health conditions

Health conditions like having a baby, suffering from an illness, or undergoing an operation can result in hair loss. Experiencing an emotionally stressful time can also cause it to happen.

Certain cancer treatments including chemotherapy and radiation to the head or neck can make the hair fall out. A hormonal imbalance, thyroid disease, missing nutrients, and some medications such as those for arthritis, high blood pressure, and heart problems can also lead to this problem.

Hair care

Coloring, perming, or relaxing the hair can cause damage that leads to hair loss. Wearing hairstyles that pull the hair back tightly can also result in this issue due to the continual pulling.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the cause. Often, topical over-the-counter creams, gels, foams, and solutions that contain minoxidil and are applied directly to the scalp are recommended initially. If necessary, prescription medications may be used as well. Other possibilities can include laser therapy, microneedling with platelet-rich plasma, and hair transplant surgery.

If you're suffering from hair thinning or loss, help is available. Call our office at 218-454-9999 or click here to book an appointment today.