A specific amount of hair loss is to be expected in everyone and is in fact a normal part of the hair growth cycle.  But when does it become a problem? How do you know if you are losing more hair than is part of the normal process? In this article we will discuss the hair growth process, how much hair you can expect to lose normally and when and how the hair loss becomes excessive (both for women and men) and may be a problem.

The Evolution of a Growing Hair – The Hair Growth Cycle

The average person can expect to lose approximately 75 to 100 hairs per day as part of the normal hair growth cycle. This amount of shedding just shows that your scalp is healthy and your hair and scalp are doing what they are supposed to do.

Hairs go through three stages during the growth cycle…

The first stage is the anagen phase. It is also known as the growth stage as this is the period where the hair follicle is growing. It takes from 2 to 6 years or so for each hair follicle to go through this part of the cycle and each year each one can grow up to 10 centimeters. Up to 85% of the hairs on your head will be going through this part of the process at the same time.

The second stage of the cycle is the catagen phase. It is also known as the transitional stage as this is the point in the cycle where the hair follicle will shrink to about 1/6^th of its original size. The lower part of the hair follicle is destroyed and the dermal papilla (which is what provides nourishment to the hair follicle) will break away. This stage lasts about 1 to 2 weeks.

The third and last stage is the telogen phase. It is thought of as the resting phase, as the hair follicle remains attached to the scalp, but no longer grows. This stage lasts for around 5 to 6 weeks and approximately 10% to 15% of all your hairs are going through this stage at this time.

As the telogen phase ends, the hair follicle re-enters the anagen phase, where a new hair begins to grow after the base of the follicle and dermal papilla join together again. The new hair will push the old one out if it hasn’t already fallen out on its own and the whole cycle repeats itself.

When Normal Hair Loss Becomes Excessive

It is definitely time for a visit with your doctor or dermatologist if there are more than just a few strands of hair falling out while brushing your hair, when shampooing or if you are losing large clumps of hair. If you have long hair it may seem that you are shedding more than you actually are.

If you are still worried you may be losing too much hair you can also do the “hair-pull test”. Take approximately 20 to 40 hairs and hold them with your thumb and forefinger about an inch from your scalp. Pull on the hair hard enough to pull up your scalp and then slowly slide your fingers towards the tips of your hair, keeping en even pressure all the way down to the end. Count how many hairs come out. You should have no more than about 6 hairs or less in your hand. If more than that have come out, then it is possible your hair loss could be excessive and you should talk to a hair specialist.

Why does excessive hair loss happen?

There are many different reasons for excessive hair loss, some temporary and some permanent. Some can be avoided with preventative care, some can’t. High stress, vitamin deficiencies or excesses, dietary factors, environmental causes, physical stressors, medical conditions and medication, early signs of alopecia, and hereditary hair loss (known as androgenetic alopecia) are the most common. It can also be a warning sign that something more serious is going on in your body. It is different for each person with different factors and circumstances contributing to the hair loss. This is why it is important to speak with a hair loss specialist about excessive hair loss.

Some things that can help you to avoid excessive hair loss are to reduce as much stress as you can, exercise regularly and eat a nutritionally balanced diet. Doing all of these things will help to eliminate many of the contributing factors of excessive hair loss and thinning hair.

Which Treatments for Hair Loss Really do Bring About Hair Regrowth?

Hair regrowth?! I know we can probably all agree that’s what almost everybody says their hair loss treatment or product can do…but then you hear about those very same products or treatments not being able to even slow or stop excessive hair loss or thinning hair, much less deliver on their promise of hair regrowth! So which treatments can and will work for you? Do any of them actually help regrow hair? We’ve already covered the first question in my last article, now I want to help you find out the answer to the second…which, if any, treatment option can regrow lost hair?

Hair Regrowth…Which of the Hair Loss Treatments Out There Can Do That?

First, let me tell you that once the hair has been completely lost (and the follicle is non-productive/dead) it will not grow back. The reason for this is that once the follicle stops producing hair completely (areas with bald spots or patches) and the follicle dies, there are no treatments available on the market today that can cause a dead follicle to begin growing hair again. The best candidates for most of the available non-surgical hair loss treatments are those with thinning hair, where the hair follicles still function and have not stopped producing hair completely. These follicles can possibly be repaired with treatment.

Hair loss or thinning due to medical conditions, medications, environmental issues, or physical or emotional causes usually stops once the issue has been resolved, and generally the hair in these cases does grow back, though this can take some time.

Certain Hair Loss Treatments May or May Not Regrow Hair

Vitamins, minerals and essential oils (whether in pill form or in hair care products) do not typically regrow lost hair. At least not on their own! Combined with other treatments, they may help create the best and healthiest environment for hair regrowth to occur, or to slow or stop further hair loss or thinning, but they do not effect this change on their own.

Wigs, weaves and hair pieces- they’re nothing but a cover! These items are only meant to help camouflage hair loss and thinning hair, not as a treatment option to slow, stop or reverse excessive hair loss. They do nothing to aid in hair regrowth and sometimes can even lead to further hair loss.

Topical treatments (such as Minoxidil, Propecia and Finasteride) – Depending on the level of hair loss, and what the cause of hair loss is, these treatments may or may not help with hair regrowth. Topical treatments can help to slow thinning hair and excessive hair loss down and possibly even to stop it. They can also be used in conjunction with other treatments like laser therapy to get better results.

In-home laser hair therapy (LLLT) – Hair regrowth, once again, is dependent on the type and level of hair loss already present, but this treatment does quite a bit to help slow and possibly even stop hair from thinning and from any further hair being lost. In addition, it also makes the follicles healthy again which in turn will slowly produce thicker and healthier hair shafts.

In-office laser hair therapy (LLLT) – As with in-home laser hair therapy, hair regrowth depends on the level and type of hair loss present, and this treatment does do quite a bit to help slow and even stop hair from thinning and from further hair being lost.

Skin lifts and grafts, scalp reductions, and hair transplants – They do not result in hair regrowth. All they do is move good hair into areas that have too little or none. These treatment options are usually applied when hair loss at a stage where hair regrowth is no longer possible in the areas affected, and the follicles there are dead.

I hope you found pertinent or useful information, as that is why I write these articles…in the hopes that I can help you wade through all the info and products and treatments related to thinning hair and hair loss and find the answers you need! Don’t hesitate to ask questions, or let me know if there is a hair loss related subject you would like to see me cover.

Find Stacie Wren Goodell on Google+

What Hair Loss Treatment Options are Available on the Market Today?

Every treatment and product for hair loss and thinning hair claims it will work wonders for hair loss and return hair to its original glory…but then you hear so much about those very same products or treatments not delivering the promised results. So which treatments can and will work for you? I am here to help you find the answer to that question.

You Need to Know What is Causing the Hairloss to Choose the Right Treatment

First of all, I want to make sure you understand that the most important part of deciding upon a hair loss treatment is knowing the cause(s) of hair loss! It is very important to understand whether your hair loss is genetic (inherited), an autoimmune disease like Alopecia Areata, caused by a medical condition or a medication you are taking or if it comes from environmental, physical or emotional causes. Certain treatment options may or may not work for specific types of hair loss. A dermatologist is the best person to help you figure out exactly what is causing your hair loss or thinning hair.

So What Treatments for Hair Loss are Out There and Which Ones Will Work for Me?

The array of treatments for hair loss and thinning hair that are available are vitamins, nutrients, essential oils, wigs, weaves, hair systems, hair pieces, topical treatments, in-home laser therapy, in-office laser therapy, skin lifts and grafts, scalp reductions, and hair transplants.

Breaking It Down…Which Hair Loss Treatments Do What?

Non-Surgical Treatment Options

Generally, the “homeopathic” or all-natural (vitamin, nutrient and essential oil) remedies do not usually work for most people that are experiencing thinning hair or hair loss. I’m not saying they aren’t good for you in some ways, but they normally will not regrow hair, and most likely will not do anything to slow or stop more hair from being lost or thinning.

Wigs, weaves, hair systems and hair pieces do nothing to remedy the hair thinning or loss in any way, they only serve to cover or hide the current hair condition.

Topical treatments (such as Minoxidil and Propecia) are long term solutions, require application on a daily basis (sometimes twice or per day to the scalp) and may cause side effects. They are generally prescribed for androgenetic alopecia and are DHT-inhibitors.

In-home laser hair therapy (Low Level Laser Hair Therapy- LLLT) has no side effects whatsoever and is a long term solution. This treatment can be more cost effective as one only pays once for the device and it’s yours to keep and use long term. Click here to see a graph which compares some of the hand held lasers available.  These devices are clinically proven to stop excessive hair loss and promote hair growth.

In-office laser hair therapy is the in-office version of the laser hair therapy. This treatment can become costly since you pay for each treatment instead of just for the device as with the in-home use laser.

Surgical Treatment Options for Hairloss

Skin lifts and grafts – Skin liftsare where some sections of skin that have no hair growth are cut out, and the remaining portions of skin are brought back together. This results in continued hair growth on the portions that have been lifted. Skin grafts are where sections of skin that have healthy growing hair are cut out and grafted onto areas that have no hair growth.  These procedures are rarely done any longer.

Scalp reductions are a form of cosmetic surgery. The surgeon tightens the scalp by pulling hair-bearing skin from the back and sides of the head toward the crown. Hair may then also be transplanted to any remaining bald area at the top of the head. This procedure is rarely done any longer.

Hair transplantsare where either individual hair follicles (for FUE) or a strip of skin containing hair (for strip harvesting) are removed from one area (called the ‘donor site’)and are replaced into a bald or balding area (known as the ‘recipient site’).

(While the three surgical solutions above may remove or fill in the problem area, they do nothing to prevent future hair thinning and hair loss. It is important to understand that what they do is simply to take healthy hair you already have and move it to a place where it is more visible. They do not create new hair. They are all pretty costly, can be very painful, can create other problems or side effects, and are only a temporary solution as hair will continue to fall out in the affected areas. They are performed by a doctor in a surgical setting, and can have negative results like pain, scarring, bleeding, infection and unnatural looking hair growth. These types of treatments are usually only considered when other solutions are not feasible.

For any hair loss treatment, I recommend consulting with a dermatologist or hair loss specialist before deciding upon any course of action.

You can find Stacie Wren Goodell on Google+

Do I Need To Be Worried?

In this set of articles, I would like to approach each of the potential causes of women’s hair loss and give possible hints as to what we can do to correct, reverse or deal with each. (Sorry, Men….I will get to you soon!

Understand the Plight of Women Suffering from Hair Loss

In the meantime, you can read these articles so that you may better understand the plight of the women in your life, and garner a little more insight into what may be on the minds of your spouse, sister, mom, co-worker, girlfriend or even your daughter.)

Hair loss can be sudden, or it can start with subtle thinning around the hairline. The reasons can be medical, physical, environmental or emotional. Losing hair may be caused by a medical condition known as Alopecia. This condition may be temporary (Alopecia Areata) or permanent (Alopecia Totalis).

Women’s hair loss may also be the result of prescribed drugs for other problems. In the area of physical reasons, there are the issues of physical trauma, burns or scarring. Environmental issues such as chemicals, radioactivity, extreme temperature or even poor diet can be a culprit.

Finally, emotional trauma can not only have our bodies negatively reacting to stress, but also contribute to hair twisting and hair pulling as nervous activities.

As you can see, not only are there four basic areas of concern, these areas interact to sometimes heighten the amount of hair loss experienced…which, in turn may lead to even more loss of hair. For example, medication may be given for a medical issue, hair is lost, the patient is physically and now emotionally stressed, depression sets in and more medicines are taken. The cycle becomes “vicious” and many of these female victims cannot find their way out.

Hopefully the following information will shed some light on not only possible causes, but possible solutions as well. Let’s get started with an overview of HOW ANY of the above causes of thinning hair or hair loss in women can happen.

How does hair grow and what causes it to stop?

Hair is formed in follicles which are “bulbs” located below the upper layer of skin. They contain the root of the growing hair shaft and are fed by elements in our blood. Proper nourishment will ensure a strong, healthy hair to grow through four phases.

There is the 3-6 year growth phase (when hair grows approximately 6 inches a year), a 1-2 week transition phase and a 5-6 week resting phase (while waiting for a new hair to form) and a return to growth phase (while the new hair grows and pushes out the old hair shaft). This can be compared to the growth of our teeth (we get baby teeth, then after a while new tooth buds form and they come up and push out the baby teeth and become our permanent teeth)…except this hair cycle continues over and over again throughout our lifetime.

Hair growth is stopped by either the closing off of the follicle, lack of nourishment to the follicle, or physical trauma to the follicle. The chemical DHT (dihydrotestosterone) is  naturally occurring testosterone (good) changed by an enzyme produced in a female’s adrenal glands and ovaries to one which attaches to weak follicles and chokes them off (bad).

Natural sebum and oil buildup can also physically block the follicle. Poor blood circulation in the scalp to the root of the hair causes less “food” to be delivered to feed the follicle. Unfortunately, some trauma (physical injury) cannot be avoided, but that caused by poor habits can. This stopping or slowing and “miniaturization” of the follicles is what we see as thinning, hair loss and balding.

Normally there are about 100,000 to 150,000 hairs on an adult head and we may naturally lose about 100 hairs a day with our body generating this same number of new hairs a day on a healthy head. However, with slowed growth, weakened hair shafts and dying follicles the problems begin to show.

Up Next Hair Loss in Women the Four Main Areas of Concern

My next articles will now focus on each of the four main areas of concern as to what causes hair loss in women and their interrelations…and what we can do to improve this situation. Whether it is dietary changes, hair products for hair loss, physical or medical options, they will all be explained to help you make an intelligent choice as you care for the health of your hair.

Find Stacie on Google+