Sudden Extreme Hair Loss

Sudden extreme hair loss - know when you should worry

For some people, it can be distressing to see themselves facing a sudden extreme hair loss. But not all of these cases foreshadow imminent baldness or some disease. In fact, it is estimated that every day we lose 50 to 100 strands of hair - which is absolutely normal.

"It is physiological. In the scalp, there are hairs in different stages: some are growing, some are stabilized and others should fall," explains the dermatologist at the University Hospital of Navarre Leyre Aguado.

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In many cases, hair loss is a reaction to the time of year and a reminder of our past.

"It depends on what animal we still have, which we dermatologists call phylogenetic stigma. In all mammals except humans, there is what we call annual synchronized movements," Ramon Grimalt, professor of dermatology at the University, told BBC World. Catalonia International.

"If you have a dog or cat, a deer or a bear, you will see that every spring these mammals lose all their hair in synchronous fashion to spend the cool summer. And from October to November without taking any supplement or pill or without a lotion, they regain their hair again. "

But unlike animals, people do not need their hair to regulate body temperature. Thus, this synchronization is unnecessary and most have a daily change of about 50 to 100 hairs.

The hair falls out and renews itself daily. Doctor Grimalt calls the replacement process.

"We maintain this tendency to bundle these substitutions. For most of us, not exactly 100 wires fall per day, but we go through times that fall only 50, 60, 70 and others where 150 or 200 are discarded per day. And these times often coincides with late summer and early fall, "says the expert.

And, as with mammals, lost hair recovers.

When should we worry?

Grimalt has a surefire method: "What really concerns us is our image, not our brushes."

The brush full of hair has become a warning sign for many women.

But, as the doctor explains, let's pause to think about one thing: If women usually have much longer hair than men, 100 hairs will occupy a larger volume compared to 100 hairs that will fall out of a man with short hair.

"Seasonal substitution is identical in men and women. If I wear a haircut one or two inches from the head, 100 hairs will fall out every day and I will hardly see them because they won't get stuck in the comb or brush, not even clog the shower, "says the doctor.

"No one should worry about the volume of hair that falls out. You have to worry about your image," says the doctor.

Comparing a photo from last year with a current one is a good method for detecting "clearings" in the head. Do you see less hair? This is a sign.

If this occurs it is important to consult a doctor to determine what is happening.

"It is absurd to go to a hairdresser or a pharmacy to buy something to stop the hair loss," says the doctor. This is not the solution. Medical examinations will find the true source of the problem.

The warning sign should not be the number of hair that fall out but the density of hair we see on the scalp. Check to see if they have shrunk and look for empty areas on the head.

The Paradox of Baldness

Although it seems impossible to believe, Grimalt explains that men do not become bald due to their hair fall.

"Its diseased root stops working and causes a situation that doctors call miniaturization, meaning it makes thinner and thinner hair and in the end is so thin it disappears."

"The illnesses that cause hair loss or baldness, in most cases, are not associated with an increased volume of replacements, but due to a root disease."

Thus, according to the professor at the International University of Catalonia, the message goes in the opposite direction:

"If my hair is replaced, I am healthy. If it falls out, that's a good sign: the new new hair that is under it is growing so that the old one will fall out."

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Causes of Hair Loss

Several are the causes of hair loss, such as aging, genetics, constant weight loss and gain, and hormonal imbalances.

In many cases you can try a temporary solution. But, according to Harvard Health, a Harvard University School of Medicine journal, hair loss occurs for different reasons:

Acute telogen effluvium:

"This common form of hair loss happens two or three months after a situation in which the body goes through intense stress, such as a prolonged illness, major surgery or a serious infection. It also happens after a sudden change in hormone levels. especially after delivery. Moderate amounts of hair loss fall from the entire length of the scalp and can be seen on the pillow, shower or comb. "

Side effects from drug use:

"Hair loss may be a side effect of certain lithium-containing drugs, beta-blockers, warfarin, heparin, amphetamines and levodopa," as well as because of drugs used in cancer treatments such as chemotherapy.

Hereditary Baldness:

It is very common among men and can occur at any time in their lives, even during adolescence. "It is usually caused by the interaction of three factors: hereditary tendency to baldness, male hormones and increasing age." Women are not exempt. With age, many of them may develop some degree of baldness.

Symptom of illnesses that cause hair loss:

Hair loss can respond to conditions such as lupus, syphilis, or a thyroid disease such as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. It can also be a symptom of protein, iron, zinc or biotin deficiency.

Fungal infection:

"This form of hair loss happens when certain types of fungus infect the scalp." This causes the hair to break on the surface of the scalp and to detach into scales.

Alopecia areata:

"This is one of the autoimmune diseases that cause hair loss in one or more small areas. The cause of this condition is unknown, although it is more common in people suffering from autoimmune disease. When the same process causes total loss of hair hair, it is known as total alopecia ".

Traumatic Alopecia:

It is associated with aggressive hair styling techniques in which the scalp is subjected to tugging, extreme heat or harsh chemicals.