Alopecia

Alopecia means baldness. Usually we have about 300,000 hairs on our heads, and we lose anything up to 300 hairs each day. Each hair grows at a rate of around about a centimetre a month, a phase in the life of the hair called anagen.

After about three years of life the hair falls out, a phase called catagen. The hair follicle then goes into a resting phase called telogen before starting a new three-year hair growth cycle.

Hair Loss Causes

There are many conditions that can affect the growth and life of a hair, the most common being so-called male pattern baldness where there is gradual loss of hair from the front and sides of the scalp, causing a receding hairline, and thinning of the hair on the top of the head.

This process is dependent upon the male hormone testosterone: the more testosterone you have the faster it happens. Over time most of us are affected to a greater or lesser extent to hair loss.

Some conditions cause a large number of hairs to enter the resting phase altogether, so they are shed a few weeks later. This can happen following any acute severe illness, as part of pregnancy, after surgery, in association with Iron deficiency, as a result of a shock or severe stress, or as a consequence of severe dieting in anorexia or bulimia. Once the cause has been remedied or has faded into the past regrowth of the hair is normal.

Scalp disease causing scarring will result in baldness because the hair follicles arise in the dermis, which is destroyed by any process involving scarring and the hair follicles do not regenerate. Scarring may follow a direct injury to the scalp, any prolonged severe scalp infection or conditions such as lichen planus.

Alopecia Areata

Alopecia areata is a condition causing patchy areas of hair loss/baldness which can vary in size and from less than a centimetre to large areas of the scalp. In men in may also affect the beard area.

While the cause is unknown it is thought possibly to be due to an autoimmune phenomenon involving both genetic and environmental factors. There is no evidence of underlying scalp disease and there is no scarring, and examination of the bald patch shows hairs which are short, thin near the scalp and thicker at the end (and so-called exclamation mark hairs). Usually the hair regrows, but there may be recurrent attacks, while in some cases the baldness is permanent. About 50% of patients hair will regrow in one year without any hair loss treatments.

Complete hair loss is a side-effect of many drugs used in the treatment in of malignant disease, when the hair loss occurs during the growing phase – since these drugs are designed to stop cell division this is an understandable side-effect. Hair regrowth usually occurs when the treatment is completed.

What you need to know about Alopecia (Hair Loss)

Although alopecia causes enormous concern in some men – and men are more likely to suffer from it – there’s normally no serious underlying condition, which needs attention – except perhaps vanity.

Men who have male pattern baldness – and more money than sense – often spend a fortune on expensive creams and treatments which result in a little flurry of ‘bum fluff’ on their heads which disappears as soon as they stop treatment.

They’d be better off looking at the swimmer Duncan Goodhew or at Yul Brynner or Sean Connery – all dead sexy with hardly a hair between them. In fact, hormonal evidence suggests that balding men are sexier because of their excessive testosterone.

It’s a very different story, of course, when hair loss is caused by chemotherapy, illness or pregnancy. In these cases, which almost certainly resolve themselves in time, taking a hi-potency multivitamin and mineral formula containing at least 100mcg of selenium and 15-30mg of Zinc will help supply key nutrients that can speed recovery.

These products and special products formulated for optimising hair growth are all available at good health food shops and pharmacies, and may also help women whose hair gets thinner because of age.

Alopecia often also indicates; severe stress, underlying illness, compromised immune function, inadequate protein in the diet, viral infection or malabsorption of nutrients. If you are not sure as to the cause of the problem, do see a Naturopath. In the meantime as a general guide, it may be wise to use supplements and herbs to boost the immune system, improve digestion and control stress.

If a virus is suspected take the following:

Astragalus 1gm to 3gm per day – for up to 14 days

Echinacea 1gm to 5gm per day – for up to 14 days

Goldenseal 1gm to 3gm per day – for up to 14 days

Vitamin C 1gm to 10gm per day – for up to 14 days

To address malabsorption:

Betaine HCI 1 to 2 capsules at the beginning of meals Or:

Digestive Enzymes 1 to 2 capsules at the end of meals

To address stress take a high-potency B-complex 1-2 times daily.

Dietary changes that may help:

• Eat plenty of sea vegetables,kelp,dulse, hijiki, kombu, wakame and nori.
• Seeds and nuts (but not peanuts).

Other useful hair loss advice

Acupuncture may help stimulate hair growth in people who have alopecia areata or totalis.

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