There are more than 40
different types of hair loss known till date – some of them very common, others
quite rare. It is not at all mandatory to know about each of these; however,
knowing your type can help you to understand how well your hair loss can respond
to treatment. Few of the common varieties of hair
loss are discussed here:
Androgenetic alopecia (AGA)– This type of hair loss can affect both men and women and is caused by the hormone DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) which is a male hormone. It accounts for almost 95% of the cases of hair loss. Androgenetic alopecia is genetically determined and can be classified as:
·
Male Pattern Baldness (MPB) - This is typically characterized by
a receding hairline at the temples and balding at the top of the head.
·
Female Pattern Baldness (FPB) -
Also known as Alopecia Diffusa, this is characterized by thinning of hair at
the front, sides and crown of the scalp
Involution
alopecia – With advancing age, more and more hair follicles go into the
resting phase. This leads to gradual thinning of hair and is called involution
alopecia.
Telogen
effluvium- Severe stress may lead to noticeable shedding of hair – a
large number of hair strands prematurely enter into the resting (telogen) phase
and are thereafter shed. This may sometimes occur even 3 to 6 months after the
initial stressor. The stressor could be anything like a heart attack, severe
illness, high fever, sudden weight change, major surgical procedure,
childbirth, termination of pregnancy, etc.
Anagen
effluvium– This is the pathologic loss of hair in the anagen (growth)
phase, classically caused by radiation therapy to the head and systemic
chemotherapy. It tends to be sudden in nature.
Drug
induced– Some of the drugs that can lead to loss of hair are
Allopurinol (used for the treatment of Gout); Heparin, Coumarin (blood thinners);
Clofibrate, Gemfibrozil (Cholesterol lowering drugs) and most of the
chemotherapy medications
Alopecia
Areata– Patchy loss of hair, especially from the scalp
Traumatic:
·
Traction alopecia - Regularly wear pigtails, braids or tight
hairstyles causes loss of hair from the part where hair is pulled tightly
leading to traction alopecia.
·
Trichotillomania - This is a psychological disorder seen more
frequently in children where they tend to pull out one's own hair leading to
hair loss.
·
Due to presence of Infections: Syphilitic Alopecia (caused by
systemic syphilis), TineaCapitis (a localized fungal infection of the scalp)
·
Generalisedatrichia – Caused by the presence of a recessive
hairless gene, this is an extremely rare form of hair loss.
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