Hair loss is a common problem that affects 50-70% of people throughout life with the cosmetic effects often having a significant emotional impact. Hair loss can be indicative of an underlying pathophysiological process, as well as caused by factors such as stress, age and diet.

Generally 4 classes of hair loss (alopecia) are described:

1. Androgenetic alopecia – hair loss that affects testosterone sensitive hair follicles resulting in recession that begins at the temples, spreading to the vertex and frontal regions, typically in an M pattern

2. Alopecia aerata – characterised by patches of non scarring hair loss that are characteristically ovoid in shape. Likely to be induced by genetics and/or of an autoimmune basis

3. Cicatrical alopecia – hair loss resulting from destruction of hair follicles by inflammatory or autoimmune disease such as discoid lupus erythematous. Typically presents as eroded, reddened patches with visible blood vessels

4. Traumatic alopecia e.g. such as trichotillomania (psychiatric compulsive disorder that involves frequent plucking of hair), traction alopecia (functional hair loss caused by styling practices), tinea capitis (hair loss resulting from fungal infection), anagen effluvium (abrupt hair loss due to interruption of the growth phase of hair e.g. chemotherapy), telogen effluvium (generalised hair loss caused by intrinsic and extrinsic factors that result in prolonged resting phase of hair growth – stress, illness, malnourishment, child birth, age, thyroid dysfunction, medications, anaemia).

If you suffer from any of the above forms of hair loss see us today to see what options are available to you.. or s-hair with someone who would benefit from a free hair consult.