Female Pattern Baldness

Female pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia is the medical term for female hair loss. Surprisingly it has been discovered that in America, the ratio of women who have it those who don’t is 1:4. Although female hair loss can’t kill in itself as a condition, it can be troubling.

Beauty magazines and the society in general always portray women as the gender with full heads and flowing beautiful hair. A woman who has a condition of female hair loss would therefore be seen as unusual.

Normal Hair Cycle

Hair resting and growing phases characterizes a normal hair cycle. In the anagen or growing phase, the hair develops healthily for a couple of years. After this, it will enter the telogen phase in which it will begin to rest for a number of months before falling off. Normally, 80%-90% of the hair is in the anagen phase, leaving only a comparatively small fraction in the telogen and shedding phase.

Among women who have female hair loss, it is obvious that a lot more than 10% of their hair strands are in the telogen phase. In female hair loss, something disturbs the normal cycle.

Cause of Female Hair Loss

- The Hormones – Hormones play a big part in female hair loss. As some of us already know, both men and women have testosterone, a hormone which men normally have more of. In androgenetic alopecia, this hormone is acted upon by enzymes in the scalp that convert it into dihydrotestosteron (DHT).

The presence of DHT causes the hair follicles to shrink. This will eventually result to the loss of hair and the inability to grow new strands. In women, the action of DHT is regulated by the hormone estrogen. Female hair loss therefore normally occurs when a woman is in a state of hormonal imbalance. This can happen when a woman is in the menopausal stage or when she has just given birth. The condition can also strike when a woman is receiving hormonal treatment for an illness.

Pattern of Hair Loss

Although there is a similarity in the reason behind male and female hair loss conditions, there is a marked difference in appearance. Men usually develop bald spots. We are very much familiar with men eventually losing all hair strands on a particular area such as the top of the scalp. Female hair loss however is different. Women usually only have diffuse balding. This means that there is an observed general thinning of the hair strands resulting in some parts of the scalp becoming more noticeable through the remaining strands. A woman who develops bald spots like men may have a more serious condition that deserves medical attention.

Hair Loss Solution

Female hair loss treatment products are now available. Now that you know what causes the condition, the best solution is to find a product that can provide extra nutritional support to the female scalp and hair. Nutrients that have been discovered to be good for female hair loss are vitamin B6, biotin and magnesium. Of course, it also makes sense to take care of your health through proper diet and good lifestyle habits.

Why is there Oil?

We all know that oil is a natural product of the human body. No, it’s not a byproduct it’s actually a first-order product of specific glands in the human skin. So why do we need oil? First off, oil is important because it forms a protective barrier around the skin, nails and hair.

Without oil, the human skin would shrivel up, flake and erode horribly. The nails would also dry up and lose their natural suppleness. Oil allows the skin to glow, and to remain soft and cool even if the sun is beating down mercilessly in summer. Oil also helps block out the harmful rays of the sun.

Why Does Hair Need Oil?

If we take off from the logic stated above, then hair requires oil as much as skin and nails. Since hair is mostly dead hair cells, it would need the protection of natural oils to keep it looking lively and shiny. Imagine hair without oil: it would look like it had been blow dried for several hours without end.

Sebum is not the enemy. Sebum is your natural defense against the harsh, polluted environment. However, when sebum mixes with other undesirable elements like dirt, pollen and smoke the formula changes. Sebum can become undesirable when it becomes a medium for germs and other potentially damaging pathogens.

How to Remove Oil from Hair?

There’s no way to really remove the oil from your hair. If you have very, very short hair and you find that the extra oil is making you look like a greasy grill; you simply have to wash your hair more often. By washing your hair more, you would be able to control the amount of sebum that is spreading across your hair.

Most adolescents have this exact problem, and usually, monikers like “greasy haired girl” emerge right about this time. While the monikers are often harsh and baseless, kids simply have to contend with the fact that this is simply a biological phase that would eventually pass.

Drugs for Less Oil

With all the hoopla that had emerged regarding excessive amounts of oil in the scalp, drugs have been developed to counter the production of sebum. Those who are really suffering from excessive production usually go to general practitioners to get hold of these medicines.

It should be noted that not everyone requires such drastic measures, and such measures are only put in place if the excessive oil is causing too many inter-related skin problems. Acne sufferers or those with rosacea are among those that benefit to a certain degree from anti-oil drugs.

However, for the rest of the population, better leave your sebaceous glands alone. It’s very possible that the excessive production of oil is a non-permanent phase, and it too, will pass.

As part of the hair care regimen, most women place considerable attention to choosing their shampoo and conditioner. There are now different shampoo formulas and conditioners for all hair types. There are products that were specifically prepared for oily hair, dry hair, damaged hair, and normal hair. There are also anti-dandruff shampoos, baby shampoos, and a host of other hair products that are used to moisturize, smoothen, and strengthen hair.

Surely, there is more to hair that just the shiny images that we see in t.v. commercials. Hair is defined as a filamentous outgrowth of protein. The hair follicles grow out from the epidermis but the roots are planted deep in the dermis. Hair comes in different colors, contour, and diameter.

In society, hair is very important because it somehow denotes a person’s health, age, virility, and social status. Throughout the ages, it has played an important role in the lives of people — from the lowly peasant, to the middle class, to the men and women of royalty. During the pre-modern era, each social class had its own particular hairstyle. One’s hairstyle can lead to rejection or acceptance in certain groups or social classes. It can enhance a person’s appearance, self-confidence, and even contribute to career advancement.

Given the weight of importance on hair, many people have developed a fear of losing hair. Unfortunately, losing hair is but a natural human process much like the falling of tree leaves. Hair loss that involves the shedding of at least 100 strands a day may be considered a serious hair problem. Losing about 50 hair strands a day, however, is quite normal. Thinning of hair may lead a patch or bald spot on the scalp. Normal hair grows in cycles and consists of three stages: growing, resting, and falling.

Hair loss, as a physical problem, has three general types, as indicated below,

l Alopecia Areata – This refers to a loss of hair that results in a patch or bald spot.

l Androgenetic Alopecia – It is the most common cause of hair loss in both men and women. It is caused by a combination of four factors: age, testosterone, hormone levels, and heredity.

l Chronic Illness – Iron deficiencies, thyroid diseases, connective tissue disease, and syphilis may cause hair loss.

l Telogen Effluvium – This type of hair loss is caused by high fever, crash dieting, acute illness including physical and emotional stress.

l Scalp Diseases – Fungal and bacterial infections also cause hair loss.

l Drugs – Certain anti-cancer and anti-coagulant drugs can also cause hair loss.

l Excessive hairstyling – Hairstyling like the pony tail or braiding can stretch the hair and pull them out from the follicles.

Loss of hair should not be seen as simply an aesthetic issue. It could be the sign of a more serious illness. It is wise to consult a doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms:

l You are already losing hair rapidly even if you are only in your early twenties or in your teenage years.

l You are experiencing pain or intense itching.

l The skin on your scalp appears to be red or scaly.

l You are experiencing weight gain, fatigue, and intolerance for cold temperature.

The good news is that there are several hair loss treatments available in the market. The key is to try to control your stress and anxiety over your hair loss. With the variety of hair loss treatments and hair care products, no one should feel down about losing the “crowning glory.”

Nonetheless, a few strokes later our hair is back to its original look. After taking a shower and drying our hair, our strands magically fall back into their original orientation. After a strong gust of wind, we simply have to shake our heads and the hair style re-forms itself easily. Why is this?

This is due to chemical bonds that exist in the hair. Nature had been so detailed in designing hair that it even gave us a means to style our hairs naturally without harmful chemicals. Just what are these chemical bonds that naturally bind?

The 3 Chemicals Bond in Hair

1. Hydrogen Bonds

Like most chemical bonds, the bindings on our hairs are actually invisible to the naked eye. The first kind of binding are the hydrogen bonds. Why do we need hydrogen for healthy hair? First, hydrogen provides the hair a means to be as flexible as it can. Without hydrogen, our hair would be as stiff as twigs. You know what this means: the hair will break easier.

2. Salt Bonds

The second type of binding are called the salt bonds. True to its name, salt bonds are dependent on specific pH environments. These bindings are the most easily disposed of. Since the hair is continually under ‘assault’ from different chemicals, salt bonds are progressively weakened on a daily basis. If you wish to maintain your salt bonds, simply purchase a chemical normalizing solution for your hair.

3. Disulfide Bonds

The third type of binding are called the disulfide bonds. What makes disulfide bonds special and more important than the other two bonds mentioned before? Disulfide bonds are the actually the reason why the hair is intrinsically resistant to stresses. This is also the reason why plain old water can’t break hair that easily.

How to Naturally Curl Hair?

Do you want to naturally curl your hair without making use of harmful chemical agents? There is a way! The first thing that you should do is to wet your hair thoroughly from the roots in the scalp area to the very tips. Do this because hair is far more flexible when wet than when it is dry. Dry hair has the tendency to break without softening agents.

After wetting your hair, get six or seven rollers. Rollers are the oldest means to curl your hair, and the older generation would recognize these especially those who liked hot curls in the past decades. Now, curl your hairs using the plastic rollers. Keep the rollers on for most of the day.

Since the hydrogen bonds have been temporarily dispelled during the wetting of the hair, the reformation of the bonds would take place around the plastic rollers.

In the past, people used so-called ‘proto-shampoos’. Most of these proto-shampoos combined soapy herbs and fragrances. Records of these proto-soaps and shampoos can be traced back to the Egyptian empires, where commoners as well as royalty used these concoctions to make their baths more enjoyable.

The shampoo of today differs chemically and cosmetically from the Egyptian proto-soaps and shampoos, but their function remains essentially the same: to clean and to render fragrant the skin and the hair.

So, What Makes Shampoo Work?

Many people often wonder: what is it that makes shampoo so good in cleaning the hair? What makes this particular invention compatible with the thousands of hairs on our heads?

The answer to this question is of course, surfactants. Technically, surfactants are a group of chemicals that are added to commercially manufactured shampoos to perform specific ‘duties’ as part of the shampoo.

If we were to compare the roles and functions of surfactants to the jobs of other chemical compounds, then we would come to the conclusion that no shampoo can even exist as shampoo without these compounds.

The Roles of Surfactants in Shampoo

The first job of surfactants is to make sure that no matter what kind of water is running through the shower or faucet, the shampoo would actually rise and bubble. This allows people with hard water to enjoy the benefits of shampoo as well.

The second role of surfactants is to do maintenance work on the hair. These compounds counter oil, dirt and grime and removes them completely, much like how soap removes surface grime from the skin. Some shampoos have vitamins added to them to make the cleansing doubly beneficial to the hair. B-vitamins are especially efficient in softening damaged hair.

The third, and perhaps most important job of surfactants is to make sure you won’t have to bruise your scalp and hair before you get the dirt out. Since these chemicals were synthesized specifically to dissolve and carry away dirt particles, simple rubbing unto the hair is enough.

Another important job of surfactants concerns foaming. Foaming is the ‘lifting’ action of shampoo, which allows the chemicals to carry away the dirt after rinsing. Without surfactants, rinsing would be very difficult indeed.

The Function of Surfactants as Equalizers

What stops the more active chemicals from the shampoo from going too deeply into the skin on the head? We all know that the scalp is quite sensitive because it houses dermal papillae and other important components. Again, we have surfactants to thank for this.

Surfactants act as equalizers that control the activity of other chemicals in shampoo. Surfactants also make sure that your hair does not become neither too alkaline nor too acidic. Both instances can cause undue damage to the hair.

As a rule of thumb, always pick commercial shampoos that have been formulated specifically for your hair type. You can either have normal hair, very dry hair or fine hair.