According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), male and female pattern hair loss affects an estimated 50 million men and 30 million women in the United States. More than 50% percent of men over age 50 have some degree of hair loss. For women, hair loss is most likely after the menopause. Although hair loss may be a symptom of an underlying condition, such as thyroid disease, in most cases it the result of heredity, hormonal changes or aging.

The Hair Growth Cycle
At any time, about 90% of the hair on a person’s head is actively growing. A long growth period is followed by a resting phase that lasts about 2-3 months. At the end of the resting phase, the hair naturally falls out and new hair grows in to replace it. At any one time different hair follicles are in different stages of the growth cycle, so hair is continuously lost and replaced. It is normal to shed up to 100 individual hairs in a day. Excessive hair loss occurs when hair regrowth is inhibited or when the normal growth cycle is disrupted.

Common Types of Hair Loss
Male pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia is a genetic condition. It creates a bald spot on the top of the scalp, causing a horseshoe-shaped pattern of hair. Common patterns seen in men include a receding hairline, thinning crown or general thinning.

Female pattern hair loss, also called androgenetic alopecia, is a hereditary condition that causes thinning hair, evenly spread over the crown of the head.

Alopecia areata affects both men and women and is characterized by circular bald patches. It is thought to be caused by an autoimmune disease which targets the hair follicles.

Telogen effluvium is temporary hair shedding all over the scalp. It occurs when metabolic or physiological stress alters the hair growth cycle so that a large number of hairs enter the resting phase at the same time. It can be triggered by illness, medications, rapid weight loss or childbirth.

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