The rate of hair loss per day in women when washing and combing

Almost all modern women and men are not indifferent to their appearance. Hairstyle is perhaps the main component of the image. Taking care of the thickness of your hair, a person inevitably notices daily losses. How to determine whether the permissible limits are being violated, and what is the normal rate of hair loss?

Factors affecting the amount of hair on the head

There are from 90 to 150 thousand hairs on the head of an adult. Scientists have clearly proven that the number of growing curls and the volume of the hairstyle directly depend on the natural color of the strands.

Blondes are endowed with the largest number of hair follicles - up to 160 thousand hairs can grow on their heads at the same time.

But light strands are always thinner and therefore it seems that the hair of fair-haired people is always smaller compared to red and brown-haired people.

For brunettes and brown-haired people, the average hair count on their head is 110 thousand, their curls are dense, making their hairstyle look voluminous.

Red-haired people are endowed with the smallest number of hair follicles; it is considered normal if there are 60-90 thousand hairs on the head.

How to distinguish seasonal hair loss from alopecia symptoms?

If we notice that our hair begins out more during certain periods of the year , this should not be a cause for great concern. How long can seasonal hair loss ? The duration of seasonal hair loss is usually limited to a maximum of 1-2 months. After this, the hair grows back. It is worth remembering that hair falls out, but at the same time new ones begin to grow.

The problem begins when, after this time, we notice that the hair density has decreased, or our hair has become thinner and weaker. These are obvious symptoms of a problem that is not due to seasonal changes, but to other reasons. Therefore, we must consult with a specialist , ask for a correct diagnosis and promptly choose the right treatment method.

Below are the signs by which we can distinguish seasonal hair loss from other types of hair loss:

With seasonal hair loss, the appearance of our hair (hairstyle) does not change. Everything happens differently when there is a problem of hair loss caused by other reasons.
With seasonal hair loss, hair thickness and volume are also preserved.
If we are faced with the problem of alopecia , caused by illness, stress, poor diet or other factors, hair density is reduced throughout the entire scalp or in certain areas such as the crown.
A symptom of alopecia is when the hair appears thinner or unhealthy, especially at the root, which is a sign of weakening hair.

Life span of hair

Each hair on the head must go through three periods of its life cycle:

The first period (anagen) is a period of continuous growth, it lasts from three to seven years. It is due to such a long life cycle that many people manage to grow long curls. Out of a hundred hairs on the head, 80 should be at the growth stage.
Transitional period (catagen). The hair follicles lose their properties, the hair gradually dies and falls out painlessly.
Period of rest or regeneration (telogen). In place of the follicles that have completed their work, new cells begin to emerge; this stage takes an average of three months.

How much hair a person will lose daily depends on the color of his strands. The normal amount of hair loss for natural blondes and blondes is considered to be no more than 150 hairs.

With dark hair color, a person can lose 90-110 hairs. Red-haired people lose the least amount of hair – up to 80 hairs.

Statistical data

Renewing the hair on a woman’s head is a continuous process, so it goes almost unnoticed. The constancy of the number of hairs is ensured by the balance between falling out and growing hairs. This process is disrupted if at the stage of hair loss more hairs are lost than new ones appear. The cause of such an imbalance should always be determined by a doctor.

Professionals distinguish 3 phases of the hair renewal process:

Anagen – growth of strands.
Catagen - loss.
Telogen is a resting state.

The normal proportion of hair renewal is 85% to 15% - that is, most of the hair is in constant active growth, while only 15% is in an unchanged state. The duration of the resting stage depends on the woman’s health, the quality of hair care and on average ranges from 3 to 5 years.

Methods for determining the amount of hair lost

Easy-to-perform tests will help you understand whether you should worry about seemingly excessive hair loss.

FIRST METHOD. You must not wash your hair for three days. On the fourth day, hair lost during the night is collected. Then they wash their hair, also collecting all the hairs from the water. After drying, the strands are combed with a wooden comb, and the hairs are folded separately. All hairs collected during the above-described manipulations are counted, and hairs that have fallen out throughout the day are added to them. The total number of hairs per day is determined; if it does not exceed normal limits, then there is no reason to panic.
SECOND METHOD. You don’t wash your hair for five days, then you need to pull the strands growing near your temples. If no more than 5 hairs have separated, then this is normal.
THIRD METHOD. It does not consist in counting the fallen curls, but in examining the roots. Hairs that fall out naturally should have a whitish thickening at the end - a bulb. If most of the hairs have a dark end, then this indicates pathological fragility.

It has been noticed that those who rarely wash their hair or have long locks complain of greater hair loss.

If you wash your hair every day, the weakened strands will immediately fall out and their loss will not be as noticeable as with infrequent washing.

With long hair, the effect of excessive loss of curls is explained precisely by the long hair, since the collected hairs are quite impressive in volume lumps.

Therefore, it is necessary to carry out tests to help understand whether there are signs of incipient alopecia or not.

Methods for counting lost hairs

How can you calculate how much hair you lose every day? Do not wash your hair for 3 days; when you wake up in the morning, count the hairs you find on your pajamas and pillow. Then wash your hair, after closing the drain hole with a strainer, collect hairs from the bath and count them. Dry your strands without using a hairdryer, combing them with a wooden comb. Add to the already calculated volume the number of hairs remaining on the comb. If you have long hair, braid it to make the number more accurate. Before going to bed, loosen your hair, comb it and count the hairs again, adding the result to the total. Based on the amount received, you can judge approximately how much hair you lose per day.

If you find it difficult to count throughout the day, use a simplified method. Do not wash your hair for 4-5 days. Run your palms through your hair and pull the strands at the temples and crown. If after this you have less than 5 hairs left in your hands, there is nothing to worry about: the number of lost hairs is within the normal range.

It is important not just to count the number of hairs, but also to evaluate their appearance. Dead hair has a light bulb at one end. If the hairs are equally thin on both sides, they have fallen out due to fragility. This could be caused by an aggressive effect on the strands, for example, as a result of their bleaching, frequent use of a straightener, curling iron, or hairdryer. In this case, you should consult a trichologist so that he can recommend the necessary treatment.

If you abuse styling products, you are at risk: your hair may not withstand such an “onslaught” and begin to fall out

What do lost roots say?

Each hair goes through its own individual life cycle, lasting on average about three years. Every month, normally growing curls should add a little more than one centimeter in length.

As soon as the anagen phase comes to its logical conclusion, the hair root weakens and it is pushed out of the bulb.

This is how the natural loss of hair that has completed its life cycle occurs. At the same time, a whitish thickening remains at the end.

The following changes indicate pathological hair loss:

The fallen hair at the end does not have a white thickening, but simply a dark end.
Hair falling from the head has the same thickness throughout its entire length. Most often, this indicates increased hair fragility, which may indicate aggressive chemical effects of dyes and curls, fungal and bacterial diseases of the skin.
A constant and steadily increasing excess of the number of lost curls compared to the norm.

In some cases, people notice that their hair is more durable and does not fall out of their head at all.

This condition is also a pathology and indicates that there is no hair growth, which means that at any point in life the problem of rapid baldness can become acute.

When does hair fall out?

Normal hair loss occurs in two cases, during water procedures and when combing.

The first option is much more common among truly healthy hair. However, if you see too much hair falling out in your bath after washing your hair, or even just breaking off in the middle, then you should think about taking the necessary measures.

The second option is common among more unruly hair, which is not surprising. During combing, the hair is forcibly subjected to the procedure, so hair loss occurs more often through your own fault, from strong pressure on the comb, for example.

However, be that as it may, baldness does not begin immediately either, first a little hair falls out, and then there is more and more of it, and now you need to urgently take action. To prevent such an incident from happening to you, I propose to consider the warning factors regarding hair loss:

The hair that has fallen out has not a white, but a dark root, or has broken off altogether and has not fallen out completely. The first option, with a dark root, is a possible sign of baldness, because in this case, a new bulb will not appear in place of the old one, and bald spots will form over time. The second option is also far from the most comforting sign, perhaps due to some external (natural or chemical) or internal (nutrition, human condition) factor, your hair has become too weak and has begun to break;
Hair doesn't fall out at all. Yes, hair should fall out every day in small quantities; if hair loss has not occurred for quite a long time, about a week, then this means that both old and new hair have simply stopped growing. And if one day they do fall out, then there will be no one to take their place. And this is also a possible sign of baldness;
The hair loss rate has been exceeded. How much hair has fallen out per day can be determined by eye, without needlessly counting. If lost hair covers the entire comb or collects in whole “islands” in the bath, then you should think about going to a trichologist.

Here it’s worth taking a closer look at the first point, or rather, hair fragility. If it happens, then there were reasons for it. Firstly, external factors and chemical influences include hair coloring, straightening, bio-curling, frequent use of curlers and curling irons, etc. Also, this also includes natural factors, such as a strong dry wind, which dries out the hair accordingly. Long exposure to direct sunlight, which acts in the same way.

Poor ecology in general, that is, city air saturated with exhaust and carbon monoxide, pool water containing chlorine.

It is worth paying special attention to low-quality hair cosmetics; no one forbids you to change your natural color, but make sure that the dye is really worthwhile and does not contain harmful components for you personally. Also, note that women definitely have hair loss more often than men, this should not be surprising, men’s hair is not rich and is quite short compared to women’s, therefore it is less vulnerable

Also, note that women definitely lose hair more often than men, this should not be surprising; men’s hair is not rich and quite short compared to women’s, and therefore less vulnerable.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=mDcjB3sMJC0

We recommend reading: How to wash your hair when your hair is falling out?

How to count correctly

To understand whether you are affected by the problem of excessive hair loss, it is not enough to count all the hairs that have left your head during the day.

The correct calculation result will be provided that several conditions are met:

The day before the test, you should wash your hair, dry it and comb it.
Counting starts the next morning.
Within 3-4 days, all the hairs that leave the head naturally are collected and counted. That is, you need to collect the curls left after a night's sleep on the bed, pajamas, and collect the strands from the comb after each combing.
The entire number of hairs that fell out during the experiment is summed up and divided by the number of days in which the calculations were made.

The resulting result should be slightly less than the accepted average statistical norm. To ensure the reliability of the calculations, the experiment should be carried out again after two weeks.

When conducting the test, several important conditions must be met. For combing, use only a comb made from natural materials.

You cannot do coloring or use drying or curling devices at this time.

It is not recommended to create hairstyles using tight elastic bands and hair clips. Mechanical trauma and chemical exposure increase the weakening of the follicles and increase the fragility of the strands, which also affects the obtaining of unreliable results.

When counting hair, you need to pay attention to its root. If it is white and thickened, then there is no cause for concern.

But if most of the curls do not have this thickening, then you should contact a trichologist, even if the loss of strands does not go beyond normal limits.

What affects hair loss and growth

If excessive hair thinning is detected, then you need to know the reasons that could contribute to this. If a woman, when washing her hair, counts no more than 100 units lost, then this is the norm for such a procedure, carried out once every 3-4 days. And therefore, you don’t need to immediately worry and think about baldness. Strong massage, improper combing, incorrectly selected shampoo when washing, and frequent use of a hair dryer and tongs can increase the rejection of hair shafts.

Pay attention to the comb you use to comb your hair. The best option for combing hair is an infrequent comb made from natural materials.

This rule applies not only to women, but also to men and children. There is no need to comb very intensively, which causes the roots to be pulled out. You should not constantly use a hairdryer, as it is harmful. Strong scalp massage can also stimulate hair shedding.

But not always direct impact on the hair, for example, when washing, can cause baldness. It is impossible to determine such reasons on your own without visiting a doctor. For example, hair loss can be affected by improper functioning of internal organs, especially insufficient thyroid function. In addition, thinning hair can be caused by severe stressful situations, improper metabolism, and chronic diseases.

Hair loss is a sign of internal diseases, which can only be determined by examination in a clinic. Therefore, when hair loss begins, it is necessary to begin treatment with a doctor’s appointment, and then visit a trichologist.

Sometimes the cause of hair shaft rejection can be due to excessive use of medications. Chemotherapy can also intensify this process and after a short period lead to complete hair loss not only on the head, but also on eyelashes, eyebrows and other places.

Hormonal changes in the body during pregnancy and the postpartum period can sometimes affect this process. But this is a temporary phenomenon that goes away with the restoration of normal hormonal levels.

With laser hair removal, the pores become narrower and hair cannot grow longer. The laser hair removal procedure is performed by women of all ages. Laser hair removal can be done in the armpit and bikini area. Also, laser hair removal can affect the general condition of the body, which in turn will lead to hair loss. Laser hair removal is not recommended for pregnant women. During regular hair removal, a woman cannot harm her body.

Normal hair loss

All norms are average statistical indicators that can deviate in one direction or another not only as a result of pathological changes within the body, but also under the influence of natural factors.

Hair loss rates per day.

A person should not lose more than 150 hairs per day. Naturally, there are days when the loss of curls is not noticeable at all, and there are periods when it seems that the hair on your head is becoming smaller every day.

When washing your hair.

During the process of washing your hair, the most hair falls out. It is difficult to say how much is allowed based on the amount of hair that may fall out during the water procedure.

The number when counting hairs in the bathroom can be higher than 100 if the hair has not been washed for more than 2 days, if the curls are very stretched during washing, if the strands were not combed before the procedure.

When combing.

It is believed that no more than 15 hairs should fall out during one combing. If there are many times more of them left on the comb, then you need to eliminate the factors that provoke the problem.

Hair loss intensifies if the strands are matted at the time of combing or the person himself pulls them strongly with a comb.

After childbirth.

During pregnancy, every woman's hormonal levels change. Increasing levels of progesterone and estrogen lead to a variety of changes in the body, including these hormones affecting the hair.

Many expectant mothers noted during pregnancy that their curls became much better - denser, stronger.

During pregnancy, in most cases, strands grow much faster, and hairs hardly fall out.

But the situation changes dramatically within two to three weeks after the baby is born.

Firstly, those hairs that were at rest during pregnancy leave the head.

Secondly, the natural replacement of old hairs with new ones begins. It is considered normal if during the first two to three months a nursing mother loses no more than 500 curls per day.

The figure is, of course, terrifying, but not critical. If a woman does not have any diseases and she receives enough microelements and vitamins, then six months after giving birth, the condition of her hair will improve.

Hair loss can become critical if a woman is exposed to stress, does not get enough sleep, and does not receive enough essential microelements from food.

Excessive hair loss may also indicate low hemoglobin. If a nursing mother sees that her hairstyle is getting worse day by day, then there is no need to put off visiting a dermatologist or trichologist.

In autumn.

Hair loss also depends on what season of the year it is. In the summer and winter months, fewer curls are lost. Greater loss of curls is observed in the autumn and spring months.

The effect of testosterone on hair growth

Androgenetic alopecia is hair loss due to excess of the male sex hormone testosterone. This disorder can occur among both men and women. In the hair follicle, testosterone, under the action of 5-alpha reductase, is converted into dihydrotestosterone, which affects the size of the hair, making it thinner. In men and women, androgenetic alopecia is caused by the same factor - excessive production of testosterone and increased sensitivity of the hair follicles to it. Under the influence of the male sex hormone, hair follicles gradually become smaller and hair falls out, leading to the characteristic bald patches.

Androgenetic alopecia is the most common cause of hair loss in men, but can also occur in women over 40 years of age. The process develops over the years, gradually affecting more and more follicles and becoming more pronounced with age.

The following roles play a role in the pathogenesis of androgenetic alopecia:

increased levels of male sex hormone;
high sensitivity of follicles to androgens;
increased density of androgen receptors;
increased level of 5-alpha reductase type 2.

Determining the level of total testosterone will allow you to assess the risks of developing androgenetic alopecia and prescribe appropriate measures to correct them.

Why doesn't my hair fall out at all?

The constant absence of hair falling out of your head is a good reason to be wary.

Each hair must go through its entire life cycle and hair loss is considered a natural process, after which a new life begins to emerge in place of the old bulb.

If this is not the case temporarily, it means that soon several hundred strands of hair may fall out on your head at once and this will not go unnoticed.

Sometimes hair loss is so intense that it results in noticeable bald spots.

The cause of pathological hair strength can only be determined after examining the body.

Necessary tests

An accurate diagnosis in cases of male hair loss is of great importance. In case of loss, consultations with specialized specialists - a gastroenterologist, endocrinologist and others - may be required. On the first visit, the trichologist will:

examination of the scalp and hair with a special apparatus with the possibility of multiple image magnification;
collection of complaints;
determining the reason why hair began to fall out;
prescription of treatment.

Blood tests may be required - general, hormonal levels and others, which will reliably show the impact of health on the condition of the hair. The exact list of necessary studies is determined individually.

Myths about hair

There is a lot of unreliable information about human hair that you shouldn’t trust too much.

Among the most common myths are:

Hair remaining on the comb is the first sign of hair loss. In fact, this is a natural process that only requires determining whether the daily hair loss rate has been exceeded.
The use of drugs and various styling products becomes the main reason for the weakening of the follicles. Modern varnishes, gels, mousses and other styling products do not get inside the curls and follicles, and therefore do not affect the growth of strands and their strength. There is only one important nuance - safety has been confirmed only for high-quality products, but there are companies that add harmful substances to hair cosmetics; it is impossible to predict how they will affect the hairstyle.
Critical hair loss is typical only for men. Yes, indeed, about 96% of older men experience pathological loss of strands, which is especially noticeable in the central part of the head.

There are fewer women with increasing hair loss, about 79%, and their thinning evenly covers the entire head in most cases.
Hair falls out more intensely if you wash your hair every day. In fact, this is not so, shampoos do not have a weakening effect on the roots of curls, and the mechanical effect contributes to the loss of only those hairs that have already completed their life cycle.
Hair will be less likely to leave your head if you trim it more often and shorter. Some believe that the longer the strands, the heavier they are and the hair follicle simply cannot withstand their weight. In fact, this is just a myth; hair weighs so little that even the longest strands hold on tightly without provoking reasons.
Folk remedies will help solve the problem of hair loss without visiting a trichologist. In case of excessive hair loss, bald spots and alopecia, it is necessary to determine the main cause of the defect. Depending on the identified changes, the doctor selects a comprehensive treatment, and the use of various masks and rubbing are only auxiliary, but not the main methods of therapy.
Diets can cause baldness. This myth is only partially true. A low-protein diet with less than 100 kcal per day has a negative effect on hair strength. Frequent repetition of strict mono-diets with the consumption of only one type of product can also provoke the loss of strands.
Constantly wearing hats is the cause of baldness. Hats and tight baseball caps only lead to increased hair fragility.
New curls will never appear in place of hair that has fallen out from the roots. The hair follicle is not damaged during natural loss; after a while it will begin to function again.
Hair cannot change for the worse from cold and sun rays. This is one of the most common and harmful myths. It is low temperatures in winter and ultraviolet radiation in summer that sometimes become one of the main causes of sudden baldness. Therefore, both in winter and in the warm season, walking without a hat is not recommended at any age.

Effective means

Girls often wonder how to restore hair after stress as quickly and preferably as cheaply as possible.

vacuum processing; head massage; oils of natural origin (olive, castor, coconut, burdock); masks with natural tar.

Physiotherapy for hair loss

Not every woman knows how to treat hair after neurosis on her own.

vitamins B5; grain proteins; liquid keratin; antioxidants; amino acids; ceramides, etc.

If your hair is falling out due to stress, consult a trichologist. He will recommend effective balms, masks, conditioners, and mixtures of nourishing oils. The optimal solution is capsules with fortified liquids. They are rubbed into the scalp before washing and washed off after an hour. The average course of treatment is up to 3 months.

To speed up the recovery process, rub serum into your hair. A prerequisite is that it should not be washed off. Its purpose is to make curls smooth and soft, and protect them from external factors.

Cosmetic procedures

Special procedures will help enhance the effect of medications. They are made in beauty salons using special equipment. The most popular is mesotherapy. These are injections into the scalp of the necessary medicinal drugs. Nutrients quickly reach the follicles and activate their work. But if the patient already has a receding hairline, mesotherapy is pointless.

Darsonvalization - electronic impulses activate nerve endings, small vessels, and skin glands. Short-term spasms have a positive effect on the scalp. It is important to do the procedure regularly, otherwise the desired results will not be achieved. Ozone therapy, when curls are enriched with ozone. May be in the form of injections or coating. Brings results at the initial stage of hair loss. Less effective than mesotherapy, but it will help restore your former hair. Phototherapy - ultraviolet rays from artificial sources are directed onto the hair and scalp. The length of the light wave and exposure time are determined by the cosmetologist. A similar method is laser therapy. Lasers 6-8 mm long penetrate the surface of the head and increase blood circulation. Hair restoration after stress using this method is possible in the presence of living follicles.

Recommendations for preventing hair loss

In most cases, critical hair loss on the scalp can be prevented by following these rules:

You should wash your hair with water whose temperature is not higher than 36 degrees.
Shampoo and other care products are selected only taking into account the type of curls you have.
After water procedures, hair should dry naturally, it should be loose and without a towel.
It is necessary to use less tight hairstyle holders - elastic bands, hairpins.
Periodically you need to change the parting location.
Be sure to wear hats in cold, windy, and hot weather.
It is better to rinse your curls using water with herbal decoctions.
Periodically pamper your head with massage sessions using essential oils.
Nutritious, fortified and moisturizing masks are useful; they should be done in courses up to several times a year.
It is necessary to constantly strengthen the immune system. Playing sports, walking in the fresh air, and eating natural, fortified foods will help with this.

The problem of partial or complete baldness can affect every person. If you notice signs of excessive hair loss, then you should not postpone a visit to a specialist.

As with any other disease, timely identification of the cause of excessive loss of strands and its elimination will help to avoid the degree of alopecia at which it is unlikely to be possible to restore the natural density of hair. And knowing the norms of hair loss will help you figure it out.

Are you drying your hair correctly?

A woman experiences hair loss after washing her hair; this may be due to improper drying. Many women, upon leaving the shower, immediately pick up a hairdryer, as they wash their hair immediately before leaving the house. This is fundamentally wrong - the strands should dry naturally (this way they will better retain their structure).

Important! If you still cannot do without a hairdryer, then you need to use the cold drying mode, maintaining a distance from the device to your head of at least 40 cm. You should also not go outside in the summer with wet strands - they are poorly protected from exposure to ultraviolet radiation

Keep the hair dryer at a distance

You can speed up the drying process by using a warm towel. But remember that you cannot wipe your curls dry - this can easily damage them. The strands are distributed alternately inside the towel and gently squeezed, moving from above to the ends (this is the direction of the cuticle scales).

Then take a dry towel, preheated, and cover your hair for 15 minutes. Only after this can you start combing your hair. Remember: wet hair is easily pulled out by its own weight.

Note! If your hair falls out while washing your hair, you should not comb it with metal or polymer brushes - they can damage the upper layer of the dermis and break off strands. The best option is combs made of wood or horn with blunt, thin teeth.

Having figured out why hair falls out when washing her hair, and what to do in this situation, a woman will be more careful with her strands both during the shower and after it. But if all the rules are followed, and the curls continue to grow abundantly, then with such baldness you should see a doctor - medical intervention may be necessary.

What should you do if your hair falls out beyond normal?

A trichologist should prescribe remedies for hair loss. Only complex therapy can help weak follicles. Shampoos alone (especially ordinary cosmetic ones, not medicinal ones) are not enough. Simultaneous action on all fronts is required. If hair loss is caused not by serious illness, but by stress, lack of nutrients and improper care, the following remedies will most likely be appropriate.

Massage and rubbing

Scalp massage improves microcirculation and nutrition of hair follicles. It also has another pleasant effect: such a massage relaxes and relieves tension, and this has a great effect on the condition of the whole body. Do not forget that often the cause of hair loss is stress and nervous tension.

Shampoos, conditioners and serums

Shampoos and lotions for hair loss often contain stimulating and warming components that improve blood flow in small capillaries and promote normal nutrition of the follicles - such components include coffee, onion extract, red pepper extract, menthol. Balms and serums contain proteins that improve the appearance of hair, making it visually denser and shiny, and vegetable oils (olive, burdock) and extracts (from nettle, sage) serve to improve metabolic processes and contain essential vitamins.

Vitamins and dietary supplements

Hair health begins with the health of the whole body, so vitamins and active supplements are a very important part of the fight against hair loss. It is advisable to find a multivitamin complex that contains vitamin C to strengthen the walls of blood vessels; B5, the lack of which leads to weakening of hair follicles; vitamin A to support skin function and hair growth; extracts of various plants, for example, dwarf palm extract, which helps slow down hair loss.

If your hair is falling out due to a lack of nutrients, start with a complex to strengthen and grow it, as well as correct your diet. Conventional cosmetics and dietary supplements can be used independently, but medicinal masks, lotions and shampoos are very active, in addition, each product is designed to solve a specific problem - treating dermatitis and seborrhea, normalizing blood circulation, combating baldness caused by hormonal imbalance. If you are losing hair too actively, it is better to undergo an examination, find out what exactly your body is missing, and choose the optimal solution.

CAUSES OF DIFFUSE HAIR LOSS AT A YOUNG AGE

Gadzhigoroeva A.G., Egorova Yu.Yu., Markova Yu.A.

LLC "Institute of Beautiful Hair"

In the wild, full plumage and shiny fur of birds and animals perform a number of functions important for survival (heat exchange, protection) and allow us to indirectly judge the health of individuals. For people, beautiful, well-groomed hair is, first of all, an important component of external attractiveness. And if seasonal molting for animals is an evolutionary physiological process aimed at the survival of the species, then increased hair loss for humans is an unpleasant situation that every person faces at least once in their life. The majority of patients consulted by trichologists are women and men of young reproductive age. Hair loss can be a manifestation of a wide range of transient or long-term conditions, as well as the implementation of a genetic predisposition. Often problems begin gradually and do not immediately force you to contact a specialist. The patient usually associates periodic increases in hair loss with seasonality, stress, poor-quality haircuts, coloring, shampoo, and lack of vitamins. The most common type of hair loss is reactionary hair loss; As a rule, hair growth is restored on its own after 4-6 months, so people with this type of hair loss do not often consult a doctor. Mostly, patients who turn to a specialist are concerned about the intensity of hair loss, the duration of hair loss, the ineffectiveness of self-taken measures aimed at stopping hair loss, as well as a noticeable decrease in hair density.

Normally, the duration of the hair growth phase on the head is 3–8 years. This is the time of active division and differentiation of the matrix cells of the hair follicle, which ensures rapid hair growth in length, keratinization and hair pigmentation. These processes are carried out due to high rates of metabolic reactions and energy exchange, which makes actively dividing matrix cells especially sensitive to various external influences and disturbances of homeostasis. The follicle receives the nutrients necessary for the synthesis processes through the network of capillaries of the hair papilla, reproducing the main product - the sulfur-containing protein keratin. At the same time, failures in the supply of “raw materials” and violations of technological conditions and keratinization processes can lead to a violation of the quality of the final product and interruptions in the operation of the entire keratin production factory. The mechanisms that can disrupt the normal hair growth cycle are not always clear, since they are realized in the process of a complex of intercellular and intracellular biochemical interactions. It is also difficult to assess the impact of certain factors on the hair follicle under conditions of the whole organism.

The most common type of hair loss in young people is reactionary diffuse hair loss, which can be acute or chronic, lasting more than 6 months. As a rule, such loss is a response to a wide range of unfavorable trigger factors, including stress, endocrine disorders (hypo- and hyperthyroidism, hyperprolactinemia), fever of various origins, taking certain medications, and nutritional deficiency. The consequence of this effect is the premature interruption of anagen and the simultaneous entry into the telogen phase of many hair follicles. In this case, diffuse telogen hair loss is not an independent diagnosis, but represents one of the symptoms of a pathological condition. Reactionary hair loss occurs 2-3 months after exposure to a factor that provokes interruption of the growth phase. The delay in loss is determined by the sum of the catagen and rest periods, which average 2-4 weeks and 2-3 months, respectively.

One of the proven and common causes of reactionary hair loss is nutrient and general protein-energy malnutrition. Most often, these are the consequences of an unbalanced diet that the patient maintains in order to lose weight. For normal hair growth, nutrition must be energetically complete, balanced in macronutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates), and also ensure the supply of necessary micronutrients (vitamins, microelements). Various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, leading to disturbances in the digestion and absorption of nutrients, can also cause the development of deficiency conditions.

One of the important components of the diet that promotes normal hair growth is sufficient protein. It is known that hair shafts consist of 15.9% of the sulfur-containing amino acid cysteine. The formation of disulfide bonds plays an important role in the formation of the spatial structure of keratin, the main protein of hair. Insufficient dietary intake of amino acids, especially sulfur-containing ones (cysteine, methionine), can lead to hair loss and deterioration in hair quality.

One of the common causes of diffuse telogen hair loss in women of young reproductive age is iron deficiency. This microelement is involved in many important metabolic processes in the body, and therefore, iron deficiency negatively affects the functions of many organs and systems. In addition to hair loss and deterioration in hair quality, patients may develop and experience general weakness, lethargy, shortness of breath, tachycardia, dry skin, changes in taste, smell, nail dystrophy and other disorders. The development of iron deficiency in women can be associated with heavy menstruation, as well as with an increased need for iron during special periods of pregnancy and lactation. Insufficient intake of iron is observed, as a rule, with dieting for the purpose of weight loss, as well as with eating behavior with restriction of animal protein (for vegetarians). In such cases, in order to compensate for the intake of the microelement, it is recommended to take iron supplements, sometimes on an ongoing basis. When prescribing iron supplements, the initial level of hemoglobin, ferritin and serum iron should be taken into account, and these indicators should be periodically monitored. It is worth remembering that with long-term use of iron supplements, it is possible to develop zinc deficiency - a microelement no less important for normal hair growth. Parenteral nutrition and various diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that contribute to malabsorption also lead to zinc deficiency. To determine zinc deficiency, its level in the blood is determined.

Vitamins are important participants in the processes of cell growth and differentiation. Insufficiency of B vitamins (biotin, pantothenic acid) can cause hypoenergetic conditions and contribute to disruption of the hair growth cycle, since vitamins of this group are important participants in metabolic reactions and the respiratory chain as coenzymes. The role of vitamin A - retinol - in regulating the hair growth cycle is twofold. It is known that this vitamin is necessary for normal proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes and is involved in antioxidant protection and immune response. However, the use of high doses of retinoids in the treatment of acne inhibits the proliferation of keratinocytes, induces apoptosis of hair follicle matrix cells and causes premature onset of catagen, which is manifested by diffuse telogen hair loss in the 2-3rd month of taking drugs of this group. Due to the widespread use of isotretinoin drugs in the treatment of acne and the need for its long-term course use, this fact should be taken into account when collecting anamnesis in young people

Recent studies have shown the important role of vitamin D for the cyclic proliferation of hair follicle cells and the prevention of hair loss. Vitamin D deficiency is a common phenomenon in the general population, especially when living in an area of low insolation and insufficient intake of the vitamin from food. The suboptimal level of vitamin D in the body is 30-50 ng/ml, the optimal level is 50-80 ng/ml. In order to exclude its deficiency, the level of 25-hydroxy-cholecalciferol in the blood serum is determined. The presence of receptors for vitamin D on the cells of the hair follicle determines the possibility of developing alopecia due to its deficiency. In order to correct its deficiency, Vigantol or Aquadetrim is prescribed in the appropriate dosage.

True diffuse telogen effluvium hair loss is a process of hair loss without a noticeable decrease in density in different areas of the scalp. In this case, thinning of hair in the temporal zones is possible with the replacement of normal hair with short hair, 3-6 cm long. Typically, such a transformation is observed with long-term telogen hair loss. Dermatoscopy cannot identify any specific signs. The exception is the presence of seborrhea of the scalp, the signs of which are revealed in the form of yellow peripillary dots. The diagnosis is made on the basis of a pull test (manual hair removal). With a positive test, the researcher is left with up to 6 or more hairs with light, dense proximal ends - this is the telogen hair follicle. To confirm the diagnosis, a phototrichogram is performed - quantitative determination of hair in the telogen and anagen phase with a study of hair diameter.

Diffuse telogen effluvium hair loss can manifest itself as an independent disease, or it can represent the initial signs of androgenetic alopecia, which is characterized by a more specific type of hair loss with a predominant reduction in the crown area and, necessarily, thinning. Comparative characteristics of the physical parameters of hair in the area of the back of the head and crown, obtained as a result of a phototrichogram, will make it possible to establish the diagnosis of androgenetic alopecia in the early stages of its development. Dermatoscopic signs of female pattern hair loss (syn. androgenetic alopecia) are signs of thinning hair in the crown and crown area, yellow peripillary dots (not always), as well as empty follicle openings. Detection of such signs allows timely prescribing etiopathogenetic treatment aimed at maintaining active hair growth and preventing follicle miniaturization.

In case of reactive telogen effluvium hair loss, treatment should be aimed at eliminating the cause of hair loss, as well as improving nutrition of the hair follicle. It is important to eliminate factors that provoke stressful situations, and also, in case of increased nervous excitability, prescribe sedatives. It is recommended to take multivitamins, amino acids, microelements and vascular medications.

An effective treatment method applicable in outpatient settings is mesotherapy. Indications for mesotherapy are both acute and chronic telogen hair loss. The method is based on the targeted delivery of substances necessary for hair growth into the skin of the scalp to a depth of 3-4 mm, to the location of the hair follicles. Activation mechanism: reflexology (tonication of biologically active points of the scalp), pharmacopuncture, neurohumoral. When the skin is damaged by a needle, active inflammatory mediators (histamine, catecholamines, lysosomal enzymes, etc.) are released; macrophage and fibroblastic stages of the inflammatory process lead to the proliferation of epidermal cells of the cambial zone and closure of the tissue defect. At the site of the defect, young connective tissue is formed, which is then rebuilt with the help of fibroblasts in accordance with the characteristics of the dermis of this tissue area. The aseptic inflammatory process lasts from 3 to 6 days, so the procedure should not be done more than once a week. The course of treatment is 6-10 procedures once a week. Mesotherapy improves microcirculation, trophism and lymphatic drainage of the scalp, improves hair structure, accelerates hair growth, increases hair thickness, heals scalp skin and normalizes sebum secretion. The composition of the meso cocktail should include substances that improve microcirculation (Lofton, procaine, buflomedil), trophism (D-panthenol, pyridoxine, biotin, B vitamins, amino acids). Lympholytics and drugs with antioxidant effects (rutin-melito and gingo-biloba, vit E), oligoelements (zinc, selenium, silicon). In the presence of androgenetic alopecia, substances that block the action of 5a-reductase (finasteride), as well as hair growth stimulants (ATP, minoxidil).

The prognosis of treatment for telogen effluvium hair loss depends on the cause that caused the hair loss and the possible connection with androgenetic alopecia. Timely started therapy gives satisfactory results and allows you to control the progress of androgenetic alopecia in the case of combined forms of hair loss.