Hair loss is a common fact seen in almost every age of person. Both male and female are the victims of this problem. To overcome this problem, one should know what is diffuse hair loss and the reasons of it. You will also get to know about the medications to treat this problem from the root.
Bald pattern may be the open secret due to diffuse hair loss. Let’s dive deep to know all about diffuse hair loss…….
What Is Diffuse Hair Loss?
Diffuse hair loss is a condition that refers to even amount of hair thinning over the scalp. Usually, it remains temporarily not more than six months. Thanks to the medical technology, it can be cured properly with proper medications.
Diffuse hair loss refers to the shredding or lessening of hair follicles from the scalp. Often it leads to loss of large amount of hair.
Basics of Hair Cycle
- Anagen Phase: During this stage, hair starts to grow. It lasts around 2-7 years depending upon genetics or other external factors.
- Catagen Phase: Regression or transition phase of hair growth cycle. Renewal of hair follicle occurs here.
- Telogen Phase: New hair starts to grow pushing up the old hair club.
- Exogen Phase: Last stage of hair cycle falling out of hair from the scalp.
Who Are Affected By Diffuse Hair Loss?
Diffuse hair loss can affect both male and female. 50% of male and female can be affected by this hair problem. It can be occurred at any age. But women are attacked by it more frequently. No matter you are teenager or aged person, it may affect your scalp.
Recommended read: What Causes Hair Loss In Teenage Girls?
What causes the Diffuse Hair Loss?
Diffuse hair loss is caused by excessive hair loss and hair thinning. A study shows that 50-100 hairs can be fell down naturally per day. But if the hair growth is not increased, only the hair decreases from the scalp then it causes the hair thinning.
Excessive Hair Loss
This may occur during anagen or telogen phase of hair cycle. It can be described into two sections- Telogen effluvium and Anagen effluvium.
Telogen Effluvium
It is the most common case of hair loss. Prematurely the anagen hairs enter catagen and telogen phase. A triggering factor facilitates this conditions. After several months of affecting the triggering factor, excessive hair loss of telogen hairs are seen.
In severe case, upto 30-50% of total hair of scalp are falling out. Some may experience hair fall while taking shower or they may see a lots of hair coming out in their hair brushes.
The triggering factors may be are-
- Child birth
- Contraceptive pills
- Thyroid disease
- Iron disease
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Medications
- Crush diet
- Stress
- Infections
Anagen Effluvium
During your hair cycle, if anagen phase is interrupted then it causes anagen effluvium. Premature hair shredding is seen due to this problem.
It is the most severe case as 80-90% of hair falls apart. Often it is occurred due to Chemotherapy. After a week of this treatment, the body hair including eyebrows and eye lashes start to falls down.
Selenium and thallium can create poisoning effect inside body. This also leads to hair lessening. Aelopecia areata is an autoimmune condition that also leads to hair fall from the scalp. It creates bald patches on the scalp either creating total baldness of scalp or falling of complete body hair.
Hair Thinning
Due to male or female pattern hair loss, diffuse hair thinning is often seen. Pattern hair loss in female is the most severe with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
Male or female pattern hair loss creates a widening bald patches on the top most part of the scalp. Hormonal imbalance is the fact that causes this problem.
Harmful Side Effects of Diffuse Hair Loss
It does not have any severe issue to our health. Hair loss don’t affect our physical health rather it affects our mental health. Our living standard and outlook is affected by this problem. This negatively impacts our life as it reflects the identity or outlook of ourselves.
The negative impact affects our psychological health. Moreover, some may undergo the severe psychological disorder or emotional or mental stress or depression.
Signs of Diffuse Hair Loss
If you experience the hair loss on the pillow or during taking shower, it is the clear sign that you are suffering from hair thinning. Sometime one may experience the hair comes out while brushing their hair. The slight hair thinning sometimes lead to severe hair fall.
How to Diagnose It?
For the diagnosis of diffuse hair loss some medical treatments are available.
- History Analysis
- Blood Test
- Scalp Biopsy
- Trichogram
- Hair pull Test
Treatments of Diffuse Hair Loss
- Within three to six months, telogen effluvium is occurred. Medications can be provided to suppress the triggering factors. With the proper medications, the hair density returns.
- When any chemical treatment or chemotherapy is discontinued, then the anagen aloepecia resolves. Scalp cooling helps to solve the impact of chemotherapy also.
It is difficult process to treat it. As it is seen in some cases, once the treatment is stopped, the hair loss may occur again. Intralesional corticosteroid injections may speed up the hair regrowth. Less than 50% scalp improvement is seen for adult persons.
Minoxidil, topical corticosteroid, dithranol may help in short term re-growth treatments. Systemic corticosteroid may also help in long term regrowth treatments. But having steroids for long term may impair the physical health.
- Anti-androgen therapy, topical minoxidil, oral finasteride may help to resolve male and female pattern hair loss.
If you are suffering from minimal hair falling problems then you can take proper care of your hair by triggering the factors that helps in hair regrowth.
Recommended read:7 Factors For Extreme Hair Growth!
I think, you all get the answer to your question about, what is diffuse hair loss. With proper medications this problem can be treated. All you need to take extra care of your hair. But after certain age, the hair loss is seen acutely among the aged male and female persons.