When you\u2019re regularly finding hair on your pillow, in the shower, or on your brush, it might seem unimportant to know what type of baldness you\u2019re suffering from. Hair loss is grim, right? Does it really matter what name you give the grimness? Well, yes it does. Knowing the enemy you\u2019re facing is the first step to winning the battle, as any military strategist will tell you. If you can identify the type of hair loss you\u2019re experiencing, you\u2019ll be better positioned to know what the future holds for your mane and what treatments you can apply.<\/p>\n
So, put on your tin hat, tighten your chinstrap, and get ready to look the enemy in the eye!<\/p>\n
There are many reasons why people experience hair loss, and to cover them all would require an article many times the length of this one. Some of these types are very rare indeed, however, so rather than spending time learning about the outliers, we\u2019re going to look at five of the more common causes of baldness.<\/p>\n
Androgenetic alopecia is the medical term used to describe what most of us refer to as male and female pattern hair loss. It is the most common form of baldness and is estimated to affect 15 in every 10,000 people in the UK. Pattern baldness runs in families. If you can identify a baldness trait in your ancestors and older relatives, there is a reasonable chance that you will develop the same type of hair loss.<\/p>\n
The pattern in males takes the form of a receding front hairline, although hair loss from the scalp or crown is also part of the condition. For women, this type of hair loss manifests in a general thinning right across the scalp. Hereditary hair loss like this can be treated with medication or hair transplant surgery.<\/p>\n
Telogen effluvium occurs when your hair\u2019s natural growth cycle gets interrupted. Telogen is the name for the resting phase of the growth cycle, and it is followed by the growth phase. If the growth phase doesn\u2019t start, your hair starts to fall and noticeable thinning occurs.<\/p>\n
Telogen effluvium is often triggered by a medical condition. If you\u2019ve recently given birth, suffered from a thyroid imbalance, or had surgery that requires post-op medication, you are more prone to this kind of hair loss. The good news is that it doesn\u2019t often lead to complete baldness. There is also a good chance your hair will grow back once the trigger for the condition has disappeared from your life.<\/p>\n
Anagen effluvium is another type of baldness triggered by external events. It\u2019s a fairly dramatic type of hair loss brought on by treatments like chemotherapy, a powerful cancer-killing medical intervention that also brings hair follicle production to an abrupt halt. While this type of hair loss is traumatic, it is a temporary condition; your hair will grow back once the treatment has finished.<\/p>\n