Table of contents:
- Why does hair fall out?
- When is hair loss normal?
- Telogen effluvium, the most common cause of severe hair loss
- When to see a doctor about my hair loss?
Hair is the crown of the head. So, don't be surprised if having thick, healthy, and strong hair is everyone's dream. However, it is not uncommon for us to find clumps of hair loss clogging the bathroom drains, clustered in tangles on the combs, on bed pillows, or even on our desks. Not only can it make you feel inferior, but severe hair loss also makes you wonder. Is this normal or a sign of baldness? Or, is there a specific condition or disease that causes severe hair loss?
Why does hair fall out?
Hair is made of keratin, a special protein produced in hair roots (follicles). When the follicle produces new hair cells, the old hair cells are pushed out of the skin layer. This loose hair is actually a strand of dead keratin cells.
The process of hair growth is not that easy either. There are three steps that need to be passed until the hair falls out completely. The first is the anagen stage, which is the active hair fiber growth stage. This stage can last for 2-7 years. As much as 80-85 percent of your hair is currently in the anagen phase.
The next stage is catagen, aka the transition phase. The catagen phase is characterized by hair that stops growing. This phase usually lasts 10-20 days. The third stage is the telogen phase, which occurs when the hair completely stops growing and then starts to fall out. As many as 10-15 percent of hair is in the telogen phase, which generally lasts up to 100 days.
After the telogen phase is complete, the hair growth process starts back to the anagen phase.
When is hair loss normal?
Normal hair growth rate is about 1 centimeter per month. The average adult has 100,000 to 150,000 hairs, and up to 50-100 hairs will fall out each day. This number is still classified as normal and should not be too worrying about.
Telogen effluvium, the most common cause of severe hair loss
Telogen effluvium (TE) is the second most common cause of hair loss diagnosed by dermatologists or dermatologists. This condition occurs when there is a change in the number of hair follicles that grow hair.
TE first appears characterized by thinning hair, which may only be visible in certain areas of the head. Or it could be even, but one area may appear thinner than the other. Usually TE is most visible on the crown. However, TE very rarely causes severe hair loss to the point that it is completely bald or bald.
The cause of this hair loss is influenced by several factors, such as:
- Give birth
- Stress (women with TE generally experience hair loss within 6 weeks to 3 months after severe stress)
- Drastic weight loss
- High fever
- Operation
- The healing process from illness, especially if accompanied by a high fever
- Stop using birth control pills
However, hair loss due to telogen effluvium is temporary and is the body's way of adapting to changes that occur under the influence of these factors.
Hair growth will return to normal as the body recovers from the above factors, usually within 6 to 9 months.
When to see a doctor about my hair loss?
Most of the causes of hair loss are nothing to worry about. However, if the amount of hair loss you experience is very much beyond reasonable limits, it never hurts to consult a doctor. Severe hair loss may be caused by autoimmune diseases such as alopecia areata, lupus, to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
If you experience the same thing and are worried about the amount of your hair loss, you can check with a dermatologist and genitalia specialist. This doctor can handle cases around the skin, hair, and nails so that you can be handled properly.
