Hair loss, whose medical term is alopecia, can start as mildly and as innocently as spotting a few extra hairs on your comb while combing your hair or in the sink. If no measures are taken to curb that, it can progress to advance stages which might lead to baldness. Baldness is simply excessive hair loss from the scalp which could be attributed to such things as genetic composition of an individual, use of certain medications that interfere with normal hair growth, or an underlying medical condition. Hair loss affects both men and women, and does not discriminate against age, meaning anyone in any age group can experience hair loss.
There are people who prefer to let their hair loss and baldness take its course unhidden and untreated. Others however decide to cover it up with makeup, scarves, hats, or hairstyles that would hide the receding hair line. Still, another special category of people will opt for medications, and sometimes even surgical interventions to help treat the condition. Like all other serious medical condition… (Yes, hair loss is a serious medical condition that should be treated with the seriousness and magnitude that it deserves), it is important to talk to your doctor about the exact cause of the problem so that the best possible treatment for your specific hair loss condition should be established.
The general causes of hair loss
There are so many causes of hair loss today. Some of the general causes include:-
Poor nutrition – a diet that is deficient of iron and/or protein can lead to hair loss. Crash diets and fad diets are also responsible for hair loss, and so are eating disorders.
Diseases – certain diseases such as lupus and diabetes can also lead to hair loss that might eventually lead to baldness
Medication – as previously mentioned, some medications and drugs used to treat conditions such as depression, arthritis, high blood pressure, and heart problems could also lead to hair loss and eventually baldness. The use of birth control pills has also been associated with hair loss in women
Medical treatments – closely related to the above point, undergoing some medical treatments such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy can also trigger hair loss. The good news is that once the treatment period is over, natural hair growth will almost certainly take its course.
Hair treatments – use of harsh hair chemicals for bleaching, tinting, dying, permanent or straightening waves can equally lead to weakened hair shafts and hair follicles, and if overused can lead to breakage and falling off. Excessive brushing and over-styling can also trigger hair loss by damaging the hair shaft.
When to see a doctor. It is very important that you talk to your doctor the moment you notice patchy or sudden unexplained hair loss which is more than the usual hair loss that you experience when washing or combing your hair. Sudden hair loss can be an indication of an underlying medical condition which, when treated may put an end to hair loss. It is however important to mention that there is no permanent cure yet for baldness. What is available is medication to slow down the rate at which hair is lost.
How to Prepare for your Appointment with the Doctor. It is highly likely that you will first visit your family doctor whenever you suspect you have hair loss problem. In some situations however, your doctor may refer you to a dermatologist immediately you call in to book up an appointment. Since an appointment with the dermatologist can be very brief, and because there is so much that needs to be covered during that brief period of time, it is always advisable to go prepared for the appointment. Following are some of the things you will need to prepare yourself for the appointment.
What you need to do
– First and foremost, you will need to find out if there are any pre-appointment limitations. This you do when making your appointment. Ensure you ask whoever you will talk to if there is anything that you should know in advance before you visit the doctor, such as a diet restriction.
– From the time you book the appointment until the date of the appointment, it is advisable you write down all the signs and symptoms that you could be experiencing. Just jot down everything including the symptoms that could be unrelated to your appointment with the doctor.
– By the same token, jot down the things you feel might be affecting your personal life such as major changes that have taken place in your life or stress.
– Jot down any medications that you could be using
Questions to ask your doctor. You should also go for the appointment with some of the relevant questions that you should ask your doctor. Remember the time is limited so you do not want to go there and start guessing. Here are some of the things you should write down.
– What could be responsible for my condition?
– Do I need to undergo any tests?
– Is it a temporary or chronic condition?
– Are there any limitations and restrictions that should go with my current condition?
– Are there any printed materials or brochures that I should read more on my condition? Or websites that you can recommend?
– Is there need to see a skin specialist and if yes, what will be the cost? Is it covered by my insurance?
The Things you should expect from your doctor. Naturally, your doctor will have to ask you several questions so you also need to be prepared with answers so you can save on the limited appointment time available. Here are some of the most common questions you will get from your doctor. Take your time to prepare and go over the questions and points.
– When was the first time you started experiencing or noticing hair loss?
– Have you ever had such a problem before?
– Is there hair loss problem in your family?
– Has the condition been occasional or continuous?
– Is there anything that seems to improve or worsen your hair loss?
– Are there cases of baldness in your family lineage?
– Have you used any medication before?