Alopecia (Hair Loss)

Causes

It's normal to lose hair. We can lose between 50 and 100 hairs a day, often without noticing.

Hair loss is not usually anything to be worried about, but occasionally it can be a sign of a medical condition.

Some types of hair loss are permanent, like male and female pattern baldness. This type of hair loss usually runs in the family.

Other types of hair loss may be temporary. They can be caused by:

• an illness
• stress
• cancer treatment
• weight loss

• iron deficiency
  

Diagnosis

The GP may be able to tell you what's causing your hair loss by looking at your hair.

See a GP to get an idea about what's causing your hair loss before thinking about going to a commercial hair clinic.

Treatment Options

Most hair loss does not need treatment and is either:

• temporary and it'll grow back

• a normal part of getting older

Hair loss caused by a medical condition usually stops or grows back once you've recovered.

Finasteride and minoxidil

Finasteride and minoxidil are the main treatments for male pattern baldness.

Minoxidil can also be used to treat female pattern baldness. Women should not use finasteride.

These treatments:

• do not work for everyone

• only work for as long as they're used

Other possible treatments for hair loss

• Steroid injection - Injections given into bald patches
• Steroid creams - Cream applied to bald patches
• Immunotherapy - Chemical applied to bald patches
• Immunotherapy tablets - Tablets taken every day to prevent hair loss
• Light treatment -  Shining ultraviolet light on bald patches
• Permanent make-up (micropigmentation) - Tattoo used to look like short hair and eyebrows
• Hair transplant - Hair is removed from the back of the head and moved to thinning patches
• Scalp reduction surgery - Sections of scalp with hair are stretched and stitched together
• Artificial hair transplant - Surgery to implant artificial hairs

When To See A Doctor

See a GP if you are worried about your hair loss.