Hair loss is a condition in which the hair gradually begins to thin out, and finally it can disappear altogether. It often means that the hair is thinning out along the central line at the vertex, the highest point on the skull, also called the crown.
It can also give rise to complete baldness in several places on the crown. Baldness usually affects men, while in women, hair loss appears as thinning of the hair to a greater or lesser extent.
Thin hair in men
All men have hair loss sooner or later – it is a completely natural process. It has been estimated that about 20 % of all men aged 20 experience hair loss, about 40 % of all men aged 40, and almost 60 % of all men aged 60 have natural hair loss.
Men who have a hereditary predisposition for early hair loss are typically the ones who lose their hair first.
In men, thinning hair is a condition when the hair begins to thin out at the temples, and finally disappears altogether.
Male baldness is the most common type of hair loss, and is often called androgen alopecia.
When a man’s hair begins to drop out, it normally starts at the top. The hair thins at the crown, and finally the typical bald spot appears. Then the high temples appear, as the hairline draws back to the sides. This may lead to bald patches, because there is still hair at the sides of the head and back of the neck.
Some men consequently shave all the hair off, to give a uniform appearance instead of thin hair or patches of thin hair and baldness.
Genetics and hormones
In the great majority of cases of thin hair in men, in fact for nine out of ten men, hair thinning is due to androgenetic hair loss. This means that the hair loss is affected by both hereditary hormonal factors.
At puberty, young men begin to produce large quantities of testosterone. The extensive hormone production causes the hair follicles to shrink, and they gradually become so small that when hairs drop out, new ones no longer grow again. This leads to baldness, and they end up with high temples and a bald crown.
If you are genetically disposed for hair loss, your hair bulbs, where hair growth takes place, are to a greater degree susceptible to testosterone. As you are more susceptible the hormone, it will form dihydrotestosterone, which is a growth-inhibiting substance that is not good for your hair.
Therefore it is not the quantity of testosterone that determines how early you lose your hair – but it is your reaction to it. Men who keep their hair on their heads for longer have neither more nor less testosterone than those who lose their hair faster.
Thin hair in women
Hair loss in women often appears as a thinning of the hair at the top of the head, called the vertex. The hair thins out to a greater or lesser extent, while the hair at the sides and back of the head is not affected.
Women do not go bald or have bald patches in the same way as men, where all strands of hair disappear.
However, it is still a cosmetic problem, which may have psychological consequences for many women. Hair loss in women can be either temporary or permanent.
Stress is your hair’s enemy
Stress can be the hair's worst enemy, and give you thin hair. This applies to both men and women. Stress is therefore one of the most frequent causes of hair loss in men – in addition to the hereditary factors.
When the body is stressed, it causes hormonal unbalance. Cortisol is a hormone especially associated with stress. When you are under stress, the body produces cortisol, which means that both physically and mentally, you function in a different way.
Remember your vitamins
An inadequate diet and vitamin deficiency may in some cases be reasons why people lose hair.
Some vitamins are particularly important for the growth and strength of hair. This applies to vitamin B and vitamin C. If you do not get enough biotin and niacin, which are vitamins in the B group, your hair may become thin. If your needs for vitamin C are not covered, your body may need help to form collagen, which is an important protein for healthy hair with good volume.
Hair loss after illness
Hair loss and thin hair after illness are more spread out over the scalp. The cause of this hair loss may be a metabolic disorder or a skin disease such as seborrheic dermatitis. Unfortunately, seborrheic dermatitis is a chronic skin disease, and appears in several degrees of severity. It typically appears on the scalp, chest, face, in the armpits, and in other places where there are many sebaceous glands. The affected areas are often very scaly and red, and at the same time feel dry and irritated.
Only in very extreme cases will anyone be affected in all the areas mentioned at the same time. In particularly serious cases of seborrheic dermatitis on the scalp, it can cause hair loss.
Seborrheic dermatitis normally appears after the age of 20, but is also seen in infants and older people.
Psoriasis appears as scaly eczema on the scalp, and if it is severe, it can cause hair loss, because the conditions for hair growth are disturbed.
Medical treatments
Medication may be another reason why you lose hair. Chemotherapy in particular, as an element of treatment for cancer, is a cause of hair loss. However, other types of medication can also cause hair loss as a side effect. If hair loss is a side effect of any specific medication, it must be stated on the package insert.
Hair transplants
Another quite radical treatment for high temples and receding hairline is a so-called hair transplant. It is a technique in which hair follicles from a donor area with plenty of hair – usually the back or the side of the head – are moved to the balding areas. Hair follicles are most often taken individually and inserted in the desired areas.
After a couple of weeks, the transplanted hair will fall out, so new hair can grow instead. This happens after about three months. This treatment requires patience, because the final result is not seen for a year to a year and a half.
Exercise
When you take daily exercise, the brain releases endorphins, which help to reduce stress – and this may also help to reduce your hair loss.
Products to use for hair loss
When you lose your hair or it gets thin, it is a result of some imbalance in the growth of the hair, which stops the natural hair growth. Australian Bodycare has developed four unique products, with carefully selected natural active ingredients that are beneficial with hair loss.
The four products are a serum, a shampoo, a conditioner and a hair spray, which can all be used with hair loss.
Serum
The serum can be applied to the scalp, and helps to ensure the optimal scalp environment and good conditions for hair growth and strength.
Shampoo
The shampoo is ideal as your daily shampoo. It is mild, but at the same time effectively removes impurities that could hinder hair growth.
Conditioner
The conditioner can be used after the shampoo. Use the hair spray after washing your hair, or when you skip a hair wash.
Spray
The spray strengthens the strands of hair, so that they are less likely to break.
Useful active substances
All these products from Australian Bodycare contain the active ingredients Tea Tree Oil and Capilia Longa, which help to strengthen the scalp and hair. The serum from Australian Bodycare also contains Biotin.
This is a B vitamin that is important for the condition of your hair, and one of the vitamins for hair that is supported by scientific evidence.
Tea Tree Oil is a 100 % natural ingredient that helps to cleanse impurities from the scalp, to give the best conditions for your hair.
Capilia Longa is obtained from natural tropical and subtropical plants, and is an active ingredient with many good qualities.
If you have thin hair, we recommend using these products in combination to get the best results.
