Common Hair Loss Conditions

Traction Alopecia

Where hair is subjected to repeated stress or tension over extended periods of time, the follicles are at increased risk of damage from the strain. Where this results in hair loss, the condition is referred to as Traction Alopecia. Hair Extensions, tightly pulled hairstyles and habitual tugging at hair can all result in this condition. While the result is the same, Traction Alopecia's causes are subdivided as follows;

• Trichotillomania - This form of Traction Alopecia is where hair loss is caused by compulsive or impulsive tugging of one's own hair.

• Chignon Alopecia - Where tightly pulled hairstyles such as ponytails or buns cause localised hair loss at the points of strain.

Androgenetic Alopecia (Pattern hair loss)

Both men and women can suffer from pattern hair loss, although the areas of the head from which this loss is seen does differ between the genders.

In Male pattern baldness, the hairline starts the recede along with a thinning of hair on the scalp. Depending on the severity of the loss, hair may be seen to disappear entirely from those areas and it's not uncommon for those hairless areas to meet and form a larger patch of bald or near-bald skin.

Female pattern baldness is slightly different in that hair is usually lost more from the parting and the temples leading to thinning across the entire scalp.

Alopecia areata

This type of hair loss is considered an autoimmune disorder. Alopecia Areata occurs when the body's own immune system identifies hair follicles a foreign objects and attacks them. This results in the affected follicles ceasing to grow visible hair. Often, the immune system attacks groups of hairs in a defined, usually circular area, resulting in localised baldness. There is considered to be an element of heredity in this condition too. Alopecia Areata can lead to patches of hairloss anywhere, but more specific varieties are as follows;

• Alopecia Totalis - When Alopecia Areata affects the whole scalp, resulting in complete baldness, this is referred to as Alopecia Totalis

• Alopecia Universalis - Where Alopecia Areata moves beyond the scalp and leaves the whole body completely hairless, this is known as Alopecia Universalis

• Ophiasis - This type of Alopecia Areata affects leaves a band of baldness around the edge of the scalp, typically around the back of the head.

Telogen Effluvium

Hair growth occurs in cycles, the telogen phase is the resting phase and telogen effluvium. Between 10% and 20% of your hairs are in the telogen phase at any one time under normal conditions. Telogen Effluvium is where the hair is prematurely forced into this resting state resulting in noticeable hair loss. Extreme stresses on the body and physical trauma are common causes of Telogen Effluvium - the resources of the body are withdrawn from hair production in order to deal with an acute crisis elsewhere. Once the crisis is dealt with, the growth cycle can begin anew.

Anagen Effluvium

The anagen phase of the hair growth cycle is the longest phase, in which hair grows. Anagen Effluvium describes the loss of hair during this phase of growth. Chemicals and toxins in the environment or part of medical procedures etc can cause this type of hair loss. As with Telogen Effluvium, one the cause is removed, growth can usually reoccur.

Trichorrhexis Nodosa

Whether straight, curly or somewhere in between, hair is more or less a constant thickness along most of the hair shaft. With Trichorrhexis nodosa however, hair shafts show small areas of unusually thick hair (nodes). Tellingly, this condition is sometimes called 'bamboo hair' after the shape of a bamboo stalk. These nodes act as points of weakens and it is there where breakage occurs.

Cicatricial Alopecia

There are a group of conditions or disorders, which are thankfully uncommon, where hair follicles are completely destroyed, leaving scar tissue in their wake. This is known as Cicatricial Alopecia or Scarring Alopecia. Sometimes the hair follicle itself is a direct target of the condition (primary cicatricial alopecia), at other times, the hair is destroyed as collateral damage to a process going on around the hair (secondary cicatricial alopecia). Types of Citatricial Alopecia are as follows;

• Folliculitis - If the follicles from which hair grows become blocked or damaged this is referred to as folliculitis. Hair loss can occur in sever cases if these follicles become subject to a bacterial infection, characterised by rashes, itchiness and spots.

• Central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia - It's a long name and has also been known previously as hot comb alopecia. This form of permanent hair loss can affect any gender and ethnicity, but is most common in ladies of African descent. There seems to be a mix of environmental factors (such as the use of hair weaves and chemical relaxers) and genetic predisposition.

• Lichen Planopilaris - Lichen Planus is a poorly understood rash-like skin condition. Where it occurs on skin with hair growth, it causes an increase in shedding and follicles can be irretrievably damaged.

What can I do if I'm affected?

We understand that hair loss is a cause of consternation for many of those unfortunate to be affected by it. HairFiller's proprietary Hair Building Fibers can't replace lost hair, or make what you have grow any faster, but it CAN give you the appearance of fuller thicker hair by safely bonding to what you have left and giving you back the confidence you may have lost.