Hair Loss Disorders and Conditions
Men and women suffer from an abundance of hair loss disorders; some can be treated with nonsurgical methods, while others require surgical intervention. It is important to know that once a hair follicle has suffered severe trauma, or died from chronic medical conditions, it cannot be restored.
Disruptions of the hair cycle have many causes. Genetic predisposition and hormones tend to be the most frequent. Androgenetic alopecia, or male and female pattern hair loss is referred to as genetic hair loss. However, there are numerous other causes of nonscarring alopecia such as; telogen effluvium, anagen effluvium, alopecia areata, early stages of traction alopecia, and trichotillomania, as well as other less common conditions. Sometimes, diseases such as thyroid disorder, fungal infections, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can lead to nonscarring hair loss. Nonscarring alopecia can also occur with natural aging, which is known as senescent alopecia. Finally, the overuse of hair care products and the regular use of aggressive hair-styling techniques and chemicals can exacerbate hair loss by destroying hair structure and function. Interestingly, many forms of hair loss can be biphasic, where long-term non-scarring alopecia can result in scarring alopecia.