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Thinning hair

When thinning hair occurs our first gut reaction is to run to the doctor fearing we have an incurable illness.  In reality, while thinning hair can be a symptom for a range of illnesses, there are usually less dramatic reasons for it.  There are many factors which govern how and why thinning hair happens, from natural old age, to fungal infections, and it is important to know what is going on. 

Some forms of thinning hair can be prevented or at least contained.  Factors such as stress, a nutritious and balanced diet, and sensible hair care techniques can quite often make a difference.  We naturally lose around a hundred hairs every day.  This is because each individual hair has three distinct phases; a growing phase, a resting phase and a shedding phase.  Luckily 90% of hair is in the growing phase. 

Women can often find their thinning hair is the result of pregnancy, hormonal changes, extreme dieting or thyroid disorders, so it is not just a problem for men. Another cause of thinning hair is something called Alopecia. With this problem hair loss is experienced in patches on the scalp. Recent medical research suggests that Alopecia is probably a disorder of the immune system.