Hair Loss Causes & Hair Loss Information
* You are more likely to damage your hair if you use both hair dye and a relaxer.
* If you do color your relaxed hair, some hairdressers say you should use a semi-permanent dye. They say it will cause less damage than a permanent dye.
* Refer to product directions and talk to your hairdresser because different relaxers have different directions. Some should not be used when you have dye in your hair.
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
* Straightening too often can damage your hair. You might want to ask your hairdresser for advice, because different products on the market have different directions. According to some hairdressers, every six to eight weeks is common, but this depends on the product.
* It also depends on your hair, such as how fast your hair grows.
* Don’t leave the relaxer on longer than the directions say you should.
* Wash it out with a neutralizing shampoo. (You can get neutralizing shampoo in most places where you buy shampoo.)
* Use conditioner often after relaxing your hair.
* Be extra careful when you use hair relaxers on children. Keep hair relaxers out of children’s reach. Children have been hurt playing with hair relaxers.
* It can be a good idea to get help with relaxers instead of doing it all by yourself. That way you can be surer to use the relaxer evenly and rinse it all out from places you can’t see.
* You can protect your scalp by putting petroleum jelly on the scalp before using the relaxer.
* Don’t scratch your head or brush your hair before you use a relaxer.
* Remember that curling and blow drying can hurt your hair, too.
Are “no-lye” hair relaxers safer?
* Any relaxer can burn your scalp if you use it the wrong way.
* Lye is something found in many hair relaxers. It helps the product work, but it can also burn the skin.
* Relaxers without lye don’t usually bother your skin as much, but you still need to be safe and use them the right way.
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
* Follow the directions in the package. Pay attention to all “Caution” and “Warning” statements.
* Do a patch test before using dye on your hair. Here’s how: Rub a tiny bit of the dye on the inside of your elbow or behind your ear. Leave it there for two days. If you get a rash, don’t use the dye on your hair. You should do the test each time you dye your hair. (Salons should also do the patch test before dyeing your hair.)
* Never dye your eyebrows or eyelashes. This can hurt your eyes. You might even go blind. FDA does not allow using hair dyes on eyelashes and eyebrows.
* Keep hair dyes out of the reach of children.
* Don’t leave the dye on longer than the directions say you should.
* Rinse your scalp well with water after dyeing.
* Wear gloves when you apply the hair dye.
* Never mix different hair dye products. This can hurt your hair and scalp.
Should I color my eyebrows or eyelashes?
Never dye your eyebrows or eyelashes. This can hurt your eyes. You might even go blind.
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Hair dye is used to color your hair. Hair relaxers are used to make your hair straight. Both hair dye and hair relaxers can hurt your skin, hair, and eyes, especially if you are not careful.
Hair Dyes
* There are different types of hair dyes used in salons and sold in stores. For example, some are permanent and cannot be washed out with shampoo. Others wash out after a number of shampoos. The number of shampoos varies, depending on the product. Check the label to see about how long you can expect these colors to last.
Other kinds of dye:
* Progressive hair dyes change the color of your hair gradually. They make hair a little darker each time you use them.
* Henna is made from a plant and colors hair red or reddish brown.
No matter what kind of hair dye you use, follow directions carefully. Pay attention to all “Caution” or “Warning” statements.
What problems can hair dyes cause?
Some of the problems people have had from using hair dyes are:
* hair loss
* burning
* redness
* itchy or raw skin
* swelling in the face
* trouble breathing
Source: FDA
The inheritance pattern of androgenetic alopecia is unclear because many genetic and environmental factors are likely to be involved. This condition tends to cluster in families, however, and having a close relative with patterned hair loss appears to be a risk factor for developing the condition.
Source: the National Library of Medicine
The AR gene is associated with androgenetic alopecia.
A variety of genetic and environmental factors likely play a role in causing androgenetic alopecia. Although researchers are studying risk factors that may contribute to this condition, most of these factors remain unknown. Researchers have determined that this form of hair loss is related to hormones called androgens, particularly an androgen called dihydrotestosterone. Androgens are important for normal male sexual development before birth and during puberty. Androgens also have other important functions in both males and females, such as regulating hair growth and sex drive.
Hair growth begins under the skin in structures called follicles. Each strand of hair normally grows for 2 to 6 years, goes into a resting phase for several months, and then falls out. The cycle starts over when the follicle begins growing a new hair. Increased levels of androgens in hair follicles can lead to a shorter cycle of hair growth and the growth of shorter and thinner strands of hair. Additionally, there is a delay in the growth of new hair to replace strands that are shed.
Although researchers suspect that several genes play a role in androgenetic alopecia, variations in only one gene, AR, have been identified in people with this condition. The AR gene provides instructions for making a protein called an androgen receptor. Androgen receptors allow the body to respond appropriately to dihydrotestosterone and other androgens. Studies suggest that variations in the AR gene lead to increased activity of androgen receptors in hair follicles. It remains unclear, however, how these genetic changes increase the risk of patterned hair loss in men and women with androgenetic alopecia.
Researchers continue to investigate the connection between androgenetic alopecia and other medical conditions, such as coronary heart disease and prostate cancer in men and polycystic ovary syndrome in women. They believe that some of these disorders may be associated with elevated androgen levels, which may help explain why they tend to occur with androgen-related hair loss. Other hormonal, environmental, and genetic factors that have not been identified also may be involved.
Source: the National Library of Medicine
Although androgenetic alopecia is a frequent cause of hair loss in both men and women, it is more common in men. This form of hair loss affects an estimated 35 million men in the United States. Androgenetic alopecia can start as early as a person’s teens and risk increases with age; more than 50 percent of men over age 50 have some degree of hair loss. In women, hair loss is most likely after menopause.
Source: the National Library of Medicine
Specific risk factors are not known at this time. Studies found more women than men reporting the hair loss but there could be other reasons for this such as: 1) Men may not report hair loss as often as women because they typically wear their hair shorter, and hair loss may not be as noticeable as it would be in women with longer hair. In addition, some men expect to lose their hair as they age (e.g. male pattern baldness). 2) Women and health care workers who reported hair loss are more in touch with their health care providers about health concerns.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Androgenetic alopecia is a common form of hair loss in both men and women. In men, this condition is also known as male-pattern baldness. Hair is lost in a well-defined pattern, beginning above both temples. Over time, the hairline recedes to form a characteristic “M” shape. Hair also thins at the crown (near the top of the head), often progressing to partial or complete baldness.
The pattern of hair loss in women differs from male-pattern baldness. In women, the hair becomes thinner all over the head, and the hairline does not recede. Androgenetic alopecia in women rarely leads to total baldness.
Androgenetic alopecia in men has been associated with several other medical conditions including coronary heart disease and enlargement of the prostate, a walnut-sized gland in males that is located below the bladder. Additionally, prostate cancer, disorders of insulin resistance (such as diabetes and obesity), and high blood pressure (hypertension) have been related to androgenetic alopecia. In women, androgenetic alopecia is associated with an increased risk of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is characterized by a hormonal imbalance that can lead to irregular menstruation, acne, excess body hair (hirsutism), and weight gain.
Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine