I get a lot of emails from people telling me they are quite concerned because they are seeing more and more of their scalp showing through their thinning hair. Sometimes it happens gradually and sometimes it happens suddenly. But no matter how it happened, it is dangerous because the people to whom this happens can be considered as the first step towards baldness. And, in your own mind, it just makes your hair loss or thinning more noticeable, making treatment or camouflage that much more terrifying. There are many reasons why this happens and I will talk about some of the causes, remedies and camouflages in the following article.
Genetic causes of thinning hair on the head: Probably the most common cause of hair that is thinning so severely that you can see directly is genetics or sensitivity to androgens or DHT (called AGA or androgenic alopecia). And, you don’t need a bald father or grandfather to get it. Women are not excluded. There are many people with the condition who have no family history. What happens in this cycle is that your healthy follicles that produce and maintain quality hair become affected and eventually blocked by the androgen. So, you will shed or lose more hair prematurely and what grows back is more fine and thin so that it is not enough to cover your scalp completely and give enough coverage to obscure.
The treatment for AGA is really twofold. First, you have to slow down the damage substantially. Many people will do this through DHT blockers, but I firmly believe that you cannot eliminate all androgens and since you have that sensitivity, you are better off addressing the sensitivity. Because even a little bit of androgen left over is still going to wreak havoc. Second, you have to be able to successfully stimulate your scalp to produce healthy hair again. Often, hair cycles are so badly affected that you have to go through several recovery cycles until everything starts working normally again.
Medical causes of severe thinness:There are some medical conditions that cause the hair to thin out so severely that the scalp becomes visible. Besides the obvious (like chemotherapy and radiation), there are thyroid and adrenal issues, serious illness or stress, and autoimmune reactions. Occasionally, people have reactions to medicines, foods or products, but this is very rare. The obvious treatment for this type of hair loss is to treat the underlying medical condition. And, after that it still doesn’t hurt to aggressively stimulate regrowth and reduce the inflammation that comes with this type of hair loss.
Chronic shedding (or CTE:) Losing more than 100 hairs per day for a period of less than six months is called telogen effluvium, or TE. This condition lasting more than half a year is called CTE (chronic variety). And, if this condition goes on long enough, it can look like AGA because regrowth doesn’t get a chance to catch up or do any good. Because everything is being shed fast. Often CTE is caused by a trigger that has not been properly identified or treated. The best way to handle it is to eliminate the trigger for good, but this is easier said than done because people with CTE are often hormonally deficient and treatment can often lead to a new round of hair loss. That’s why I really advocate using topicals very slowly so that you’re not affecting anything internally that could cause you more damage. CTE usually has an inflammatory component (inflammation is not the cause, but the result) so it never hurts to reduce inflammation and stimulate the scalp.
A visible camouflage through the skull: If the problem isn’t that severe right now, you can try styling your hair around it. Lifting at the root, combing forward or to the side, or tying your hair into a ponytail or adding waves and curls can all help. If you are beyond this because your hair has thinned out too much, there are powders that match your hair color that will help blend into the white of the scalp (Topic, Kuvre, etc.) Have heard of dying or painting their skull, but I think that would cause too much swelling. Finally, toppers are pieces of hair that only cover the problem area and blend in with the rest of your hair. You may have to spend some time looking for one that looks realistic enough, but it’s not impossible.
Best case scenario: Of course, it’s best to eliminate the problem rather than cover it up. I always urge people to never give up trying to uncover the real reason behind their hair fall and find effective solutions. You are not out of the game until you give up, so don’t give up. Cover it up as much as you can, but be on the lookout for a practical solution that will help stop your hair loss and regrow hair.
Source by Ava Alderman
