It is natural to lose hair and is part of the body’s way to renew itself. There are many reasons why a person can lose hair but the problem is extremely common an untold millions of people are affected by it worldwide. The correct term for hair loss is Alopecia. Male pattern hair loss is the most common form, representing close to 95 percent of all cases in men; and due to a hereditary condition: Androgenic Alopecia.

Moderate hair loss on the other hand which is obviously rarer may simply be a matter of adjusting your diet. Other reasons are quite natural and you may be aware of a surrounding problem such as stress, mental tension or a hormonal imbalance, but others such as exposure to chemicals or cosmetics may not be so obvious. No matter what the reason, it is worth remembering that it is only if the hair follicles are damaged that can make the condition permanent. Most people believe that it is primarily men that suffer with the condition but women actually account for forty percent of sufferers in the USA alone.

Many women’s hair loss may be caused by a thyroid condition which seems to affect them more often later in life. By the age of sixty, four out of every ten women in the world will have experienced some loss. During and after a pregnancy is another time when women may experience a hair loss problem. If you always thought that patterned hereditary baldness was a male problem then you will be surprised to learn that in America approximately 30 million women also suffer from this condition.

A relatively new treatment is to surgically restore hair for sufferers of permanent hair loss. Healthy hair follicles are transplanted from one area of the scalp to an area where the hair follicles have died. Today hair transplant surgical hair restoration is an out-patient procedure requiring only local anesthesia and is becoming one of the most popular procedures for men today. It is now possible for women to enjoy this hair restoration treatment that men have been using but it is becoming popular for women who also wish to hide some scarring caused by previous facelifts.

The best result you can go for is to try and recapture how you originally looked when you have hair transplant surgery and not attempt to change your appearance. Before hair restoration is undertaken, the patient’s whole-body status must be considered and any underlying health problems addressed. While cosmetic surgery does include hair restoration as one of its sub-fields, this is a different form of cosmetic treatment available. Although the field of hair restoration treatment continues to move forward with new discoveries, there is no guarantee that any will work for you and surgical hair transplants might be your only option to solving your hair loss problem.

The natural hair growth cycle would involve daily hair loss. 90% of our hair is in a growing stage with 10% in resting phase. However, when the hair loss goes beyond the normal limits, the thinning is noticeable. These include: Alopecia areata: Affecting both men and women, the loss is rapid. This is the result of dysfunctional immune system when the white cells of the body attacks the hair follicles. Alopecia Totalis is another condition where there is total loss of hair on the scalp. Alopecia Universalis is a rare condition when the entire body hair is lost. Propecia has been designed with hair loss in mind. Its purpose is to stop hair loss from progressing, as well as to maintain what hair is left. Studies with 1mg finasteride demonstrated the growth of new hair in men suffering from male pattern hair loss.

Genetic reasons: Called male pattern baldness, this can affect about 25% of men by the time they are 30. Over and above the reason being genetic, it could also be due to testosterone the male hormone. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is produced with the conversion of testosterone which either hampers or stops growth and produces weak and short hair. Male pattern baldness is absent with men devoid of testosterone.

Skin diseases: this is a common reason for hair loss and it could affect the scalp too. Dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, scalp fungus such as ringworm and tinea captis are some of the common skin diseases which cause hair loss.

Sudden illness or fever: after any serious illness or fever, you could experience large chunks of hair falling out. This is however a temporary event.

Other causes of hair loss include; Childbirth, The Menopause, Chemotherapy, Radiation Therapy and Age. These are the main reasons for losing hair but there are others.

Successful hair loss treatments are available where you not only stop hair loss but re-grow your hair too. A few of the natural hair loss treatments include:

1. Have plenty of vitamins A, B, C and E. These promote new hair growth. Why are these vitamins important for hair loss? Their beneficial actions include: providing sebum, improving blood circulation to the scalp by increasing absorption of oxygen and collagen.

2. Scalp care: Use herbal oils like olive oil, jojoba oil, amla oil for regular massaging of the scalp. Essential oils of thyme, rosemary, lavender, and cedar wood have also been known to be effective in conditions of alopecia areata.

3. Concern for scalp abuse: Blow drying and using chemical shampoos daily are to be avoided. Hair and scalp can get severely damaged when you use chemical treatments like coloring as well as straightening. Even a daily hair wash with hot water can damage hair as well as the scalp with the drying up of natural oils and hair breaking easily.

4. Herbal care - Use herbal powders such as amla, shikakai, henna and ritha to shampoo and condition hair. The richest source of natural vitamin C is amla powder known for its effect in preventing graying and hair loss. Shikakai also known as Fruit for the hair has a natural low pH and is great as a shampoo because it cleanses without removing natural hair oils. Henna is a wonder natural conditioner after this.

5. Lifestyle - Stress is a very important factor in hair loss. Try and reduce stress by meditating and exercising. Give up Smoking: Smoking causes constriction of the blood vessel which supply blood to the scalp. Avoid excessive sun exposure as UV rays can burn and damage the scalp.