Concerned About Hair Loss?

Have you noticed an increasing number of hairs in your sink or hairbrush? Are you beginning to see more of your scalp when you look in the mirror? If so, you are not alone! Millions of men and women experience hair loss as they age, sometimes starting as early as their 20s or 30s. Depending on the reason for your hair loss, you may be able to reverse it or at least slow it down.

First, let's recognize that some hair loss is normal. Hair experts estimate that a loss of approximately 50 to 150 strands of hair per day represents normal shedding for the human hair growth cycle. So, some hair in the sink or shower is nothing to be alarmed about. Sudden hair loss, or thinning hair over your entire head (and possibly other parts of your body), or clumps of hair falling out are considered unusual, and should be discussed with your healthcare practitioner. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, he or she may recommend seeing a dermatologist or a hair specialist, known as a trichologist.

The fear of losing more hair is usually what prompts people to seek medical attention. Although some people may be driven more by vanity, for others hair loss is devastating to their self-esteem. This seems especially true for women. In his book, The Hormone Solution: Stay Younger Longer, Dr. Thierry Hertoghe notes that a hormone imbalance is just as likely to feed fear and erode self-confidence as it is to contribute to hair loss. He says, "addressing any imbalance will not only improve the situation on top of your head, but within it as well."

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