What does healthy hair look like?
- It is shiny.
- It is free from damage.
- It doesn't have split ends.
- There are no signs of balding.
- The hair grows between 0.8 up to 14 mm per month.
What to do about hair loss
Some hair loss is normal, which usually occurs in the shower when washing the hair. You can hardly count them, but if each day you have more and more hair strands in your comb or shower drain after washing your hair, and this continues for longer than a week, you should consult a dermatologist. There can be several reasons for this:
Male or female type androgenic alopecia (baldness), when follicles are genetically susceptible to dihydrotestosterone — which is the most active type of testosterone. This type of hair loss cannot be prevented. The follicles start to decrease in size and produce short vellus hair. After this stage, the follicles become atrophic.
Taking medicines such as hormonal contraceptives, anticoagulants, retinoids, beta-blockers, anti-inflammatory drugs, interferons, antibiotics, or antidepressants.
Exhaustion and stress, which lead to excess consumption of microelements in the body. It is also assumed that stress redirects the blood flow to the most important organs while less vital ones don't receive enough nutrients.
Endocrine disorders (hypo- or hyperthyroidism, hypopituitarism).
Polycystic ovary syndrome in women who have estrogen or progesterone deficiency.
Poor diet, which results in a deficit of vitamins and microelements.
Exacerbation of chronic diseases during viral or infectious diseases, which decreases immunity.
Pregnancy, when the body undergoes physiological and hormonal changes.
What to do if you have dandruff
The main symptoms include peeling of the skin, itching, feeling of tightness of the skin, and oily scalp and hair. It is not only an aesthetic problem — it can be related to pathological changes of the skin such as seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, or asbestos-like lichen. Most often, the problem is triggered by an immune system failure, which transforms Malassezia fungi from conditionally pathogenic into pathogenic ones.
Modern medicines include many active components, which address numerous causes of dandruff, and, therefore should be applied only for specific conditions. To avoid trying several types of medicines, it is advisable to consult with a medical practitioner who will pick the one which will help you. After the therapy, the doctor will prescribe prevention measures.
What to do if your hair became dull
If your hair no longer shines, has lost its volume, or has become brittle, you should have a checkup for vitamins and microelements. You may have developed a deficiency in some of them. The deficit of nutrients can be provoked by improper diet or strict fasting, lack of sleep, or permanent stress. However, don’t go out and buy all different types of vitamins. Work with your doctor or a nutritionist to determine which ones you need.
What should you check?
If you have any of these symptoms, you should consult with a dermatologist who will send you for tests. Alternatively, you can do some of the tests before the visit to be prepared for the consultation. In most cases, you would need:
Complete blood count, blood glucose test, total protein, and cholesterol, lipoproteins count.
Checkup for vitamin B6, B9, B7, B12, D3, A, E, C, and mineral blood test to identify the level of zinc, copper, magnesium, iodine.
Test for triglycerides, test for the level of iron and protein involved in its metabolism and omega-3 checkup.
Thyroid hormones tests, test for luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormones.
In case of focal alopecia, you should have a checkup for androgen levels, diagnostics of PCOS and insulin resistance.
Trichoscopy, which checks the number of hairs per square inch, blood vessels, hair diameter, and presence of empty follicles and fibrosis.
Phototrichogram, which includes shaving a small strip of hair in two places on the head, placing a control mark on the skin, and checking the saved strips in 48 hours with trichoscopy. Following this stage, the patients are prescribed therapy for the period of 4 months, after which is phototrichogram is repeated.
If your hair structure is damaged, you should have a spectral analysis of hair for microelements and the presence of heavy toxic metals.
Be prepared for your dermatologist to prescribe you treatment for a period of several months because the telogen phase (the period when the hair doesn't grow) lasts for four months. This means that you will only see the results of the therapy starting in month five. You should be prepared for this and not expect immediate results.
