Hair loss diseases & Hair Loss symptoms

Hair loss diseases can affect anyone, from small children to teenagers and adults. The hair goes through three phases in a normal growth cycle: the anagen phase, the catagen phase, and the telogen phase. Normal and healthy hair grow approximately 1 cm a month and go through the growth cycle that lasts about between two to six years. Shedding hair is an ordinary part of everyday life; however, some people may be affected by an excessive amount of hair loss.

Common Types of Hair Loss Diseases

There are many types of hair loss diseases, and these diseases are categorized or classified based on the phase of the hair growth cycle they take place in.

Androgenic Alopecia

Androgenic alopecia is a type of hair loss wherein the growth or anagen phase of the hair cycle becomes shorter and shorter. This type of hair loss disease is inherited and causes the hair follicles to produce hair that is thinner than the average. With this kind of alopecia, the hair becomes thinner and thinner until the follicles eventually wither away.

Alopecia Areata (link to article on alopecia areata)

Alopecia areata is a common type of hair loss characterized by sudden loss of patches of hair. This condition is caused by the attack of the immune system on hair follicles and may get worse when the hair follicles go into the telogen phase of the hair life cycle. Alopecia areata affects 1 in 1,000 individuals and may be due to numerous causes. One of the most common cuase of alopecia areata is an imbalance in an individual’s system that, when corrected, can result in the complete regrowth of hair.
Alopecia comes in different types: Alopecia areata multilocularis, Alopecia areata barbae, Alopecia areata totalis, Alopecia areata monolocularis, Diffuse alopecia areata and Alopecia areata universalis

Alopecia Universalis

Alopecia universalis is a rare type of alopecia that is characterized by the loss of hair all over the body. This type of hair loss is a variant of Alopecia Areata and differs with the former based on the amount of hair loss.

Telogen effluvium

Telogen effluvium (link to article of effluvium) is a type of hair loss that occurs when numerous strands of hair go into the resting or telogen phase, therefore causing shedding and thinning of the hair. This type of hair loss disease affects no more than 50% of all the hair and can last for up to three months. The occurrence of Telogen effluvium may be attributed to stress, poor nutrition, medical side effects and changes in hormone levels.

Some types of hair loss are not related to the hair growth cycle. These are:

Trichotillomania

Trichotillomania is a condition distinguished by the compulsive and incessant plucking and pulling of an individual’s own hair. This disorder is commonly treatable in small children; however, adults who suffer from this condition rarely recover.

Traction Alopecia

Traction Alopecia is a condition characterized by the loss of hair along the hairline and is most evident around the forehead and face. This type of hair loss is caused by hairstyles that pull the hair too tight.

Tinea Capitis

Tinea Capitis is a skin level disease caused by fungal infection and is distinguished by the presence of bare patches of skin on an individual’s scalp. This can affect the skin on the eyebrows, the scalp and eyelashes. Also known as ringworm of the scalp, this disease attacks hair shafts and hair follicles and is mostly found in children below 10 years old.

Hair Loss Symptoms

Symptoms of hair loss diseases usually occur as a thinning of the hair or shedding of hair, ultimately resulting in excessive loss of hair.

The most common hair loss disease, androgenetic alopecia, is usually manifested through the loss of hair on the front hairline and forehead for men, while women with this condition experience thinning of hair throughout the scalp.

Conditions such as trichotillomania and alopecia areata result in patches of hair loss, while hair loss due to certain medications often results in the falling out of large clumps of hair.