What causes hair loss in patches on the head?

An individual can experience hair loss in many forms. They can either lose hair in chunks which can lead to complete baldness or can have hair loss in patches, some people first experience hair thinning then their hair starts losing. 

Hair loss in patches is generally seen in a condition called alopecia areata. It is a condition in which hair falls out in small patches which can be easily noticed. It is an autoimmune disorder. Hair loss can be unpredictable but you can control it with the help of  treatment. This disorder can begin at any age and can affect many people regardless of age and gender. 

Causes of Alopecia Areata

As we know that it is an autoimmune disease which means that your immune system attacks a part of your body. The more hair follicles your immune system attacks the more hair loss you will suffer from. This rarely destroys the hair follicles and you can regrow your hair. Some deficiency may also cause alopecia areata. If someone’s parents had suffered from alopecia areata then there are chances that they may have it too. There is no exact cause of alopecia areata which is found out.

Treatments

You cannot cure this disorder but you can control it. Some of the ways are:

1) PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma Therapy)

It is a PRP therapy in which your blood is drawn from the vessel and in a centrifuge plasma is separated from the blood. Then that plasma is injected into your scalp or the affected area. The plasma heals the injured tendons, ligaments, and muscles.

This method is used to increase the number of reparative cells your body produces to enhance the healing process and can help in reducing hair loss in patches.

2) Corticosteroids

These are some anti-inflammatory drugs that are used for autoimmune diseases. It is also a method in which the solution or the medicine is injected into the scalp or other areas. This process takes a long time to work.

Corticosteroids resembles to cortisol which is a hormone used by the body for staying healthy, immune response, metabolism and many more. 

3) Minoxidil 5% Topical Solution 

Minoxidil is a vasodilator which opens the hair follicles for hair growth. This solution can be applied twice a day for better results. It can also be applied to your eyebrows, scalp, and beard. It is also useful for people with limited alopecia.

On continuous use of Minoxidil you can see visible results in 2-4 months including decrease in Hair Fall and regrowth of hair, depending on the type of hair you have.

4) Onion juice

Onion Juice is rich in antioxidant compound called catalase which can also help get rid of some inflammation and redness. Onion juice also promotes hair growth and keeps the scalp clean.

Massaging your scalp with onion juice, or if you want to add any essential oil that is fine too, it will not only increase the blood circulation in your scalp but will also give nourishment to your hair making the hair follicles strong.

5) Essential oils

Use essential oils to massage your scalp so that you can increase the growth of the hair. Essential oils will nourish your scalp and clean your scalp giving your hair shine and texture it needs. 

You can use oils like Tea tree oil, Rosemary oil, Lemon Grass oil, Lavender oil and many more to decrease the frequency of hair loss in patches.

6) DHT Blocker Shampoo

This shampoo gets rid of the extra DHT deposited on the scalp which causes hair fall and soon results in baldness.

Trichotillomania

There is another disease that can cause bald patches on your scalp and it’s called trichotillomania.

Trichotillomania is a mental disorder that usually happens when the person is suffering from anxiety or depression. During an anxiety or panic attack, the person gets an urge to pull their hair and maybe in chunks sometimes which leaves them bald. It can also cause more emotional distress. People with this disorder pull out their hair from their scalp and often focusing on just one or two areas. 

This disorder usually occurs in teenagers when they are suffering from problems of their own. It is an impulse control disorder. Due to hormonal changes also some teens may suffer from this and it can last up to several years as it depends on whether you take a treatment or not. 

Some of the symptoms of this mental disorder are an urgent urge to pull out your hair, breaking off pieces of hair, eating hair, always stressed, etc.

Causes  of Trichotillomania

1) Hereditary

If your parent or grandparent suffered from this problem then there are chances you may have to experience it too.

2) Stress

If you are stressed from work or any other issue then that may trigger trichotillomania in some people. Keeping you mind in continuous stress is not only harmful for your hair but also for your health. To reduce this you can add some yoga or exercise in your daily routine.

3) Age

Trichotillomania usually develops when people are going through their teens. Some people between 20-25 may also experience this.

Treatment of Trichotillomania

This is generally treated through different types of therapy.

Behavioral therapy

•     Telling a person about the symptoms and consequences.
•     Replacing this behavior with another problem.
•     Stay motivated by being busy or being occupied.

Ask for some support from your elders or a therapist. Learn the real cause of the problem or the issue which is discomforting you.

People often are ashamed to talk about this problem. They think people will consider them something else. So don’t be ashamed and talk to a doctor about this for better treatment.

There are many other reasons due to which you can lose hair in big patches.

If you are not eating properly and not taking your vitamins or macronutrients properly then you may experience some hair loss which can cause baldness. Proteins are very important for our hair to grow and strengthen.

Baldness can be traumatizing so before it’s too late consult a doctor or dermatologist for proper treatment.

If you are someone who is facing severe hair loss due to androgenic alopecia or male pattern baldness then you should look for our Medicated Anti-Hair loss kit designed by our dermatologist which includes products like Minoxidil, DHT blocker Shampoo, Biotin Tablets and many more to help you in controlling your Hair Fall. To purchase these products you can visit our website at Mars by GHC.