Hair and Scalp: Getting to the Root of Your Problems
Looking in the mirror and suddenly noticing that your hair is getting thinner, or that you’re developing a balding area, can be distressing. The good news is that there are now quite a number of options for treating hair loss, and the situation is more and more treatable the earlier it is caught and addressed by a hair doctor.
Hair loss and hair thinning can affect both men and women. The best thing you can do for yourself if you notice a change in your hair pattern is to see a hair doctor as soon as possible. This specialized physician can conduct an evaluation of your scalp and thinning hair, and provide the options that should work for you.
Let’s talk about some of the trends in hair loss and hair thinning among men and women, and where you can go for an expert assessment and treatment.
Reasons for Female Hair Loss
Hair loss in women can have many different causes, including:
- A hairstyle that tugs too much at the hair follicles, such as braids, barrettes, or ponytails
- Hairstyling products that use heat and harmful chemicals
- Medication or health treatment, such as chemotherapy
- An underlying medical condition
- Hormonal imbalance
- Poor nutrition
- Excessive stress
- Genetics
Female pattern hair loss is genetic, and it tends to start with a widening at the beginning of where the “part” of the hair is, in the front. The scalp becomes a bit more visible.
Female hair loss can also be overall hair thinning around the scalp. Plus, inflammatory skin conditions can affect the health of your scalp and contribute to hair loss, such as psoriasis and eczema.
Your hair doctor can treat the underlying cause of your hair loss, which may be able to stop and even reverse the problem.
Male Pattern Baldness and Hair Loss
Men can also suffer from genetic pattern baldness – but in the case of men, hair loss either begins in the front of the scalp as a receding hairline, or as a balding area at the crown of the head. Skin conditions can also contribute to hair loss in men, such as psoriasis, eczema, and ringworm, which can all cause scarring of the hair follicles and thereby interfere with hair growth.
As with women, medical conditions and medications can have side effects on the scalp and lead to hair thinning or receding. A diet lacking in iron and protein can also lead to thinning hair. Lifestyle choices such as smoking and heavy drinking can interfere with nutrient absorption, which can affect the health of the scalp.
Your hair doctor will conduct an assessment of your scalp, and you will discuss your options for treatment that gives you the look you want.
Top Hair Doctor in Kansas City, MO
With years of successfully treating hair loss in both men and women, renowned hair doctor Scott Darling can evaluate your scalp and your type of hair loss and provide treatment options that you prefer. Dr. Darling has noticed that hair transplants tend to work better on men because they wear hairstyles that are shorter, whereas women prefer laser therapy or PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injections to foster hair growth.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation with Dr. Darling, contact our friendly staff today by calling us at (816) 792-3400 or by completing our easy-to-use appointment request form online now. We look forward to helping you love how your hair looks!
