WHY AM I LOSING MY HAIR?

THE AVERAGE person will experience some amount of hair loss in their lifetime. Most persons will experience some amount of natural balding or thinning, which is a part of the ageing process. Most Jamaican women will experience their hair breaking at some time due to cosmetics and other items that they directly apply to their hair. Of course, stress can often complicate matters.

Alopecia is the medical term for ‘hair loss’. There are many causes of hair loss. The different types can be broadly categorised into scarring or non-scarring alopecia. Scarring alopecias typically have lots of symptoms,

including excessive itching, tenderness, redness, flaking and bumps developing the patch(es) of alopecia. The scalp, if not tended to quickly, will eventually scar and the likelihood of the hair growing back is very low. Non-scarring alopecia includes hair loss from the scalp in which the ostia (holes), from which the hair grows, are still present. The hair will eventually grow back but may be affected by other underlying issues, e.g., anaemia (low blood count).

The majority of women in Jamaica experience scarring alopecia. The types most encounter include traction alopecia, where hair is forcefully pulled out by the various tight hair styling techniques that put stress on our hair follicles. Another

type on the rise is central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, where there is alopecia in the crown of the scalp which then spreads outwards. The cause of this is unknown but seems to be under hormonal or metabolic influence. If both types are not treated with medication, especially the latter, the higher the possibility of your hair not growing back. It should be noted that the effects of ageing (female pattern hair loss) also complicates these types of hair loss. The majority of men in Jamaica experience male pattern baldness, which is part of the ageing process. This is a form of non-scarring alopecia that is due to inherited genes. Persons with this condition convert testosterone to dihidrotestosterone, which progressively shrinks the hair follicle. Most have some amount of recession at the temples and thinning in the crown. This can progressively spread to involve more of the scalp as the man ages. Most men in Jamaica opt to shave off their hair, but there are treatment methods available.

Treatment of your alopecia is dependent on the underlying cause. If you see no improvement with overthe-counter products within a four-month period, it is best to seek the consultation of a professional, as you may require being placed on antiinflammatory medication to stave off your hair loss. Other newer novel treatments include microneedling and platelet rich plasma. For pattern hair loss, topical minoxidil (Rogaine) and other treatment options are available. Seek help; it would be worth it in the long run.