Normal
Hair Loss
Shedding
During the resting period of the cycle, the hair follicle is reaching
the point of detachment and the bulb of the hair shaft moves closer
to the surface of the scalp. As time passes during this period, shampooing
and other movement on the scalp will cause the hair to disengage from
the scalp. This is part of the normal shedding process. We shed an
average of 50-100 hairs per day. Under normal conditions new hairs
grow to replace each hair that has been shed, keeping the average
number of growing hairs about the same at all times. Hair loss may
involve many unknown factors, however, healthy hair is part of the
over all good health of any person and is directly related to healthy
conscientious nutrition. A well balanced diet may not interfere with
a genetic predisposition however it will support the health
and appearance of the hair that is retained on your head.
50 Hair Example:
For the first example, we have a person with about 100,000 active
hair follicles on their scalp, with a 60 month average growth period,
and a 3 month average rest period. On average they will shed about
1/63 (60 months +3 months ) of their hairs in any given month, or
about 1,500 hairs every 30 days. This works out to about 50 hairs
per day, and would be normal hair loss.
100 Hair
Example:
In our second example, a person with 120,000 active hair follicles,
a 36 month average growth period, and a 3 month average rest period,
will shed about 1/40th (36 +3) of their hairs in a given month, or
about 3,000 hairs. This works out to about 100 hairs per day, and
would be normal hair loss.
New Hairs
Grow:
Under normal conditions, approximately the same number of new hairs
will just start growing to replace the hairs that have been shed,
so the average number of growing hairs remains about the same all
the time.
Hair loss may
affect anyone at any age, Androgentic hair loss being the most common
form of hair loss. Hair loss may also be the result of an auto immune
reaction, in which a person's immune system attacks the hair follicles,
as in Alopecia Areata, Alopecia Totalis and Alopecia Universalis.
Hair loss may also be self inflicted as in Trichotillomania. Hair
and its appearance contributes greatly to our self-esteem hair
loss may be interpreted as some form of illness or a diminished vitality.
Studies have indicated that hair loss has had a detrimental effect
in the efforts of men and women persuing high profile careers as well
as children and adolescents persuing their education.