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Common Conditions That Cause Hair Loss

 

ACauses of hair losss we age our hair can become weak and brittle, resulting in hair thinning, hair loss and even bald spots.  This can be just a normal side effect of ageing, but in some cases it can be caused be a medical condition, an unhealthy lifestyle or the continued use of certain medications.

If you are suffering from hair loss that is not age related, you may be concerned as to why this is happening.  A trip to your doctors, dermatologist or trichologist (hair specialist) will help to ease your concerns, but as a rough guide, here are some of the most common conditions that can cause hair loss.

Hereditary Hair Loss

Sometimes the way our body behaves is literally just a consequence of our genetic make up.  Hereditary hair loss is medically known as androgenetic alopecia, or male pattern baldness, and is usually the most common cause of hair loss in men. The gene can be inherited from either side of your family, and you are more likely to suffer if both your parents exhibited symptoms. The condition can start in your 20’s and can spread across the entire scalp leading to large patches of baldness.

Hyperthyroidism

The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate the body’s metabolic rate, heart and digestive function, amongst other things. If your body does not produce enough of the hormone responsible for metabolism, you can develop hypothyroidism, which will start to effect the skin, hair and nails. The condition can cause dry and brittle hair, with obvious signs of thinning over time. These symptoms are particularly prevalent in women over 50 years of age. The goods news is that hair can grow back fully after receiving treatment for hyperthyroidism.

Telogen Effluvium

Unusual, but not uncommon, this phenomenon is often reported after pregnancy, major surgery, dramatic weight loss or extreme stress.  Large amounts of hair are shed on a daily basis and symptoms usually start to appear within 3 months of a stressful event. It can also be the side effect of some medications.  In most cases the hair loss will start to slow and you can expect your hair to regain its former glory over time.  If medication is the culprit, talk to your doctor about alternative solutions.

Lupus

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the body’s own immune system attacks healthy tissues. If often attacks women during their childbearing years and symptoms include extreme fatigue, headaches, mouth ulcers, and painful, swollen joints and hair loss. You may find that you simply lose more hair when brushing, or your hair might begin to come out out in larger clumps. Loss of eyebrow, eyelash, beard and body hair also is possible. If your hair loss is accompanied by any of these symptoms, make an appointment to see your doctor to rule out Lupus.

After treatment for the condition, hair loss should slow down and eventually stop completely.

Iron Deficient Anaemia

Iron deficiency anaemia is caused by low numbers of red blood cells and is usually caused by severe blood loss or a poor diet.  If you are losing hair, or you have noticed that it is not growing at its normal rate, you may want to have your iron levels tested.  Taking iron supplements and changing your diet to include more iron-rich foods, including red meats and green vegetables, can help to slow the hair loss caused by anaemia.

RESTRAND For Hair Loss

Whatever the cause of your thinning hair, it can make you feel far less confident. RESTRAND Instant Hair Thickening Spray can instantly transform the way you look and feel about your hair.  Developed by experts to give the appearance of thicker, fuller hair, RESTRAND Instant Hair Thickening Spray is available in a variety of shades, and is applied in seconds, providing a completely undetectable solution to hair loss.

The Ultimate Guide To Hair Loss For Men

Worried about hair loss?
Worried about hair loss?

Some men go bald very early on in life, whilst others have a full head of hair until the end.  Some men embrace their baldness, whilst others try to prevent it from taking hold.  Whatever your thoughts on the matter, here is our guide to male pattern baldness and hair loss for men.

What Causes Hair Loss In Men?

Male pattern badness affects over half of men over the age of 50, and is linked to the your genetic make-up and hormonal imbalances.  It is the most common cause of baldness in men, and one that many people just accept is a natural side effect of growing older.

Male Pattern Baldness (or Androgenetic Alopecia, to give the condition its medical name),  is made up of two very distinct factors.  The first being changes in hormones that take place as we age, and the second is how prone you are to baldness based on your family history.

Chances are, if both your parents suffered (and yes, woman can suffer from pattern baldness too), then the chances of losing your own hair are dramatically increased.

Despite popular myths, male pattern baldness is not caused by stress, wearing hats, or even pulling your ponytail too tight.  It is simply something you will, or won’t suffer from depending on your own physiology.

 Do Hair Loss Treatments Work?

If you believe everything you read in the newspapers or see on TV, you probably think you can grow a whole new head of hair, just by rubbing in a wonder potion that will cure your baldness in one go!  The simple truth is that this is not the case.

Whether hair loss treatments are effective or not, really depends on the end result that you consider to be a success.  Some people simply want to stop any further hair loss, while others are looking for a miracle re-thatch that will make them look 20 years younger.

In the UK there are only 2 types of hair loss treatment available.  These are based on the following:

Minoxidil – First used on patients with heart disease where hair growth was noted as a significant side effect, this formula is considered to be effective.  It should applied twice a day, and can take up to four months for the any noticeable results to be seen.

Finasteride – This works by inhibiting the action of an enzyme in the body called type II 5-alpha reductase, thus reducing the production of the DHT hormone that can damage hair follicles and lead to hair loss in men.

Either of the above will have some side-effects to contend with including loss of sex-drive, rashes and other irritations across to the body. Neither medicine is available on the NHS, and you will need to pay for your treatment out of your own pocket.

What Do The Doctors Say?

While many in the medical profession accept that going bald can be traumatic for men at any age, many are also sceptical about miracle hair loss cures that may not show any significant improvement in the appearance of the hair.

Is There An Effective Solution For Hiding Hair Loss?

Simply put, yes there is. If you are gradually losing your hair, and are looking for a way to keep the appearance of baldness at bay there are options available to you. Of the Hair Loss Products available, RESTRAND is the go to brand. Their hair loss concealer spray is suitable for both men and women. The cutting edge formula will instantly transform the look of your hair and will cover bald patches, hair loss and general thinning.

Available in a wide range of colours to ensure a perfect match, RESTRAND Instant Hair Thickening Spray is applied in seconds and lasts until you decide to shampoo it away, perfect for added coverage whenever you need it.

Top 5 Tips for Tackling PCOS Hair Loss

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), is a condition that affects around 1 in every 5 women within the UK. While the cause of the condition hasn’t yet been identified, experts believe that it’s centred around an abnormality in hormone levels, primarily, an increased insulin level. It is believed that the body produces higher insulin levels because PCOS suffers are very resistant to the sugar controlling ability of insulin.

Due to the higher levels of insulin, more male hormones are produced, like testosterone. There are also other factors associated with PCOS, including irregular periods and polycystic ovaries, which is where the eggs in the ovaries are surrounded by follicles and the ovary is enlarged.

The increased level of male hormones is what contributes to the hair loss suffered as a result of PCOS, with hair thinning and hair loss, both being possible. However, it’s not just hair loss that sufferers of PCOS face, but increased levels of hair growth in places like the chest and face.

PCOS and hair loss
PCOS and hair loss

Our Top 5 Tips

Along with medical treatment, making changes to your lifestyle can help to treat hair loss and other symptoms that occur in women with PCOS. We have put together 5 top tips, that can all help you to feel better and start to treat PCOS.

  1. Start a Daily Routine– Daily routines introduce many factors that can help to combat PCOS. Starting an exercise routine designed to reduce testosterone levels, getting the right amount of sleep to ensure that your hormone levels are regulated, and avoiding toxins in your environment that can cause a hormone imbalance, are all essential for PCOS sufferers.

 

  1. Take Care of Your Hair– While hair care is always important, it is even more so if you have PCOS. Reducing the amount of harmful hair products that you use, not washing the oils out of your hair too frequently, and completely avoiding hairstyles that mean pulling your hair back from the scalp, can help your hair to stay in better condition.

 

  1. Change Your Diet– A healthy diet leads to a healthy body. This is especially important with PCOS, as obesity can lead to even higher levels of insulin production. A healthy diet means switching to foods that are better for your body, such as foods with high protein levels and foods with healthy fats.

 

  1. Naturally Manage Your Hormone Levels– You can help manage your hormone levels with just a few changes to your lifestyle. Switching to organic food will limit the amount of toxins that you ingest through your food. Similarly, stopping smoking and excessive alcohol intake can help you to manage your hormone production.

 

  1. Regain Your Confidence with Hair Loss Spray– Stress plays a large role in the symptoms of PCOS, so minimising your exposure to stressful situations is important. However, for many, hair loss is an extremely stressful condition. Like the hair loss spray for women, there are similar products that can help you to regain your confidence, and minimise the stress of hair loss.

Learning that you have PCOS, and then having to deal with the symptoms, can be extremely hard. But with a few changes to the way you live, and with products to help you get your confidence back, PCOS can be managed.

Reach out for Support: Hair Loss Charities in the UK

Suffering from hair loss can be an incredibly stressful and worrying time. Utilizing products, like RESTRAND Instant Hair Thickening Spray, is a great way to re-build some of that confidence that may have been lost because of the thinning of your hair. But sometimes, it can be of further help to seek the support of other people that have been in a similar situation.

Cancer hair care charity
Cancer hair care charity

The UK has a wonderful network of charities that specialise in hair loss. Whether your hair loss is a result of cancer treatment or through conditions like Alopecia, it is very important to know that there are support networks out there that can help you. There is a wide selection of UK charities that you can get into contact with, some which specialise in different conditions and ages.

Charities That Support Alopecia-Related Hair Loss

Alopecia is an auto-immune disorder that affects between 1 and 2 people per 1000 people in the UK. The condition can be both temporary or permanent, and commonly occurs in people between 15 and 29 years of age. There are a number of charities that specialise in Alopecia, and the different varieties that can result in a varying degree of hair loss.

The three main Alopecia charities in the UK are:

  • Alopecia Awareness
  • Alopecia UK
  • Alopecia World

Each charity is a little different, with Alopecia Awareness providing support groups for sufferers, Alopecia UK performing valuable research in the area of Alopecia, and Alopecia World providing an extensive support network where sufferers of hair loss can talk about their condition online. Charities like My New Hair, are also available to support both cancer-related hair loss sufferers and Alopecia sufferers, working with salons nationwide to create wigs for people that need them.

Charities That Support Cancer-Related Hair Loss

The treatment for cancer means that many people must adjust to changes with their body and the way that they feel. Hair loss can be the result of a multitude of different cancer treatments, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and hormonal therapy. If you have suffered from hair loss as a result of cancer treatment, or are concerned that your treatment could cause hair loss, there are multiple charities that you can reach out to.

The five main cancer-related hair loss charities in the UK are:

  • Cancer Hair Care
  • HeadStrong Cancer Support
  • Little Princess Trust
  • Hero by LPT
  • Walk the Walk

HeadStrong Cancer Support and Cancer Hair Care, both provide support networks where you can talk to people and learn how to prepare for hair loss, while Walk the Walk is helping to fund hair-saving caps for cancer treatment patients. Little Princess Trust and Hero by LPT, are charities that support children undergoing cancer treatment, with Little Princess Trust supporting girls and Hero by LPT supporting boys.

Helplines That Offer Support When You Need It

Along with the support provided by UK charities, there are also helplines that specialise in giving hair loss advise. BeBold and Hairline International, are two of the helplines that can be contacted if you need support with your hair loss.

Reaching out for support during hair loss is one of the best ways to adjust to your new appearance. With products like Instant hair thickening spray available, and a great support network through UK charities, there is no reason you should have to combat your condition alone.

 

 

Campaigning for Change: The MHRA and Counterfeit Treatments

These days, it’s near impossible to spend time browsing websites, or even social media, without encountering an advert that is claiming something extraordinary. These span from wonder treatments that will cause you to lose weight rapidly, to those that promise a hair loss treatment that will leave you with a full head of hair in weeks. Today, it is harder than ever to separate fact from fiction.

Many of these adverts look very professional, with medical backing and ‘examples’ of how the treatment has worked for some people. However, in many cases, these treatments are counterfeit, or the product has been compromised. Designed to look appealing to customers who are seeking a way to save a bit of money, but instead leaving them out of pocket and in a potentially harmful position.

The main defence that UK customers have against these kinds of products, is the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). In the past, the agency has primarily worked behind the scenes; identifying and seizing counterfeit products, and warning the public of scams. But, as the world of counterfeit treatments continues to grow, they have brought their Fake Meds campaign to the public for a second year.

Hair loss tablets
Hair loss tablets

Putting a Stop to Counterfeit Hair Loss Treatments

There are many official products on the market that offer treatments for hair loss, such as Instant Hair Thickener, that is proven to work and comes from a reputable company. However, there is also a large number of fake products that customers in the UK need to be made aware of. Every year, the MHRA is responsible for stopping the supply of an extensive range of different fake treatments.

In 2016, in excess of 100,000 doses of erectile disfunction medication that was unlicensed, was seized from a man in London. This was in addition to even more prescription medication. The man received an imprisonment sentence of 20 months and was also ordered to pay surcharges.

Another case, also from 2016, saw a man in Tooting imprisoned for 4 years for multiple offences. These included money laundering, but also the sale and importation of unlicensed medication. Amongst the medication were quantities of erectile disfunction medication and medication for the treatment of hair loss, some of which was counterfeit.

Supporting the Fake Meds Campaign

One of the best ways to help stop the sale of counterfeit medication, is to support the Fake Meds campaign, which uses the hashtag #FakeMeds. Along with safety tips, the campaign has introduced a yellow card system that allows the public to inform the MHRA of concerns over counterfeit medication that they may have bought. Through their website, you can check if a service that you’re considering using is registered, report suspicious suppliers, and inform them of side effects that you believe have been caused because of counterfeit medication.

The sale of counterfeit, compromised, or unlicensed medication, not only poses a risk to the public through ineffective results, but can cause a wide range of further medical issues. If you’re looking for hair loss treatment, like restrand instant hair thickener, then buying from a company that is trusted, is incredibly important.