Hair Loss Info Center

FALSE. BOTH sides of your family play a role in genetics, not just your mother’s side. The causes of hair loss can be passed down through either side of the family.

FALSE. There’s no link between hair dryers and hair loss. Just don’t use too hot of a setting, which dries out your hair, making it brittle and less healthy-looking.

FALSE. While some of these products have the potential to damage hair, they don’t affect hair follicles or hair growth cycles. Harsh chemicals like relaxers, however, can potentially damage hair follicles.

FALSE. Excessive hair brushing can actually stress your hair and make it more likely to break. Boar-bristle or ball-tipped brushes are recommended as the most gentle to use on your hair.

FALSE. While many people believe hats contribute to hair loss, there is absolutely NO evidence, scientific or otherwise, to support this notion. Many people wear hats simply to hide their hair loss.

FALSE. Hair growth is genetically programmed. Your growth rate isn’t affected one way or the other by close clipping, shaving, trimming, or cutting.

FALSE. Actually, it’s most likely the opposite. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the main culprit in hair loss, is a metabolite of testosterone, a hormone that is most critical to men’s sex drive.

FALSE. Your follicles are pre-programmed to grow in their own unique way. Lying on one side or the other won’t affect that.

FALSE. It’s normal to for some hair to fall out every day as a result of the normal hair growth cycle. Towel-drying does not cause actual hair loss.

FALSE. There are many viable solutions ranging from hair therapy treatment, hair replacement to hair transplant surgery. DesignX offers all of these and will help you determine which one is right for you. Give us a call, email us or submit an inquiry to schedule a free, private consultation that includes a microscopic hair and scalp analysis.

Androgenetic Alopecia is the most common form of hair loss for men, representing about 90% of all hair loss cases in males.  The result is either a receding hairline or thinning hair at the top and crown of the head.  Losing your hair can feel like a struggle you’re battling alone.  However, it is important to keep in mind that:

About 40 million men are experiencing male pattern baldness in this country.
At least half of all men will experience hair loss of some kind by the age of 50.
After age 50, the number of men experiencing male pattern baldness climbs significantly, since hair loss is progressive.

Though hair loss is typically associated with males, a significant percentage of females experience hair loss as well.  More than 40 million men and nearly 30 million women suffer from hair loss in the U.S. today.  While both sexes are susceptible to hair loss, the pattern in which the hair is lost differs in men and women.

Male pattern baldness can begin at a very early age, even as young as the teens or early 20’s. Signs of male pattern baldness include a receding hairline at the temples and thinning at the top or crown of the head, which can eventually result in baldness.  Female hair loss usually consists of an overall thinning of the hair in a diffuse manner, leading to increased scalp exposure.

DesignX thoroughly understands these differences.  Our treatments and solutions for men are uniquely designed only for men.  And our hair loss treatments and solutions designed for women specifically address a woman’s discriminating needs.

Women are susceptible to certain unique medical factors that may cause them to experience hair loss unexpectedly and/or on a temporary basis. In many cases, hair loss is temporary with women whereby the normal pattern of hair growth continues once the medical or hormonal cause is no longer an issue. However, in cases where hair loss is permanent and not necessarily attributed to a temporary medical or hormonal condition, it is critically important to address the problem immediately to begin restoring your hair and curbing any further hair loss. Our team is experienced with the many possible causes of hair loss in women and will help develop a personalized treatment to rejuvenate your hair.

Some of the most common causes of hair loss in women include:

• Androgenetic Alopecia.  Androgens are male hormones that are typically present in small amounts. Any number of factors may cause androgenetic alopecia: high androgen birth control pills, ovarian cysts, hormones, menopause and pregnancy are all potential causes.
• Hormonal Imbalances.  Hormonal imbalances can occur during menopause, postpartum, chemotherapy treatments, stress, depression, or as part of a disorder such as Alopecia Areata.
• Medication.  Certain over-the-counter and prescription medication can contribute to temporary hair loss.  Medications for blood pressure, heart conditions, birth control and depression have been known to cause hair loss.
• Chemical hair relaxers.  Hair relaxers can damage hair and cause hair loss.
• Tight hair braiding.  Pulling hair too tight can damage the hair follicle, preventing hair from growing back properly.
• Hair pulling.  Hair loss can result from a compulsive hair pulling disorder such as Trichotillomania.
• Poor nutrition.  Eating the wrong foods or getting insufficient nutrition can lead to hair loss.
• Genetics or aging.  If your family has a history of hair loss, you are more likely to have it as well. The likelihood of hair loss also increases with age.

Hair loss can develop as a result of one or a combination of different factors.  Some of these may cause only temporary hair loss while others result in chronic hair loss problems.  Some of the common causes include:

• Stress from illness or surgery.  This is generally a temporary condition.
• Hormonal imbalances.  An overactive or underactive thyroid gland, as well as anomalies in androgen or estrogen levels, can cause hair loss.  Women in particular may experience hair loss after having a baby, although this is typically temporary.
• Medication. Medications for blood pressure, heart conditions, birth control and depression have been known to cause hair loss.
• Infection. Fungal infections, in particular, have been known to cause hair loss.  Fortunately, they are treatable with medication.
• Disease.  Hair loss can sometimes be an early sign of an undiagnosed condition such as lupus and diabetes.
• Age or heredity.  Genes can play a major role in whether or not you experience hair loss. If someone in your family has experienced it, it increases the odds you will too. Additionally, hair loss is a common effect of aging.

In many cases, by the time you realize you’re losing your hair, you’ve already lost as much as 50% of your hair.  Hair loss comes in many forms.  The most common is the receding of the hair line or a thinning crown common in Androgenetic Alopecia or “male pattern baldness”.

Additionally, hair loss may also occur in patches (a result of conditions such as Trichotillomania, Traction Alopecia, and Alopecia Areata), or it may affect the entire scalp, as is often the case during cancer treatments that include radiation and chemotherapy.

It is important to note that some hair loss is normal.  In fact, the average person loses between 50 and 100 hairs per day from the scalp.

A common form of hair loss in both men and women. For men, it is also referred to as male pattern baldness, characterized by the thinning or loss of hair above the temples and/or the crown of the head. Often, a horseshoe pattern of hair around the sides and back of the head may remain, or hair may continue to fall out resulting in total baldness over time.

The complete loss of all scalp and body hair.

The complete loss of all scalp hair.

Generally caused by an abnormality in which the immune system attacks particular tissues of the body. In alopecia areata, for unknown reasons, the body’s own immune system attacks the hair follicles and disrupts normal hair formation. Biopsies of affected skin show immune cells inside of the hair follicles where they are not normally present. What causes this is unknown. Alopecia areata is sometimes associated with other autoimmune conditions such as allergic disorders, thyroid disease, vitiligo, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and ulcerative colitis. Sometimes, alopecia areata occurs within family members, suggesting a role of genes and heredity.

Another name for and regularly associated with Alopecia Areata.

A form of alopecia areata in which hair loss occurs in a wave-like pattern encircling the head.

A hair loss condition caused by damage to the papilla and hair follicle by constant pulling or tension over a long period. It often occurs in people who wear tight braids, especially “cornrows”, which can result in high tension, pulling and breakage of hair.

A form of Traction Alopecia in which hair loss occurs at the crown. It commonly occurs when hair is styled in a tight bun.

A condition in which there is no hair growth. Unlike alopecia, which describes hair loss where formerly there was hair growth, hypotrichosis describes a situation where there wasn’t any hair growth in the first place.

Hair loss happens when follicles are prematurely pushed into the “resting stage” of growth due to stress or illness.

A psychological disorder in which a person compulsively pulls out their own hair resulting in noticeable hair loss.

A disease that generally affects the skin and mouth, it can cause redness, irritation, and in some cases, permanent hair loss.

A defect in the hair fiber, it is characterized by fraying and swelling nodes as well as spots along the length of the hair fiber due to the absence of a cuticle layer.

Excessive growth of thick or dark hair in women in locations that are more typical of male hair patterns (for example, mustache, beard, central chest, shoulders, lower abdomen, back, and inner thighs). Hypertrichosis is an increase in hair growth anywhere on the body in men and women, typically resulting from an overproduction of male hormones from tumors or the use of certain drugs. It may be accompanied by acne, a deepened voice, and male-pattern hair loss.

A bacterial infection and irritation of the hair follicle, it is one of the most common of all skin infections. Although usually trivial, it can produce extensive disease. It may be superficial or deep and it causes the formation of a pustule or inflammatory nodule surrounding the hair. The infected hairs may be easily removed.

There are many hair loss products on the market, some more legitimate than others.  The problem is, unless they contain Minoxidil or Finasteride, they will not grow new hair.  They typically only thicken and volumize your hair to give you the illusion that there is new hair growth when there isn’t.  The products and medications that do contain minoxidil or finasteride are successful in about 85% to 90% of the cases in terms of at least stopping your current hair loss and/or growing new hair from living follicles.  Each person responds differently to hair loss medications and products based on a number of factors, including the cause of hair loss, degree of hair loss, age, lifestyle, and health.  As such, these proven products may not specifically work for some people.

Minoxidil (a topical medication) and Finasteride (an oral medication) are the most popular hair loss medications/drugs and are the only ones that (1) are FDA approved and (2) have been proven to stop hair loss and/or grow new hair from living follicles.  While they can be effective for most, they may not work for everyone.  Most importantly, any results gained using them will be lost once you stop using them; therefore, continued and ongoing use is recommended.

Hair loss can have a significant impact on your self-image and your confidence.  If you are experiencing hair loss symptoms and are considering treatment, our treatment experts can help you determine the factors affecting your hair growth to prescribe the most effective treatment possible.  We have experience treating all types of male and female hair loss causes and can help personalize your treatment to achieve the desired results and re-establish your confident lifestyle.