(Health Korea News / Hye-seong Kim) The hot and humid weather in summer accelerates hair loss. This is because it promotes the proliferation of bacteria on the scalp, causing inflammation. The upcoming fall is also stressful for those suffering from hair loss. This is because the oil and moisture balance of the scalp is disrupted as the air becomes dry.
Hair loss refers to a condition in which hair falls out abnormally or hair becomes extremely thin. According to the National Health Insurance Service, the number of people suffering from hair loss in Korea is approximately 10 million. About half of them are young patients in their 10s to 30s.
In the past, hair loss was thought to be limited to middle-aged men, but recently, it is occurring regardless of age or gender, including young people and women. Alopecia areata and telogen hair loss after childbirth are common among children and women, and the number of teenage students visiting hospitals due to alopecia areata or compulsive hair pulling is increasing. Hair loss causes psychological and mental pain to those involved more than anything else.
Hair continues to be created and shed through repeated growth, regression, and resting phases. There are usually about 100,000 hairs. About 50 to 100 hairs can fall out per day, but if more than 100 hairs fall out, you should suspect alopecia.
The most common types of hair loss are alopecia areata, androgenetic alopecia, and telogen effluvium. Alopecia areata occurs in coin-shaped areas on the scalp or body, and can occur partially, but can also progress to the form of complete hair loss or complete hair loss on the entire body by combining multiple alopecia areata. The cause is unclear, but recently, it is often considered an autoimmune disease.
Androgenetic alopecia is characterized by an M-shaped pattern in men with a widened forehead line, and a sagging crown in women with a preserved forehead line. Androgenetic alopecia is often caused by genetic factors. Telogen effluvium is also a common form, occurring after physical stress such as major surgery or childbirth, or after other endocrine diseases or nutritional deficiencies.
In addition to alopecia areata, androgenetic alopecia, and telogen effluvium, hair becomes thinner and falls out more as you age, and recently, environmental pollution such as fine dust can also cause hair loss. Excessive drinking, smoking, and indiscriminate scalp massage can also worsen scalp inflammation, so if you have hair loss, it is best to reduce it as much as possible.
The earlier hair loss is treated, the better. An accurate diagnosis is essential for treatment. Through tests, it is necessary to determine whether or not there is pathological hair loss, the type of hair loss, etc.
Alopecia areata is considered a type of autoimmune disease, so blood tests are performed to check for anemia, thyroid levels, and autoimmune antibodies. Depending on the type of hair loss, follicle magnification or skin tissue examination may be performed. Depending on the affected area, topical medication may be prescribed or injection therapy may be used concurrently. A new Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor drug was recently released and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It was reported that all patients who had lost all their hair due to alopecia areata recovered after taking the drug for 6 months.
Androgenetic alopecia is affected by dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a form of male hormone. This hormone shrinks hair follicles and makes hair thinner. To suppress this, 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (drug treatment) such as finasteride and dutasteride and minoxidil (topical medicine) are primarily used. Oral minoxidil requires caution when used as it can cause hirsutism, edema, and cardiovascular side effects. Since telogen hair loss can recover naturally in some cases, it is sometimes observed and, as necessary, topical medicine is used as an auxiliary treatment.
Healthy lifestyle habits that are practiced in daily life are also important in preventing hair loss. Irregular lifestyle habits or sleep cycles can affect the growth of hair follicles and cause hair loss. Western-style eating habits such as oily foods and instant foods, and smoking are also not good for hair loss. Since early treatment is important for hair loss, if you have a family history of androgenetic alopecia, it is recommended to visit a specialist for diagnosis.
When starting hair loss treatment, many people worry about side effects, but the probability of decreased libido and erectile dysfunction due to hair loss medication is extremely low, less than 1%. Even if symptoms do occur, they often gradually disappear after about 3 months, and if symptoms persist, male function will immediately recover when the medication is stopped, so there is absolutely no need to hesitate to take it, in my opinion. (Written by Professor Hye-seong Kim, Department of Dermatology, Incheon St. Mary’s Hospital, Catholic University of Korea)
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Source: www.hkn24.com
