10 Reasons for
Hair Loss Alopecia Lupus Hairstyles Heat & Chemicals Cornrows
Only For Hair Care Professionals
Top 10 Reasons for
Hair Loss A Medical Guide for Hair Stylists & Hair Care Professionals Alopecia Areata
Lupus
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Page 13
Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia
Male and Female Pattern Baldness Page 28
Ringworm & Bacterial Infections
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Central Centrifugal Scarring Alopecia Page 26
Traction Alopecia
Neurodermatitis
Telogen Effluvium
Lichen Planopilaris
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Page 38
Page 44
Page 46
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http://MedicalHairProfessionals.com
If you’re a hair care professional or involved in the make-up or beauty industry, you know how critical healthy hair is to your clients. This magazine, written by a dermatologist, outlines and illustrates the 10 Most Common causes of hair loss. Learn today, so you can help your clients tomorrow.
Seymour M. Weaver III, M.D.
About This Magazine This magazine briefly covers an overview of 10 common types of hair loss. Master these, and you will be well on your way to providing addi?onal benefits to your clients related to medical condi?ons in addi?on to your beauty skills as a hair care professional. We look forward to providing you more medical ?ps as part of your Medical Hair Professionals membership. For more informa?on about us please visit:
MedicalHairProfessionals.com
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Seymour M. Weaver, III M.D Board Cer4fied Dermatologist Founder of Medical Hair Professionals
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(TOP) Alopecia Areata. This is a type of hair loss that occurs when your immune system mistakenly a;acks your hair follicles. It is one of the most devasta?ng hair losses people can experience because their hair oCen comes out in clumps, resul?ng in totally smooth, round, hairless patches on the scalp. In rare cases total loss of all body hair (eyebrows, pubic and body hair as well as on the scalp) occurs. The hair loss oCen comes and goes. Hair may grow back, but will oCen fall out in another area. Hair usually grows back in 6 months to a year, but may be a different texture and color.
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Stylist to the Rescue How Can a Hair Stylist Help a Client with Alopecia Areata? Don’t Underes?mate Your Ability to Help Your Clients
One of the best parts of being a hair stylist or barber is that moment when you spin that chair to face the mirror and show a client the great hair style you’ve just done and the client’s face lights up. Everyone loves to look their best, and hair professionals get help their clients achieve that. It’s hugely sa?sfying, but it can also be hugely challenging when the client has a condi?on that causes hair loss, such as alopecia areata. Alopecia areata causes the hair to come out in patches, which is obviously very upseMng. What happens is that the immune system aNacks the hair follicles leading to the development of smooth bald patches. Alopecia areata most oOen strikes men and women in their 20s, leaving smooth, round bald spots, however it can occur at any age. Normally the hair regrows in less than year, but in some cases it simply never returns. In extreme cases, it results in complete baldness of the scalp which is referred to as Alopecia Totalis. Hair regrowth is also less likely if there is a family history of the condi?on or another autoimmune disorder.
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Alopecia Areata
Alopecia is the medical term for the loss of hair from the head or body. For those suffering from the loss, the psychological pain is far more profound than any physical pain they may suffer. Many women and men who suffer from this condi?on oCen turn to their hairstylist or hair care professional before they seek a doctor’s diagnosis. This is why a hair stylist or hair care professional is oCen the cri?cal person in their client’s life. When you’re educated about what’s happening with your client’s hair you’re in the best place to help them get the treatment they need.
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Alopecia Areata How to Help a Client with Alopecia Areata Barbers and hair stylists are oOen?mes the first point of contact before the doctor. If a client men?ons being upset about hair loss and it sounds like he or she has not seen the doctor about it, hair stylists and barbers would be doing that client a big favor by poin?ng out that the doctor, specifically dermatologist is the one who helps with hair regrowth and even more importantly discover what is causing the hair loss. While It is not the role of the hair stylist or barber to diagnose anyone, it is perfectly appropriate for you to become familiar with medical causes of hair loss and if you see the signs of a problem, especially if the client has expressed concern, you can certainly direct the client to a medical professional. In the mean?me, barbers and hair stylists can do a lot to help alopecia areata sufferers cope with the condi?on by guiding them to styles that minimize the visibility of the bald spots. Perms and camouflage agents can help with this in the short term. It would be best to avoid hair pieces since the patches can appear anywhere on the scalp without warning.
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Alopecia areata can cause a lot of distress, especially when the sufferers are very young. Naturally, people in their 20s are more concerned with having a great, trendy hair style than about preserving their hair and can be really shocked to see patches of hair loss develop. A trusted and
knowledgeable hair stylist or barber who can reassure them, encourage them to seek medical aNen?on and provide a stylish look to keep them confident about their appearance can be a real help to alopecia areata sufferers. Since Alopecia Areata starts under the skin surface, grooming and styling techniques do not usually make the condi?on itself any worse.
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Lupus
Lupus involving hair, scalp and ear
Lupus is La4n for WOLF. It may sound like a strange name to give to a disease, but considering the history of it, it’s really not. Lupus is characterized by a dis4nc4ve, disk shaped rash. Once the rash is full-‐ blown, it begins to heal from the inside out, leaving what looks like a bite-‐type imprint as it does so. In the 18th century, when lupus was just star4ng to be recognized as a disease, that bite type mark was thought to be caused by the bite of a wolf. We know today that Lupus has nothing to do with wolves and bites, but everything to do with an autoimmune disease that causes hair problems and can oPen involve the scalp, skin and other parts of the body as well.
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Lupus What Do Hair Stylists Need to Know About Lupus Related Hair Loss? Hair Loss Might Be the First Lupus Symptom that Pa4ents Seek Help to Treat The autoimmune disease lupus has many symptoms, but some are vague and sufferers might not seek help for general fa?gue, joint pain or a chronic low grade fever thinking they just need to rest more. Hair loss, however, can light a fire under people, especially younger people. Lupus causes hair loss and a rash, and there are some special changes on the scalp to look for. As a hair stylist, you are likely to encounter clients with lupus sooner or later, so it’s best to be prepared with some knowledge.
Two Types of Lupus There are two types of lupus, and both are gene?c and not contagious. Both cause hair loss in slightly different ways.
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Discoid lupus is a form of lupus that affects the skin and a rash develops, oOen?mes on the scalp associated with hair loss. The rash will usually have red, brown, or white areas of discolora?on on the scalp as well as enlarged hair follicles with dark specks referred to as follicular plugging. When the condi?on progresses to scarring it prevents new hair growth. Similar changes frequently occur inside of the ears so it can be possible to tell that someone has lupus when the rash occurs there as well.
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Systemic lupus is the form of lupus that affects the internal organs of the body with or without skin involvement. The changes of discoid lupus can be present or absent as well as diffuse shedding and thinning when the systemic disease itself flares up. The hair normally grows back when the lupus is controlled.
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Some of the medica?ons used to treat lupus can also cause hair loss, but in those cases the hair should eventually grow back if and when the pa?ent can reduce or stop the par?cular drug. Of course, the stress of living with lupus and being ill in general do nothing to help promote healthy hair growth.
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Lupus More to Consider Lupus sufferers can develop intense rashes, especially when exposed to enough sunlight. Those rashes primarily affect exposed areas, including the scalp. If you know a client has lupus, remember that her scalp might be very sensi?ve to chemical treatments, heat and brushing. Talk to your client about styles that minimize discomfort when she has a lupus rash on her scalp. While no clinical studies have been done, I am of the opinion that it would be best to avoid chemicals and excessive heat as much as possible for a client with ac?ve lupus lesions on the scalp. Women are more likely to get lupus than men, and some ethnic groups are at greater risk than others, but if you are a professional hair stylist, you will almost
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certainly have a client with lupus at some point during your career.
In fact, you could even play a role in a client being correctly diagnosed if she comes to you about hair loss before seeing her doctor about other symptoms.
Lupus Follicular Plugging
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Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia
Receding Hairline or Autoimmune Disorder? Can You Tell the Difference Between an Ordinary Receding Hairline and Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia? Many men expect their hairline to recede a bit with middle age, but few women have the same expecta?on. Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia is a rare disorder that causes hair loss along the front of the hair line and some?mes affects the eyebrows.
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While it primarily affects women, men can suffer from it as well. One of the characteris?cs of this condi?on is that the hairline moves back further, and further, and further as ?me goes by. Scien?sts are not sure of the exact cause of this condi?on, but it appears
mostly in post-‐menopausal women and may be linked to a hormone imbalance. However, it can also develop in females in their 20’s and 30’s so these ladies have to be considered as well. There is also some evidence that it is an autoimmune response. It is possible that Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia is a varia?on of Lichen Planopilaris. It is a primary cicatricial alopecia, which means that hair follicles are replaced by scar ?ssue as the condi?on progresses. This is a very rare condi?on, but professional hair stylists and barbers should s?ll be aware of it, especially those whose cliental includes a lot of middle age or older women. What Happens? Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia involves inflamma?on of the scalp around the forehead. The skin may be slightly pale, and some scars may be visible. If the inflamma?on is ac?ve, the skin may appear reddish, or purple with puffiness around the hair follicles. The inflamma?on damages the hair follicles, which become scarred to the point where hair cannot grow. The hair loss is very slow and gradual, and it normally stabilizes. It can affect the eyebrows as well, and even in some cases, the armpits. What Can Be Done? An?-‐inflammatory medica?on may help by preven?ng the condi?on from
geMng worse, but there is unfortunately no real cure at this point. However, early treatment and interven?on can help heal the damaged areas and save as much hair as possible. In a nutshell, medical science can’t offer an answer as to why your clients are suffering from Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia, but hair stylists can help by guiding their clients to styles that make the hair loss less obvious. The last thing to do is wear styles that can cause more hair loss by risking trac?on alopecia. Instead, styles that keep the hair loose at the front of the scalp, par?cularly with bangs, can do a lot to boost the client’s confidence and self-‐esteem. Hair loss can be a real blow to anyone, and women generally take pride in their hair. Combine hair loss and signs of aging such as menopause, and a woman can begin to feel quite down about her appearance. That’s where a good stylist has a chance to make a real difference. Your clients depend on you to look good and feel good about how they look. When they are hit with hair loss, you will be their first point of contact for real help. Knowing that condi?ons such as this exist and the benefit of early diagnosis and treatment can help you to guide your clients along the right path.
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Scalp Pyoderma and Secondary Impetigo
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Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia
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Female Pattern Baldness
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Central Centrifugal Alopecia
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No longer called hot comb alopecia It affects thousands of women, but researchers still don’t know what causes it . . .
Central Centrifug 24
al Scarring Alopecia 25
Central Centrifugal Scarring Alopecia What Hair Professionals Need to Know about Central Centrifugal Scarring Alopecia It’s Gone by Many Names, but the Cause Is S?ll Uncertain
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If you’ve never heard the term central centrifugal scarring alopecia, it doesn’t mean you’ve never seen this type of hair loss condi?on. Thousands of women, many of African American heritage silently suffer with this condi?on, and the numbers are increasing on a daily basis. Men can get it, but that is rare. The name has changed as science has learned more about this type of hair loss, but researchers have yet to pin down a single or simple cause. This type of hair loss has gone by many names since first being iden?fied in the 1950s. Hot comb alopecia was the first term used because it appeared to be caused by burns from hot oil. Researchers later realized that some African Americans who never or only rarely hot combed their hair experienced the condi?on and renamed it follicular degenera?on syndrome. Today it is known as central centrifugal scarring alopecia or central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia.
By any name, this type of hair loss, which involves scarring and hair loss spreading from the top of the head in a symmetrical paNern, is extremely upseMng and unwelcome.
Possible Causes and Contribu4ng Factors While there is not conclusive proof, many researchers suspect that hair straightening methods that involve chemicals or heat are at least par?ally to blame. Gene?cs are another possible factor. It seems likely that women with a gene?c predisposi?on to central centrifugal scarring alopecia can trigger the condi?on by using harsh chemicals or heat on their hair regularly for a long period of ?me. While overly ?ght braids and styles can cause trac?on alopecia, they are not responsible for this type of hair loss, which involves scarred hair follicles. Tight braiding, however, can aggravate central centrifugal scarring alopecia and it is possible for an individual to have both
together. Some researchers have also suggested that African American hair is par?cularly vulnerable to damage because it is fragile. Central centrifugal scarring alopecia is a progressive condi?on without a cure. Once it starts, it will get worse over ?me. Many individuals recall no?cing a small area of hair loss about the size of a dime which progressed over a period of years to involve 40% to 60% of the middle por?on of the scalp. In extreme cases, 80% of the hair on the scalp can be lost. Clearly this is a situa?on where preven?on isn’t just beNer than a cure, it is the only op?on. And with what is known, that means geMng a medical diagnosis as early as possible and not overdoing the heat and chemical straighteners. It’s a compelling argument for natural hair. Once the damage is done it is permanent, so op?ng for natural hair won’t cause the hair to regrow, but it can drama?cally slow the progress of the hair
loss. Free hair styles can also minimize the appearance of the bald area. A hair stylist familiar with working with natural African American hair can do a lot to help clients avoid central centrifugal scarring alopecia. One word of cau?on, I recently cared for a pa?ent who never used chemicals and wore her hair natural, but s?ll developed a severe version of this condi?on. This is one condi?on you should learn to recognize as early as possible; your clients need your help! Avoid the tempta?on to give your client a quick fix by covering up these spots with a hair piece. Untreated the condi?on will con?nue to spread and one day there will not be any hair leO to aNach the hair piece to.
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Male Pattern Baldness Baldness is Not Just Male PaUern Baldness Not Just for Men Don’t Be Fooled by the Name – Androgenic Alopecia Affects Women Too Androgenic alopecia is the medical term for what most of us know as male paNern baldness, but it affects women too in the form of female paNern baldness. Call it what you like – male paNern baldness, female paNern baldness or androgenic alopecia – no one likes losing hair! As a hair stylist or barber, you may be the first person a client shares his or her concern with. In fact, given your vantage point as you work on a client’s hair, you might even no?ce the hair loss before the client does.
What Exactly Is Androgenic Alopecia? This type of hair loss is gene?c, so people who know what their parents’ hair looked like past middle age should not be too surprised to find themselves following suit. It can start at a younger age, as early as the 20s. For the most part, men start to show signs of androgenic alopecia earlier than women, who don’t oOen experience this condi?on un?l their 40s. Although the term androgenic alopecia is used to describe this type of gene?c hair loss in both men and women, it does not follow the same course for both sexes. •
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Male PaNern Baldness: In men, the hair loss generally begins much earlier, in the 20s and 30s. It is characterized by a receding hairline and thinning hair that progresses to areas of complete baldness in a variety of paNerns.
Female Pattern Baldness a Worry for Men
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Female PaNern Baldness: In women, the hair begins to thin in the 30s, 40s or later. The hair thins primarily in the middle third of the scalp, but does not usually become completely bald as it does in men. Many females complain of being able to see through their scalp as a result of this condi?on and that is what really bothers them the most. CombaYng Androgenic Alopecia
Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent this type of hair loss, but those affected can minimize the problem through a few different approaches. Some people with androgenic alopecia will have some success with different approaches, and some will only see very minimal results. •No lifestyle change will prevent androgenic alopecia, but one can certainly make some improvements to make sure nothing else is promo?ng hair loss. Following a healthy diet, geMng enough rest and relaxa?on, and avoiding anything that damages the scalp will help anyone keep their hair as healthy as possible. •The right hair style can make the thinning areas less no?ceable, but clearly the comb-‐ over fools no one when hair loss has reached a certain point. •Topical Minoxidil is an FDA approved treatment for androgene?c alopecia and is available in a variety of products usually in a 2% concentra?on for females and 5% concentra?on for males. The earlier this product is used, the beNer. Once complete
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Male & Female Pattern Baldness baldness is present the response rate becomes very low. Over the counter remedies can be applied to the scalp, and •
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Addi?onal prescrip?on medica?ons can be taken orally by men with fairly good success. But the medica?ons available to women do not provide the same degree of improvement as with men and cannot be used in women trying to get pregnant, because of the risk of birth defects.
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Laser treatments in the form of combs and hoods are another FDA approved treatment process that can be of benefit. Again, the earlier treatment is started, the beNer.
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Hair graOs, toupees and wigs can also be used to disguise baldness, but some
people will actually look beNer with less hair than with a hairpiece. •
Of course, many men who develop androgene?c baldness choose to shave their heads completely and go with a bald masculine look. This hair style has not caught on with women.
Barbers and hair stylists are on the front lines with clients who are concerned about hair loss of all types, including androgenic alopecia. But it is gra?fying to be able to boost someone’s confidence with the right hair style and moral support.
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Ringworm & Bacterial Infections Do You Know the Two Common Types of Infec4ous Alopecia? Use Care with These Contagious Condi?ons
Hair loss has many causes, and one of them is infec?on. If the scalp and hair follicles become infected, alopecia can be the result. This type of hair loss is treatable, but it is also contagious. Hair care professionals need to be aware the types of infec?ous alopecia and take care to properly clean equipment and protect themselves from exposure. Different types of fungal and bacterial infec?ons can lead to hair loss, and these condi?ons need medical aNen?on. In an otherwise healthy person, they are normally not that difficult to treat although it gets trickier if they spread through a large family.
Ringworm or Tinea Capi4s Ringworm is very contagious and can be spread by contaminated combs as well as skin to skin contact, but thankfully it does not involve worms! Also known as ?nea capi?s, this fungal infec?on is caused by organisms similar to those that cause ringworm infec?ons on the
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body. Hair is lost in a ring shape, hence the name. It isn’t preNy. Ringworm symptoms include scaly, red patches on the scalp that blister and ooze. The hair becomes extremely briNle and breaks off as the follicles become damaged. The most common organism that causes ringworm infec?ons of the scalp can also cause patches that are dry like dandruff, without the ring shaped hair loss. So, you should be aware that other possible versions exist. The treatment depends on which of many possible funguses are involved, however oral medica?on for 4, 6, or 8 weeks is usually necessary to clear this type of infec?on from the scalp.
Folliculi4s Folliculi?s is usually recognized by the presence of pustules with a hair follicle in the middle. While not all types of folliculi?s are infec?ous, the majority of the ?me a bacterial infec?on is usually to blame for this
(Top) Ringworm on the skin (Right) Infectious Alopecia Bacterial and fungal infection
condi?on. Folliculi?s looks like acne, and in severe cases the hair follicle can be permanently damaged, which leads to small bald spots and scarring. Of par?cular concern is the presence of methicillin resistant staph aureus (MRSA) infec?ons of the scalp in a significant number of individuals with folliculi?s. These infec?ons are fairly contagious and can cause significant pain and irrita?on. A bacterial culture from the scalp is necessary to iden?fy these organisms as well
as the proper type of an?bio?c treatment required to get the infec?ons to clear. If you have a client with pustules or crusted areas around the hair follicles on their scalp, encourage them to get medical evalua?on right away. These condi?ons are par?cularly challenging for hair care professionals because they are contagious and pose a risk of spreading to the stylist by direct contact.
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Traction Alopecia “Traction alopecia is one of the most common forms of hair loss among women, particularly among African American women, but the good news is that it is entirely preventable.”
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Many popular hairstyles that involve tight braids, ponytails or other techniques that can lead to Traction Alopecia look great —until it’s too late.
Trac?on Alopecia: The Good News and the Bad News How to Help Your Clients Before It’s Too Late
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Traction Alopecia Every hair stylist has seen the damage done to hair by wearing it ?ghtly braided or pulled back over a long period of ?me. The receding hairlines and ever-‐ widening parts are typical of trac?on alopecia. Although trac?on alopecia is most prevalent among African American women because of the popularity of ?ghtly braided styles, it can affect anyone of any ethnic group who wears her hair pulled back with too much force, whether it is in a single ponytail or elaborate cornrows. Many women grew up with the no?on that hair styling hurt, and they just had to put up with it. As liNle girls, their hair was pulled ?ghtly and their complaints ignored. It was simply considered part of the female experience. Those no?ons are changing as knowledge about trac?on alopecia is growing.
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Also, as more men wear braided hair styles this condi?on is being seen in them as well. The Good News about Trac4on Alopecia Trac?on alopecia is one of the most common forms of hair loss among women, par?cularly among African American women, but the good news is that it is en?rely preventable. There is no gene?c or hormonal factor. It is not related to any problem with the hair growth cycle. It really is down to the hair being pulled out. Trac?on alopecia can be prevented with proper hair care and styling. It is easy to tell if a hair style is too ?ght. If it hurts, it is too ?ght. If you see liNle bumps, with scaling, flaking or pustules along the parts, it is too ?ght; this represents a condi?on called trac?on folliculi?s. If the hairline is receding and the parts seem wider, it is too ?ght.
Happily, it is not necessary to give up braiding to prevent trac?on alopecia. Simply leave the braids a liNle looser close to the scalp. Likewise for puffs or ponytails – just leave them a liNle looser. They may need to be redone more oOen, but that’s a small price to pay to prevent hair loss. Leaving the hair free and out of a style for a day or two between styles will also help. Early medical treatment for trac?on folliculi?s can help to stop the inflamma?on and get the scalp to heal before scarring occurs.
never return to their former, undamaged state. Taking a different approach to hair styling can prevent further damage and make the hair loss less obvious, but there is no pill or po?on that will make it grow back to its pre-‐damaged state. Extensions, weaves and wigs can disguise trac?on alopecia, but these tac?cs should be used with care to avoid making the hair loss worse.
The Bad News About Trac4on Alopecia There is no real cure. If the hair style is not changed when the bumps first start developing around the hair follicles, then things can take a turn for the worse. It is not simply a maNer of the hair being pulled out. Over ?me, the hair follicles become scarred, and once that happens they will
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Severe Neurodermatitis of Posterior Scalp 38
Neurodermatitis may begin with something as simple as something that rubs, irritates, or scratches the skin, such as clothing. The irritation and itching causes the person to rub or scratch the affected area which results in more itching which results in more scratching. This then causes the skin to thicken making the skin itch, causing more scratching, causing more thickening. One affected area can rapidly spread through the body.
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Neurodermatitis of the Which Comes First, the Itch or the Scratch? It can start as a nervous habit or a reac?on to an irrita?ng tag on clothing, an insect bite or something else that rubs the skin, but when a person scratches that spot too much, it causes further irrita?on and develops into a stubborn itchy rash called neuroderma??s. For unknown reasons, the scalp is a very common loca?on for this disorder to occur. It isn’t an easy cycle to break, and neuroderma??s of the scalp is a par?cularly tough problem. If you are working on someone’s hair, you will no?ce if they have a serious case of neuroderma??s of the scalp. However, when the problem first starts, the scalp can look perfectly normal, even though the itching can be extremely severe. With chronic ac?vity, the skin
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becomes thick, darkened and irritated in patches. Neuroderma??s of the scalp and on any other parts of the body, tends to involve limited localized spots rather than spreading. With con?nued scratching on the scalp, hair loss develops with patches of short broken off hair. Breaking the Cycle of Neuroderma44s of the Scalp
This is a problem for a doctor, but it is helpful for barbers and hair stylists to know about neuroderma??s of the scalp and how it is treated. Be aware that many ?mes your client will complain about itching and the scalp looks ok. •Stress is oOen an underlying factor. The scratching becomes a
Scalp: A Cycle
Neurodermatitis of Posterior Scalp
nervous habit, and people don’t realize they are doing it. So iden?fying stress factors and finding solu?ons for stress management is an important part of stopping the itch/ scratch cycle of neuroderma??s. •
Itchiness is a factor too, and needs to be addressed. Topical medica?ons are prescribed to be applied to the scalp as well as oral an?-‐itch meds plus injec?ons of an?-‐inflammatory medica?on into the bothersome spots. The goal is to control the itching so sufferers can work on stopping the scratching and leMng the skin heal.
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Avoiding irritants is important because they will increase the itching and also irritate the sore skin of affected areas, causing further damage. Be very careful selec?ng hair products to use on clients with neuroderma??s of the scalp.
Itchiness and sore irritated skin are not the only problems caused by
neuroderma??s of the scalp. If the scratching isn’t controlled, the skin can become thickened and darkened. Tackling neuroderma??s of the scalp early is the best plan so scarring and hair loss – as well as a lot of misery from itchy, sore, infected skin – can be prevented. While a doctor’s care (and prescrip?on pad) are usually necessary to cure this condi?on, a suppor?ve hair stylist or barber can make sure not to cause any further irrita?on by avoiding harsh chemicals or excessive brushing and combing while the skin is sore or in the process of healing. Once the condi?on is under control, hair strengtheners and condi?oners can help protect the new hair growth un?l it catches up with the normal areas of growth.
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Is it simply A Dry Scalp or that could cause your Permanently Bald? 42
If you’re a Stylist or a Hair Care Professional, You’re a Hero and a Life saver. Your clients depend on you to tell them when their hair isn’t as healthy as it could be, or when it appears to be getting thinner, or looks “off” somehow. They turn to you for advice when they think they have dandruff, or when their scalp just won’t stop itching.
something client to go
Did you realize that what looks like “no big deal,” could be the beginning of your client’s permanent hair loss? Find out the signs, symptoms and causes of the 10 ten reasons for hair loss on the Internet at: www.MedicalHairProfessionals.com and www.DrSeymourWeaver.com
Dr. Weaver is a Board-Certified Dermatologist in Houston, Texas
Telogen Effluvium: No Reason to Panic This Condi?on Is UpseYng – But Temporary
It is not exactly news to most professional hair stylists and barbers that hair grows in cycles, and that each hair follicle has its own cycle, which includes periods of growth and periods of rest. But as we age, those cycles slow down and if a large percentage of our hair hits the res?ng period – the telogen period – at the same ?me the short-‐term result can be thinning hair. And that can cause clients to panic.
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When a client sheds hair excessively, it’s great to be able to reassure them that their hair is going through a phase, although it is a bit longer than a bad hair day! Telogen is characterized by the loss of 200, 300 or more hairs per day and can last eight to twelve months, which can feel a lot longer to a client wai?ng for that new growth to start showing up while seeing more hair going down the drain with every shampoo or shower.
Typically the hairs that are lost have white ?ps on the end which are characteris?c of club hairs. A number of condi?ons can contribute to this type of hair loss including, childbirth, illnesses with high fever, rapid weight loss, surgical opera?ons, thyroid disease, and anemia.
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Do encourage your client to enjoy a healthy lifestyle with enough of the right proteins and stress-‐bus?ng ac?vi?es. Some type of major stress to the body is always associated with Telogen Effluvium.
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Don’t make light of the upset this can cause some people. Excessively shedding hair can trigger a host of worries about appearance and aging. Some of your clients might be genuinely upset about telogen effluvium.
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Do try to monitor how long the hair thinning con?nues. If it goes on longer than several months, encourage your client to see a doctor about it.
Telogen Effluvium Do’s and Don’ts •
Do help clients find a way to style their hair that makes the shedding of hair loss as unno?ceable as possible.
•
Don’t agree too quickly to a radical change such as hair weaves or extensions that can’t be quickly undone.
•
Do reassure them that telogen effluvium is a common and temporary problem that will probably solve itself in a period of months as long as the original cause is corrected.
•
Don’t discourage clients from seeing a doctor about the condi?on, no maNer how certain you are that it is just plain old telogen effluvium.
Telogen effluvium isn’t fun, but it not a reason to panic. If the excessive shedding of hair really is due to this condi?on, there is no reason for a client to rush out looking for extensions. That won’t really help the problem. Telogen effluvium is normally a short term problem, so a short term solu?on is all that is needed.
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Lichen Planopilaris: Scien4sts Are S4ll Struggling to Find the Cause of Planopilaris 46 Whatever the Cause, the Effects Are Clear
Lichen Planopilaris
Lichen Planopilaris is a category of hair loss that remains mysterious. Researchers have yet to find a specific cause, although it seems to be an autoimmune problem. What is well understood is that in these disorders, called primary cicatricial alopecias, the hair follicles become inflamed and develop scar ?ssue, which prevents the hair from growing. A skin biopsy of the scalp is necessary to make this diagnosis. The inflamed scalp can itch, develop tenderness or the condi?on might be more subtle with no symptoms at all. The hair loss is usually gradual, and the person might not no?ce it in the early stages.
Lichen Planopilaris It can be quite a shock for a person to suddenly realize she has lost a great deal of hair and they are even more surprised when a medical evalua?on reveals that the condi?on is causing scarring of their scalp that can cause permanent baldness. A hair stylist may well no?ce the problem before the client, since most clients only become aware of the condi?on when the hair is too thin to wear a par?cular hair style. The details of how this condi?on presents may vary, but the boNom line is that it causes hair loss that can spread across the en?re scalp and does not respond well to treatment, although steroids and other medica?ons can help slow it down, and that makes those who have it unhappy.
Who Is Likely to Get Lichen Planopilaris? As with many forms of scarring hair loss, middle aged women are most likely to suffer from lichen planopilaris, it can occur in the teens, twen?es, and thir?es. It seems downright cruel. Women between the ages of 40 and 60 have many physical and life changes to cope with, and hair loss can be a real blow to a woman’s self-‐image. Between menopause
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and slowing metabolism, women can feel a bit overwhelmed by the rate of change – when you put hair loss into the mix, it can become depressing. Many women of menopausal age automa?cally assume that any hair loss is due to hormone changes when in fact the scalp is being scarred and damaged by this disease process. That’s where an informed hair stylist can really help. When you are able to recognize this condi?on and alert your clients to the possibility of lichen planopilaris then they can get medical evalua?on and treatment as early as possible. That way they are not alone, and you can help them create a new look that disguises the hair loss without aggrava?ng the medical condi?on, it can give those clients and their self-‐esteem a boost. Researchers con?nue to search for the cause of lichen planopilaris, and it seems likely there is more than one factor at play. Gene?cs and stress may play a role, as they seem to in many autoimmune disorders. Hopefully one day this will be beNer understood and beNer treatments will be discovered.
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Resources for Hair Care Professionals Seymour M. Weaver III, M. D. Board Certified Dermatologist
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