Hello lovely readers,

As we head firmly into autumn with its claret, chestnut, gold and ochre tones, and the trees start to shed their leaves, I’d like to talk about another of nature’s losses… Hair loss, or to use its more medically correct term, alopecia. My own experience with alopecia areata and telogen effluvium really was the birth of Nosheen Hair Oil, so I wanted to share some information about hair loss.

What exactly is alopecia?

The general term alopecia simply means hair loss. It refers to hair loss of any kind, so if you are experiencing more hair loss than is usual for you (remember on average we lose 50 – 100 hairs a day), then you are suffering from some kind of alopecia. Hair loss can be temporary or permanent, it can happen gradually, over weeks, months or years or  it can be sudden. It usually depends on the cause.

How common is alopecia?

A recent study showed that around 100,000 people in the UK have alopecia at any one time. They also found that it was slightly more common in women than in men and that, on average, it first appears between the ages of 25 and 29. It’s not easy suffering with hair loss at such a young age, when so much of our societal notions about youth and vitality are wrapped up in hair.

What are the different types and causes of alopecia?

There are many different types of alopecia because any type of hair loss comes under the alopecia umbrella. Here are a few of the most common ones:

Alopecia areata: thought to be an autoimmune condition, alopecia areata causes the hair to fall out in an oval pattern on the head or body.

Androgenetic alopecia (or pattern hair loss): this type of alopecia is genetic, as its name suggests. The hair falls out in a regular pattern, usually thinning all over for women and in a well-defined pattern (bald spot) for men.

Scarring alopecia: there are several conditions that cause scarring hair loss. These conditions permanently damage the hair follicle and cause scarring. This type of alopecia is permanent as the hair cannot grow where there is scarring.

Telogen effluvium: everybody’s hair sheds in its own ‘normal’ cycle. There are 3 phases of hair growth.

1. The anagen phase  – a high hair growth period which lasts 2 – 6 years for the average hair.
2. The catagen phase – a transitional phase lasting two to three weeks, when hair growth gradually comes to an end.
3. The telogen phase – the resting phase; your hair has reached its full growth potential and starts to shed. This phase can last up to 100 days.

Telogen effluvium happens when more of your hair is in the resting phase than usual. It can be caused by a physical or psychological trigger.

You may also suffer from chemotherapy hair loss, pregnancy hair loss, pulling your hair too tight when styling or over-styling with relaxers or extensions – known as traction alopecia, or trichotillomania, which is a psychological condition where repeated pulling on the hair causes hair loss.

Not all alopecia is reversible. Some types of hair loss, for example, scarring alopecia is permanent and your hair will not grow back. However, hair loss due to illness (both physical and mental), pregnancy, telogen effluvium, alopecia areata and pattern hair loss can be treated and also often resolve on their own after some time.

What alopecia treatments are available?

Not all hair loss can be treated, but the first step to medical treatment is contacting your GP. They can help you find the right alopecia treatment for you. Below is a very brief outline of some of the major types of hair loss treatment you may be offered, however, you should always seek medical advice before undergoing any kind of treatment.

1. Corticosteroids

These are a type of anti-inflammatory medication used to treat a wide range of conditions. In terms of alopecia, they come in different forms.

• Topical – creams, lotions and gels to apply to the affected area.
• Intralesional – an injection just under the surface of the skin.
• Systemic  – pills or tablets you swallow.

2. Minoxidil

This is vasodilator used for pattern hair loss. It is applied directly to the scalp and helps to encourage new hair growth and prevent further hair loss.

3. Contact immunotherapy

This type of treatment causes a topical allergic reaction with the aim of stopping the immune system from attacking the hair follicles.

Natural or alternative alopecia treatments

It’s important to remember that natural solutions are not clinically tested or proven to work and, in many cases, alopecia will recover on its own after time.

That said, I am a big believer of acting when I can and giving myself the best possible chance at health. Some alternative alopecia treatments will work for some people, while others will prefer different solutions. Here are my top tips:

1 – Take good care of yourself both physically and mentally, eat well, rest when you need to and talk to people who can help you.

2 – Regular scalp massage – you can decide whether or not to apply a product or oil first; if you do decide to use one, you can massage it over your scalp using your fingers or a tool like our Bamboo Silicon Scalp Massager.

3 – Take care of your hair and scalp – obviously, I’m going to suggest Nosheen Hair Oil for this. Our 100% natural, vegan-friendly formula contains 10 essential oils that will benefit your hair and scalp. I developed and refined the formula, based on a secret family recipe handed down through generations.

4 – Be gentle with your hair – don’t over-style or heat-style if you can avoid it; use a gentle shampoo and conditioner.

Where can I get help for hair loss and alopecia?

For the most in-depth information related to the UK, I’d recommend Alopecia UK . They have up-to–date information, Facebook groups and everything you need to know about alopecia and hair loss. They also run events where you can meet other people with alopecia.

NHS Direct is another great factual site where you can find simple explanations and work out how to get help from your GP.

I hope that this month’s blog has perhaps cleared up some questions you have about alopecia or at least directed you to resources you can use to find out more. As always, thank you for taking the time to read our blog.

Love Nosheen xxx