Losing hair is not something you can easily brush under the carpet, not unless it’s the normal 100-strands-a day. If you are losing more than that, then we would suggest you consult a trichologist or dermatologist. Different types of hair loss happen differently. It can come gradually or suddenly and no one is immune to losing hair (not even me). And since there are a bunch of different causes for hair loss, you have to know the types of hair loss before deciding to treat it.

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I had a chat with Dr. Ahsen Farooque, a board-certified plastic surgeon at the Hair Transplant Clinic in Dubai, and below is what he had to say about the different types of hair loss.

The most common types of hair loss include;

Alopecia areata
Anagen Effluvium
Scarring alopecia
Male and female pattern baldness
Telogen effluvium

Alopecia Areata

Alopecia Areata causes patches of baldness the size of a coin which mostly appear on the scalp but can occur anywhere on the body. This condition mostly affects teenagers and young adults. It is caused by an underlying problem within the immune system such as diabetes, downs syndrome or an overactive thyroid. Hair, in most cases, grows back after a few months. However, some people may go on and develop a severe form of hair loss like;

Alopecia Universalis, which is lack of hair on the scalp and body
Alopecia Totalis, which refers to lack of hair on the scalp

Anagen Effluvium

Anagen effluvium affects the scalp, face, and body. It is one of the types of hair loss caused by chemotherapy. Anagen effluvium hair loss is temporary and the hair grows back after a patient completes chemotherapy treatment.

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Scarring alopecia

This type of hair loss is also known as cicatricial alopecia, and it is caused by complications from certain health conditions or physical trauma to the scalp. In scarring alopecia the hair follicle is completely destroyed, meaning the hair will not grow back. The conditions that can cause scarring alopecia include;

Lichen planus – an itchy rash that affects many areas in the body.
Scleroderma – this condition affects the body’s connective tissues and results in hard, puffy and itchy skin.
Discoid lupus – a mild form of lupus that affects the skin and causes scaly marks and hair loss.
Frontal fibrosing alopecia – it affects post-menopausal women whereby the hair follicles are damaged and hair is unable to grow back.
Folliculitis decalvans – affects men and causes scarring and baldness in affected areas.

Male and female pattern baldness

As the most common of all types of hair loss, male pattern baldness starts usually in the late twenties or early thirties and follows a pattern of a receding hairline. This is followed by thinning of the hair on the crown and temples. It can sometimes progress to complete baldness although this is not very common. It is caused by oversensitive hair follicles which are linked to changing hormone levels.

In female pattern baldness, the hair usually thins on top of the head. It is especially noticeable in women who have been through menopause.

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Telogen effluvium

This type of hair loss causes the widespread thinning of hair but it is unlikely for one to lose all their hair. The hair usually grows back after some time, mostly six months or so. It happens when the body is reacting to;

Hormonal changes like pregnancy
Intense physical stress like childbirth
Intense emotional stress
Crush dieting
Short-term illness like a severe infection
Long-term illness like liver or cancer diseases
Medications such as beta blockers or anticoagulants

Some types of hair loss do not require treatment as the hair grows back naturally within a short period of time while in others the hair loss is permanent. Treatments for hair loss include hair transplant surgery, medications, topical applications or simply wearing a toupee or wigs. But then again, whether male or female, bald can always be bold!