Types of Hair Loss

Types of Hair Loss

Like so many other conditions, there are many different kinds of hair loss and they are all unique in how they occur and how they affect people. In order to fully understand your hair loss and how it can be effectively treated or managed, it’s important to determine the specific kind of hair loss that you are experiencing. The hair restoration experts here at KA Hair Aesthetics take pride in our role as educators for our patients, and although we may not be able to perform surgery on all types of hair loss, we thought it would be helpful to detail the some of the more common types of hair loss that may afflict people.

Androgenic Alopecia

Commonly referred to as “male or female-pattern baldness”, Androgenic Alopecia is the most common type of hair loss for adults in the US. Generally speaking, for most men, it can be characterized by a receding hairline and gradual loss of hair from the crown of the head and frontal scalp. Most women may experience a general thinning from the entire scalp, with extensive hair loss at the crown over time.

Alopecia Areata

Alopecia Areata is a disease where the body actually attacks the hair follicles, leading to hair loss. It is known as spot balding and is usually a temporary type of hair loss. In some cases, it can start when someone is still a child or adolescent. While this condition can lead to complete baldness in some instances, the lost hair returns within a few years for roughly 90% of the people with this condition.

Involutional Alopecia

Involutional Alopecia is a natural condition where a person experiences gradual thinning of their hair over time. It is especially common in people of an advanced age. When someone has Involutional Alopecia, more hair follicles than normal enter the resting phase, and the remaining hairs become shorter and fewer in number.

Alopecia Universalis

Like Alopecia Areata, Alopecia Universalis is an autoimmune disease. For some people this condition causes temporary hair loss. For others, it can be permanent. What many people think of when they hear the term alopecia, Alopecia Universalis is a condition that causes all hair from the head and body to fall out. This includes the eyebrows, eyelashes, pubic hair, and more.

Telogen Effluvium

Telogen Effluvium is usually a temporary condition that causes the hair on the scalp to become thinner. It is the result of a naturally-occurring change in the growth cycle of hair, that causes a large number of hairs to enter the resting phase simultaneously, causing hair shedding and subsequent thinning.

Scarring Alopecia

For some people, certain health conditions or traumatic injuries can result in permanent loss of hair. Potential causes of Scarring Alopecia include inflammatory skin conditions (cellulitis, folliculitis, acne), other skin disorders (lupus or lichen planus), burns, and severe animal bites. It can result in scars that destroy the ability of the hair to regenerate and grow.

Traction Alopecia

A preventable type of hair loss, Traction Alopecia usually results from the use of hot combs or continuously pulling the hair too tightly in braids or ponytails over time.

Here at KA Hair Aesthetics, our experts specialize in performing a type of hair transplant procedure known as Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). We’ve had incredible success helping our patients naturally restore and regrow their hair with less post-treatment recovery time than the average hair transplant.

For more information on hair loss and how we can help, contact KA Hair Aesthetics to schedule a consultation appointment today!