Baldness - Symptoms, causes and treatment

Baldness is a condition where is the hair on the scalp or other areas of the body excessive loss or lossan. Bald is also called alopecia. Baldness can happen to anyone, but it is more common in men.

bald or alopecia can be caused by many things, ranging from heredity, exposure to chemicals, to certain diseases. Baldness can be temporary or permanent. Most cases of baldness can be managed if caught early and given proper treatment.

Causes of Baldness

Everyone loses about 50-100 strands of hair every day, and this is normal. If the amount of hair loss every day is more than that, you need to find out the cause so that it can be treated immediately before baldness occurs.

Some things that can cause excessive hair loss and potentially cause baldness are:

1. Hereditary factors

The most common cause of baldness is heredity or genetics. This condition can result in androgenic alopecia with a characteristic pattern of baldness.

This type of baldness is often characterized by thinning of the hair and a receding of the hairline on the forehead. Baldness due to heredity can begin as a teenager and occurs gradually with age.

2. Hormonal changes

Various conditions that cause changes in hormone levels in the body can cause baldness. Some examples of conditions that can interfere with hormone levels are pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, PCOS, and thyroid disorders. Baldness due to hormonal changes is generally temporary.

3. Certain diseases

A number of medical conditions, such as an autoimmune disease that causes alopecia areata, a fungal infection of the scalp (tinea capitis), and a mental disorder called trichotillomania, can cause baldness.

In addition, stressful events or psychological disturbances, such as the death of a loved one or divorce, can also cause hair loss and balding.

4. Medicines

Baldness can also occur as a side effect of drugs, such as drugs for cancer (chemotherapy), depression, arthritis, gout, hypertension, or heart disease.

If baldness occurs after you use certain drugs, you should consult a doctor so that the drug can be replaced or discontinued. Do not immediately change or stop medication without the doctor's knowledge.

5. Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy or radiotherapy used to treat cancer can cause baldness, especially if the treatment is in the head or neck area. However, radiation-induced baldness is generally temporary and hair can grow back several months after therapy is completed.

6. Hair styling and care

Too often hair pulled in a way, such as ponytails or braids, can cause baldness. This type of baldness is called traction alopecia.

In addition, excessive hair care, such as too often coloring hair, perming, or straightening hair, also has the potential to cause baldness. This is because these habits can make hair brittle and easy to fall out.

Bald Risk Factors

There are a number of conditions that can make a person more at risk of experiencing baldness, namely:

  • Have a family history of baldness
  • old age
  • Experiencing stress
  • Have certain medical conditions, such as lupus or diabetes
  • Experiencing significant weight loss or lack of calorie and protein intake
  • Have a deficiency in certain nutrients, such as iron, protein, or zinc

Symptoms of Baldness

Hair can grow almost anywhere on the body, except on the palms of the hands, feet, or on the eyelids. Hair is made up of a protein called keratin present in the hair follicles. Hair will experience growth and will fall out by itself. This process is repeated to form a cycle. There are 3 phases that occur during the hair growth cycle, namely:

  • Anagen, which is the phase when hair grows and lasts up to 8 years
  • Catagen, the transitional phase of hair growth that lasts 2-3 weeks
  • Telogen, which is a resting phase that lasts 2-3 months, before finally hair falls out and is replaced with new hair

Baldness can occur when there is excessive and daily hair loss, without new hair growth. Complaints or symptoms that can initiate baldness are:

  • Hair becomes easily broken and damaged
  • Hair thinning occurs, especially at the top of the head
  • The back of the hairline on the forehead
  • Patches appear on the scalp or skin that is usually overgrown with hair
  • A lot of hair falls out when combing or when running your hands through your hair
  • Scalp patches appear on the scalp which gradually widen

The symptoms above can take place gradually or appear suddenly, depending on the cause of baldness. Baldness can occur in any part of the skin where hair grows, including the eyebrows and beard.

In addition to the above symptoms, hair loss that eventually triggers baldness can also be accompanied by itching or pain on the scalp. In fact, if the cause is a yeast infection, the bald area may swell and ooze pus.

When to go to the doctor

Immediately consult a doctor if you experience the symptoms mentioned above, especially if they occur suddenly, excessive hair loss, or baldness in other areas, such as eyebrows.

You should also see a doctor if baldness or hair loss makes you feel depressed or have low self-esteem. This is important to do to maintain your mental health.

Bald Diagnosis

To diagnose baldness, the doctor will ask the patient's complaints and symptoms, as well as the patient's and family's medical history. The doctor will also ask the patient's usual hair care.

After that, the doctor will perform a physical examination by looking at the bald skin. Generally, these steps are sufficient to diagnose baldness. However, to find out the cause of baldness, the doctor will perform the following investigations:

  • Blood test, to determine the medical condition that causes baldness
  • Skin biopsy, which is taking a sample of skin that is bald for examination in the laboratory
  • light microscope, namely examination of hair loss with a microscope to find out if there is a problem at the base of the hair

Bald Treatment

Treatment of baldness aims to suppress hair loss and regrow hair that has fallen out. This can be done by:

Drugs

Here are some drugs that can be given by doctors to treat baldness:

  • Minoxidil, to slow baldness to grow hair, this drug is available in the form of: lotion or shampoo
  • Finasteride, to inhibit the formation of hormones in male skin that cause baldness
  • Spironolactone, to inhibit the formation of hormones that cause baldness in men and women
  • Corticosteroids, to help treat baldness due to autoimmune diseases, such as alopecia areata
  • Diphencyprone, to promote hair growth, especially in baldness due to alopecia areata

Medical procedures

Some medical procedures that can be done to treat baldness are:

  • Hair transplant surgery

    The operation is performed by transferring the scalp with active hair follicles to the bald area. One surgical session can generally remove about 10–60 hair follicles. The results of the operation can be seen after a few months.

  • Laser therapy

    This therapy is done by firing a laser beam into the bald area to stimulate hair growth. Laser therapy can be performed on hereditary baldness, alopecia areata, or as a result of chemotherapy.

  • PRP (platelet-rich plasma)

    The PRP procedure is performed by taking a small amount of the patient's blood and then processing it to separate the plasma from the blood cells. The plasma will be taken and injected into the bald area of ​​the skin to stimulate hair growth.

If baldness is caused by a certain disease or medical condition, treatment will be given to treat the disease. For example, if baldness is caused by a lack of iron or zinc, your doctor will give you supplements that contain these minerals.

In addition, bald sufferers can wear wigs for a while and are advised to avoid the habit of pulling or tying their hair too tightly, and to be more careful in choosing hair care products.

Bald Complications

Although generally harmless, balding can cause a variety of complications, including:

  • Disturbed appearance
  • Decreased self-confidence
  • Anxiety disorders
  • Depression
  • sunburn (sunburn) on the bald scalp area

Bald Prevention

Baldness due to genetic factors or age cannot be prevented. However, you can still reduce your risk of baldness by protecting your hair from damage. Some steps that can be taken are:

  • Let the hair grow naturally according to its original color and texture.
  • Avoid tying or braiding your hair too tightly.
  • Avoid shampooing every day, unless your hair is very oily.
  • Choose hair care products wisely, including shampoo and hair dye.
  • Avoid excessive straightening or curling of hair, especially with tools that apply heat to the hair. If you want to use it, make sure your hair is dry and use the lowest heat level.
  • Use a wide-toothed comb and avoid combing while your hair is still wet.
  • Protect your hair from excessive sun exposure, for example by wearing a hat when outdoor activities when the sun is hot.

If you need to undergo chemotherapy, try asking your doctor about using cooling cap to reduce the risk of hair loss. If you are already experiencing baldness, be sure to follow your doctor's advice on treatment, both to grow hair back and to prevent the baldness from getting worse.