Early symptoms of hair loss & why you should get on a hair loss plan?

by Dr Heena September 18, 2021

Hair loss can happen at any age and to both men and women, and you can identify it through several hair loss symptoms. Hair loss or alopecia has many forms, and it can affect only your scalp or other parts of the body. The ailment can be temporary or permanent, and you should take care of it immediately when detected.

Hair loss can occur due to age, heredity, medical condition, side effects of medicines, hormones or other environmental factors. Among all, hair loss due to heredity is the most common cause. While more hair on your comb or pillow with a thin pony or less hair on your head is the only sign of hair loss, many develop symptoms and signs of hair loss. From burning sensation to itchy scalp, hair loss symptoms can be varied. Again, you may be losing hair for months and still not notice or realize it for a long time.

How to Identify Signs of Hair Loss?

For most women, the first and early sign of hair loss is the widening part of less fullness of the ponytail and more hair on the comb. Let's take a closer look at the signs of hair loss:

Thinner ponytail
Gradual thinning of the hair on the scalp, especially at the crown area
Slowly growing bald patches
Receding hairline that becomes more visible

For men, the signs of hair loss include:

Receding hairline
Thinning of hair on the scalp
An 'M' shaped hair pattern on the scalp where the hair from the front have left the scalp

While hair loss is largely seen on the scalp, it can occur anywhere on the body, including eyebrows, eyelashes, nose hair, beard, etc.

Apart from these signs of hair loss, some people also develop specific hair loss symptoms such as:

Scaly bald patches on the scalp, sometimes with blisters or sores, may ooze out pus when pricked.
A stingy or burning sensation on the scalp before you experience sudden hair loss.
Swelling, soreness or redness of the scalp
Excess itching, burning or tenderness of the scalp where the hair loss is prominent.

These signs and hair loss symptoms are responsible for your hair loss. The hair loss symptoms again depend on the factors which are causing your hair loss.

Understanding the Root Cause of Hair Loss

If you are noticing more hair than normal on your hairbrush, definitely your hair loss has started. The signs and hair loss symptoms vary for men, women, and children. Hair loss has many causes, and your hair loss pattern depends upon whether your hair:

Thins
Falls out all of a sudden or gradually
Can regrow on its own
Or requires treatment to regrow

To get the best and effective treatment for your hair loss problem, it is crucial to identify the hair loss symptoms, but before that, you must know the root cause. There are several reasons for hair loss, here we list out the root causes:

Age

The hair loss becomes evident with age because the hair follicles become weak, and hair growth slows down.

Heredity

It all runs in the family. If any of your parents or grandparents, or close relatives had a hair loss issue, you probably could have it too.

Hormones

Dihydrotestosterone or DHT is the hormone behind your hair loss. DHT is found in your hair follicles, skin, and prostate. The sensitivity of DHT can cause hair loss.

Alopecia areata

When your body's immune system strikes the hair follicles, it may cause hair loss. This condition is called alopecia areata. It is one of the most common hair loss symptoms.

Cancer treatment

If you have undergone chemotherapy or any treatment that involves radiation, you may experience hair loss.

Other causes of hair loss include high dose birth control pills, medications, scalp infection, childbirth, stress, smoking and alcohol consumption, weight gain, thyroid and the like. Along with identifying the hair loss symptoms, correcting your lifestyle also helps in improving your hair health.

Hair Loss Treatments to Tackle the First Signs of Hair Loss

How to reduce hair fall is one question that you must be thinking over. As there are several causes of hair loss, the treatment also depends on the type of hair loss you are experiencing. Your hair loss symptoms or the first signs of hair thinning will help your doctor to detect the issue and treat your hair loss accordingly.

There are various over the counter medicines available to treat hair loss. However, not one medicine fits all types of hair loss. Some of the most common hair loss treatments are:

Minoxidil

Also sold under the name Rogaine, minoxidil is a popular over the counter medicine for hair loss. Minoxidil 5% is one of the best hair fall solutions for men. Minoxidil 2% falls under hair fall treatment for women.

Finasteride

Finasteride or Propecia is prescribed as a hair loss drug only for men. Some men have experienced a slowdown in hair loss by using this medication, while others have experienced new hair growth.

Other medications

There are other oral medications also available that might help in slowing down the hair loss process. Certain Ayurvedic treatment for hair fall includes herbal oils and shampoos that can help you combat hair loss such as natural herbal hair oil.

Besides these over the counter and prescribed topical and oral medications, you may also undergo thorough examination from a medical practitioner and undergo treatments such as:

Hair transplant

It is an invasive and expensive procedure where the cosmetic surgeon or dermatologist will collect hair from other parts of your body and plant it on the balding area of the scalp.

Laser therapy

This treatment is usually done for people suffering from hereditary hair loss. The low-laser device will help you improve your hair density.

Why Is It Necessary to Treat Hair Loss In Early Stages?

Seeking early hair loss treatment also increases your chances of regrowing your hair or slowing down the hair loss condition. When you get yourself checked on time, there are fewer chances of you going completely bald. But it is impossible to reverse hair on a completely bald head.

Now that you know your hair loss symptoms and signs, early hair loss treatment is the key. Baldness is preventable to a certain extent, and if you start early when you see the first signs of hair thinning, there are more chances that your medicines will work for you.

Firstly, you will know the root cause of your hair loss issue. If it is due to your hair styling techniques, you can switch. If it is due to a disturbed lifestyle, you can bring change.

Your hair loss symptoms will guide your doctor to understand your type of hair loss and guide you. When you take medical help at an early stage of hair loss, you know if your hormones have to do something with it and get treatment accordingly.

If you have detected hair loss symptoms, you will need natural and effective solutions for your hair loss problem. Traya's extensive natural hair care products can help. Traya offers Minoxidil 5% and minoxidil 2%, hair fall shampoo, hair root serum, hair ras, herbal hair oil, scalp controller, or health tatva. You can check out the complete range of hair care products here.

Why You Shouldn't Rely on Home Remedies to Treat Hair Loss?

Once you understand the hair loss symptoms, you can proceed with your hair loss treatment. While you may rely on home remedies to treat your hair loss, the problem can be doubling with time. Along with detecting the hair loss symptoms, it is equally crucial that you understand your type of hair loss.

Home remedies are effective without a doubt, but prescribed medicines or a hair loss plan will trigger the root causes of your hair loss problem, which in most cases, the home remedies fail to do so.

Home remedies take time and are a lengthy affair, and you never know if they will yield results. Common hair problems such as dandruff, lice, hair fall etc., can be treated by home remedies. Still, issues such as alopecia areata or androgenic alopecia need special diagnosis after identifying the hair loss symptoms and correct and timely medications.