Hair Loss: Common Causes and Treatment

The document from 2017 discussed various causes and treatments for hair loss. It highlighted that hair loss can significantly impact a person's quality of life. Different types of alopecia were discussed, including scarring alopecia, androgenetic alopecia, alopecia areata, tinea capitis, telogen effluvium, trichotillomania, trichorrhexis nodosa, and anagen effluvium. Scarring alopecia was recommended to be evaluated by a dermatologist, while nonscarring alopecias could be diagnosed and treated by a family physician. Androgenetic alopecia could be diagnosed clinically and treated with minoxidil. Alopecia areata, characterized by typical patches of hair loss, was self-limited. Tinea capitis, which causes erythematous and scaly patches of hair loss, required systemic treatment. Telogen effluvium, a sudden onset nonscarring, noninflammatory alopecia caused by stress, typically regrows hair once the stressor is removed. Trichotillomania, an impulse-control disorder, required treatment of the underlying psychiatric condition. Trichorrhexis nodosa, caused by trauma often from hair styling or overuse of hair products, resulted in hair breakage. Anagen effluvium, an abnormal diffuse loss of hair during the growth phase, was often caused by chemotherapy.