Pakej Rambut Gugur

HAIR GROWS

Human hair grows everywhere on the body except for the soles of the feet and the palms of the hands, the lips, and the eyelids, apart fromeyelashes. Like skin, hair is a stratified squamous, keratinized epithelium made of multi-layered, flat cells with overlying keratin (a protein), whose rope-like filaments provide structure and strength to the hair shaft.

Hair follows a specific growth cycle with three distinct and concurrent phases: anagen, catagen, and telogen phases. Each phase has specific characteristics that determine the length of the hair. All three phases occur simultaneously; one strand of hair may be in the anagen phase, while another is in the telogen phase.

The body has different types of hair, including vellus hair and androgenic hair, each with its own type of cellular construction. The different construction gives the hair unique characteristics, serving specific purposes, mainly warmth and protection.

The word "hair" often refers to two distinct structures:

1.    the part beneath the skin, called the hair follicle or when pulled from the skin, called the bulb. This organ is located in the dermis and maintains stem cells which not only re-grow the hair after it falls out, but also are recruited to regrow skin after a wound.

2.    the shaft, which is the hard filamentous part that extends above the skin surface. A cross section of the hair shaft may be divided roughly into three zones.

Hair fibers have a structure consisting of several layers, starting from the outside:

1.    the cuticle which consists of several layers of flat, thin cells laid out overlapping one another as roof shingles,

2.    the cortex, which contains the keratin bundles in cell structures that remain roughly rod-like; and in some cases,

3.    the medulla, a disorganized and open area at the fiber's center.

DESCRIPTION

Each strand of hair is made up of the medulla, cortex, and cuticle. The innermost region, the medulla, is not always present and is an open, unstructured region. The highly structural and organized cortex, or middle layer of the hair, is the primary source of mechanical strength and water uptake. The cortex contains melanin, which colors the fiber based on the number, distribution and types of melanin granules. The shape of the follicle determines the shape of the cortex, and the shape of the fiber is related to how straight or curly the hair is. Asian hair typically has a round fiber and is quite straight. Oval and irregularly shaped fibers are generally more wavy or even curly. The cuticle is the outer covering. Its complex structure slides as the hair swells and is covered with a single molecular layer of lipid that makes the hair repel water. The diameter of human hair varies from 17 to 180 micrometers (0.00067 to 0.0071 in). There are two million small, tubular glands and sweat glands that produce watery fluids that cool the body by evaporation. The glands at the opening of the hair produce a fatty secretion that lubricates the hair and prevents it from dying.

Hair growth begins inside the hair follicle. The only "living" portion of the hair is found in the follicle. The hair that is visible is the hair shaft, which exhibits no biochemical activity and is considered "dead". The base of the root is called the bulb, which contains the cells that produce the hair shaft. Other structures of the hair follicle include the oil producing sebaceous gland which lubricates the hair and the arrector pili muscles, which are responsible for causing hairs to stand up. In humans with little body hair, the effect results in goose bumps.

NATURAL COLOUR

All natural hair colors are the result of two types of hair pigment. Both of these pigments are melanin types, produced inside the hair follicle and packed into granules found in the fibers. Eumelanin is the dominant pigment in dark-blond, brown hair, and black hair, while pheomelanin is dominant in red hair.^[5] Blond hair is the result of having little pigmentation in the hair strand. Gray hair occurs when melanin production decreases or stops, whilepoliosis, typically in spots is hair (and often the skin to which the hair is attached to) that never possessed melanin at all in the first place, or ceased for natural genetic reasons, generally in the first years of life.

Human hair growth

Hair grows everywhere on the external body except for mucus membranes and glabrous skin, such as that found on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and on the lips.

Hair follows a specific growth cycle with three distinct and concurrent phases: anagen, catagen, and telogen phases. Each has specific characteristics that determine the length of the hair. All three occur simultaneously; one strand of hair may be in the anagen phase, while another is in the telogen phase.

The body has different types of hair, including vellus hair and androgenic hair, each with its own type of cellular construction. The different construction gives the hair unique characteristics, serving specific purposes, mainly warmth and protection. 

Hair loss

Hair loss or baldness (technically known as alopecia) is a loss of hair from the head or body. Baldness can refer to a general hair loss, or specific patterns associated such as with male pattern baldness. Extreme forms of alopecia areata  are alopecia totalis, which involves the loss of all head hair, and the most extreme form, alopecia universalis, which involves the loss of all hair from the head and the body.

Alopecia can have many causes, including fungal infection (tinea capitis), traumatic damage, such as by compulsive pulling (trichotillomania), as a result of radiotherapy or chemotherapy, and as a result of nutritional deficiencies such as iron, and as a result of autoimmune phenomena, includingalopecia areata and hair loss associated with systemic lupus erythematosus.

SINGS AND SYMPTOMS

Symptoms of alopecia include hair loss, skin lesions, and scarring. In male-pattern hair loss, loss and thinning begin at the temples and the crown and either thins out or falls out. Female-pattern hair loss occurs at the frontal and parietal. 

CAUSES

Nutrition

Studies have shown that poor nutrition, limited food intake, and deficiencies in certain nutrients can cause thinning. These include deficiencies of biotin, protein, zinc and poor human iron metabolism, although complete baldness is not usually seen. A diet high in animal fats (often found in fast food) and vitamin A is also thought to have an effect on hair loss.

·         Hypervitaminosis A

·         Iron deficiency or malnutrition in general

 

Infection

·         Dissecting cellulitis

·         Fungal infections (such as tinea capitis)

·         Scalp infection such as Dermatophyte and Tinea capitis.

·         Secondary syphilis

·         Demodex folliculorum, a microscopic mite that feeds on the sebum produced by the sebaceous glands, denies hair essential nutrients and can cause thinning. Demodex folliculorum is not present on every scalp and is more likely to live in an excessively oily scalp environment. 

 

Drugs

·         Temporary or permanent hair loss can be caused by several medications, including those for blood pressure problems, diabetes, heart disease and cholesterol. Any that affect the body’s hormone balance can have a pronounced effect: these include the contraceptive pill, hormone replacement therapy, steroids and acne medications.

·         Some treatments used to cure mycotic infections can cause massive hair loss.

·         Medications (side effects from drugs, including chemotherapy, anabolic steroids, and birth control pills

Trauma

·         Traction alopecia is most commonly found in people with ponytails or cornrows who pull on their hair with excessive force. In addition, rigorous brushing and heat styling, rough scalp massage can damage the cuticle, the hard outer casing of the hair. This causes individual strands to become weak and break off, reducing overall hair volume.

·         Trichotillomania is the loss of hair caused by compulsive pulling and bending of the hairs. Onset of this disorder tends to begin around the onset of puberty and usually continues through adulthood. Due to the constant extraction of the hair roots, permanent hair loss can occur.

·         Traumas such as childbirth, major surgery, poisoning, and severe stress may cause a hair loss condition known as telogen effluvium  in which a large number of hairs enter the resting phase at the same time, causing shedding and subsequent thinning. The condition also presents as a side effect of chemotherapy – while targeting dividing cancer cells, this treatment also affects hair’s growth phase with the result that almost 90% of hairs fall out soon after chemotherapy starts.

·         Radiation to the scalp, as when radiotherapy is applied to the head for the treatment of certain cancers there, can cause baldness of the irradiated areas.

 

Stress

·         Stress has been shown to restrict the blood supply to capillaries, inhibiting oxygen and nutrient uptake of hair follicles and inhibiting hair growth, in an effect similar to that from having poor circulation.

·         Worrisome hair loss often follows childbirth without causing actual baldness. In this situation, the hair is actually thicker during pregnancy due to increased circulating oestrogens. After the baby is born, the oestrogen levels fall back to normal prepregnancy levels, and the additional hair foliage drops out. A similar situation occurs in women taking the fertility-stimulating drugclomiphene.

 Other

·         Air and water pollutants as well as minerals in water and the phototoxic effects of sunlight can cause thinning by aging the scalp skin and damaging hair.

·         Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disorder also known as "spot baldness" that can result in hair loss ranging from just one location (Alopecia areata monolocularis) to every hair on the entire body (Alopecia areata universalis). Although thought to be caused by hair follicles becoming dormant, what triggers alopecia areata is not known. In most cases the condition corrects itself, but it can also spread to the entire scalp (alopecia totalis) or to the entire body (alopecia universalis).

·         Localized or diffuse hair loss may also occur in cicatricial alopecia (lupus erythematosus, lichen plano pilaris, folliculitis decalvans, central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia, postmenopausal frontal fibrosing alopecia, etc.). Tumours and skin outgrowths also induce localized baldness (sebaceous nevus, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma).

·         Hypothyroidism (an under-active thyroid) and the side effects of its related medications can cause hair loss, typically frontal, which is particularly associated with thinning of the outer third of the eyebrows (also seen with syphilis). Hyperthyroidism (an over-active thyroid) can also cause hair loss, which is parietal rather than frontal. 

·         Temporary loss of hair can occur in areas where sebaceous cysts are present for considerable duration (normally one to several weeks).

MANAGEMENT OF HAIR LOSS

The management of baldness is a multidisciplinary effort that spans the medical, pharmaceutical, food supplement, exercise and fashion industries. Androgenic alopecia, alopecia areata, and telogen effluvium are the primary nonscarring alopecias. The most common cause of hair loss in men isandrogenic alopecia, the early stages of which can be slowed or reversed with medication, while more advanced cases may be amenable to hair transplantation. Alopecia areata presents as focal discoid patches of hair loss, and affects up to 2% of the U.S. population, occurring more often in children. Telogen effluvium can occur after stressful events, including severe illness, childbirth, or high fever, and can be seen with certain medications or deficiency of iron, particularly in females. Thyroid dysfunction, both when increased and decreased, can lead to specific patterns of hair loss.

 

Laser therapy

There is some evidence that laser light can stimulate hair growth at some wavelengths. With one exception however, there is limited clinical evidence of their benefit.

 Stem cell therapy

Although follicles were previously thought gone in areas of complete baldness, they are more likely dormant, as recent studies have shown the scalp contains the stem cells from which the follicles arose.Research on these follicular stem cells may lead to successes in treating baldness through hair multiplication (HM), also known as hair cloning.

One of the groups developing hair multiplication is Aderans Research Institute (ARI), a Japanese owned company in the United States. In 2008, Intercytex announced results of a Phase IItrial to clone hair follicles from the back of the neck, multiply them and then reimplant the cells into the scalp. Initial testing showed at least two thirds of male patients regrew hair. The company estimated treatment would take "a number of years to complete" Phase III trials. After failing to achieve success in their trials, the company discontinued its hair multiplication project in 2010, with intention to sell off its assets and research. Aderans Research Institute Inc. (ARI) then acquired technology from Regenerative Medicine Assets Limited (formerly Intercytex Group plc) and is conducting Phase II clinical trials.

Scientists grew the first artificial hair follicles from stem cells in 2010. Researchers in the study predicted that by 2015 people could grow new hair from their own stem cells, and have it surgically implanted at areas of hair loss. The lead investigator said preparations for clinical trials were "already in motion". In their first human clinical trial, Replicel Life Sciences was able to regenerate 20% percent of hair on stem cell treated areas. Replicel is using dermal sheath cup cells instead of dermal papillae cells for multiplication, in distinction to Aderans. They will be conducting Phase II trials at the end of 2012. In early 2012 a research group demonstrated "functional hair regeneration from adult stem cells" in mouse animal models with the potential for "organ replacement regenerative therapies. 

PREVENT HAIR LOSS

Go natural: Leave your hair its natural color and texture. If that is not an option for you, give your hair time to recover between hair blowouts and chemical treatments.

Choose products wisely: Use a basic shampoo designed for your hair type. When curling your hair, choose less-damaging sponge rollers. Also, brush your hair using a moderately stiff, natural-bristle brush, which is less likely to tear your hair.

Brush properly: Proper hair brushing can do as much for the condition of your hair as any over-the-counter product. Using a proper brush, apply full strokes from the scalp to the tips of your hair to distribute the hair's natural oil. Be gentle, and avoid brushing your hair when wet, when it is especially fragile. It is best to use a comb on wet hair.