Hair ( Crowing Glory ) Function & Disorders

Hair disorders

Hair is one of the most glamorous identifiers of beauty in every person. Having healthy and transparent hair can give a hundredfold effect to your charm. But why does the condition of the hair and its clarity not suit us sometimes, or does the hair even start to fall out? 

In such cases, we should know that there is a problem with hair health, which may be caused by a nervous shock or suffering from various scalp diseases.

In general, hair is a fragile and vulnerable tissue, and if we do not treat it very soon when hair diseases occur, the damage may not be cured.

Therefore, it is necessary to know common hair diseases, what to do when faced with such cases, and when to see a doctor. We must know all the things to maintain hair health and prevent hair diseases, not be exposed to stress and nervous shocks, and have healthy nutrition in order to have healthy hair.

Disorders related to hair are either caused by the hair itself and disorders in its different parts or are related to the scalp. In cases related to the hair itself, it can be caused by a disorder in the hair shaft or hair root, which we will examine below.

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• Hair disorders (diseases) related to hair roots

A problem in the hair root can cause a lot of damage to the hair tissue because the hair is nourished from the root. 

Sometimes, scalp problems also cause all kinds of hair root diseases. For example, infections caused by fungi, bacteria, or diseases such as corona may affect the scalp and cause hair loss. In some cases, itchy scalp is usually a symptom of fungal diseases that must be treated. 

In these cases, the use of antifungal shampoos and medicines prescribed by the doctor is very effective and improves the health of the scalp in a short time.

Sometimes, in some diseases, the use of certain treatments, such as cancer treatment or being in a state of nervous shock and severe stress, affects the hair root and threatens the health of the hair.

In addition, hormonal changes due to pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, and thyroid problems cause the hair roots to weaken and lose a large amount of hair. 

Diseases such as alopecia, which is related to the immune system, also cause coin and patchy hair loss, which is sometimes caused by a scalp infection. Folliculitis is another type of hair root disease that causes inflammation of the root and sometimes superficial wounds or pimples.

Of course, folliculitis occurs in all areas of the body, and sometimes, the skin may develop folliculitis after trimming body hair. 

One of its obvious signs is the formation of red pimples in the area of the hair roots. The infection caused by folliculitis, if not treated, has the possibility of spreading to other parts of the body, so it is better to be treated as soon as possible.

Some common diseases related to hair roots include:

• • Hair infection

    Some types of hair infection are contagious and can be transmitted from one person to another. For example, a type of fungal infection of the scalp causes a part of the head to become itchy and scaly in the form of a small red circle. With the growth of the circle created on the head, the hair in that part is gradually separated from the scalp and begins to fall.

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• • Folliculitis:

    Bacterial infection of the hair follicle causes red bumps on the scalp but usually does not cause hair loss.

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• • Alopecia:

    Alopecia is a disease that usually occurs due to immune system deficiencies in the body. In this disease, the body mistakenly does not consider the hair as a part of the body and tries to destroy it.

Various factors are involved in the occurrence of this disease. For example, if you have recently been on a strict weight loss diet, it is not unlikely that you will encounter this problem. 

Other factors, such as excessive consumption of fast food, hormonal and genetic problems, anxiety, suffering from thyroid diseases, taking blood pressure pills, etc., also increase the probability of this disease.

• • Androgenic alopecia:

    This disease, which is better known as baldness, is caused by genetic factors in more than 95% of cases. Of course, it is somewhat predictable and controllable in both men and women, but it usually progresses with age. In men, the pattern of baldness is more in the shape of the English letter M, which starts from the temples or the crown of the head.

The pattern of female hair loss also appears with thinning and regional or partial hair loss in different parts of the head.

• • Alopecia areata:

    This type of hair loss in patches is an immune disorder in which the body attacks its own hair follicles. This loss is seen in the hair of the head, but it is possible for it to happen to the eyelashes and beard as well. Hair loss can be sudden and occur in just a few days or over several weeks.

Sometimes, itching or burning occurs in the area before hair loss. Hair follicles do not die, so if the inflammation of the follicles subsides, the hair will grow back. People who experience only a few patches of hair loss often recover spontaneously and completely without any treatment.

Alopecia totalis is the name of the advanced form of this disorder in which all hair falls out.

• • Traction alopecia:

    As a result of continuous stretching of the hair, which may be caused by hair braiding or the use of elastics and hair clips, it can put pressure on the hair follicles, and as a result, the hair will fall out. In some people, traction alopecia is also caused by anxiety or bad nervous habits in putting pressure on the hair roots.

• Telogen effluvium:

  When a person is exposed to a very stressful situation, a large number of hair follicles enter the natural telogen (shedding) phase. Fortunately, normal hair growth resumes with the start of a new hair growth cycle.

• Anagen effluvium:

  When the hair follicles are in the anagen (growth) stage, hair may fall out, but this usually happens in people who are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer. The process of such treatments is based on destroying growing and dividing cancer cells, which also destroys growing hair cells.

• White hair

  Some people believe that frizzy hair gives them a distinctive look, but others see it as a sign of aging. Whatever you feel about gray or gray hair, you’ll eventually get it as you get older (if you still have any hair left in your old age, of course).

Scientists have tried a lot to find out the cause of gray hair and believe that they have found the root of this problem. Hair reaches its color from a pigment called melanin, which is created by melanocyte cells in hair follicles. 

Researchers have found that melanocytes are damaged over the years and eventually lose the power to produce melanin. Research has shown that DNA damage and hydrogen peroxide accumulation in follicles are possible causes of melanin production disorders. 

Without the presence of melanin, the hairs that grow have no pigment, and as a result, they become gray, white, or silver.

Some people’s hair starts turning white at a young age. Genes usually play a role when the process of hair graying starts, so if your mother’s or father’s hair turns gray early, it is likely that your hair will also turn white early. 

If you are one of those people who do not think that graying hair makes you stand out, you can easily hide it by using hair color.

• • The cause of gray hair

    Human hair begins to turn white around the age of 40 to 45, but it can also be seen at a young age.

Apart from the natural process, there are other reasons that cause graying of the head hair, including sadness and grief, fear and anxiety, nervous pressure, working too much without rest, improper nutrition, permanent constipation, lack of vitamin B, and lack of zinc and Manganese.