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Hair Loss Statistics and Solutions to Hair Loss

by | Oct 5, 2018 | Tips & Tricks

Hair Loss Statistics and Solutions to Hair Loss

Hair Loss Statistics

Knowledge is power, right? Understanding hair loss statistics and solutions to hair loss can help you to decide the best way to address your hair loss concerns. Hair loss statistics help you get a better idea of what could be causing your hair loss. Additionally, you’ll educate yourself about which solutions have the best odds for helping you resolve this condition.

There are many different reasons people lose their hair and many different approaches to the problem. First off, understanding the difference between facts backed by data and advertising hype. Don’t get tricked by hyped-up claims meant to sell you an ineffective product. Stay on your toes, stay vigilant, You’ll save lots of money and heartache. Let’s explore hair loss statistics, explain what these statistics mean, and what solutions are available to help restore lost hair.

About the Human Head 

The human scalp has anywhere from 100,000 to 150,000 hair follicles. It is normal to shed between 50 to 100 hairs per day. A little bit of hair loss is completely normal. After all, hair constantly goes through a cycle of growing, resting, and shedding. Hair loss problems emerge when we are losing more hair than we grow. On average, hair grows between 0.2 to 0.7 of an inch per month. That means that on a daily basis the average hair grows somewhere between 0.1 and 0.6 millimeters per day.

Hair is not in its active growing phase all at the same time. Some hairs are resting while some are growing and others are shedding. According to the University of Utah, 10 percent of all strands are in the resting stage at any given moment. Hair usually stays in the growth phase for about 3 years before entering the resting stage for another 3 months, after the resting stage the hair is shed.

Male Hair Loss Statistics

When it comes to men, the most common cause of hair loss is androgenic alopecia. Approximately 95% of men experiencing hair loss suffer from male pattern baldness, a condition thought to have a genetic component. This condition is prevalent among men, roughly two-thirds of all men will see some degree of hair loss by the time that they reach the age of thirty-five. By the age of fifty, 85% of men will experience thinning hair. Hair loss statistics also show that a quarter of men experiencing hair loss notice changes before they even reach the age of twenty-one.

Some men start losing their hair as teenagers, though this is less common, and may not be very noticeable at first. While it is true that male sex hormones such as androgens and testosterone may play a role in male pattern balding, it is actually a bit more complicated than that. It appears that it is not so much a man’s testosterone levels, but how sensitive his hair follicles are to these hormones. Studies on hair growth and thinning hair have shown that testosterone converts into DHT which is responsible for causing the hair follicles to shrink. This causes the hair to grow shorter, finer, be more prone to breakage, and eventually stop growing altogether.

Hair loss can be a sign to check in with your doctor to rule out other serious health concerns. For example, according to hair loss statistics and data from multiple studies that in total make up roughly 40,000 men showed that baldness correlated with increased sensitivity to testosterone, insulin resistance, and chronic inflammation. There may also be an increased risk of developing coronary artery disease. This risk of developing coronary artery disease increases by 48% if there is extensive baldness at the crown of the head.

Female Hair Loss Statistics 

When it comes to hair loss and women, about 50% start to lose their hair by the age of 50. Only 45% of women reach age 80 with a full head of hair. Women that are most at risk for losing their hair include women who are older than age forty, women that have recently given birth, women who have had chemotherapy or taken other medications, hormone changes due to menopause, and traction alopecia.

Chemotherapy hair loss statistics show that approximately 65% of patients experience hair loss as a side effect of this treatment. 47% of female patients find hair loss to be the most traumatic part of their treatment. Hair loss is also linked to low self-esteem and depression. A study of 157 women experiencing hair loss, with a median age of 51 showed that 29% of these women reported having two key symptoms of depression. 

Traction alopecia occurs when hair undergoes too much exposure to high heat and harsh styling practices. Heavy braids and weaves can pull the hair, straining it at the root and causing it to fall out prematurely. Bleaches, hair coloring, cornrows, tight ponytails, and sew-in weaves can all contribute to traction alopecia. Hair loss statistics imply that traction alopecia is the most common form of hair loss for Black women.

National and International Hair Loss Statistics

Hair loss has contributing factors that are both genetic and epigenetics. There is not much that can be done to prevent genetic factors. However, you can reduce epigenetic factors. Epigenetic factors are environmental such as stress, hormone imbalances, dietary factors, or infections or inflammation of the scalp. When it comes to genetics hair loss statistics do show some interesting trends.

Nationally Stats on Hair Loss

For instance, people of Indigenous North American ancestry, sometimes referred to as Native Americans are the least genetically pre-disposed to androgenic alopecia. Men of European descent were found to be equally susceptible to balding regardless of their country of origin. According to the European Journal of Dermatology found that men throughout France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy were consistently impacted by hair loss. Hair density also varies between races. In 2017 a study of 169 people on male pattern baldness looked at the hair density of 23 men of European ancestry, 44 men of African ancestry, and 99 men of Hispanic ancestry.

The results revealed that the men of African descent had the lowest hair density, followed by the group of Hispanic men, with the men of European descent having the highest density. A study by researchers at the University of Michigan found that women of Asian descent experienced the fastest rates of hair growth, while women of African heritage experienced the slowest rates of growth.

International Stats on Hair Loss

Hair loss statistics vary around the world too. In China, 250 million people suffer from hair loss. Out of 1800 men between the ages of twenty and forty, 54% had hair loss, while another 6% reported severe hair loss problems. In Australia, at least 1.5 million people face hair loss, with around 45% of Australian men experiencing significant hair loss in their lifetime. In India, hair loss statistics show that 63.2% of Indian men ages twenty-one to sixty-one suffer from varying degrees of hair loss.

Stopping and Reversing Hair Loss with Drugs 

Minoxidil Hair Restoration

So what solutions are available for hair loss and how well do they work? One of the top prescribed medications for hair loss is called minoxidil, commercially known as Rogaine. A large clinical study in 1987 that led to the drug’s approval showed that 40% of the men that were treated with minoxidil saw moderate to dense hair growth on the top of their heads. In another one-year observational study, 984 men were treated with a 5 percent concentration of minoxidil. 62% of these men reported a reduction in hair loss.

When it comes to hair growth, Minoxidil was rated as “very effective” in 16% of the participants, “effective” in 48%, and “moderately effective” in 21%, while 16% reported that it was “ineffective”. Clinical studies have also been conducted on women. In one double-blind study, 19% of women ages 18-24 used Rogaine for 8 months and reported moderate hair regrowth, while 40% reported minimal regrowth. The downside of minoxidil is that any hair that has re-grown will be lost if you stop using the product.

Finasteride Hair Restoration

Another popular medication that is prescribed for hair loss is finasteride, commercially known as Propecia. Finasteride is another FDA-approved drug for hair loss in men, but it has not been shown to be effective for treating hair loss in women. This drug works by blocking a specific enzyme that is responsible for converting testosterone to DHT. DHT is what causes hair follicles to shrink, increasing hair fall. In one clinical study researchers found that up to 80% of men who took the drug on a daily basis saw improvements in both hair growth and hair density.

Combining finasteride and minoxidil has been shown to yield even better results compared to men that only use one treatment. The only downside to finasteride is that it comes with some side effects that are pretty undesirable. A small percentage of men that take finasteride will experience a lowered sperm count, decreased libido, and erectile dysfunction. The topical version of finasteride does not cause the same sexual side effects as the oral medication. Finasteride must be taken on a daily basis, and if you stop taking finasteride, any hair that has been regrown will fall out again. Cheap in the short term. Expensive in the long term.

Best Solutions for Hair Loss

Transplant Surgeries

A more permanent method for addressing hair loss is hair transplantation surgery. There are two primary methods for performing hair transplantation surgery: Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). FUT is performed by removing a small strip of scalp from the back of the head. Then, the doctor harvests follicular grafts and transplants them in the thinning and balding areas. With FUE, the follicular grafts are harvested individually in a dispersed pattern. In order for a hair transplant surgery to be successful, grafts must survive and adapt to the recipient area.

Clinical studies show a high success rate for hair transplantation surgeries. In fact, about 85-95% of all transplanted grafts survive and thrive in the transplanted area. It’s important to understand that it is a normal part of the healing process for the newly transplanted hairs to fall out from the recipient area. Frequently, this happens about 4 months after surgery. This phenomenon, known as shock loss, is completely natural and actually a good sign that the transplant was successful. After the old hairs are shed you will start to see new growth at the transplant sites. Within a year of your surgery, you should see a significant amount of new growth.

Low-Level Light Therapy 

If you’d prefer a non-invasive solution to hair loss, low-level laser therapy (LLLT) also known as red light therapy or cold laser therapy, can help to increase circulation to the hair follicles and stimulate hair growth. Low-level laser therapy is safe, pain-free, and there are no known side effects.

In order for laser caps to be effective, they need to be made with high-quality prescription-grade laser diodes. The best devices are only available for purchase from reputable sources such as doctors, dermatologists, and hair clinics. You can find them on this site because we’re part of Best Hair Transplant in Redondo Beach. Be cautious about purchasing laser caps online. There are not many reputable places to buy the Capillus RX 312 online.

Steer clear of products that are available for purchase through eBay, Wish, or Amazon. A lot of these are not cleared by the FDA. In other words, you have no way of knowing if the lasers have been tested to ensure safety. Unfortunately, some imitation products cause damage to the hair. Don’t skimp on medical devices like laser caps. It’s not worth it. When it comes to lasercaps, you really do get what you pay for.

Making the Right Choice for You 

Choosing which method of hair restoration will work best for you is a big decision. There are several factors to consider when weighing this important decision. The first step is to talk to your doctor to make sure that there are no underlying health conditions contributing to your hair loss. Once you and your doctor have determined the cause of your hair loss, then you can start discussing the best possible treatment methods. Your choice depends on the severity of your hair loss, age, gender, hormones, health, and budget.

Take plenty of time to do your research to make sure that you are getting your information from skilled doctors who have a strong grasp on the complex subject of hair loss. Hair loss does not just impact a person on a physical level it can also be very psychologically distressing. You want to make sure to find a doctor with a great bedside manner who makes you feel heard, respected, and well cared for. Take your time in finding the best support team who will be honest with you about your options, while helping you achieve your desired results.

Call Laser Cap Me for Your Capillus RX 312 Lasercap!

Why wait? Contact Laser Cap Me today to ask about the Capillus RX 312 laser cap.

If you’re not sure, still call us so we can have a free virtual consultation with you to discuss your available options and how laser hair therapy may be beneficial for your unique hair loss situation and hair restoration goals.

What have you got to lose except more hair? Contact us today and stop your hair loss problem! You can reach us at (213) 403-0455, or send us an email. You can also find out further details by visiting our clinic’s site Best Hair Transplant.

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