Fantasia Salon / Spa and Wig Specialists

Have you ever thought that perhaps we are obsessed with this whole hair loss thing? That the baby boomers are a self conscious, self absorbed group who absolutely do not want to age and are fighting it kicking and screaming? What a selfish culture we have become.

Well guess what? The desire to avoid hair loss is not a baby-boomer thing and is not confined to our time in history. In ancient Egypt, men used to rub fat from crocodiles, snakes, lions and other animals on their head in hopes of preventing or treating hair loss. Julius Caesar and Napoleon also experienced hair loss and tried to conceal it by growing their hair long in the back and combing it forward over their heads. Actually, I’m still seeing this one occasionally today-the ultimate comb over! It’s really fun to watch if there’s a strong wind.

There are many causes of thinning hair or baldness. Genetics plays a role in this condition, the male pattern baldness and female pattern baldness may be due to genetic make-up; it is referred to as androgenetic alopeica. Hair loss may be experienced 3-4 months after an illness or surgery and this type of loss is usually temporary. Overactive or underactive thyroid, androgen or estrogen imbalance can all cause hair loss.

Poor nutrition and crash dieting are huge when it comes to hair loss, I’ve written quite a bit about this. When the protein, vitamins and minerals are inadequate in the diet, the hair is not going to be healthy and growing as it should.

Improper hair care and styling such as wearing your hair in pigtails, cornrows or tight rollers and bad hair extensions can all cause traction alopecia which can eventually lead to scarring and later to permanent hair loss.

There are several treatments for hair loss most of which are drugs with side effects. Once you stop taking these medications, hair loss resumes. Surgeries and transplants are expensive options and not affordable for the average person.

There is an effective natural hair loss solution without harmful side effects which we use at Fantasia called Hair Support System. Hair Support System begins with an analysis of the scalp and in-depth salon treatment followed by home treatments. If this sounds like something you would be interested in, call to schedule a consultation with one of our hair support specialist.

Because Fantasia specializes in hair loss solutions for women (and men and children), we obviously discuss hair loss a lot. In this post, let’s define the different terms used for various forms of hair loss as there are several.

Diffuse hair loss: This is a gradual thinning of the hair as opposed to bald patches and is the most common form of hair loss in women. The replacement of old hairs by new hairs is slowed down so that the hair becomes sparse and the scalp can be seen clearly through the hair. Causes for diffuse hair loss can be numerous and can include stress, restriction of the blood supply, a poor nervous system and hormonal influences.

Androgenetic alopecia, also referred to as female pattern baldness: This is often linked to hormonal changes with the hair loss following events such as menopause, childbirth or as a result of stopping or starting oral contraceptive pills. The hair loss is generally more uniform over the scalp than in the male counterpart. If you remember our discussions on DHT being the hair loss culprit, that is the cause for this type of hair loss. The hair follicles are genetically predisposed to be over sensitive to DHT and become smaller and smaller over time, leading to eventual hair loss.

Telogen effulvium: This occurs when the growing phase of the hair is interrupted prematurely causing the hair follicles to enter the telogen (resting) phase of the hair cycle earlier than normal. Two to four months later, following the normal cyclic pattern, diffuse shedding of the hair begins. When this happens there are not enough hairs left in the anagen, or growing phase and the result is diffuse thinning of the hair.

Pregnancy: Hormone levels increase as pregnancy begins and slows down the hair growth cycle. Hair that should stop growing continues to grow beyond the usual life cycle. Often this means that the hair appears to grow thicker as more hairs are present than normal. After the birth, hormone levels change very quickly, the hairs that were growing beyond their normal life span enter the telogen or resting phase and begin falling out. This can sometimes appear to happen all at once and cause concern to the new mom.

Late onset thinning: This is diffuse hair loss across the scalp as density is reduced gradually. This is due to age-related hormonal changes as the natural reduction of oestrogen/progesterone production results in the hair follicles becoming smaller and smaller. These follicles then produce finer and finer hair until there is a general reduction of over all density.

Alopecia areata: This loss is very common and will affect 1-2% of the population at some point in their lives. Typically the hair loss is patchy and most sufferers are children and young adults (less than 40 years of age), though, it can affect people of all ages. The hair loss is usually sudden and manifests itself in small, smooth-skinned patches that are likely to gradually widen with time. It can also affect the sufferer’s nails, giving them a pitted, ridges or brittle appearance. The exact cause is unknown, although current theories are that it is an auto-immune disease, stress or that it has a genetic basis. If the hair loss progresses until all the scalp hair is lost, it is known as alopecia totalis or- alopecia universalis if all body hair is lost.

Psuedopelade: is characterised by the development of small, smooth patches without any clinical changes other than transient erythema (redness.) The initial patch is usually on the crown of the head, but can occur anywhere on the scalp. It’s generally regarded as a clinical syndrome, which may be the end result of any one of a number of different pathological processes due to a weakened immune system.

Hopefully, if you hear these phrases or terms discussed by a doctor, health professional or anyone; you will now have a better understanding as to what they are talking about. Should you or a loved one suffer with hair loss for any reason, Fantasia Salon is here to help you find the best solution for your situation.

When it comes to hair loss in women, there are many myths out there. As we have previously discussed, hair loss in women is very common and over 30% of women will experience thinning hair at some point in their life.

When you research female hair loss, you should determine what is real and what are the myths when talking with your girlfriends. That is if you are even discussing these things with your girlfriends. I’ve heard women say things like: I know your salon could really help my friend who is going bald but it’s not something I’m comfortable talking with her about. Hopefully this friend will find out about Fantasia some how, some way.

Let’s explore the top 10 myths about hair loss in women.

• Hair loss is a male only problem
• Female pattern baldness doesn’t really exist
• Only elderly women have thinning hair
• Brushing and combing hair too often causes hair loss
• Washing your hair too often causes hair loss
• Hair loss is a result of too much dyeing and bleaching of the hair
• Standing on your head will grow new hair
• Shaving your head will make it grow back thicker
• Wearing hats can cause hair loss
• There is no help for female pattern hair baldness

If you believe any of these, you need to continue your research because you are off track. Part of the reason treating female pattern baldness is such a problem is that there are so many misconceptions out there as to why, when and to whom it occurs.

The DHT hormone is produced by both the sexes. In the men it’s produced in the testicles and the adrenals. In women it’s produced in the ovaries and the adrenal glands. In the men, DHT, can become the villain as it binds to the hair follicles, thereby retarding their growth and cutting of their blood supply. What happens then is the hair thins and eventually falls out.

In women, hair loss is usually caused by hormonal imbalance, nutritional deficiencies, stress or diseases. Illness and medications can cause hair loss. Thyroid, diabetes, kidney failure and lupus can all lead to hair loss. Polycystic ovary syndrome in adult women and teenage girls can lead to hair loss.

Medications such as acne medications can cause hair loss. Amphetamines in diet pills and chemotherapy are widely known to cause hair loss. Alopecia areata causes hair loss on the scalp and sometimes the body. This is an autoimmune disease, which means one’s own immune system causes damage to it’s self.

Once you understand the causes of thinning hair in women, you can then learn how to end the hair loss and reverse the effects. At Fantasia, we specialize in providing solutions for hair loss in men, women and children. We would love to work with you to help you find the best solution so you can get back on track with your life.

Want to know what is one of the most abused areas of your body? Yep, it’s your scalp! Something we rarely if ever see.

Every day your scalp comes into close contact with brushes, chemicals, dyes, bleaches, gels and sprays. Then, as if that isn’t bad enough, we blast it with high heat that we would never dream of exposing to other parts of our body!

According to one dermatologist, the scalp has a really hard time. But apart from the balls of the feet, the heels and back - the scalp is the thickest part of the body. The top layer, or epidermis, is of average thickness. But the dermis, which is the strong layer underneath, is much thicker.

Hair grows from roots or hair follicles. These are “down-growths” of the epidermis. With the scalp, hairs are thick and strong. The roots bud down through the dermis into the underlying subcutaneous fat where they can lie 4 millimeters below the skin’s surface.

There is a rich blood supply around the hair follicles. While the number of follicles varies enormously from person to person, according to a spokesman for the Trichological Society, the thicker the hair shaft, the bigger the hair follicle.

The average follicle will produce a hair that will grow for about a year. It will rest for a month or two and then the hair will fall out. The hair follicle then starts over, producing another hair, it rest then falls out, and so on and so on.

In male pattern baldness, which can also affect the temples of women, the hair follicles of genetically susceptible people, die young on exposure to the male hormone, testosterone. (see previous blog about this)

There are other causes of hair loss such as cancer chemotherapy which interferes with the growing phase and therefore results in loss of 90 percent of the scalp hair for as long as the treatment is taken. Then there is telogen effluvium which is a more common and reversible form of hair loss which may last for a number of months.

This type of hair loss can be triggered and provoked by stressful events. Doctors don’t really know why but suspect it could be due to changes in blood flow, thyroid disorder or iron deficiency.

Hair follicles have their own lubrication system, which comes from sebaceous glands and; too much of this lubrication or flow, results in an oily scalp. The scalp can be washed daily without damage to it or the hair, as log as the cleansing is done gently.

So, even though the scalp is one of the most abused parts of your body, don’t panic! In most cases, it is strong enough to take it!

Once upon a time, women suffered hair loss silently, ashamed by their appearance and baffled by its cause.

Today, we know that millions of women are afflicted with hair loss. 40% of hair loss sufferers are women, that is over 90 million women who are afflicted.

Hair loss, is referred to alopecia by the medical profession. It can be caused by excessive stress, hormonal imbalances, reactions to medications such as Accutane used to clear-up acne. Hair loss can also be caused by one’s bodily response to disease.

For more than 50% of women, the cause of their hair loss is genetic predisposition combined with hormonal changes. This is known as female pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia.

There are a variety of causes for androgenetic alopecia. These can include ovarian cysts, taking high androgen index birth control pills, pregnancy and menopause. Birth control pills are a huge contributing factor to female hair loss; and sadly, most women have no idea about this side effect. While oral contraceptives are a common trigger of hair loss - doctors do not emphasize this side effect. Physicians recognize the for the most part, oral contraceptives are a safe and effective form of birth control. They also recognize the the pills have been clinically proven to have other health benefits for some women who use them. However, it is important to warn women about the potential risk of hair loss with this form of contraceptive.

With a 75% chance for alopecia, if both parents are prone to hair loss, some doctors are now strongly suggesting an alternative forms of birth control. There are low-testosterone birth control pills on the market. If there is a strong predisposition for genetic hair loss in your family, ask for another non-hormonal form of birth control.

While most women do not experience hair loss while taking birth control pills, most cases occur after one stops taking the medication, particular for women who are sensitive to hormone changes.

Some forms of hair loss are curable, but most cases are permanent. Some of the medications featured on infomercials and in magazines should be avoided. Women are vulnerable when it comes to the hair loss issue and will waste their time and money on these products which will do nothing to correct their situation.

Once hair loss has set in, you need to find out the cause and begin treating the symptoms immediately. The longer you wait, the less chance of the hair growing back.

The most common type of hair loss seen in women is female pattern baldness otherwise known as androgenetic alopecia. While alopecia means baldness; it does not mean complete hair loss. Typically, it is seen as thinning hair, predominately over the top and front of the head. This type of hair loss affects more than one third of the female population and is most commonly seen after menopause.

Usually the hair is gradually thinning rather than excess loss all at once. In female pattern baldness, when the affected hair is shed, a root grows in its place that is shorter. Eventually it becomes invisible like “peach fuzz”. Genetically, hair loss can come from either side of the family. No matter how quickly it comes or why it comes, it can be devastating to a woman’s confidence and self image.

Female pattern hair loss can begin as early as puberty. This is usually a sign of a hormone imbalance. Other signs would be excessive facial hair or body hair. There are medical solutions to help with this once it has been diagnosed.

Many women are unaware that hair loss can occur after pregnancy or after the discontinuation of birth control pills. Physical and psychological stresses to the body can also cause female pattern hair loss. The scientific name for this type of hair loss is Telogen Effuvium and the good news is that it is usually temporary.

There are non-surgical and non-chemical treatments for female pattern baldness. Fantasia offers several types of solutions for this including micro point links, accents, and top of the head hair replacement systems. We have discussed each one of these options in detail. If you or a loved one are dealing with thinning hair or hair loss, we’d like to help you. We would begin by bringing you in for a consultation with one of the professional hair replacement technicians at Fantasia. Then, in a private consultation room, they will discuss with you all of the hair loss solutions and help you decide what the best option would be for you. Don’t let thinning hair or hair loss affect your life anymore. Call us so we can help you get your life back!