All posts by miriam

One of the major problems of trichotillomania, the compulsion to pull out hairs to calm yourself, is that many sufferers are ashamed of what they do and therefore fail to seek help. This makes it difficult to establish how many people are affected by it, but it is thought to be between two and four per cent of the population, albeit to differing degrees.

Despite this, it is little-known and even many medical practictioners are unaware of it. If you see your GP and they seem unsympathetic, you do have other options. You can arrange to see a qualified dermatologist or a trichologist independently.

Many sufferers describe how isolating the condition can be, saying that they feel like only they are afflicted. It can also lead to further stress if the person feels they are causing their family distress through pulling out their hair, leading to a vicious circle.

There are many different triggers for the condition. It can be stress-related or as a result of emotional trauma. The act of pulling out hairs is calming, giving rise to an endorphin release, which can lead to a form of addiction. It is often the case that the hair is pulled out without the person even knowing that they are doing it.

Scientific studies have shown that hair loss in women produces greater levels of psychological trauma for the sufferer than for men. Whilst losing such an intrinsic part of your physical appearance can be distressing for both sexes, hair has much more significance for women.

What do women feel when they lose their hair?

Many women experience a massive drop in self-confidence when they lose their hair, as thick healthy hair is so often linked with beauty, youth and sexuality in today’s image-conscious society. Women pick up on this very easily, and it can be hard to shake off.

Some women worry about their attractiveness, whilst others – such as alopecia areata sufferers – feel frustrated that they can’t do anything to stop their hair falling out.

Social expectations

The other problem with female hair loss is the reactions of the people around the sufferer. Unlike male pattern baldness, hair loss in women is not seen as ‘normal’ and there is not such a strong support system in place for it.

Treatment

Female hair loss sufferers need not struggle alone with their condition. Thanks to increased awareness, there are now clinics which offer new and advanced treatments specially designed to help women manage or overcome their hair loss symptoms.

Gail Porter, the woman who is almost single-handedly responsible for raising public awareness of female hair loss has been honoured this week with an award for her charity work.

As most people know, Gail, a former TV presenter famed for her long, blonde locks, started losing her hair in 2005 when filming in the US. She was diagnosed with alopecia areata, which she believes was triggered by the stress of a divorce from then-husband Dan Hipgrave in late 2004.

Gail lost all of her hair, but refused to hide her condition with hats or wigs. She wanted to raise awareness of female hair loss and subsequently became an ambassador for the Little Princess Trust, a charity which supplies human hair wigs to children who have lost their hair after cancer treatment.

The former Live and Kicking presenter is also involved with numerous other charity projects such as breast cancer charity Pretty in Pink, the Royal National Institute for the Blind, Marie Curie Cancer Care and anti-poverty organisation Action Aid.

For all of her inspirational work and personal triumphs, Gail Porter has been nominated for the Entertainer of the Year award at the 2010 Bighearted Scotland Awards. The event will be held in September.

The Intralace Freewear system is suitable for women who are experiencing total hair loss. It serves as a superior alternative to a human hair wig.

When using a hair replacement system, it is usually necessary to have at least one spare, as back-up. However, this is not the case with the Freewear system. It is affixed using medical grade tape and also a liquid adhesive that is friendly to the skin. If you opt for the Freewear system, you can have a natural parting with it or natural side hair line panels which offer more flexibility in terms of styling – a fringe isn’t necessary and hair can also be tucked behind the ears with confidence.

With the Freewear system, you basically treat it as you would your own hair. You sleep in it and wash and dry it just as you would ordinarily. It is also straightforward enough for the user to replace the adhesive and medical tape themselves, so this can be done whenever necessary.

The Intralace Freewear system will typically last two or three years before it needs replacing and up until then, it offers an incredibly natural look that allows greater freedom and self-confidence.

Whenever a hair loss problem develops, the first thing to do is to go and see your GP. They will help you get to the root cause of your hair loss and only then will you be able to treat the condition correctly.

As part of the process, you are likely to have to see an NHS dermatologist. While dermatologists are commonly thought of as dealing with the skin, they also deal with hair, as hair follicles reside in the skin. However, there may well be a wait to see an NHS dermatologist. If you cannot wait, you do have another option. You can an appointment with a trichologist privately.

Trichologists deal with the hair and scalp and a typical consultation is an hour long. As with any medical position, there are qualifications for trichologists, so make sure you are being seen by a professional.

During you hour-long session, the trichologist attempt to diagnose your problem and should be able to recommend a subsequent course of treatment. If your condition is likely to result in substantial loss of hair, there are various hair replacement options that you can take a look at to help you manage the problem.

Telogen effluvium is a common cause of hair loss in both men and women. It leads to hairs being shed from across the scalp, rather than in patches and can also affect the body.

Causes of telogen effluvium

Frequently, the cause is physical or hormonal stress or a reaction to medicine that is being taken. It can come about quite suddenly and afflicts people of all ages. In most cases it will tend to resolve in around six months.

How does telogen effluvium affect the hair?

The condition occurs when there is a disruption to the hair’s natural growth cycle. The normal cycle for each hair is a long period of growth that lasts around three years and then a rest period, which is typically around three months.

Ordinarily around 15 per cent of hairs are in the rest phase at any one time. However, stress can cause a far greater percentage to enter that state. Around three months after this, these hairs will be shed as new hairs grow in those follicles. At this point, the hair will once again begin to thicken.