I get a lot of emails from people telling me that they are quite alarmed that they are noticing more and more scalp showing through their thinning hair. Sometimes this has been a gradual slippage and sometimes it is sudden. But no matter how it happened, it is alarming because for the people to whom it happens, it can be seen as the first step towards baldness. And, in your own mind, it just makes your hair loss or thinning that much more noticeable, making the treatment or camouflage that much more serious. There are many reasons why this happens and I will go over some of the causes, treatments, and camouflages in the next article.
Genetic causes of thinning hair on the scalp: Probably the most common cause of hair thinning so severely that it can be seen directly is genetics or sensitivity to androgens or DHT (called AGA or androgenic alopecia). And you don’t need a bald father or grandfather to have this and women are not excluded. There are many people with this condition with no family history. What happens in this cycle is that the healthy follicles that produce and maintain quality hair are affected and eventually drowned out by androgens. Therefore, you will lose or lose more hair prematurely and what grows back becomes finer and thinner, so it is not enough to offer enough coverage to completely cover and darken your scalp.
The treatment for AGA is really twofold. First, you need to drastically slow down the loss. A lot of people will do this via DHT blockers, but I strongly believe that not all androgens can be removed and since you have that sensitivity, the sensitivity is better to address. Because even a little androgens that are left will continue to wreak havoc. Second, you must be able to successfully stimulate your scalp to produce healthy hair again. Often times, hair cycles are so affected that you will have to go through several enhancement cycles until everything is working normally again.
Medical causes of severe weight loss:There are some medical conditions that cause hair to become so thin that the scalp shows through. Aside from the obvious (like chemotherapy and radiation), there are thyroid and adrenal problems, serious illnesses, or stress and autoimmune reactions. Occasionally, people have reactions to medications, foods, or products, but this is quite rare. The obvious treatment for this type of hair loss is to treat the underlying medical condition. And after that, it doesn’t hurt to continue to aggressively stimulate regrowth and reduce the inflammation that often accompanies this type of hair loss.
Chronic shedding (or CTE 🙂 The shedding of more than 100 strands per day for a period of less than six months is called telogen effluvium, or TE. Having this condition for more than half a year is called CTE (the chronic variety). And, if this condition lasts long enough, it can look like AGA because the regrowth just doesn’t get a chance to catch up or do any good. because everything is falling apart fast. Often times, CTE is caused by a trigger that has not been properly identified or treated. The best way to manage it is to remove the trigger for good, but this is also easier said than done because people with CTE are often very vulnerable to hormones, and treatments can often cause a new round of hair loss. . This is why I really advocate using very gradual topicals so that it doesn’t affect anything internally that could cause you to lose more. CTE generally has an inflammation component (inflammation is not the cause, but the result), so it never hurts to reduce inflammation and stimulate the scalp.
Camouflage a transparent scalp: If the problem is not that bad yet, you can try combing your hair around it. Lifting from the roots, combing it forward or to the side, wearing the hair in a ponytail, or adding waves and curls can all help. If you are beyond this because your hair has become too thin, there are powders that match your hair color that will help blend the white of the scalp (toppik, covers, etc.). I have heard of people dying or dyeing their scalp, but I think this would cause a lot of inflammation. Finally, there are toppers that are hairpieces that only cover the problem area and blend in with the rest of your hair. You may have to search for one that looks absolutely realistic for a while, but it’s not impossible.
Best case scenarios: Of course, it is better to eliminate the problem rather than cover it up. I always urge people to never give up trying to discover the real cause and effective solution for their hair loss. You will never be out of the game until you give up, so don’t give up. Cover it to the best of your ability, but keep looking for a workable solution that helps stop hair loss and regrow hair.
