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Hair Loss

Here's a hair-raising thought: You lose 50 to 100 hairs every day. But don't panic. Chances are your scalp is turning out new ones just as fast -- part of a natural process that begins even before you're born.

This mane event depends on age, gender, the age of the hair follicle, and even hair color. Hair on the head typically grows about half an inch each month.

About 90 percent of the scalp hair is growing at any one time. Scalp hairs grow for two to six years before going dormant for about three months and then falling out, to be replaced by a new hair.

Younger adults have about 100,000 hairs on their heads, which can vary based on hair color (blondes tend to have the most, redheads the least). For some of us, this number drops steadily with age. By age 60, about two thirds of all men, as well as a significant number of women, report some hair loss.

We usually blame hair loss on heredity, but additional factors may come into play as well, such as hormone imbalances, stress, or certain diseases, infections, or medicines. Sometimes treating an underlying condition or stopping a medication may allow hair to begin to grow back.

Be wary of miracle cures for baldness, but there is hope, including newer drug therapies and types of hair transplants that are more effective than ever before. Talk to your doctor about whether these treatments may be appropriate for you. One warning: Hair replacement isn't covered by many insurance plans.

Proper care can keep hair healthy. The difference in shampoos for oily, dry and normal hair depends on pH balance -- whether they're acidic or alkaline. Dry or damaged hair, for example, needs acidic shampoo.

And if you have trouble making your hair look lively, maybe you shouldn't be surprised. Your hair is made up of layers of dead cells filled with the protein keratin -- which also makes up your nails and your outer skin.