HIRSUTISM

(Constitutional or male pattern hirsutism)

Hirsutism is the medical term for excessive hair, or hairness, particularly in women.
When a women grows hair on her face, trunk, and limbs that is similar to a man's, the condition is called male-pattern HIRSUTISM .
Humans appear to be fairly hairless, but in reality we have as many hair follicles as apes (monkeys). However most human follicles produce vellus hair, which is colorless and fine. Some vellus hair, though, is converted into the coarser, more visible terminal hair during puberty, when testosterone stimulates its growth.
Males produce more testosterone than females, thus men normally have more visible facial and body hair.
Excessive hair growth doesn't always signal a medical problem. it may be seen instead as constitutional hirsutism, or hair growth that is normal for person's age or racial and ethnic heritage.
Women of Mediterranean and near Eastern ancestry, for example, have more visible hair than their North European counterparts. Caucasians have more hair than Africans; and both Asians and Native Americans have less than other peoples.
Following menopause, women normally grow more facial hair, but the sudden development of male-pattern hirsutism in a younger women often indicates an imbalance of sex hormones, especially if there are other signs of virilization, such as a deepening of the voice and increased muscle growth.
Porphyria, a genetic disease marked by extreme sun sensitivity, can cause hirsutism, as can tumors of the ovaries or adrenal glands. If a cause cannot be identified the condition is called idiopathic hirsutism.

In both sexes, hirsutism may develop from certain medications; these include prednisone and other corticosteroids; phenytoin, an anti convulsant medication; and minoxidil, an anti hypertensive (used for high blood pressure) agent.

Medical Treatment:
When constitutional hirsutism is the problem, no medical treatment is required. Treatment of male pattern hirsutism depends upon the underlying cause. if there is excessive production of testosterone, spironolactone (Aldolactone) may be prescribed to block it.
Surgery may be necessary if a hormone producing tumor is present. When surgery is not possible, it may be destroyed by radiation therapy.

ALTERNATE THERAPIES
Electrolysis:
                 This is the only permanent method of hair removal. it is a time-consuming procedure that requires a skilled operator, known as the electrologist. Each hair is removed by the insertion of a fine probe into the hair follicle. An electrical current of low voltage passes through the probe and destroys the hair root.

Nutrition Therapy:
                               If obesity is contributing to a hormone imbalance that is causing excessive hair growth, a qualified nutritionist can devise a long term weight loss program.

Self Treatment:
There are numerous ways to remove unwanted hair temporarily or to make it less noticeable.

Bleaching:
                 This makes hair less visible . use a commercial product or make your own.
Method:

• One ounce of 6% hydrogen peroxide
• 10% of house hold Ammonia
• Enough baking soda to make a paste

Before using the mixture, do a small patch test on the inside of your wrist.

Depilatories:
These chemicals dissolve hair into a gelatinous mass that can be removed with a washcloth. Do a patch test and follow instructions carefully.

 Plucking:
This is a quick way to remove small amounts of body hair temporarily. Use care, however, as plucking can injure follicles and trigger infections, especially on the face.

Shaving:
This is the quickest way and most widely used method for removing hair from the underarms and legs. Although men regularly shave their faces, women hesitate to do so, as they mistakenly think that shaving will stimulate the growth of their hair. It only appears to, because all of the shaved hair grows back at the same time.

Waxing:
Warm melted wax is applied to the skin, allowed to cool, and then peeled off, taking with it any embedded hairs. Wax treatments are available in salons and there are also wax products for home use.

Other Causes Of Hairiness:
Thyroid disease, ovarian cysts, and pituitary tumors are among the endocrine disorders that can cause excessive hairiness.

BALDNESS

Baldness involves the complete or partial loss of hair, usually from scalp, but sometimes other places as well. Normally, we shed 50 to 100 hairs per day as a part of natural growth, resting and renewal process. When a hair is in the resting stage, it loosens gradually from it's root and is shed. A few months later, a new hair begins to grow in its place.
With aging, it is normal for hair to thin in women and men. But many men experience more extensive hair loss due to hereditary condition called male pattern baldness, or androgenic alopecia, which can occur anytime after the teen years. Typically, it begins with a slow thinning of hair

TREATMENT:

Drug Therapy:
Hair loss due to male pattern baldness may be treated with MINOXIDIL, A reformulation of a blood pressure medication that causes excessive growth of a scalp, and body hair in side effect. It is now prescribed as a topical lotion which is applied daily on scalp.
It takes several months to show the results, and only about 1/3 of men experience significant hair re-growth. The new hair ll be finer and thinner than normal, and the drug must be used continously to show great results.
Alopecia areata can sometimes be halted by applying a topical STEROID or injecting it into the scalp to lower the immune system attack on hair follicles.

PLASTIC SURGERY:
Two procedures are now available. The oldest is HAIR TRANSPLANTATION, in which small circles, or plugs, of skin containing healthy hair follicles are transplanted from the back and sides of the head to the balding site. If plugs take, they continue to grow hair. Surgery is usually done in stages, but sometimes entire strips of skin with hair can be moved.
The second approach is scalp reduction, in which a surgeon removes an oval-shaped piece of scalp from the top of the head, then pulls the part of the scalp that still contains hair upward to fill in the missing piece.

HERBAL TREATMENT:
Balding process can be treated by rubbing an onion juice on the scalp and then exposing it under sun.


MEASURES FOR REDUCING BALDNESS:
Never brush your wet hair
comb gently by using a large tooth comb
always use a mild shampoo
use warm water, never hot
rinse with cool water
avoid gels, sprays
avoid perming, blow dry, colouring

OTHER CAUSES OF HAIR LOSS:
diseases that often produce hair loss include lupus, thyroid insufficiency, and scleroderma, a hardening of the skin.
A high fever, radiation exposure, and certain drugs, especially cancer chemotherapy, also produce hair loss.

RADIATIONS & BIRTH DEFECTS:

X-Ray and other forms of ionizing radiations are especially harmful to a developing fetus; they can cause severe birth defects or even fetal death. Any women who is pregnant, or who may be pregnant without knowing it, shouldn't be X-Rayed. If an X-Ray is absolutely necessary, a protective lead shield should be used to cover the fetus. Even before conception, radiation can cause birth defects by damaging the father's sperms or the mother's eggs. With time, a man's ability to produce a healthy sperm usually returns. But a women doesn't make new eggs; she is born with her lifetime supply. Fortunately, surgical techniques now allow the ovaries to be moved out of the field of exposure during radiation therapy, and later returned to their normal position.

DANDRUFF

DANDRUFF (Pityriasis simplex):
is a form of seborrheic dermatitis, an inflammatory condition in which dead scalp cells flake off, leaving telltale signs on the shoulder and clothing. More severe cases also effect the skin around the nose, behind the ears, or in the armpits or delicate areas.
The flaking is thought to be caused by scalp cells that are aging too rapidly. Normally, dead skin cells are shed from the scalp during routine hair care. But when the normal growth pattern is altered, and excessive dead cells reach the scalp's surface simultaneously, they stick together n fall off in flakes. However, some researchers dispute this view and argue that a yeast called PITYROSPORUM OVALE is responsible. Whatever the cause, dandruff doesn't lead to permanant hair loss/baldness.

TREATMENTS OF DANDRUFF:

Ordinary dandruff doesn't need medical treatment, but severe cases may require a medicated shampo (selsun blue by Abbott)
other therapies are,

Aromatherapy:
Practitionets recommend bathing the effected areas three times a week with a 2% essence of Geranium in a distilled water base. Another remedy calls for massaging a 10% sage essence in an olive oil base into the effected areas, then waiting 2hrs before washing out the mixture. This procedure should be followed twice a week.

Herbal Medicines:
Aloe vera has skin softening properties that can help alleviate dandruff. It is most effective when a freshly cut leaf is rubbed directly onto the affected area. Applying Eucalyptus oil to the scalp is advocated by some herbalists.

Massage:
Although this therapy cannot cure dandruff, its a time honored method for reducing the stress that may be an underlying cause. Reflexology, or foot massage, is alsi said to be effective.

Relaxation Therapies:
All forms of medication, including yoga, may help relieve a dandruff condition that is related to excessive stress. An increase in exercise may have a similar effect.

Self Treatment:
-If your hair is oily, treat dandruff by brushing thoroughly and then washing with a shampoo for oily hair. Follow this with a dandruff shampoo that contains sulfur, such as Sebulex, Sebutone or Selsun Blue to remove dead scalp cells and reduce the output of oil glands.
Next, apply a lemon rinse,
[METHOD: made with the strained juice of one lemon in a cup of warm water]
pour this on, work it through the scalp, n rinse with cool water. Do not use a conditioner, which may actually compound the oil problem.
Treat ur hair with this program twice a week until the condition is under control. If you shampoo more frequently, use a standard shampoo for oily hair followed by lemon rinse. Blow dry using a cool or warm setting, but avoid letting the hair dry naturally, because lying against the scalp allows wet hair to pick-up oil more quickly. If possible, avoid hair spray as it is a magnet for dirt and oil.

-While using an iron straightner, dryer or conditioner, always avoid reaching roots.

-Treat dry hair and dandruff first with a through brushing, then spread about 1/4 cup of hand and body lotion on the hair and work it into the scalp. Wrap the head with towel that has been soaked in very hot water and wrung out, and leave it in place about 20min. Next, wash the hair with mild dandruff shampoo, such as head & shoulder, clear or Zincon, that contains zinc pyrithione.

-If a dandruff persist then try a coal tar shampoo such as, Denorex or Polytar. After shampooing, always rinse the scalp throughly with warm water.

-If u have normal hair, treat dandruff by brushing, washing with simple shampoo and then applying an aspirin rinse, made by dissolving six aspirin tablets in a cup of warm water. The rinse should be poured over the hair, worked into the scalp, and left on for 15min before rinsing. Once the dandruff disappears, you can return to a normal program of hair care.
-For hair that has been bleached/permed, dandruff should be treated by first brushing, then shampooing with a protein, acid-balanced shampoo. Follow this with a mild dandruff shampoo that contains zinc pyrithione, and then rinse and apply a low-pH conditioner with protein.