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Alopecia or Hair Loss is the partial or complete loss of hair in the scalp, armpit or other areas of the body to the extent that skin is evident and sparse amount of hair is present or completely absent. Hair loss usually develops gradually and may be patchy or diffuse (all over)Who get Alopecia?Hair loss is experienced by both men and women, young or old. The most common type of hair loss is called 1. male pattern baldness or androgenetic alopecia.Its causes have been linked to genes, hormones and age. Other types of hair loss are:2. an auto-immune condition known as patchy hair loss (alopecia areata), 3. temporary hair loss (telogen effluvium), 4. compulsive hair pulling (trichotillomania) and 5.traction alopecia.What is the cause of Alopecia?Our hair is made up of keratin, the same protein that is found in nails and the outer layer of our skin. The average adult has more than 100,000 strands of hair on his scalp. It is normal to lose about 50 to 100 strands every day. Old strands of hair are shed so that new ones can grow out of the hair follicles.However, various factors can lead to sudden or excessive shedding such as:1. genes(Male pattern baldness, Congenital),Genetic baldness is caused by the body's failure to produce new hairs and not by excessive hair loss. Some women also develop a particular pattern of hair loss due to genetics, age, and male hormones that tend to increase in women after menopause. The pattern is different from that of men. Female pattern baldness involves a thinning throughout the scalp while the frontal hairline generally remains intact.Congenital Alopecia occurs in a new born who does not develop any more hairs. 2. hormones(excessive DHT or dihydrotestosterone) Androgens appear to play a role in male pattern baldness. These very same hormones trigger the growth of hair in the pubic, underarm and facial areas at puberty. People with male pattern baldness may have the same male hormone levels as normal people, but these hormones seem to accumulate in certain areas of their scalp and cause the hair follicles there to regress. Women are protected from male pattern baldness because they produce less androgen, and because their female hormones, estrogen can counter the effect of their male hormones. However, women who produce excess androgens may have male pattern baldness. Other hormones, such as those from your thyroid glands, can also affect your hair. too much or too little hormones from your thyroid gland can cause hair loss.3.stress,Sudden emotional stress can also trigger patchy baldness (alopecia areata) or temporary hair loss (telogen effluvium). Temporary hair loss may also be triggered by the stress of giving birth or losing a loved one.4. Medical conditions Some medicines, such as blood thinners (anti-coagulants), birth control pills, anti-depressants, anti-thyroid drugs or drugs used in chemotherapy, may cause hair loss. 5. Improper hair care Having a hairstyle that exerts too much pull(traction) on the scalp can cause your hair to turn brittle and break. Hair breakage can also be caused by over-shampooing and the excessive use of chemical treatments such as dyes, tints, bleaches, and permanent waves. 6. burns - Excessive heat damages the cells of the skin including the hair roots.7. Infectious diseases such as syphilis and fungal infection can cause damage to the hair roots. TABLE OF CONTENTChapter 1 Hair LossChapter 2 DandruffChapter 3 HirsutiesChapter 4 Laser Hair RemovalChapter 5 FolliculitisEpilogue