Causes and Timing of Frontal Hair Loss, Plus Solutions

When going about everyday life as usual,

hardly anyone seriously thinks about how much

hair they are losing or bothers to count it.

Human hair generally sheds about 50 to 100

strands a day through natural activities and

habits. However, if the amount exceeds this

and hair is falling out excessively, or if the

hair itself has become weaker and thinner

than before, it may be possible to suspect

a typical condition has developed.

There are many reasons why these symptoms

appear. Representative causes include genetic

factors that can be passed on to you if a

family member or relative has a condition

that causes hair loss, an overly dry air

environment that leads to excessive scaling

on the scalp, or increased sebum secretion

due to low humidity. In addition, hormonal

changes, large and small amounts of stress

from various environments such as school and

work, and the negative effects of an irregular

lifestyle and Westernized eating habits that

are often overlooked because of a busy daily

routine can worsen the condition of the scalp

and hair, and may cause a large amount of

hair to fall out.

This condition can also appear in many

forms, such as male pattern and female pattern

hair loss. Today, we will take time to look

at frontal hair loss among them. First, there

is a way to self-check for a hair-loss

condition, so I would like to share that

first. Using your thumb and index finger,

gently pull the hair on the front, back, and

sides of your head. If three or more hairs

come out, it can be judged that the symptoms

are likely already progressing. Also, if the

amount of hair falling out on your pillow or

around you after sleeping, or when brushing

and shampooing, has noticeably increased

compared with before, or if your scalp

frequently itches and dandruff has increased,

or if you often undergo hair procedures such

as perms and dyeing, you should be even more

careful not to overlook this condition.

So, what does frontal hair loss mean?

It refers to a condition in which the hairline

in the forehead area and the sides gradually

recedes backward, forming a scar-like lesion

in a band shape. This is called frontal hair

loss. It is known to occur mainly in post-

menopausal women between about 55 and 70 years

old.

In the area where symptoms begin to appear,

typical signs of cicatricial alopecia, in

which the follicles close, are visible. In

addition, hyperkeratinization and redness

appear around the follicles, indicating that

frontal hair loss is currently active and

progressing. This type of hairline recession

occurs slowly and gradually, and if it is not

actively addressed early, it is known to

recede by an average of about 1.05 cm each

year.

Another way to diagnose this condition based

on clinical features is the previously

mentioned recession and unclear shape of the

hairline, along with a paler skin tone than

normal skin, loss of eyebrows and fine hair,

or veins in the affected area that are visible

enough to stand out. If only one or a few

hairs remain on the existing border line, or

if papules appear and small black or brown

spots are visible on the face, it would be

wise to recognize that the condition has

occurred.

There are several hypotheses about the causes

of frontal hair loss, although they are not

completely certain. Among them, one of the

main factors said to be more commonly found

than in cases without it is a family history

carrying the influence of a specific gene.

Also, since it tends to occur more often in

women after menopause, estrogen is especially

related to the hair cycle, promoting the

transition to the catagen and telogen phases.

It is said that a deficiency in this hormone,

or pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and

hormone therapy, may increase the risk of the

condition.

In addition, considering that such cases have

recently occurred worldwide, environmental

factors should by no means be overlooked.

These include excessive dieting, sunscreen,

dyes, shampoo, and smoking. In particular,

with sunscreen, if it accidentally enters the

hair follicle, it can disrupt the immune

response and trigger autoimmunity, so caution

is needed. If frontal hair loss appears to me,

it can only become a source of deep concern

and worry.

If you notice signs such as hair losing its

strength, becoming thinner, or falling out,

rather than making crude attempts with various

unverified methods, it is most important to

visit a relevant clinic, carefully consult

about your current symptoms, condition, and

type, and proceed with appropriate testing.

Also, the measures for addressing frontal hair

loss can include efforts to improve it with

steroid-related solutions or methods such as

5-alpha reductase inhibitors if the symptoms

are relatively early. After these symptoms

stabilize, a direction toward hair transplant

can also be pursued to expect a natural and

full hairstyle.

However, because the long-term graft survival

rate that can be maintained may also decline

when the condition is recurring or still

progressing, it would be advisable to pursue

such solutions after confirming that the

symptoms have clearly stopped.