Popular Science Time/What is seborrheic alopecia?

Popular Science: What is seborrheic alopecia?

Henan Health Mission

2023-08-21

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Author: Wu Yuxi Gao Wenjing

A full head of beautiful hair is undoubtedly everyone's dream. However, after middle age, many people will face the trouble of hair loss. Wang Yanyun, chief physician of the Department of Dermatology at Zhengzhou Central Hospital in Henan Province, said that seborrheic alopecia is the most common type of hair loss, which can occur in both men and women. Be careful to prevent "stress and hair loss".

The incidence of hair loss is on the rise

What is hair loss? Wang Yanyun said that the so-called "hair loss" refers to the abnormal shedding of hair shafts. Usually, if the number of hair loss exceeds 150 per day and lasts for more than 3 months, it is what we often call pathological hair loss.

Hair growth is cyclical, which is mainly related to the growth cycle of the hair follicles themselves. Each hair follicle goes through three consecutive stages: growth phase (3 years), regression phase (3 weeks), and resting phase (3 months). In a normal person, 80%-90% of the hair follicles are in the growth phase, about 10% of the hair is in the resting phase, and less than 1% is in the resting phase. Based on this calculation, it is normal for a normal person to lose 70-100 hairs per day, and at the same time, an equal amount of new hair is regenerated.

Wang Yanyun introduced that according to public data, about 32.13% of people worldwide are suffering from hair loss. In 2020, the number of people with hair loss in China reached 250 million, and the incidence rate is on the rise.

What is seborrheic alopecia?

There are many types of hair loss, among which seborrheic alopecia is the most common. According to Health News, 25% of men show signs of seborrheic alopecia before the age of 30.

Wang Yanyun introduced that seborrheic alopecia is also known as "androgenic alopecia", a pattern of hair loss named after the cause of the disease. It can occur in both men and women, but is more common in men.

Seborrheic alopecia has a certain genetic tendency. Clinical investigations have found that 53.3% of seborrheic alopecia patients have a family history of the disease, and it is more common in males of the same family. Patients with a family history generally develop the disease earlier than those without a family history, have a longer course of the disease, and have more severe hair loss than those without a family history.

"High stress leads to hair loss". Excessive stress is one of the important causes of seborrheic alopecia. In addition, factors such as high tension, excessive use of the brain, anxiety, and bad living and eating habits will aggravate the condition.

What are the characteristics of seborrheic alopecia?

Seborrheic alopecia is a non-scarring alopecia that usually occurs after puberty and is characterized by progressive thinning of hair diameter, decrease in hair density and hair loss. If not promptly intervened, the hair follicles may eventually disappear permanently and form baldness. Most patients also have increased oil secretion on the scalp.

Among them, men experience receding hairlines on the forehead and temples, or progressive hair loss on the top of the head, which eventually exposes the scalp. Women mainly experience diffusely sparse and thin hair between the top of the head and the hairline, and the position of the forehead hairline generally does not change.

Wang Yanyun said that both men and women should develop good living habits and maintain a good attitude, which will help avoid the occurrence or aggravation of seborrheic alopecia.

Editor-in-charge: Gan Liya Mengge

Chief platform review editor: Wu Shihui