Female Hair Loss and Male Pattern Hair Loss are the most common causes of hair loss. The development of genetic hair loss is associated with the shortening of the anagen (growing) phase of the hair cycle and consequently with an increase in the proportion of telogen (resting) hairs. There is a reduction in the size of the affected follicles, which results in a reduction in the diameter of the hairs that they produce. This is an essential feature of this type of hair loss, which accounts for the thinning of the hair and the widening of the partings.

Female Hair Loss
Female genetic hair loss affects over 30% of women. The hair loss is typically diffuse (evenly spread over the scalp) and affects the frontal and vertex (crown) areas with similar severity. Often a band of slightly denser hair is retained along the frontal hairline. Also, women can exhibit a normal amount of hair in the front area of their scalp, which gradually thins out as you look farther back near their crown. Called a “Christmas-tree” look, this is also indicative of a genetic condition.

Male Pattern Hair Loss
The onset of male genetic hair loss is linearly related to age; that is, 20% of men experience some hair loss by age twenty; 30% of men experience some hair loss by age thirty, and so on. The hair begins to recede at the temples and thin in the vertex (crown) area. Eventually, the entire fronto-vertex (between the hairline and crown) area of the scalp can be involved.

Alopecia Areata
Alopecia areata is characterized by patchy scalp hair loss which occasionally affects every hair follicle on the scalp (alopecia totalis), or body (alopecia universalis).  Alopecia Areata has a rapid onset but tends to spontaneously reverse.

Trichotillomania
Trichotillomania is the loss or damage of scalp hair through repeated pulling or twisting due to irresistible compulsive impulses.

Telogen Effluvium
This hair loss condition, which occurs mainly in women, is usually caused by a temporary disturbance to the hair cycle causing the growing (anagen) hairs to prematurely enter the resting (telogen) phase of the hair cycle.  Stress, illness, medication, anemia, and weight loss are the most common causes, however, many other factors can also influence this condition.

Cicatricial Alopecia
Cicatricial alopecia is hair loss which occurs with the destruction of the hair follicles.  It can be caused by a disease affecting the follicles themselves, or by some process external to them. The follicles may be absent as a result of trauma such a burn or a blow or cut to the head or they may have been destroyed by a specific infection.

Traction Alopecia
Traction alopecia is the breaking of the hair by friction or tension due to vigorous brushing, blow drying, and/or chemical overprocessing.


Traction Alopecia: The hairstyles which can cause hair loss
Traction alopecia is the hair loss that occurs after persistent gentle pulling on the roots over several hours or days. 

Unlike a hair pluck which is painful, persistent gentle pulling may go unnoticed until bald spots or alopecia starts to appear. 

In these times when large numbers of women are having hair extensions, wefts, braids and clip-ins, including the recent trends of the man bun and the man braid, dermatologists are starting to see more women with traction alopecia.  

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Plaintiffs allege that thousands of women who bought the relaxer product have experienced distressing injuries.

The lawsuit, submitted on 14 September by high profile attorney Mark J Geragos, lists a number of complaints of the product posted to the Amazon website. 

Two US women have filed a class action lawsuit against L’Oréal and its hair care brand SoftSheen-Carson claiming that one of its hair relaxer kits causes hair loss and scalp burns.
​
The SoftSheen-Carson Optimum Amla Legend No-Mix, No-Lye Relaxer is said to help afro-caribbean hair to feel fuller and silkier through the inclusion of amla oil from the Indian amla super fruit.

However, the plaintiffs allege that thousands of women who bought the product have experienced distressing injuries including hair loss and breakage, and scalp irritation, blisters and burns.

Despite not listing lye as an ingredient, the plaintiffs claim that the inclusion of lithium hydroxide can cause damaging effects including those listed above.
They also stated that it is unclear whether the product truly is a ‘no-lye’ relaxer as the retail lists sodium hydroxide in the products’ ingredients online.

Dorothy Riles, a resident in Cook County, Illinois and one of the key plaintiffs behind the lawsuit, claims that when she used the product she was left with bald patches, burns and scabs forcing her to wear a wig.

Sharon Manier, the other key plaintiff from Riverside County in California, similarly claims that upon using the product she immediately experienced scalp irritation and, after washing it out, she saw “significant” hair loss.
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The lawsuit, submitted on 14 September by high profile attorney Mark J Geragos, lists a number of complaints of the product posted to the Amazon website. One read: “Don't use it! My 26 year old daughter is upstairs crying her eyes out because her hair is gone.”

The plaintiffs are demanding that L’Oréal is tried by jury and are seeking compensation on the grounds of false advertising, unfair competition, consumer fraud, deceptive business practices, breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranty of merchantability, unjust enrichment, fraud and negligence.

(Sourse) 

Achieve that just-from-the-salon look without an appointment.
By Kari Molvar

What to do when you need smooth, shiny hair, and there’s ‘nary a blow-dry bar in sight? Fire up your tools and take your strands into your own hands. Here, we got insider tips and pro pointers from stylist Gregory Patterson of Blow, the New York Blow Dry Bar, to help you achieve that just-from-the-salon look without an appointment.
 
“A great blow-out actually starts in the shower,” says Patterson. “Many women don’t wash out their conditioner enough. But that residue will ruin your blow-dry. So I shampoo, condition and then shampoo again to really get the hair clean. And to help ensure hair doesn’t get singed, make sure you get a blowdryer that comes with a nozzle attachment to keep some distance between your hair and the heat.”
 
“After the shower, try patting hair with a shammy rather than terry towel to absorb excess water without putting stress on delicate strands. Then apply a heat protective spray to detangle and add shine. My favorite is Blowpro The Heat Is On—it’s like vitamin water for your hair with aloe vera to calm a sensitive scalp.”

“Divide your hair into eight sections around the head—the key is to work in small zones and to use a round or oval brush that will allow you to create enough tension to give hair a smooth and polished look.”
 
“If you have really thick hair that takes a long time to dry, mist on a product that speeds up your blow-dry. I like Blowpro Ready, Set, Blow since it pushes water off the hair so you can do less passes with the dryer.”

“A lot of women start their blow-out in the back of the head, but we start at the front. That’s the area you see first and really want to smooth while it’s still wet and you have more control. Once you’ve gotten the top party completely dry, pop in two Velcro rollers—it’ll add body while your hair cools and sets.”

“Next blow-dry the sides, holding your brush vertically and twirling it away from your face for a soft effect. Always keep the nozzle pointed down to prevent frizz. Once that area is dry, wrap hair into loose curls with your fingers and secure with duckbill clips. This keeps a soft bend in the hair without creating kinks.”

“Finish the back sections of your head, holding the brush horizontally and curling the hair toward your face now. Work your way through from left to right, making sure that no wet hair sits on top of dry hair as you’re going along. Drape sections over your shoulder to cool and set. To seal everything, flip your head over and mist on a flexible hairspray.”

​“To preserve your blow-out, it’s all about the dry shampoo. Work it into your roots to absorb excess oil, especially if you’re hitting the gym and will be sweating. At night, it does help to sleep on silk or satin sheets to minimize friction that can cause tangles or frizz. Otherwise, wrapping your hair in a silk scarf also does the trick.”

The Effects of Hair Parting on Social Appraisal
and Personal Development
By Catherine Walter and John Walter
 
Surprisingly, a hair part has a crucial impact on interpersonal relationships by affecting immediate character appraisal, perceived personality traits, self-perception and self-development!

The Hair Part Theory was developed by a brother-sister team trained, respectively, in nuclear physics and cultural anthropology. Their revolutionary theory is now being made available to the general public, so that all individuals can have more control over automatic and mostly unconscious assessments made of their personalities by others. John and Catherine Walter also produce the True Mirror®, a mirror that does not reverse the viewer’s image and which therefore allows an accurate self-assessment.

A left hair part draws unconscious attention to the activities that are controlled by the left hemisphere of the brain, i.e. activities traditionally attributed to masculinity. A right hair part draws unconscious attention to the activities that are controlled by the right hemisphere of the brain, i.e. activities traditionally attributed to femininity.

A man who parts his hair on the right, and who is striving for positive assessment in a traditionally male role is at risk for having difficulties in interpersonal relationships, since he is sending a mixed, subconscious message by emphasizing the activities of the brain traditionally attributed to femininity.

A woman who parts her hair on the left, and who is striving for positive assessment in a traditionally male role (for example, in business or politics) will be taken more seriously than a woman with a right part, who is emphasizing mental processes that are traditionally attributed to femininity.

Use the links below to access the full theory paper, as well as an analysis of United States Presidents, Vice Presidents, state Governors (in office 9/98), and the Senators and Representatives of the 105th Congress according to their hair part choice, with an emphasis on those who part their hair on the right.

Additionally, a list of famous men who wear a right part is included, since these men illustrate some of the surprising ways that a right hair part affects personality and perception of personality.

The Hair Part Theory (c)1998  
PDF version – Complete data included

The Hair Part Theory
Web Version

Lincoln - Left or Right?

Hair Part Theory – Discover the Difference!  

RadioLab:  Mirror, Mirror

The Atlantic: The Mirror of Dorian Gray