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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tobacco is the most significant preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. Nicotine, a component of tobacco found in cigarettes, cigars, and e-cigarettes, is a highly addictive substance which contributes to compulsive use, relapse after abstinence, and physical dependence. In spite of the well-documented health hazards, an estimated 17% of Americans smoke cigarettes leading to nearly a half million deaths each year.

For many people, hair loss is just a fact of life. People tend to speculate on what causes hair loss, which leads to a lot of misinformation. Misinformation is harmful because it misguides people on what to actually do about their hair loss. Here, we have some of the most common myths about hair loss.

A 53-year-old male patient came in for a consultation because he noticed over the past few years his hair thinning on both the top and crown. He asked his hair stylist if she could also see it, and from her perspective, his stylist only saw thinning in the crown. You can see in the first picture that his hair looks very full and dense except for some thinning in the crown.

Trichotillomania, colloquially known as excessive hair-pulling, is one of a group of body-focused repetitive behaviors, or BFRBs. Body-focused repetitive behaviors include skin-picking (Excoriation), nail-biting (Onychophagia), or biting one's lips or cheeks (Keratosis).

Alopecia is the medical term for hair loss and there are several common variations. Here at HT&RC, Dr. Arthur Gray uses the medical diagnostic approach to precisely determine the type of alopecia in each individual case as well as the most effective treatment or combination of advanced hair restoration techniques for each individual. 

Hair follicles cells are some of the fastest growing cells in your body (making them especially susceptible to chemotherapy drugs which act on rapidly dividing tumor cells), and it is because the cell division is so rapid that the hair follicle cells specifically need an abundant nutritional supply. Consequently, if the nutrient supply is not present in your body, then hair follicles may show some of the first signs of these deficiencies.

Traction Alopecia is a type of hair loss associated with stress and/or tension being applied to the hair for a continuous or extended period of time. This repeated pressure on the hair causes damage to the hair follicles and causes hairs to fall out.

The answer is “yes”.  Some medications CAN lead to hair loss, called Telogen Effluvium. Telogen effluvium is a form of diffuse, nonscarring hair loss that is usually temporary but could be more permanent and results from premature shedding of hair. Medication isn’t the only source of TE; major surgery, serious illness, childbirth, dieting, and severe emotional stress can also prompt shedding.

Sometimes we avoid doctor appointments because we hope our ailments will pass, dread the experience, or simply don't have the time. But the truth is - with any condition - an early evaluation can be the key to recovery and hair loss is no exception. However, you might only look into medical hair restoration treatments after another person observes more scalp is visible, unfortunately, even at this point, your hair is well into miniaturization, so time is of the essence.

The topic of exercise causing increased hair loss is frequently brought up by my male patients, and even a quick google search will show that this is something the general public is discussing at great length. However, the exercise and exertion in and of itself are not the primary cause of a sudden increase in hair loss for men who actively work out. So why are some men experiencing hair loss and others not? There is a relationship between testosterone, supplements, and more importantly genetics that must be understood to answer this question.