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Is Hair Loss More Likely During Certain Times of the Year?
by April Maguire
Hair loss is one of the most common problems on the planet. For most men, the problem starts in their 30s and 40s. By the time they reach 50, more than 80% of men have lost a noticeable amount of hair. And while baldness is a problem typically associated with men, women certainly deal with their fair share as well. On average, 40% of all hair loss is experienced by women, and by the age of 60, nearly 80% of women have experienced a significant amount of thinning and loss.
While those raw numbers are staggering, they don't tell the whole story. In fact, a recent study published in the "British Journal of Dermatology" suggests that hair loss doesn't occur in a steady pattern over the course of the year. Instead, certain seasons lead to spikes in people experiencing hair loss, and that knowledge may change how medical professionals deal with the problem of hair loss.
Hair Loss in Summer and Fall
For the study, researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine's Department of Dermatology examined data on Google search terms between January 2004 and October of last year. By examining searches related to hair loss, the team could see during what months those searches peaked. Ultimately, the team selected four countries from each hemisphere where Google experienced the most searches related to hair loss. These included the United Kingdom, Canada, India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the Republic of Mauritius, and the United States.
Unfortunately, differences in seasons with respect to the hemispheres means that the team couldn't just look at the months when the searches occurred. Since summer occurs at different times in the United States compared to Australia, for example, the researchers had to account for global seasonal differences. In the end, they discovered that hair loss-related queries spiked during the summer and fall months.
So what does this information tell us? On the one hand, these results aren't entirely surprising. After all, most mammals experiences changes in hair thickness throughout the year, typically shedding hair in the warmer months. On the other hand though, it's unclear what the direct implications of this study will be.
For now, understanding how different seasons can impact hair growth can help patients and doctors better understand changes in thickness levels. Additionally, it should help us to understand how effective, or ineffective, certain hair loss treatments are. Ideally though, this data will be built upon with further research, enabling variances in climate to be taken into account when doctors treat hair loss patients in the future.
If you or someone you know would like to learn more about hair loss and how to treat it, please feel free to schedule a consultation or contact one of our representatives today!
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