Family Doctor Health Advisor
Feeling unwell | Tiredness | Loss of weight | Overweight | Difficulty in sleeping | Fever | Excessive sweating | Headache | Feeling faint and passing out | Dizziness | Numbness and/or tingling | Forgetfulness and/or confusion | Twitching and/or trembling | Pain in the face | Difficulty in speaking | Disturbing thoughts and feelings | Depression | Anxiety | Lumps and swellings | Itching | Hair and scalp problems | General skin problems | Skin problems affecting the face | Skin discoloration and moles | Rash with fever | Nail problems | Painful or irritated eye | Disturbed or impaired vision | Hearing problems | Noises in the ear | Earache | Runny or blocked nose | Sore throat | Hoarseness or loss of voice | Wheezing | Coughing | Shortness of breath | Chest pain | Palpitations | Teeth problems | Mouth problems | Difficulty in swallowing | Vomiting | Recurrent vomiting | Abdominal pain | Recurrent abdominal pain | Swollen abdomen | Wind | Diarrhoea | Constipation | Abnormal-looking faeces | Anal problems | General urinary problems | Painful urination | Painful joints | Painful shoulder | Painful arm | Painful leg | Painful knee | Swollen ankles | Foot problems | Back pain | Painful or stiff neck
Hair and scalp problems
Fine hairs grow on most areas of the body. The hair on the head is usually far thicker and problems affecting its growth are therefore very noticeable. Your hair colour and type (straight, wavy, or curly) are inherited, but the condition of your hair may be affected by your overall state of health and factors such as your diet and age. This chart deals with some of the more common problems affecting the hair on the head and the condition of the scalp.
Hair structure and function
Skin section
Hair helps to provide the body with insulation and protection from the environment. Hairs are made of dead cells that grow from a living base. Each hair grows in a hair follicle, which has a rest phase followed by a growth phase. During the rest phase, cell activity slows and then stops, and the hair dies. During the growth phase, cells in the follicle divide rapidly to form a new hair. The new, growing hair pushes the dead hair out of the follicle. Every day some hairs grow while others are shed. A single hair grows between 6 mm ( 1/4 in) and 8 mm ( 1/3 in) a month.
Hair transplant
The procedure
The surgeon makes a number of tiny incisions in the bald area. Hair is then taken from a donor site elsewhere and inserted into the incisions.
Transplanted hairs
Baldness can be treated surgically by several different methods of hair transplantation. In the method shown, skin and hair are taken from a donor site, often at the back of the scalp or behind the ears. The removed hairs and their attached follicles are then inserted in the bald area (the recipient site). A mild sedative is usually given, and both sites are anaesthetized. The transplanted hairs will fall out shortly after the transplant, but new hair starts to grow from the transplanted follicles 3 weeks to 3 months later.
Family Doctor Health Advisor is for information purposes only, and is designed as a general reference and catalyst to seeking further information.
The RACGP is not engaged in providing medical or other advice or services, and is not responsible for the results of any actions taken by any person on the basis of any information in this publication, or for any error in, or omission from, this publication.
Publication Date: 31 March 2009
Authorised By: RACGP
