Hair Problems

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Related Issues
• Specifics
• Genetics

See, Play and Learn

• Images

Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Find an Expert

For You

• Children
• Teenagers
• Women
• Patient Handouts

Summary

The average person has 5 million hairs. Hair grows all over your body except on your lips, palms, and the soles of your feet. It takes about a month for healthy hair to grow half an inch. Most hairs grow for up to six years and then fall out. New hairs grow in their place.

Hair helps keep you warm. It also protects your eyes, ears and nose from small particles in the air. Common problem with the hair and scalp include hair loss, infections, and flaking.

Start Here

• Common Hair Problems (Logical Images)
• Your Hair (Nemours Foundation)

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Tips for Healthy Hair (American Academy of Dermatology)

Treatments and Therapies

• Laser Hair Removal (Logical Images)
• Removing Hair Safely (Food and Drug Administration)

Related Issues

• African-American Hair: Tips for Everyday Care (American Academy of Dermatology)
• Hair Dye and Hair Relaxers (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
• How to Shave (American Academy of Dermatology)
• How to Stop Damaging Your Hair (American Academy of Dermatology)

Specifics

• Folliculitis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Hirsutism (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
• Ingrown Hair (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Genetics

• Genetics Home Reference: autosomal recessive hypotrichosis (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: keratoderma with woolly hair (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: monilethrix (National Library of Medicine)
• Genetics Home Reference: uncombable hair syndrome (National Library of Medicine)

Images

• Folliculitis (Logical Images)
• Pilar Cyst (Logical Images)
• Pseudofolliculitis Barbae (Logical Images)
• Pseudomonas Folliculitis (Hot Tub Folliculitis) (Logical Images)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Hair Diseases (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Folliculosebaceous neoplasms: A review of clinical and histological features.
• Article: Endocrinology Update: Hirsutism.
• Article: Reflectance Confocal Microscopy Algorithms for Inflammatory and Hair Diseases.
• Hair Problems -- see more articles
• Hair restoration -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• American Academy of Dermatology
• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Also in Spanish

Children

• Why Does Hair Turn Gray? (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Teenagers

• Hair Removal (Nemours Foundation)
• Removing Pubic Hair (For Young Women) (Children's Hospital Boston) Also in Spanish
• Taking Care of Your Hair (Nemours Foundation)

Women

• Evaluation and Treatment of Hirsutism in Premenopausal Women (Hormone Health Network) - PDF
• Hirsutism and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (American Society for Reproductive Medicine)

Patient Handouts

• Aging changes in hair and nails (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Dry hair (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Excessive or unwanted hair in women (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Folliculitis (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Trichorrhexis nodosa (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish