Severe hair loss at the age of 40 can be related to conditions such as patchy baldness, androgenetic alopecia or ringworm of the head, which can be improved by local treatment, systemic treatment or physical therapy.
1. Patchy baldness: the onset of the disease is related to mental trauma, autoimmunity and heredity, and manifests itself as a sudden onset of limited hair loss. Topical glucocorticosteroids such as dexamethasone and minoxidil solution can be used; oral glucocorticosteroids such as prednisone can be taken for those with severe symptoms; physical therapy such as photochemotherapy can also be used to have a certain therapeutic effect.
2. Androgenetic alopecia: the onset of the disease is related to heredity and other factors, due to the hair follicle sensitivity to androgens increases and leads to hair follicle atrophy gradually appear hair loss. Local treatment can be topical minoxidil, flutamide, etc.; female androgenic alopecia can be treated with 17α-estradiol; systemic treatment can be oral type II 5α-reductase inhibitor such as finasteride.
3. Tinea capitis: when there is dermatophyte damage to the scalp and hair, it can cause hair and scalp damage, and there can also be alopecia manifestation, the hair at the lesion can be cut off, and the hair can be washed with sulfur soap, ketoconazole shampoo, or locally applied biphenylbenzazole cream, tincture of iodine, terbinafine cream and so on; the oral medication can be chosen as terbinafine or itraconazole.
If the hair loss is serious, it is recommended to consult a doctor in time and follow the doctor’s instructions to standardize the cause of the symptomatic treatment.