There are a number of hair and scalp diseases; some are extremely commonplace, while other severe hair and scalp diseases are thankfully uncommon.

Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune skin disease that causes the body's immune system to attack the hair follicles, causing baldness in patches. It affects 1.7 percent of the population, including 4.7 million individuals in the United States. In cases where the disease progresses to the point where all scalp hair is missing, it is known as Alopecia Totalis, and where hair loss advances to the entire body it is called Alopecia Universialis. There is no known cause for alopecia areata and thus no known remedy. The disease commonly hits before age 20, and does not appear to favor one particular gender or culture. Hair loss because of alopecia areata comes in stages, with hair returning and falling out in phases.

Seborrheic Dermatitis, an advanced kind of seborrhea, is a non-contagious skin disease that causes extreme oiliness of the skin, most normally in the scalp, caused by overproduction of sebum, the substance produced by the body to lubricate the skin where hair follicles are existing. Seborrhea is the form of the disease where oiliness alone occurs without redness and scaling.

The disease typically occurs in infants, middle-aged people, and the aged, and is commonly known in infants as cradle cap. The disease has no cure, yet in infants it most often disappears in time. With adults the condition may be persistent with varying degrees of severity. Flaking, scaling and redness often are symptoms of this disease. It is readily treated with topical solutions found in creams containing corticosteroids and shampoos containing pine tar, selenium sulfide or salicylic acid.

Seborrhea and seborrheic dermatitis are both easily treated and controlled, and ought to be because left untreated they can contribute to hair loss. In fact, a group of Japanese scientists have connected the overproduction of sebum to hair loss. This is because the sebaceous glands in areas of the scalp where hair is thinning or bald are enlarged, and are thought to cause the clogging of pores and some other problems that advance hair loss.

Psoriasis is termed an immune-mediated disorder that affects different areas and functions of the body. It is non-contagious, and one of the areas of the body it can attack is the scalp. It most often appears as patches of raised red skin accompanied by burning and itching. Several contributing factors are thought to contribute to the outbreak of psoriasis, including emotional stress, some kinds of infections, toxemia, the thinning of the intestinal walls and bad reactions to some drugs. At least half of people who suffer from psoriasis have scalp psoriasis. Similar to seborrhea, scalp psoriasis left untreated can origin hair loss. Luckily, it can also be treated with a range of topical creams and shampoos containing tar and salicylic acid.

It is imperative not to scratch the scalp and pick at the scabs that psoriasis causes, as this could harm the hair follicles in the dermis and cause permanent hair loss. As long as the follicles are not impaired, hair loss caused by this disorder is usually temporary and hair will grow back once the condition clears. Some of the best ways to cease the itching are using very familiar household substances such as mouthwashes like Lavoris and Listerine. Carbolated Vaseline works nicely along the hairline to relieve symptoms. Hair dyes of all kinds and chemical treatments such as permanents and relaxers ought be avoided at all costs with psoriasis. These chemicals are extremely bad in general, but alongside psoriasis can lead to irreversible harm to the hair follicle over a relatively small period of time.

Like any of these other maladies, one must keep in mind that psoriasis cannot be cured be means of drugs, and if any cure exists it is in the shape of the body healing itself by the correction of malfunctions in the body. One condition present with everyone suffering with psoriasis is toxemia.

When the body becomes toxic, a variety of genetic dispositions mature and psoriasis is but one disorder that arises due to toxemia. Toxemia is caused by poor circulation and the thinning of the intestinal walls. The patient's blood becomes acidic, and so this acidity comes through the largest organ in the body: the skin. Several cases of psoriasis have been healed through natural processes such as internal cleansing, giving up alcohol, increasing the intake of water-especially distilled water, an increase in exposure to the sun in certain cases, an active trimming in stress by eliminating stressful circumstances and practicing meditation, and the elimination of nightshades such as tomatoes, tobacco, eggplant, white potatoes, peppers (not black pepper) and paprika.
One food that is a prevalent plague to those suffering with psoriasis is pizza. Obviously containing tomatoes, pizza also contains every part a psoriasis sufferer should leave alone, such as white flour, peppers and hot spices. In addition, pizza is highly acidic and should be shunned by all means.

In addition to the dietary suggestions given earlier, it is suggested that persons suffering with psoriasis should eat fish, poultry and lamb regularly, preserve a high alkaline diet and consume low fat milk or buttermilk. Fish, particularly fresh or canned salmon, sardines and solid white albacore tuna contains Omega-3 fatty acids that are vital for skin and scalp health. Although many fish are recommended, leave alone dark-fleshed fishes such as mackerel or bluefish, sushi or shellfish.

Poultry such as chicken, turkey, Cornish Hens and other non-fatty fowl are superior foods for individuals with psoriasis when not fried. To refrain from excess fat, remove the skin before eating and avoid fowl that has high fat content such as goose and duck. Lamb is the only recommended red meat for persons suffering with psoriasis, being that it is easy to assimilate and still a great source of protein. Of course it should be prepared any way excluding by frying.

Dairy products should be consumed sparingly, and only low-fat or non-fat dairy products Those suffering with psoriasis can get their calcium from sources mentioned earlier in the section on Diet, Nutrition and Hair Loss, such as soybean products, celery, lettuce and greens. White bread should be avoided. And a limited amount of whole grain bread and whole grain products can be substituted, but should be consumed with caution because all grains except millet are acid producing. Additionally, one should eliminate alcohol consumption entirely, except for possibly a small glass of red wine with dinner to promote rich blood and digestion. For cleansing suggestions, see the section on Natural Hair Loss Remedies.

Lecithin is beneficial for psoriasis, and can be taken in its granular structure in the amount of one tablespoon three times a day, five days a week, either plain or absorbed in to water, juice, sprinkled on salad or cereal. After the condition clears, reduce the amount to one tablespoon taken once per day, five days a week. Lecithin can be obtained at any health food store, and though it can be obtained in liquid or tablet form in addition to granular form, it is best used in granular form due to the high phosphatide content when consumed as such. These doses should not be exceeded, as the over consumption of lecithin can cause a blockage in the absorption of calcium

Eczema is another non-contagious skin disease that mimics psoriasis very closely. Eczema produces scales, reddened inflamed skin that periodically ooze, and the well-known itch that is of highest irritation to those that suffer with it. These are still two dissimilar diseases that usually demand different treatments. However, there are certain treatments that work for psoriasis that work for eczema also. Eczema causes extreme buildup and sores on the scalp, and can cause severe scarring. The buildup caused by eczema can cause temporary hair loss, nevertheless the scarring that can occur especially if one scratches the agonizingly itchy lesions can cause everlasting damage to the hair follicles.

Eczema is an illness caused by toxemia as well. And although one can use the various medicated shampoos and creams on the market to control its symptoms, permanent easing is only going to come from removing the cause of the toxemia. Thus once again cleansing and drinking plenty of purified water are keys to fighting eczema. Many of the dietary recommendations are the same for one who suffers from eczema, except there is usually an increased touchiness to fish-therefore it should be eaten in a limited amount. Also, there is usually a high intolerance of cow's milk, whereas eczema is highly associated with allergies. Therefore, one should use soymilk or goat's milk instead.

Hair loss due to chemotherapy treatments is a common side effect of the treatment. Chemotherapy kills quickly reproducing cancer cells, however the side effect of this treatment is that chemotherapy also destroys the quickly reproducing cells that promote the development of hair and nails. Hair is lost rapidly and in large quantities in most instances. During this process, no prescription, herbal or over the counter treatments of any kind have been found to assist in maintaining the hair.

Fortunately, hair typically returns within six months to a year after treatments end. Patients have found that hair re-grown after chemotherapy is finer in texture and lighter in color at first. These are usually temporary conditions that improve with time. Those recovering from chemotherapy should avoid chemical processes such as perms, relaxers, bleaching and coloring in the hair until it grows at least three inches and not until at least one year after the last treatment. Chemotherapy can cause skin sensitivity and these chemicals can be extremely strident to the scalp.

Note that the contents here are not presented from a medical practitioner, and that any and all dietary and medical planning should be made under the guidance of your own medical and health practitioners. This content only presents overviews of hair loss prevention research for educational purposes and does not replace medical advice from a professional physician.