My hair is thinning and falling out. What should I do?

Girls' Life, August, 2001

Breaked about becoming bald by 16? Chill It's normal to shed up to 100 hairs a day. That said, your strands should shed individually not in clumps. Do you use a very hot blow dryer? Do you dye straighten or perm your hair often? All these practices make locks weak and brittle. No? You might suffer from alopecia areta which 4 million people in America suffer from.

"It's an auto-immune disorder where hair suddenly stops growing and falls out in a circular pattern," says dermatologist Dr. Robert Greenberg. "Hair loss is also caused by severe illness, fever or fad dieting." So if you're shedding daily, relax--no need for Rogaine. If you experience serious clumping or loss see a dermatologist.