What is the cause for hair loss?
It is normal to lose between 50-100 hairs a day, this is part of the hair renewal process. However, most people experience excessive hair loss at some point in their lives. There are many reasons for this, including medications, radiation, chemotherapy, chemical exposure, hormonal and nutritional factors, thyroid disease, generalized or local skin disease, and stress.
Many of these causes are temporary and some are permanent. These are some of the most common reasons for hair loss.
HORMONE BEHAVIOR
Since hormones stimulate hair growth and cause hair loss, hormonal changes have by far the biggest impact on hair loss. These can affect both men and women in the following ways:
This is the most common cause of weight loss and affects both men and women. Men generally have concentrated hair loss in a specific pattern from the forehead to the crown of the head. Women tend to have thinning all over the head without having a specific pattern. This type of hair loss is caused by the androgen DHT or dihydrotestosterone. Since everyone has DHT that is produced by their bodies and only some people suffer from hair loss, there has to be another factor involved. This other factor is having follicles that have a higher amount of androgen receptors for DHT to attach to. This is the component that is inherited through genes. To date, the most effective preventive treatments are antiandrogens, drugs that prevent the creation of DHT. In the future, gene therapy may one day alter genes to prevent follicles from being affected by DHT.
Birth
After pregnancy, many women experience hair loss, this causes many hairs to simultaneously enter the resting (telogen) phase. Within two to three months after giving birth, some women will notice a large amount of hair coming out on their brushes and combs. This can last from one to six months, but resolves completely in most cases. This condition is caused by hormonal changes that occur after a woman’s body recovers from her pregnancy.
Birth control pills
Women who have a genetic predisposition to suffer from Androgenic Alopecia can develop it at a much younger age by taking birth control pills. The hormonal changes that occur trigger the appearance of Androgenic Alopecia. If a woman has a history of female pattern loss in her family, she should tell her doctor before taking the pill. After stopping the pill, the woman may notice that her hair begins to fall out two to three months later. This can continue for six months when she usually stops. In some cases, the process cannot be reversed and the woman may not register some of the hair that was lost.
INFLUENCES OF ILLNESS OR ILLNESS
Since the follicle is very sensitive, it responds to imbalances in the body. Most causes of hair loss from disease or illness are temporary and resolve on their own once the body has returned to a healthy condition.
High fever, severe infection, severe flu
Sometimes one to three months after a high fever, severe infection, or the flu, a person may experience hair loss, which is usually temporary and self-correcting.
thyroid disease
Both an overactive thyroid and an underactive thyroid can cause hair loss. Your doctor can diagnose thyroid disease with laboratory tests. Hair loss associated with thyroid disease can be reversed with proper treatment.
poor diet
Some people who follow low protein diets, or have severely abnormal eating habits, may develop protein malnutrition. To help save protein, the body switches growing hair into the resting phase. If this happens, massive hair loss can occur two to three months later. One sign of this is if the hair can be pulled out by the roots quite easily. This condition can be reversed and prevented by eating the proper amount of protein. It is very important when dieting to maintain an adequate protein intake.
Medicine
Some prescription drugs can cause temporary hair loss in a small percentage of people. Examples of such drugs include some of the drugs used for the following: gout, arthritis, depression, heart problems, high blood pressure, or blood thinners. High doses of vitamin A can also cause hair loss.
cancer treatments
Chemotherapy and radiation treatment will cause hair loss because they prevent hair cells from dividing. The hairs become thin and break when they leave the scalp. This occurs one to three weeks after treatment. Patients can lose up to 90 percent of the hair on their scalp. Hair will regrow after treatment ends and patients may wish to put on wigs before treatment. There are some medications in development to help prevent this hair loss from occurring.
low serum iron
Iron deficiency occasionally causes hair loss. Some people do not have enough iron in their diets or may not fully absorb the iron in their diets. Women who have heavy menstrual periods can develop iron deficiency. Low iron can be detected by laboratory tests and can be corrected by taking iron pills.
Major surgery/chronic illness
Anyone who has a major operation, a tremendous shock to the system, may notice increased hair loss within one to three months. The condition reverses within a few months, but people with a severe chronic disease can lose their hair indefinitely. A relatively unknown fact is that hair transplant surgery can actually cause additional hair loss or “shock consequences.” Hairs that are lost due to electric shocks usually do not grow back.
Alopecia Areata
This type of hair loss is believed to be caused by the immune system reacting to the hair follicles as if they were antibodies and turning them off. Hair loss is usually limited to a dime-sized area and all hair in the area is lost leaving a totally smooth round patch. In a more severe and rare condition called Alopecia Totalis, all hair is lost on the entire body, including the eyelashes. Treatments include topical medications, a special type of light treatment, or in some cases, medications.
Fungal infection (ringworm) of the scalp
Caused by a fungal infection, ringworm (which has nothing to do with worms) starts with small scaly patches that can spread and cause hair to break, become red, swollen, and even ooze. This contagious disease is more common in children and oral medication will cure it.
Stress
n causes hair loss in some people. It usually occurs 3 months after the stressful event has occurred and it can take 3 months after the stress period ends for hair growth to resume. In most cases it is temporary if the person is not predisposed to genetic or androgenic alopecia, being stressed can trigger the onset of genetic hair loss or can worsen existing androgenic hair loss.
MECHANICAL DAMAGE CAUSES HAIR LOSS
Damage to hair can be self-inflicted through intentional or unintentional means. Some people who are under stress continually pull at their hair until it falls out. Styling hair by bleaching, braiding and straightening can also cause damage and lead to hair loss.
Trichotillomania or Hair Pulling
Some children, and less often adults, play with their hair by pulling or twisting it. This may be part of a behavior problem or a bad habit that is often done unconsciously. If the behavior is not stopped, permanent hair loss can result from constant stress on the hair. It is best to seek the help of a mental health professional to resolve this issue.
styling treatments
Many people change the appearance of their hair by using chemical treatments such as dyes, dyes, bleaches, relaxers, relaxers, and permanent waves. If done correctly and made with reputable products, it is rare for it to go bad. However, hair can become weak and break if any of these chemicals are used too often. Hair can also break if the solution is left on too long, if two procedures are done on the same day, or if bleaching is applied to previously bleached hair. Some chemical relaxers contain powerful chemicals and there have been cases of people getting chemical burns from these products, resulting in permanent hair loss. Only go to qualified groomers, and if you do it yourself, be sure to only use reputable products and follow product instructions.
Braids/Hair Weaves
Many black women and some black men braid their hair or wear hair weaves. Under normal conditions, these do not cause problems. However, if the weave is too tight or the braids are too tight, they put constant stress on the hair follicle. If this is done for an extended period of time, it can lead to permanent hair loss. This is known as traction alopecia and is quite common among people who braid or weave their hair. Make sure the person applying the braids or weaves is qualified to do so and do not wear braids or weaves continuously for long periods of time.