What Causes Hair Loss?
It is normal to lose between 50-100 hairs a day, this is part of the hair renewal process. However most people
suffer from excessive hair loss at one time in their life. There are many reasons for this including medication,
radiation, chemotherapy, exposure to chemicals, hormonal and nutritional factors, thyroid disease, generalized or
local skin disease, and stress.
Many of these causes are temporary and a few are permanent. These are some of the more common reason for hair
loss.
HORMONAL BEHAVIOUR
Since hormones both stimulate hair growth and cause hair loss, hormonal changes by far have the biggest impact on
hair loss. These can affect both men and women in the following ways:
This is the most common cause of thinning and affects both men and women. Men generally have
hair loss concentrated in a specific pattern from the front through to the crown. Women tend to have thinning
throughout their head without being in any 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 greater number
of Androgen receptors for the DHT to attach to. This is the component that is inherited through the genes. To date
the most effective preventative treatments are anti androgens, drugs that prevent the creation of DHT. In the
future gene therapy will one day be able to alter the genes to prevent the follicles from being affected by
DHT.
Childbirth
After pregnancy many women experience a loss of hair, this is caused many hair
simultaneously entering the resting (telogen) phase. Within two to three months after giving birth, some women will
notice large amounts of hair coming out in their brushes and combs. This can last one to six months, but resolves
completely in most cases. This condition is caused by the hormonal changes that take place after a woman's body
recovers from her pregnancy.
Birth control pills
Women who have a genetic predisposition to suffer from Androgenic Alopecia can have it
occur at a much younger age by taking birth control pills. The hormonal changes that occur trigger the onset of the
Androgenic Alopecia. If a woman has a history of female pattern loss in her family she should advise her doctor
before going on the pill. After the discontinuation of the pill the woman may notice that her hair begins shedding
two or three months later. This may continue for six months when it usually stops. In some cases the process cannot
be reversed and the woman may not regrow some of the hair that was lost.
DISEASE OR ILLNESS INFLUENCES
Since the follicle is a very sensitive it does respond to imbalances in the body. Most
hair loss causes by disease or illness is temporary and resolves itself after 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 flu, a person
may experience hair loss, this is usually temporary and corrects itself.
Thyroid disease
Both an overactive thyroid and an underactive thyroid can cause hair loss. Thyroid
disease can be diagnosed by your physician with laboratory tests. Hair loss associated with thyroid disease can be
reversed with proper treatment.
Deficient diet
Some people who go on low protein diets, or have severely abnormal eating habits, may
develop protein malnutrition. To help save protein the body shifts growing hair into the resting phase. If this
happens massive amounts of hair shedding can occur two to three months later. A sign of this is if the hair can be
pulled out by the roots fairly easily. This condition can be reversed and prevented by eating the proper amount of
protein. Its very important when dieting to maintain an adequate protein intake.
Medications
Some prescription drugs may cause temporary hair shedding in a small percentage of
people. Examples of such drugs include some of the medicines used for the following: gout, arthritis, depression,
heart problems, high blood pressure, or blood thinner. High doses of vitamin A may also cause hair
shedding.
Cancer treatments
Chemotherapy and radiation treatment will cause hair loss because it stops hair cells
from dividing. Hairs become thin and break off as they exit the scalp. This occurs one to three weeks after the
treatment. Patients can lose up to 90 percent of their scalp hair. The hair will regrow after treatment ends and
patients may want to get wigs before treatment. There are some drugs in development to help prevent this hair loss
from occurring.
Low serum iron
Iron deficiency occasionally produces hair loss. Some people don't have enough iron in
their diets or may not fully absorb iron in their diets. Women who have heavy menstrual periods may 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 shedding within one to three months afterwards. The condition reverses itself within a few months
but people who have a severe chronic illness may shed hair indefinitely. A relatively unknown fact is that hair
transplantation surgery can actually cause additional hair loss or "shock fallout". Hairs lost from shock fallout
usually don't regrow.
Alopecia Areata
This type of hair loss is believed to be caused by the immune system reacting to hair
follicles as if they were antibodies and shutting them down. The hair loss is usually limited to a coin sized area
and all the hair in the area is lost leaving a totally smooth round patch. In a more severe rarer condition called
Alopecia Totalis, all hair on the entire body is lost, including the eyelashes. Treatments include topical
medications, a special kind of light treatment, or in some cases drugs.
Fungus Infection (Ringworm) of the scalp
Caused by a fungus infection, ringworm (which has nothing to do with worms) begins
with small patches of scaling that can spread and result in broken hair, redness, swelling, and even oozing. This
contagious disease is most common in children and oral medication will cure it.
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