Reasons for Hair Loss
Hair loss becomes noticeable when hairs that are lost are not replaced or when more hair follicles go into the resting phase. Here is a partial list of reasons for hair loss.
- Ageing: Hair loss period is between the 20 and 50 years of age. Some people get to the advance stages of hair loss sooner than others although it becomes more and more obvious as people advance in age.
- Cosmetic: Chemicals, especially bleaching, permanents, coloring.
- Drugs/Medications/Radiation: antidepressants, anticoagulants, amphetamines, contraceptive pills, some antibiotics, some arthritis medications, medicines for gout, some blood thinners, certain drugs for ulcers, drugs derived from vitamin-A, beta blocker drugs for high blood pressure, cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
- Heredity: Androgenetic alopecia is a genetic predisposition in men and women for pattern hair loss. Although there is a dominant tendency for male pattern hair loss, female members of a family can be transmitters too.
- Hormonal imbalance: If androgens and estrogens are out of balance, hair loss can happen. Also an overactive or under active thyroid gland could contribute to hair loss.
- Illness and severe infections: Scalp fungal infections, thyroid disorders, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, diabetes, and lupus.
- Immune system disorder: Alopecia areata is an immune system disorder which causes hair follicles to stop producing hairs. Advanced forms are alopecia totalis when all head hair disappears and alopecia universalis when all body hair disappears.
- Menopause: Because of hormonal changes after menopause, some women find their hair starts to thin.
- Poor blood circulation: Poor blood flow to the scalp, insufficient nutrients in the blood, or poor drainage of waste products can all cause hair loss.
- Pregnancy: 3 to 6 months after delivering a child, lots of women observe a degree of hair loss.
- Pulling: Traction alopecia is hair loss caused by constant pulling, as with tightly braided hair styles such as pony tails.
- Stress and nervous disorders: Telogen effluvium is a slowing down of new hair growth because of sudden or severe stress.
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