Causes of Hair Loss

The top ten causes of hair loss are briefly stated as under for your awareness :

Temporary hair loss can be caused by kind of physical trauma – surgery, car accident, severe illness, or even flu. All these can trigger a particular type of hair loss called the telogen effluvium.

Pregnancy is a perfect example of physical stress that can trigger profuse hair loss. After the baby has been delivered, pregnancy related hair loss can be seen more commonly.

If one does not get enough protein in his/ her regular diet, he/ she is perhaps sending an open invitation to hair loss and hair related problems. The simple reason behind this is, the body will ration protein by shutting down hair growth !

Every two out of three men experience hair loss by the time they reach of 60, and mostly it is due to male pattern baldness. This type of hair loss which is primarily caused by a deadly combination of genes and male sex hormones causes the ‘M’ –shaped hairline receding pattern.

Depletion or surge of female hormones during various physical conditions causes hair loss.

Although physical stress is a much-pronounced factor of hair loss compared to the emotional stress, certain situations (like divorce) involving acute emotional crisis can trigger hair loss.

Iron deficiency causes hair loss to a great degree.

Hypothyroidism refers to the medical condition where a lesser amount of thyroid hormone is produced in the body; which, in turn, causes hair loss.

Lower levels of vitamins also contribute to hair loss.

Overdoing Vitamin A supplements and/ or medications may escalate hair loss.

The symptom is called alopecia errata, and is a result of an over active immune system; actually the body gets confused signals, and treats hairs as foreign bodies, too !

Shedding excess body weight, or if the weight drops suddenly, then it is nothing sort of a trauma to the body (even if the weight loss is good for you!). Lack of certain minerals and vitamins triggers profuse hair loss.

Some of the drugs commonly used for the treatment of cancer can cause considerable hair fall, too, by destroying dividing cells; targeted towards the cancerous cells, but also dividing the cells lying at the base of hair follicles.

PCOS is the result of hormonal imbalances between the male and female hormones. An excess of androgen causes ovarian cysts, weight gain and hair thinning, too.

Certain families of medicine, like the blood thinners and the blood pressure drugs, can cause hair fall, too. It actually acts as beta-blockers, blocking nutrition to the hair follicles.

Excessive styling and harsh treatments on the hair may affect the hair roots, and cause hair to fall out; this includes tight braids, chemical dyes, hair weaves and hot oil treatments.

Trichotillomania is a compulsive disorder that makes people pull out their hair, on an impulse. It is like a play to the person, constantly pulling his/ her hair, but definitely a pain to the hair.

Hair falls gradually with the progression of age.

Anabolic steroids have the same ill effects on hair as the poly-cystic ovary syndrome.

It is a type of auto immune disease which attacks the hair cells. Unfortunately, it causes ‘scarring’, where the hair will not grow back.

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