10 Main Causes Of Hair Loss

If you believe your hair may be thinning, remember that you are not alone. Hair loss may be distressing but it can happen to anyone and for any reason. One of the most frequent problems surgeons and technicians see is hair loss, and in most instances, a cure is available for the condition. Finding out why it’s occurring is the first step, and getting started with treatment shortly after is highly important. In this blog we’ll go over the 10 main causes of hair loss and any potential treatments available to help treat those conditions.

#1 Age

As people age, almost everyone will experience hair loss and thinning. At any age, our cells are constantly dividing and dying off, but as we get older, our cell death rates increase. We get thinner skin and weaker bones as a result. And the same process applies to our hair.

Our scalps also generate less oil as we get older, which may cause our hair to become brittle and fragile. This may also lead to general thinning and hair loss.

#2 Genes

Androgenetic alopecia, the most prevalent kind of hair loss, is inherited and correlated with aging. More than 50 million men and 30 million women are affected by what is known as male or female pattern hair loss. This is a more severe kind of hair loss that often starts in early adulthood and becomes worse over time.

This kind of hair loss often begins around the temples and spreads to the top of the head in men. The top of the head may also be somewhat thinner.

Females often notice it initially where their hair is divided, although there is gradually thinning elsewhere. Although the hair portion might broaden, the hairline normally remains constant.

You may have heard that this kind of hair loss runs in your mother’s family, but scientists have shown that a lot of genes influence your risk of developing pattern hair loss. One of these genes influences how your hair follicles react to androgens, or what some people refer to as “masculine hormones.”

#3 Hormonal Adjustments

Higher androgen levels are associated with disorders including polycystic ovarian syndrome also known as PCOS and congenital adrenal hyperplasia, which may result in female pattern hair loss. Ask your doctor about getting your hormone levels checked if you are a woman who has more noticeable hair loss and any of the following symptoms:

Acne,
Excessive body or facial hair growth,
Irregular menstrual cycles.

Hair development may also be impacted by other conditions that have the potential to drastically alter your hormone levels, such as hypothyroidism, menopause, pregnancy, and delivery. If your prescriptions impact your hormone levels, even altering your medication regimens might make your hair thinner. For instance, hair loss may occur in some women who quit using birth control tablets. Fortunately, with the right care, you can usually slow down or stop the hair loss.

What Is Hair Loss?

Regardless of the reason, hair loss is referred to medically as alopecia. Contrary to popular belief, more than half of all women are predicted to have notable hair loss over their lifetime.

Following are warning signs of alopecia:

More hair falling out than usual,
Bald areas that progressively worsen,
A receding hairline,
A hair portion that is widening – most frequently it is cause for concern in women and their hair parts.
If you notice more than 50 to 100 hairs fall out on average per day – More than that can indicate excessive shedding.

Specific hair patterns and symptoms might result from certain hair loss causes. Continue reading to find out more about some frequent reasons.

#4 Stressful Events

You suddenly become aware of a lot of hair falling out. It’s on your pillow, the floor, your clothing, and trapped in the shower drain, among other places. You’re hesitant to brush it since the hair appears to fall out so quickly. Telogen effluvium is the medical word for this condition.

You can feel like you’re about to lose all of your hair during a telogen effluvium. Don’t worry; you won’t. An adverse reaction to stress is telogen effluvium. After a traumatic physical or mental incident, excessive hair loss begins 2 to 3 months later and peaks 4 to 5 months later. Your body adapts with time, and the hair loss eventually ceases. The situation returns to normal around 6 to 9 months.

Your risk of hair loss might be increased by stressful life events including losing a loved one, having surgery, or receiving a bad health diagnosis. However, the process of losing hair itself may be unpleasant, which can create a vicious cycle. Keep in mind that telogen effluvium is just a transient condition; your hair will regrow. Most of the time, no therapy is required.

Androgenetic alopecia, often known as pattern hair loss, is a disorder where some individuals lose their hair more severely as they age. More on it is covered further down.

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#5 Nutritional Problems

Telogen effluvium may have a chronic form. This kind of hair loss begins gradually and lasts longer, typical over 6 months. Nutritional deficits are often mentioned as potential reasons. Low zinc, vitamin D, and iron levels have all been linked to hair loss in studies.

Dietary supplements may typically be used to treat vitamin deficits. Always speak with your healthcare professional before attempting any new supplements.

#6 Autoimmune Illness

Alopecia areata is an autoimmune condition that causes hair loss. Healthy hair follicles are attacked by the body’s immune system, which results in hair loss.

Your hairstylist can notice a circular area of hair loss on your scalp while doing your hair. Or, you could see a gap in your brows or a collection of eyelashes that are gone. You could notice a bare spot in your beard if you’re a male. These events often occur in alopecia areata. Researchers often connect it to times of extreme stress.

Alopecia areata often manifests as one or more coin-sized, bald patches. Any body hair might be impacted. Rarely, it could even be worse. On that note, there are different versions of this condition. The whole scalp experiences hair loss in alopecia totalis on the other hand, alopecia universalis affects the whole body, including the face, scalp, and body.

In most cases however, there is no recognized treatment for alopecia areata, and relapses are frequent. The condition may seem to be getting better and then gets worse overtime.

Your dermatologist may provide cortisone injections into the scalp to hasten the healing process. Light treatment and medicines are available for those who are experiencing more severe hair loss such as a hair transplant procedure.

#7 Scalp Infections

Hair loss due to scalp infections is a possibility. When bacteria, yeast, or fungus overgrow and infiltrate hair follicles, this occurs. You can notice scaling, redness, and pustules. The scalp may feel uncomfortable or itching as a result. Visit your dermatologist as soon as possible if you have any of these symptoms.

The most frequent cause of hair loss in youngsters is fungal infections of the scalp, which are very infectious. Children should refrain from exchanging hats and scarves to prevent it.

When you see a doctor for treatment, they’ll need to determine what sort of bug is to blame. To be certain, they may need to collect a swab sample and submit it to the lab. Whether you have bacteria, yeast, or fungus will determine the best course of action.

The proper antibiotic or antifungal medicine may treat the majority of scalp infections. These infections, if left untreated, may leave lifelong scars which will result in permanent hair loss.

#8 Medicines

As a side effect, several prescriptions or medications might make you lose your hair. Although not everyone who takes these drugs has hair loss, several well-known ones include:

Certain meds for reducing cholesterol e.g., atorvastatin, simvastatin.
Some blood pressure medicines e.g., captopril, lisinopril.
Cimetidine, an antacid.
Colchicine, a medicine for gout.
Isotretinoin, a medicine for acne.
Progesterone and testosterone are steroid hormones.

More information on these and other medications or prescriptions that may result in hair loss may be discussed with your doctor. If you have hair loss after starting a new drug, it’s extremely important to speak with your doctor. They can advise you on whether another drug could be more beneficial for you and, if necessary, provide you with guidance on how to safely cease using your present medicine.

#9 Inflammation And Traumatic Hairstyles

We have so far spoken about non-scarring hair loss, in which the hair follicles are still active and capable of regrowth. In contrast, scarring hair loss results in the destruction of hair follicles and the inability of hair to regenerate.

The root cause of scarring hair loss is inflammation. The scalp might seem red as a visible symptom. Pain, burning, and itching are typical symptoms as well. Hair follicle damage may be brought on by infections and other inflammatory skin disorders. Scarring hair loss may also result from traumatizing hair styling techniques such heat styling, chemical hair treatments, and tight hairstyles.

When inflammation is the root of hair loss, you want to treat it as soon as possible to avoid lasting harm. Depending on the reason and how severe the hair loss has become, dermatologists will often treat this with a particular medicine. Unfortunately, a lot of individuals put off getting help, which results in lasting damage. Combining topical minoxidil and cortisone injections may promote some hair growth. Severe scarring can need a hair transplant.

#10 Radiation And Chemotherapy

For many individuals who have been given a cancer diagnosis and must endure chemotherapy or radiation, hair loss may be a very serious concern. Cells that proliferate too rapidly cause cancer. To eliminate these cells and prevent tumor formation and cell spread, chemotherapy medicines are often utilized. Chemotherapy might still impact your hair since hair follicle cells develop swiftly as well.

Hair loss is another side effect of radiation therapy, which is often used to treat cancer. Radiation treatment often just affects the region that is being treated, however chemotherapy may lead to hair loss across the body.

Hair loss is often only temporary with both kinds of treatments, and you may anticipate seeing your hair come back in a few months once the natural growth process begins.

How To Determine The Cause Of Your Hair Loss

As we’ve talked about in this blog, hair loss can be caused by a lot of different things, and any of them can happen to anyone for any reason. Still, you should talk to your doctor right away if you think you have a health problem that is stopping your hair from growing. If you have lost your hair because of one of these conditions and want to get it back, you can contact our Nova Medical Hair Transplant clinic in Toronto. We would be happy to help you find the best solution for your hair loss.